The Handsome Family UK/Ireland Tour March 2015

There May Be Trouble Ahead!

Just face the music and dance!

New Year's Eve With Mama Liz, Stamford.

New Year Ceillidh with the Little Big Band

Soul Weekender Peterborough 20/21 December.

Check Out The Three Blokes Blues Band @ The Tap House Gainsborough Fri 19 Dec.

Rita Payne Spring Tour 2015

The Moral of the Elephant fRoots Critics Choice Album of the Year 2014.

The Moral of the Elephant fRoots Critics Choice Album of the Year 2014  We are thrilled to announce the 2014 fROOTS Critics Poll Album of the Year : Martin and Eliza Carthy's 'The Moral of the Elephant'. The album is available at a special price until the end of the year, though there are only a few days left to place your order and receive a prize from our special offer Lucky Dip. The recent BBC TV ghost drama 'Remember Me' with Michael Palin had a plot centred around 'Scarborough Fair'. You might have heard Martin Carthy singing the song during the film's closing credits. His definitive recording from 1965 can be found on his influential debut album. Thank you for continuing to support Topic and very best wishes to you all for 2015.

Topic Records Ltd. · 7 Fernie Court, Station Road · UPPINGHAM, Rutland LE15 9TX · United Kingdom

Frog belly and Symphony April 2015 Tour.

FROGBELLY & SYMPHONY (UK / IRELAND) APRIL 2015 TOUR, BOOKING NOW Frogbelly & Symphony Frogbelly and Symphony are born of the clash and fusion that characterised the late 20th century. Disparate influences from the Old World to New York are brought together in the furnaces of Sheffield and Brooklyn, revealing a stylistic repertoire that injects the indigenous workingman’s soul into the periphery of the bohemian metropolis. Academically trained in traditional instrument playing and constantly experimenting with production techniques, the band systematically processes every imaginable acoustic influence. Coming from an experimental post-punk and noise approach on their first record, Frogbelly and Symphony have now put the material for their first full length album together. Song arrangements, the recording of the instruments and the environment in a technical and cultural sense are bound together. A progressive rock sound echoes in folk landscapes. Urban poetry, pop melodies and repetitive chants cast a rousing wave of contemporary performance. Frogbelly & Symphony Live in New York Frogbelly and Symphony have played over 100 shows in Europe, UK and US. Their sets usually feature a theatrical rock show, often involving the audience in pieces of improvised performance. However, paying tribute to their roots in folk music the band has also played a series of shows with acoustic instruments in pubs, clubs and rather intimate environments. The band performed their first series of shows in New York in early 2013, followed by 2 tours throughout 2013 across continental Europe and the UK. In the midst of their 2013 road schedule, Frogbelly and Symphony released an EP entitled “the EYE” (Labelship, UK). In September 2014 the band toured the east coast and midwest US, road-testing their new songs and performance featured on their forthcoming full length album. The tour was well received and was followed by several press appearances. WFUV Radio picked their pre-release Track “Patch of Blue” for the UK/NY shows and the band played an official CMJ showcase in NYC. The new album is by now set for release in April 2015. With a typically uncompromising approach to production values, the band has utilised the abilities of sound-engineer and producer legend Martin Bisi (Sonic Youth, Swans, Dresden Dolls, Bill Laswell) and tracked the album in the fabled BC studio in Brooklyn. It was subsequently finalised and mixed at The Laundry Rooms Studio in Sheffield, UK. Frogbelly & Symphony Meet the band: Liz Hanley – Vocals, keyboard, violin. From a Boston Irish family Liz expanded on her roots by studying classical violin at NYU and now lives in Brooklyn. She is a member of various traditional folk ensembles and can often be found at sessions around the globe. Tom Hanley – Vocals, bass, composition, production. Pendular between Sheffield, UK and Brooklyn NY he collaborates with engineers and studios on both sides of the pond in order to achieve the stylistic variety which has become the hallmark of Frogbelly and Symphony. Ben Trott – Guitar. Ben studied classical and jazz guitar in Sheffield, UK and is an integral member of the traditional folk music scene in the UK. He cross-links traditional playing, jazz rooted improvisations and brutalist rock barrages into a sound that is as distinctive as it is versatile. Ray Rizzo – drums. From Louisville, KY to Brooklyn, NY he has lent his skills as a drummer to artists like like Julia Stone, Trixie Whitley, Bonnie‘Prince’Billy, Glen Hansard, Ben Folds and Michael Shannon. He is also the initiator of Louisville’s Motherlodge festival. For Liz, Tom, Ben and Ray this band has become a canvas of their collective experiences and intellectual exchange. Often their ideas have previously been articulated by great writers throughout the ages. Frogbelly and Symphony idiosyncratically appropriates, shares and recreates words and tunes. They are not afraid to quote what has already been said perfectly:  John Clare's An Invite to Eternity, Rumi's Ache and Confusion have left their imprints on their writing as well as fragments of Joseph Heller's Catch 22 and Langston Hughes' Vari-Colored Songs. Tom Hanley:  " ... nowadays we're blessed with the possibility to take the inspirational tint from centuries of musical and lyrical repertoires. You may describe our work as a subjective look on an inexhaustible miracle." For all enquiries, availability and tour bookings for APRIL 2015 in UK and IRELAND please contact: GAIL COOKE  LAUGHING DOG MUSIC  +44 (0) 7905 952374  gail@laughingdogmusic.co.uk

Look Out; It's The Broombusters

Look out it’s

THE BROOMBUSTERS

The greatest Rock’n’Roll, Blues & Ska Party

On this – and probably any other – planet

Born in the heart of Big City Birmingham, fronted by the wild, wacky – and not a little scary – Charlie Wolfman Sylvester, this five piece combo generates enough power onstage to blast off into space, which can happen on a not irregular basis.

 Wolfman is the band’s secret weapon, and it’s not surprising that the man has a background - and what a background.

Remember the exuberant and colourful JALN Band that seemed to inhabit – alongside Kool & The Gang and Chaka Khan - the Top of the Pops Studio throughout the 70s and 80s with a seemingly endless run of disco soul hits? 

Managed by pop guru Pete Waterman the band toured the world for some 25 years and clocked up hit after hit. And that’s where The Wolfman came from, the star of The JALN Band.

 

Then The Wolfman decided to return to his roots – and The Broombusters were born.

Extravagant, entertaining, infectious enthusiasm and danceability in spades – that’s The Broombusters.

Coming at you.

Don’t duck, just dance.

For more information please contact

Big Bear Music, Po Box 944, Birmingham, B16 8UT
Tel: 0121 454 7020 - admin@bigbearmusic.com

Yeah Yeah castle @ Lincoln Drill Hall Sat Dec 6.

Yeah Yeah Castle 

Lincoln Drill Hall Cafe/Bar 

Saturday 06 Dec 2014 8pm

An evening of contemporary folk, blues and roots by this vibrant Lincoln/London collective. 
The musicians have worked with such artists as Elbow, Ting Tings, Zigaboo  Modeliste (The Meters) and Steve Philips (Notting Hillbilies).

‘There will be soul stirring lows and face melting highs, drums and at least one Christmas tree…’

Tickets: £8 Adv (£9 on the door) from 01522 873894   www.lincolndrillhall.com


Lincoln Drill Hall Freeschool Lane Lincoln LN2 1EY

Seasonal News and Offers From Topic Records

special offers   Whilst still trying to recover from all the celebrations during Topic's 75th Anniversary Year, we have a very special Prize Giveaway. All orders received before midnight (GMT) on Sunday 14th December will be eligible for a random prize from the Topic Lucky Dip pile of presents. For your chance to receive a gift from our selection of rare signed LPs, CDs, singles, button badges, T-shirts and more - place an order from our online shop.   Until the end of December we have a number of seasonal special offers: the perfect opportunity to fill gaps in your collection or purchase a seasonal present or two for friends.   Next year we will publish two more volumes in the Voice of the People series. Here is a chance to purchase the latest four volumes at a very special price - only £25.00 per set of four   LAL WATERSON ~ teach me to be a summer's morning only £15.00 Limited edition hardback book and rare demo CD set. A fascinating selection of Lal Waterson's drawings, paintings, lyrics, thoughts and poems which showcase her "extraordinary tender, intense, complex but ultimately very human artistic talents". A CD is included inside the book - collecting together 15 songs drawn from her home recordings. Free button badges with every order!   The great traditional ballads are storytelling at its dark, urgent best and the greatest exponent of this folk art was EWAN MacCOLL. The 2CD Ballads : Murder, Intrigue, Love & Dischord set is a comprehensive selection of some of his finest recordings. BALLADS - 2CD set only £6.00 The following CDs are at the special price of only £9.00 each LINDA THOMPSON ~ Won't Be Long Now MARTIN SIMPSON ~ Vagrant Stanzas The FULL ENGLISH ~ The Full English MARTIN & ELIZA CARTHY ~ The Moral of the Elephant     and finally, our award winning history of Topic Records ~ THREE SCORE & TEN a sumptuous seven CD set in a full colour 108 page hardback book special seasonal price of only £25.00 Recent changes to overseas postal charges have made a revision of our shipping charges necessary. We've put this off for as long as possible but have been forced to implement new postal charges from December 1st.                In the meantime, thank you for continuing to support Topic and very best wishes to you all for 2015.

Maia Touring 2015. Harmonic Psychedelic Folk Quartet, Dates Available.

MAIA - harmonic psychedelic folk quartet from Leeds touring in 2015 with a new album, some dates still available 21 February - 30 April 2015 MAIA are a harmonic pyschedelic folk-pop, acoustic quartet from Leeds, who have described themselves as sci-fi folk evangelists! They have a radiant varied sound, stunning 3 part harmonies with a brooding sense of adventure and streaks of pop eccentricity. After 3 years of live show experience, and supports including the likes of Anais Mitchell, The Low Anthem and The Unthanks the group are continuing to receive huge praise and a greater following for their fantastic live shows. In 2012 and 2013 their festival appearances have included: No6 Festival, Festival of Jim, Broadstairs Folk Week, Musicport, No Direction Home, Hop Farm Festival, Larmer Tree, Port Eliot, London Folk Weekend, Wilderness, Kings Place Festival, Big Boulder Festival, Galtres, Green Belt, Aire Do Festival, The Village Green Fair, Whitby Alternative Folk Week and Glastonbury to name a few! Their highly acclaimed celestial album "Pepper Stars" released in October 2012 received many 4 and 5 star reviews and was a Time Out Album of the week. The band were well supported on the radio regionally and nationally from Guy Garvey and Tom Robinson on BBC 6 music as well as being picked for Best of 2012 on Radio 4s Loose Ends Culture Show. 2014 saw the release of their first new 4 track EP “Finite World” launched on Record Store Day with several more singles and a new album to follow in 2015. We are now booking tour dates and have some availability from 21st February - 30th April 2015. European dates also available, enquire now. Recommendations and Press Quotes: “Maia produced one of the best and most talked about performances on the main stage from the pin drop silence during one of their more tender moments to their rousing finale of which got them the biggest standing ovation of the weekend……truly mesmerising!”- Jim McLaughlin Festival Director, Musicport 2013 'This exciting and innovative band wowed the audiences at Broadstairs Folk Week with their interesting and eclectic take on folk music. Well written songs, great musicianship and some of the nicest guys around make this young band a must have booking for any festival organiser' - Kim Headley Artistic director at Broadstairs Festival 2013 “Maia came and played around the site at The Port Eliot Festival in July 2012 and were received with warmth and applause wherever they went. They are a splendidly talented bunch of guys and I would recommend them to anyone wanting an excellent band for their festival or show. I will be booking them again for the Port Eliot Festival in 2014 and they will be appearing at our area at Glastonbury 2013 as well. Maia are great!” - Rick Worthy Music and Cabaret manager at Port Eliot Festival/Theatre and Circus stage manager at Glastonbury Festival 2013 “youthful, spirited, richly atmospheric and intelligently off-centre alt.folk pop” - Time Out 2013 Album of the week “Maia have undeniable chemistry on stage, they are mesmerising to watch both visually and musically” – Hop Farm Festival 2012 “Eclectic with surprising twists and turns throughout their set, Maia are very good atexecuting their own brand of whimsical folk. Upbeat and multi-instrumental, they set the right mood in the glade as feet tap and heads turn.” - Acoustic Magazine (In The Woods Festival) 2012 “A 'sci-fi folk' group from Huddersfield known as Maia, who were received with much excitement and warmth spend 45 minutes charming the audience and making sure the effort of finding them was worth it.” - The Times (Cambridge Folk Festival) 2011 In the studio recording for Radio 4's 'Loose Ends'   Simon with a tin of paint?! Click on the links below to view live video: MORE STRANGELY THAN THE MOON FINITE WORLD SMALL HIGH WHISTLE FROM A BIRD ZUMA ALUMA For bookings, promo CDs, press enquiries etc please contact: Gail Cooke Laughing Dog Music 0044 (0) 7905 952374 gail@laughingdogmusic.co.uk Click here to go to LAUGHING DOG MUSIC website Click here to go to MAIA website