Thursday 22nd May 2025 at 7:30

<sub>Poetry Evening Double Header:

Emma Conally-Barklem
and Charlie Parker

^{with musical interludes by}
Les Gillon and Julia Farrants</sub>

_{Emma Conally-Barklem is a Bradford-born author, poet and yoga teacher based in North Yorkshire. In 2023, she was New Northern Poet for Ilkley Literature Festival. Her collection The Ridings was curated into an exhibition in her hometown, Bradford. Hymns from the Sisters was written after a residency at the Brontë Parsonage Museum.}

_{Emma won the Black in White Poetry Prize 2024. Her first novel, Yoga Homicide was shortlisted for the 2024 Book Edit Writers’ Prize. Her first full collection, Emily Brontë’s Hawk will be published by The Black Cat Poetry Press in 2026. She is a core poet for the BBC’s Contains Strong Language Poetry Festival for Bradford 2025.}

_{Skilfully crafted, poignant and memorable, this is an impressive debut which I am sure will be of great comfort and inspiration to anyone experiencing loss - Natalie Scott, review of The Ridings}

_{Charlie Parker is a published poet, writer, and editorial assistant. In 2023 his debut poetry collection, which was nominated for two awards, was published by Written Off Publishing. He has published a short story and a creative non-fiction essay, and volunteers as a features writer for Exposed Magazine. He has a particular interest in UK social class, current affairs, English football, and politics.}

_{Heartfelt, witty and subtly political anthems of everyday life - Lee Pollard, Sheffield Hallam University Department of Social Work and Social Care}

_{Musical interludes from Les Gillon on guitar and Julia Farrants on cello.}

_{Les Gillon is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who as well as being a longstanding member of the folk trio Ghost School, leads his own five piece acoustic band The Agents of Karma, of which Julia Farrants is a member.  Julia also plays in a wide range of contexts from classical orchestral to klezmer and gypsy jazz.}

_{https://wegottickets.com/event/655962}

_{Entry £9 (£6 members)}

_{Doors open 7pm}

_{facebook.com/TopicFCBradford}

_{You can see see The Topic's Safeguarding Policy (March 2024) here}

<sub>A collection of folk songs about people, groups and special places in Bradford District.

To mark Bradford City of Culture in 2025 the Topic Folk Club is gathering together folk songs about the story of the people and/or groups who work to make Bradford District a welcoming and supportive place.</sub>

_{Please send any observations and questions to bd25topic@gmail.com}

_{See the 40 songs uploaded so far at Topic SWABA - a few more have been added in February.}

 

<sub>THE TOPIC'S HOME is at Hullabaloo, a couple of minutes walk from Groove Pad, nearer the station. There is parking on Crowgill Street. See MAP for venue location. Hullabaloo site: hullabalooshipley.org.uk/ Hullabaloo's Facebook page: facebook.com/PuttingTheHipInShipley/

PLEASE NOTE: The club room is downstairs and the only toilets are upstairs. (There is a plan for construction of downstairs toilets but that will take some weeks yet before completion)</sub>

Coming Soon

_{Bradford is City of Culture this year - Bradford Booking in the listing below indicates when a guest artist from Bradford has been booked to appear.}

29 May

_{Duo Double Header -}

_Wychbury

_{Wychbury has been carving out a space for themselves within the folk scene, earning recognition alongside fellow rising stars, Maddie Morris, Broadside Hacks and Frankie Archer in Tradfolk's esteemed article, 'Young Folk Musicians You Need To Hear'. Their journey has taken them to the stages of some of the country's most renowned festivals, including multiple appearances at Glastonbury’s stages.}

_{At the core of their sound lies Che Bradley's intricate finger-picking guitar and Rhiannon Kenny-McGrath's captivating vocals. Their music is a tapestry woven with threads of tradition and innovation, with a blend of acoustic instrumentation and modern production techniques, Wychbury breathes new life into age-old narratives, offering a fresh perspective for contemporary listeners.}

_{Julie and Steve Wigley}

_{Familiar on the Midlands Folk and Festival scene, Steve and Julie Wigley are a duo from Derbyshire.}

_{Julie Wigley is a prolific singer/songwriter from Derby, and is a former winner and runner up of the 'Song for Lincolnshire' songwriting competition and the John Birmingham Cup for an a capella song. Her songs always have a story to tell and many of them feature their home county. They have recorded ten albums of her songs and are currently working on the eleventh, Midnight Road.}

_{Steve & Julie are also two thirds of harmony trio Stonesthrow.}

_{https://wegottickets.com/event/658423}

_{Entry £9 (£6 members)}

_{Doors open 7pm}

 

5 June

_{Singers and Musicians}

_{A chance for you to sing a song or play a tune or just listen.}

_{£1 Entry}

_{Doors open 7pm}
 

_{12th June Bradford Booking Jason McNiff; support Liz Narey and Stan Greenwood
https://wegottickets.com/event/640792}

_{19th June Singers and Musicians}

_{26th June Lynne Heraud and Pat Turner}

_{3rd July Singers and Musicians}

_{10th July Bradford Booking John Hegley
https://wegottickets.com/event/646752}

_{17th July Singers and Musicians}

_{24th July Enda Kenny
https://wegottickets.com/event/652488}

_{31st July Singers and Musicians}

_{7th August Singers and Musicians}

_{14th August Bradford Booking Otra
https://wegottickets.com/event/652490}

_{21st August Singers and Musicians}

_{28th August Singers and Musicians}

_{4th September Singers and Musicians}

_{11th September Bradford Booking Double Header: Hazjak and Pete Dilley
https://wegottickets.com/event/652492}

_{18th September Singers and Musicians}

_{25th September Becky Mills}

_{2nd October Singers and Musicians}

_{9th October Bradford Booking Den Miller support Ben Ashton}

_{16th October Singers and Musicians}

_{23rd October Sunjay}

_{30th October Union Jill}

_{6th November Singers and Musicians}

_{13th November Bradford Booking Double Header: Reuben and the Bridge and Chris Manners} 

_{20th November Singers and Musicians}

_{27th November Jon Palmer Acoustic Band}

_{4th December Singers and Musicians}

_{11th December Bradford Booking Plumhall}

_{18th December Singers and Musicians}

Clicks since 03-2-2004: