Directions

At: The Merchant Bar, 25 Peckover Street,
Little Germany, Bradford, BD1 5BD Tel: 01274 721100

Est: 1956

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Topic Newsletter

TOPIC FOLK CLUB, BRADFORD

At The Merchant Bar, 25 Peckover Street, Little Germany, BD1 5BD

Newsletter No 210  - December 2019 

Hello all,

Nearly Christmas already: where do the years go??? A couple of goodies for you as we enter our short month....

5th December:   Singers and musicians. Free entry. Preceded this month by the club's AGM - see below

12th   December: Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne.

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne is a folk musician and singer. He has been a musician since the age of 6 and took to squeezeboxes in his teens and has since developed into a fine player of both the melodeon and anglo concertina. In 2014 he won Bromyard Folk Festival's Future of Young Folk Award for singing. 

Cohen's solo repertoire consists mainly of traditional songs with accompaniment from anglo concertina or melodeon: he also performs traditional tunes and the occasional unaccompanied song. An average solo performance includes traditional ballads, historical songs, industrial songs, sea songs and shanties all firmly rooted in the English tradition, with a fair amount of material linked to the West Midlands where Cohen has lived for much of his life.  

Cohen has performed in numerous line-ups over the years but is probably best known as a member of BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award nominated trio Granny's Attic.

He demonstrates considerable drawing-power as a captivating, bold and striking solo performer. - The Living Tradition

https://cohenbk.com/

One visitor to the club tonight will be Sue Kovacs, who as Sue Rock (from Leeds) performed at The Topic a number of times more than half a century ago. Due to patchy records at the time we only know one precise date: 26th August 1961, when she performed with Mark Newman as Mark and Sue. Mark Newman, after a long time away, returned to play several times at the club between 2002-2010. Sue, who has lived in the USA for more than 50 years, met up with Mark in France last year. She will be back in Yorkshire between 10th and 15th December, visiting old haunts in Leeds and Bradford, and coming to the Topic, so be sure to say hello and make her welcome.

19th   December:  Crickmore Crewe.

Crickmore: Crewe is a four piece band who, each December, perform a programme of Gallery Carols and Christmas Curios.

The line up consists of ex-Wenchall members Emma Crickmore & Virginia Crewe with husbands Pete Crewe (ex Brillig) and David Crickmore (The Durbervilles). The programme of festive songs they perform is drawn from different sources, many familiar, some not so, but all designed to conjure a rustic atmosphere. Their four part seasonal vocals are complemented by a selection of instruments including vintage harmonium, mandolin, guitar, whistle and percussion.

In Wenchall, as well as countless live performance up and down the country, Emma and Virginia put out three albums, did two live sessions for BBC Radio 2 and sang the theme music to a BBC Radio 4 play.

https://d.facebook.com/CrickmoreCrew 

26th  December  : Club closed

NON-TOPIC STUFF

Following the last singers and musicians night we were able to donate £80 to the Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank, which was gratefully received. To those who came and made a donation, thank you for your generosity

TOPIC STUFF

THE AGM: FINAL REMINDER !

The AGM will be held on 5th December at 7.30 pm at The Merchant Bar , preceding the monthly singers and musicians night.  A reminder that the AGM business will be for Topic members only: non-members coming to the singers night will be welcome to observe, but will not be able to vote on any matters, as is normal.

We do need some new faces on the committee: please consider putting your name forward, it's not too onerous a task. 4 meetings a year and it's always helpful to have new people involved in running the club, new ideas and so forth, it keeps the club moving forward.

AGM's and matters of constitution are tedious but necessary:  they give members a chance to let the committee know what they want, and the committee members to explain the whys and wherefores of their running of the club if necessary. Above all they make for transparency in terms of financial matters, providing a proper record of the accounts of the club. So hopefully we will get enough people along and deal with the business efficiently so we can get on with the singers night.

MEMBERSHIP

If you would like to become a member of the Topic Folk club it still only costs only £5.00 for the year. Membership 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 The Merchant Bar, 25 Peckover Street, Little Germany BD1 5BD, 8.00 pm start. 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 thank 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 7.45 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, so that the necessary furniture moving etc can be attended to.

To find the Topic on Facebook search for "Topic Fc".

Best wishes

Tony Charnock

Topic Newsletter Editor