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