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

Est: 1956

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Topic Newsletter Archive

Newsletter No 264 - June 2024

_{Hello everyone,  hope all is well with all of you}

_{Let's see what we have for you in the coming month....}

_{6th June: Singers & Musicians}

_{13th June: Robb Johnson}

_{Robb Johnson is one of the most consistent and prolific songwriters of our generation. His work is both political and personal: contradicting capitalism since 1985 pretty much sums up the vast body of his work. He is now widely recognised as one of the finest songwriters in the UK today.}

_{Robb has played pubs, clubs, pavements and benefits, arts centres and festivals, local radio, BBC Radio 3 and 4, Belgian Radio 1, Nicaraguan TV and Channel 4 to name but a few. He also appeared at the Barbican in London as part of the prestigious BBC Folk Britannia series. He plays extensively in Belgium, Holland and Germany, and has toured Britain supporting Chumbawamba and the US with David Rovics.   £7/£6}

_{An English original - Robin Denselow, The Guardian}

_{One of our best singer-songwriters ever - Mike Harding}

_{https://www.robbjohnson.co.uk/}

_{https://www.wegottickets.com/event/609641}

_{20th June: Singers & Musicians}

_{27th June:Louise Jordan}

_{Louise Jordan is a familiar face on the UK music scene, and has appeared at the Topic several times over the years. A UK based songwriter and performer with a Masters in Human Rights and over 10 years’ experience touring the UK & Europe accompanying herself on guitar and keyboard, Louise has released 7 recordings, gaining national radio play on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show & Radio 4.}

_{In 2016 Louise began touring her critically acclaimed one woman show No Petticoats Here about extraordinary women of the First World War and in 2018 created The Hard Way, the story of working class suffragette Hannah Mitchell. In 2020, Louise launched Florence to celebrate the many inspirational achievements of Florence Nightingale in the 200th year since Florence’s birth. 2021 saw the launch of Louise’s new project Pop-Up Pedestal challenging audiences to consider who is commemorated in our public spaces and why.}

_{Commissioned by UK Parliament, Dreadnought South West , the V & A Museum and Groninger Museum, Louise has worked with such organisations as the National Trust and University of Oxford to share her approach to opening the history books and telling hidden women’s histories through song. She has received support from Arts Council England, the English Folk Dance & Song Society and Help Musicians UK.}

_{Louise’s Topic appearance will this time feature HerStories, a celebration of the lives of extraordinary women through original song which she has composed over the past ten years whilst touring across the UK and in Europe. £7/£6}

_{www.louisejordan.co.uk}

_{https://www.wegottickets.com/event/609642}

_{ADVANCE NOTICE of a special night in July:}

_{Roger Sutcliffe and Friends – 11 July 2024}

_{Veteran Blues Guitarist and singer Roger Sutcliffe first played at the Topic in the mid-60s.  He has continued to appear every July since.   This year, we are inviting a group of local singers who have played with Roger over the years, to join him in a special reunion session.   Planned to appear so far include Pat Sherry and Nigel Broadbent (founders of Scarlet Heights), songwriter Jim Jarrett, and Blues Guitarist Gerry Cooper.  All are well used to playing with each other as well as with Roger.  It promises to be a great evening!   More details in the next Newsletter.}

_{See the attached for a potted history of Roger and associates.}

_{Topic ZOOMS}

_{Joy Leach has submitted the following:}

                           _{TOPIC ZOOM SESSION}

_{This is an invitation to join the Topic Zoom on Monday June 17th. This will be the penultimate session for the 2023-2024 season, as we won't run in August.}

_{New and regular performers and audience members are welcome from anywhere. As previously, the digital doors will open at 7.30 for an 8pm start & the programme will run till 10.00. Singers, musicians and poets can all take part.} 

_{For further enquiries about participating, pass codes for the evening etc., please email:   joy.utistugu.49.5.8@gmail.com.}

_{THE TOPIC AND BRADFORD CITY OF CULTURE 2025}

_{The now usual reminder that we are involved in one of the cultural events in the run up to Bradford City of Culture 2025 as per the following:}

_{Folk Songs for Bradford District - Person and Place: Creating Songs about People and Places of Bradford District.}

_{This ambitious project is by no means limited to the usual participants in the acoustic music scene: if you know of anyone outside our orbit who might be interested in being involved, please let them know about it, nay, encourage them.}

_{NON-TOPIC STUFF}

_{A reminder that Cleckheaton Folk Festival is back this year,  with the usual star-studded line-up. make a note of the dates, 5th, 6th and 7th July 2024, visit:  www.cleckheatonfolkfe ---po0stival.org for details and updates.  As things stand, this will sadly be the final one. Don't miss it!!}

_{On 2nd June, John Miffed, described as "Yorkshire's answer to Billy Bragg"will be performing at Costa Coffee, 11 Market Street Shipley, BD18 3QD 6pm to 8pm as one of a series of intimate monthly gigs with a folky flavour.  This will be a pay as you feel event.}  

_{Buck Inn sessions: although the sessions at the Buck Inn are "resting" for the summer, there is a one-off Late Spring Fling on Sunday June 9th, 2pm - 5 pm at the Buck Inn, Upper Wharfedale, BD23 5JA. (flyer attached). A reminder that it fits in with the Dales Bus timetable.The regular sessions will resume on 13th October: details will be in future newsletters.}

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 _{Wanna be a radio presenter?? Daz in the hat has a not-for-profit radio station and is willing to help anyone interested to get involved with presenting a programme - perhaps a Topic programme. He will give training/guidance if required and is prepared to start with co-presenting a show.}

_{For more info/contact details visit https://dazinthehat.com/}

                                                                                          _{------------------------------------------------}

_{TOPIC STUFF}   

_{Long-standing Topic member John Waller, now one of the mainstays of the club administration team and frequent floor-spotter on guest nights, has just released his sixth (and final) CD. It includes his 13-minute epic on three political events in Autumn 1956 (the Hungarian uprising, invasion of Suez and desegregation of buses in the US), written to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Topic around that time. It also includes three songs in the now-completed trilogy about the famous Norwegian cow on the roof. If you are interested in the CD, ask him about it.}

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_{As I'm sure you're now aware, guest nights as well as singers & musicians  nights are now held in the downstairs bar. Please note that doors will now open at 7 pm to enable the seating arrangements to be completed for the evening.}

_{For those of you wishing to partake of drinks that are only available from the upstairs bar, would you please go upstairs to purchase them, as the bar staff are not able to leave their bar area. When doing so, it would be much appreciated if you would try to leave and come back between songs, as is normal folk club etiquette.}

_{Remember that we now accept (indeed prefer) payment by card, but you can of course pay by cash if that suits you better.}

_MEMBERSHIP  

_{Membership of the Topic Folk Club - still only £5 - runs from 1st January and 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.} 

               _{---------------------------}

_{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, doors will open at 7 pm with a 7.30 pm start and 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 if 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.} 

_{Please continue to take Covid precautions when visiting the club.}

_{Tony Charnock}

_{Topic Folk Club}

_---

_{2nd June:}

_{Hello again all, a couple of additional items following yesterday's newsletter:}

_{Firstly, on 3rd June (tomorrow!) Hazjak are playing at Liz Narey's First Monday Folk.}             

_{Venue: The Ryshworth Club, Keighley Road, Crossflatts, BD16 2HB. Doors 7 pm. No entry fee. Raffle and donation. Music from 7.30pm.} 

_{Looking a bit further ahead, on 13th June at the Topic we have a support act for Robb Johnson: Johnny Campbell, who you might remember appeared at the club as part of a double header last year.}

_{Johnny emerged onto the UK folk scene writing self-penned material and delving deep into Northern English folk song and story.}

_{The album From Hull & Halifax & Hell (2020) took him to the Faroe Islands where he recorded a live album on the island of Nolsoy. Since musical instruments hadn't arrived on the islands until the 19th century, this is perhaps the first time Northern English traditional song has been recorded there. £7 (£6 members).}

_{This album earned him album of the week with Blues and Roots radio and reviews with British folk press:}

_{A modern-day Billy Bragg - Tradfolk}

_{Nobody else seems to be doing what Campbell is doing right now, and his passion and determination deserve recognition - Jon Wilks}

_{The spirit of the folk clubs in their heyday runs in his veins - Folking.com}

_{I defy anyone not to be galvanised by the total integrity of his exceptional rendition of [Ewan MacColl's] Moving On Song - The Living Tradition}

_{A truly entertaining work. Lose yourself in the true folk experience - Fatea Magazine}

_{https://johnnycampbell.co.uk/}