Live Review: Topic Records 80th Anniversary Concert & Photography Exhibition

To some, Topic Records’ 80th Anniversary Concert at the Barbican Hall may just have been an opportunity to see a number of folk music’s stars in one place, but actually, it was much more than that. For Topic Records, making a regular thing of celebrating their anniversaries, and quite right too, this has to be one milestone setting the stage for the current and the new to come on board.

The importance of Topic can never be underestimated, and its influence was made clear even by those who have never recorded for the label but turned out to acknowledge it: Chris Wood, Olivia Chaney or Sam Lee (who appeared, apologetically, in walking gear having left his trousers in the taxi). The label’s presence at the foundation of recording and cataloguing of traditional music is key to its influence. This is the tradition that came not from the sanitised middle-class, classically-trained composers view of an ideal bucolic existence but the tradition that it did – and still does – reflect the rather harsh and bitter lives of working people, the underdogs and the put upon.

Chris Wood

Sam Lee

Olivia Chaney

Much has been written elsewhere about the history of the label, but it was this grounding that Eliza Carthy used to pull together this celebratory concert. Artists were asked to contribute one or two songs from the catalogue, thus demonstrating that fundamental drive for AL Lloyd, a central figure in mid-twentieth century folk music, that the tradition would be surely better served if people could learn the songs orally, from recordings. And so in addition to those already mentioned, there was Alasdair Roberts, Emily Portman, Lisa Knapp, Gerry Driver, Spiro, digging into the catalogue and pulling out songs from Ewan MacColl, Dick Gaughan, Margaret Barry and the Copper Family.

Alasdair Roberts and Emily Portman

L-R: Marry Waterson, Martin Carthy, Eliza Carthy, Emily Portman, Chris Wood, Lisa Knapp, Saul Rose and Gerry Diver

At the centre of all this were the Watersons and Martin Carthy, bridging the years and proving that the tradition continues, and continues to develop – though I may eventually have to sit back and work out how one can develop a tradition. It was disappointing that Norma Waterson could not join the rest on stage as she had been taken ill and, it transpired, went into hospital. A visibly upset Eliza kept it all together though and with cousin Marry Waterson and Emily Portman, brought Norma’s presence to life and received the love of the audience in return. Martin waited until near the very end to show that he has still got what it takes – not that anyone doubted it – with the many verses of The Famous Flower of Serving Men.

Martin and Eliza Carthy, Emily Portman and Saul Rose

Congratulations to Topic Records, thank you for keeping the tradition and the traditional going and growing and thank you to Eliza and all the performers, including Boss Morris. What a great way to celebrate 80 years and, as has often been said in the last few weeks, here’s to the next 80 – though I will be pleased to make it to their 100th.

Folk in Focus at Cecil Sharp House

Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick by John Harrison

Another part of the Topic Records celebrations is an exhibition of photographs called Folk in Focus at Cecil Sharp House. The exhibition features many of the artists that have helped make Topic what it is, and by turn that the label have brought the artist to a wider public audience. Some of the images will be familiar as versions, such as those of Shirley and Dolly Collins, have been used on album covers. The exhibition features the work of John Harrison, Judith Burrows, Dave Peabody, Elly Lucas, Eammon O’Doherty, George Van Win and Brian Shuel, whose portrait of Anne Briggs, sitting on the floor, cigarette in hand, looking over her shoulder, has long been my personal favourite. The exhibition continues until 5th January 2020, so no excuse not to see it, and an opportunity to have a good look at the home of the EFDSS and to succumb to a homemade brownie.