At: Hullabaloo, 41 Westgate, Shipley, BD18 3QX

Est: 1956

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Topic Newsletter Archive

Newsletter No 238  - April 2022

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all keeping well. A taste of spring last week: back to normal as we speak.......

Here's the programme  for the coming month: 

7th   April:     Singers and musicians.  (£1 entry)

14th April      Jon Palmer Acoustic Band

The Jon Palmer Acoustic Band is a high energy “folk, roots and rock & roll” 4 piece band, based in and around the musically vibrant West Yorkshire market town of Otley. Best described as “exploding out of the same box as The Pogues, The Saw Doctors, and The Waterboys”, the band has a great reputation on the live circuit. Amongst a host of accolades, the band, who regularly perform at festivals and venues across the North of England, has been hailed “A blur of hedonistic delight” by Fatea Showcases and “the best upbeat folk band around” by the Yorkshire Gig Guide.

With the release of their latest album One Fine Day the band received outstanding reviews in the national and local music press. The album was produced by the highly regarded David Crickmore (SteveTilston, Pete Coe, Jez Lowe) and comprises 12 new songs all written by Jon. The subject matters are varied and far ranging including songs about the musically rich Yorkshire market town of Otley, so strongly associated with the band; an economic migrant; an ancient highway, murder; making a new start; a highway woman; and a depressed 19th  century mill worker. One Fine Day features Jon’s excellent band throughout, and guesting on guitar and backing vocals  on several songs is  Baz Warne from The Stranglers.  Producer DavidCrickmore also gets to play a range of instruments on many of the tracks. 

12 excellent songs…. their best album to date… great musicians… a fine songwriter… Jon’s written his finest set of songs yet - RnR Magazine

Buy this album, seek out their gigs. You won’t regret it - Maverick Magazine

www.jonpalmeracousticband 

28th  April:    Dave Vermond.

Dave Vermond is one of the most respected and versatile songwriters in the Wharfedale / Leeds area. He has built his considerable reputation on finely-crafted songs that range through a wide range of styles, subjects and emotions – all delivered with passion, wit and a true performer's skill. Dave has fronted many local bands, including The Upsiders and The Recidivists, but he's best known for his stunning solo performances.

A mainstay of the Otley Folk Festival for over 20 years, Dave is an excellent singer and guitarist, an all-round master of his trade. It's in live situations that he excels, drawing on his many dozens of songs, and he's notoriously reluctant to record – unless it's live. Dave thrives on the spontaneous, and each time he plays a song it takes on a shape of its own. If belief in performance and reinvention is a pillar of the folk process, it's one he has adopted wholeheartedly.

In his time as a musician he has supported Richard Thompson, John Otway, The Climax Blues Band, Liam O'Flynn and many others. He has won the Radio Lincolnshire Folk Contest and had his songs performed by fellow singers in many parts of the country. His enthusiasm for performing has never left him, and his lyrical and musical skills make him a compelling artist in any setting. Dave is a member of The Brotherhood Of Troubadours, sharing the stage with Nick Hall and Jon Palmer among others.

NON-TOPIC STUFF

Topic supporter Zbig Szafranski has organised a charity event/concert to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees to be held at Groove Pad on Sunday 10th April from 5 pm till 10 pm. The line-up consists of a host of performers from many different genres, including a few Topic regulars. I'll attach a poster to this newsletter. Hopefully there'll be a good turnout: the event will be held in the larger upstairs bar.

As things return to normal I'll be giving general details of some local venues doing folky stuff and their contact details. They have all had a hard time during the pandemic but managed to keep going: the looming cost of living crisis isn't going to help them. Hopefully between us we can give them support while enjoying some of our favourite performers.

Black Dyke Mills Heritage Venue in Queensbury has a full programme, which includes a folk concert at 4 pm this coming Sunday 3rd April at which performers will include Roisin Ban and the legendary Ray Hearne. Later in the month, on 16th April, Topic favourite Pete Morton is the guest, and the month rounds off with Otley-based The Ale Marys on 30th April.

www.blackdykemills.org

Wadsworth Community Centre Old Town Hebden Bridge HX7 8RY has Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage with support from Hazjak on 2nd April.

 Looking further ahead, another real goodie: Ranagri with Plumhall as support on 7th May.

https://www.facebook.com/BGREvents/

The Live Room Saltaire has John Smith on 10th April and Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman on 29th April.

 https://theliveroom.info

Groove Pad Shipley has Hazjak this Sunday 3rd April at 3 pm. Hazjak are also appearing here on 29th April with Susan Herndon from the U.S. who has also made a previous appearance at the Topic.

https://www.facebook.com/groovepadshipley/

Heart (Headingley Enterprise & Arts Centre) has lots going on including Duncan McFarlane & Anne Brivonese on 19th April.

https://www.heartcentre.org.uk/

Keighley and Kenya-based Den Miller is over here at the moment and has organised a whistle-stop April tour. Venues include Keighley, York and Leeds. Checkout details at www.DenMiller.com.

Phew, what amazing choices we have here in our corner of West Yorkshire!!

TOPIC STUFF

The Telegraph and Argus has run double page spreads about the Topic on three consecutive weeks, tracing the club's history through to the present day. Many thanks to John Waller who put in many journalistic hours to give us some excellent publicity, and to Emma Clayton of the T & A for giving us the space.

Membership

A reminder that current membership will run until 31st August 2022, so there will be no need to renew until September.

Membership entitles you the lower ticket prices shown in this newsletter as well as the chance to become more involved in the workings of the club if you would like to. You can join or renew your membership on any club night.

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For performers who may be thinking of approaching the club for a booking, please email: info4topic@gmail.com

If you’re visiting the club for the first time, be sure to come and say hello, and if anyone has any suggestions for the club, for example if you would like us to try to book a particular artist, we’d like to hear them.

The Topic runs on Thursdays at Groove Pad, 48 Saltaire Road, Shipley BD18 3HN, 7.30 pm start with a target time of 10pm to finish. Like all the clubs in the area, our aim is to provide good quality live entertainment to suit all tastes of those interested in folk music, and we are hoping we can count on you for your continued support.

Floor singers are always welcome (though may be limited when we have a booked support act - please check). Please arrive by 7.15 pm if you’d like a slot – it helps the MC to plan the evening. Would-be floor singers please note that for the time being we may change the format of the evening slightly and have all the floor singers at the beginning of the first half to start the night.

It's not set in stone, we'll see how things develop as we go along, but it may help the evening run smoothly and ensure that the finish time is strictly adhered to.

Although covid restrictions have now been lifted, the virus is still out there and people are still getting infected, so we respectfully ask you to continue to take sensible precautions when visiting the club.

Best wishes,

Tony Charnock

Topic Folk Club