Venue: The Castle, 20, Grattan Road Bradford BD1 2LU
Thursday 21st May 2026 at 7:30
Singers and Musicians
A chance to sing a song or play a tune or just listen.
Entry £1
Doors open 7pm
ACCESS and PARKING for The Castle, 20, Grattan Road, Bradford BD1 2LU.
There are two entrances to the pub, the lower one with steps, the top one at ground floor level.
Parking: there's on-street parking on Barry St, which is the road along the side of The Castle pub on a hill, and a couple of spots on Grattan Road outside the top door (check signs for parking charges). Also on Fulton St, which is a nearby turning off Grattan Road.
Songs With A Bradford Accent: To mark Bradford City of Culture in 2025 The Topic gathered a collection of folk songs about Bradford District. See the 62 songs uploaded at SWABA-LYRICS-FINAL.pdf .
Coming Soon
28 May
Tom Bliss with Den Miller and Slide
CONCERTS FOR MS RESEARCH
'Brilliant' Mojo
Over 150,000 people in the UK have Multiple Sclerosis. It's unpredictable, debilitating, life-limiting and currently incurable. But it doesn't have to stay that way. The MS Society supports people living with MS and helps fund research into drugs that can manage symptoms better and, we hope, maybe even stop the progression of this horrible disease altogether. Tom's daughter Ellie lives with MS. He's raised over £18,000 at previous gigs, and aims to reach £20,000 or more this year.
A nationally-acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, Tom Bliss writes catchy story songs in a folk style which typically tell true stories, some funny, some sad - but always powerful. For ten years, he toured the UK with banjo maestro Tom Napper, now residing in Scotland. These days he plays just a handful of gigs a year, all MS benefits, using mandozouki, dulcimer, guitar, whistle, concertina, accordion and harp. The first set features award-winning songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Den Miller, and the second a specially-reformed Slide: Derek Magee (fiddle, low whistles) Neil Whitaker (guitar banjo, vocals) John Layton (bass) and Tom (everything else).
Active from 2000-4, Slide played all over Yorkshire to major acclaim, and made 2 highly-regarded CDs featuring their unique blend of English, Celtic and American trad, many of Tom's most popular songs, and further songs and tunes from Neil and Derek With Den adding guitar, percussion, harmonica and autoharp, they sound even better than ever today
All proceeds to the MS Society.
You can donate and read Tom's family's story plus more about MS research via Tom's website tombliss.co.uk/
A chance for you to sing a song or play a tune or just listen.
Entry £1
Doors open 7pm
11 Jun
Damien Barber + support Pen and Stu
Best known in recent years for his critically acclaimed stage shows ‘The Demon Barbers XL’ and ‘The Lock In’, Damien Barber is the epitome of a traditional folk singer, having learnt his trade directly from some most respected singers in the UK, and brings real authenticity to his performances.
A proud Norfolk man and heavily influenced by such earlier Norfolk singers as Walter Pardon and Peter Bellamy, Damien is a stylish and distinctive singer, be it unaccompanied or alongside his guitar or concertina. Though he has now resided for some time in West Yorkshire, his roots remain firmly planted in his beloved East Anglia.
He was 5 years old when he was taken to the Orchard Gardens Folk Club in North Walsham, Norfolk, where his family lived and where many of the great English revival singers like Nic Jones, Dick Gaughan & Martin Carthy performed along with a few from further afield, including the legendary Uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn. He also began to absorb the styles and sounds of local singers such as Tony Hall, Peter Bellamy and most notable of all Walter Pardon. Walter was one of the last great traditional singers of the region and, along with his weekly visits to the folk club, Damien was fortunate to listen to, and play with, Walter at his home before his passing in 1996.
Damien Barber’s career in folk music started 30 years ago when he became a finalist in BBC Radio 2’s ‘Young Tradition Award’ in 1989, an award he was invited back to take part in another four times over the next seven years.
In 2000 he formed The Demon Barbers, along with creating the ground-breaking Folk & Hip Hop dance company ‘Breaking Tradition’ in 2005 and forming his duo with long-time friend Mike Wilson in 2007. 2025 saw Damien front the 25th anniversary nationwide tour of the Demon Barbers, known for blending traditional British folk music with high-energy dance.
Support: Pen and Stu
Pen and Stu play original contemporary folk - with BIG whistles and tenor guitars. Their songs, written by Pen, tell stories about famous characters from history and folklore.
"Pen and Stu blend the resonant charm of tenor guitars with the sonorous melodies of BIG whistles, crafting an original contemporary folk sound that resonates with both purists and modern listeners. Their music is a journey through time, encapsulating tales of historical figures, folklore legends, and seafaring tales of pirate queens, all delivered with a heartfelt authenticity and nuanced artistry." - Folkscape
A chance for you to sing a song or play a tune or just listen.
Entry £1
Doors open 7pm
25 Jun
Double header: Paula Ryan and Roberta Smith
Paula Ryan
Paula Ryan, an award-winning singer-songwriter from Tipperary, Ireland is "a unique voice in the contemporary folk world" (Classic Rock Society Magazine). Paula's music is infused with the Celtic lyricism and passion of her Irish Gaelic roots and she uses a range of instruments, some standard (guitar, bazouki) and some a bit more unusual (bodhran, marimba), to accompany original songs which are “really powerful....what songwriting is all about, making you think” (Fatea Magazine).
Paula's story-telling intros and her sometimes serious, sometimes amusing, sometimes reflective, sometimes lively, but always sensitive to the song and the music, presentation of her own original material alongside folk favourites represent performance, originality, creativity, and entertainment at their best.
Paula 's latest studio album is Turas Cumadoir (Songwriter's Journey). According to Irish Music Magazine Annual 2022 "Albums like this are a rarity and a breath of fresh air when they come along - this one is a gem which anyone will enjoy".
Roberta Smith
Roberta Smith, an original flower child singer-songwriter, started to write songs when she was 15 and was quickly taken up by management. She opened for Ralph McTell at Charles Morris Hall, played on Radio Leeds, at Leeds University Union and on the university TV network and on Yorkshire Television.
Her new single “Shade and Shelter” deftly plays on the difficulties encountered in all loving relationships and her new EP: “Airs on a Sixstring” deals with climate change, loneliness, humour, and love.
She has performed many times on the UK’s acoustic scene, at one stage even playing Queen Anne Boleyn in a medieval theatre-restaurant in London’s St Martin’s Lane, but all the while, Roberta has been quietly honing her craft to carve out her identity as the accomplished musician we hear today.
A Poetry and Spoken Word event, to coincide with the bi-annual Literature Festival and in celebration of The Topic's 70th anniversary.
Entry £1
Doors open 7pm
09 Jul
The Hunch
The Hunch is a band that is hard to pin down to a particular genre, but what you definitely do get is the sound that you will instantly recognise as The Hunch sound, whether they are playing Folk, Irish tunes, Americana, Pop classics, Spanish and even Jazz!
The band have known each other for many years and have always wanted to get together to throw all their influences into the mix and see what came about, and as Michael said ‘I have a Hunch it will work!’.
The band have now expanded to a 5-piece following the addition of Cajon player Marcus Frost (who singlehandedly lowers the average age of the band significantly) and adds another dimension to that of the original members:
Michael Doonan: founder member of the 70’s folk innovators Hedgehog Pie and part of the North East dynasty The Doonans, well known on the international folk circuit for many years. Michael provides lead vocals and with soaring Uilleann Pipes and various flutes adds to many of The Hunch tracks. As a Tenor Sax player and vocalist he was also part of the very successful soul band The Solicitors.
Bob Thomas: Also a well known part of the folk circuit, having great success with ‘Kitsyke Will’, Bob has also had successful partnerships with Michael and Jon Burge and Jed Grimes. Having a background originally from soul music he brings another dimension with his more soul and rock influenced lead vocals and harmonica along with bodhran.
Tony Bacon: Began performing life as an accordion player in the ceilidh band The Shroggs at the age of 14 . Tony also spent some time with Chris busking around the streets of York and Wakefield before taking the sensible route (some say) into university, studying music and recording. On leaving he spent some time as a sound engineer before eventually bringing the keyboards and vocals to The Hunch via The Solicitors.
Chris Hanks: Following early years busking with Tony and playing with local blues bands, Chris has spent many a year honing his guitar skills on the road busking around Europe before settling in Spain for many years. Now back in the UK along with his Spanish influences, Chris brings with him a more jazzy inflection to The Hunch sound along with his vocals. Chris also continues to play with The Tony Foster Band.
Marcus Frost: The new boy – brings youth, a mean cajon and a voice to make you swoon – much to the annoyance of the rest of the band he can silence an audience with his version of Snow Patrols ‘Chasing Cars’! Having played with Chris in the past he was an obvious addition bringing the driving beat and other vocal influences to expand The Hunch repertoire.
The Hunch never fail to entertain both with their eclectic mix of original and cover versions of songs and tunes, but their on-stage humour and rapport and musical connection means you will get a night to remember.
A chance for you to sing a song or play a tune or just listen - but with a special extra theme. This will be a celebration of Bradford’s Heritage, to coincide with the Heritage week taking place this week. We encourage songs and poems relevant to Bradford’s, and even the Topic’s, heritage, in celebration of The Topic's 70th anniversary.
Entry £1
Doors open 7pm
23 Jul
Singers and Musicians
A chance for you to sing a song or play a tune or just listen.
Entry £1
Doors open 7pm
30 Jul
Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer
Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer blend traditional material with contemporary sounds. Their performances showcase new interpretations of old songs alongside original self penned tunes and new contemporary songs that are entirely at home in the tradition. They have developed a sound that is both familiar and fresh. Strong believers in letting the music tradition live and breathe through sensitive interpretation, Vicki and Jonny allow the melody to sing without any constraints.
Be entranced by the haunting nyckelharpa, amazed at the cow horn (one of the world's earliest communication devices) and meet some of the bagpipes that didn't come from Scotland. Suitable for all ages, their evenings are packed with toe tapping tunes and songs of love, death, trains and dressing up (not always at the same time) all presented with sparkling gentle humour, lots of smiles and skilful musicianship.
Saturday 10th October - The Topic's 70th anniversary Special Event: Around 10 Guest Singers, all of whom have connections with the Topic, will perform in the outside area of Darley Street Market. More details nearer the time.
Singers and Musicians
