Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford

Subject: Topic Folk Club at 70
From: GUEST,Tony Charnock
Date: 02 Aug 26 - 09:00 AM

Bradford's Topic Folk Club celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. That's 70 years as a weekly club, the only gaps being due to seriously inclement weather and covid, during which the club ran weekly Zoom sessions (still going on on a monthly basis).
The club will be marking its achievement with a series of special events.
Any memories, anecdotes to share, anyone?

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Aug 26 - 12:22 PM

I played there a number of times, always had good nights, it used to be good for chorus singing, havent been there for a while,
I remember a floor singer singing john henry , on a banjo, extremely enthusiastically.
another occasion i sold out of 10 lps, all good memories.
Bradford was always good for curries, SO I used to arrive early and have a curry before the club

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 02 Aug 26 - 07:10 PM

My favourite memory was when I was the booking secretary and I picked Martin Carthy up from Bradford Interchange and took him for a curry at my favourite curry house - the International on Morley Street. Martin was delightful company and so modest about his career. An evening I have never forgotten.

The same year I was also delighted to receive a phone call from Dave Swarbrick (who was quite ill at the time) saying that he would love to play the Topic one last time - such was the clubs reputation. He got lost on the way having typed a rogue digit into his sat nav but made it in the end!

I dare say I will recall other evenings......

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: cujimmy
Date: 02 Aug 26 - 07:34 PM

If I remember correctly Dave Swarbrick came along with Alistair Hulett a few times, maybe in the late 1990s or there abouts. I kept in touch with Alistair after meeting him at the Topic and met up with him again at Otley.

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 03 Aug 26 - 07:32 AM

I wish I had gone there in the 1970s when I was at the Uni, but I have performed there with the Trio since. Just a nice club!

Robin

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: r.padgett
Date: 07 Aug 26 - 06:53 AM

Did Ken Hall (of Middlesbrough/Staithes) not have some connection with the Topic?

Ray

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 08 Aug 26 - 02:14 PM

The Marsden RAttlers did the club about 1971/2 when Me & Sue were looking for carpet for our new house in Hetton le Hole.

We stayed with Dave & Heather Brady in Cullingworth & found what we wanted in Dave's garage/shed - we'd met him at one of the NorthEast markets where he sold his carpets at that time & delighted with ac 'good price' he gave us AND free delivery. The folk club wasn't bad either..

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 08 Aug 26 - 05:41 PM

To jog your memories of venues & people there is a good history page on the Topic website
www.nawaller.com/topicfc/Site/history.html

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: wendyg
Date: 11 Aug 26 - 06:08 PM

I remember playing there as a guest in the late 1970s, when Trevor was in charge! Amazing it's still going - many congratulations. As I recall, we had to dig his car out of snow in the morning so I could get to the station.

wg

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: The Sandman
Date: 12 Aug 26 - 03:42 AM

well done, to the different organisers for keeping a club going for 70 years.Dick Miles

Subject: RE: Topic Folk Club at 70 - Bradford
From: wendyg
Date: 12 Aug 26 - 04:18 AM

Re the Cornell Folk Song Club: yes, it began in Ithaca, NY in the 1950s.i am a past president, as is the fabulous banjo player Howard Bursen, one or both of the late Tony Barrand and John Roberts, and Peter Yarrow. A friend who graduated in 1954 remembered going to the CFSC's events while Yarrow was president. Not sure what's happening with it now. The other great Ithaca folk institution is the local live radio show Bound for Glory, which was over 50 years old when covid came and knocked back to the studios for a few years...and then its host, PHil Shapiro died last year, so it's all reruns now on wvbr.com.

Sorry for the digression.

wg