21/08/2026
Wow last night Sudbury was treated to a hat-trick of musical talent. Starting in Friars street, Pop Nouveau Gallery hosted the first of our ‘Art Rock ‘ events.
Imbibed with bubbles and nibbles, our invited guests began the early evening adventure gazing at album artwork and exchanging musical stories together before we presented Michelle Leacy who’s extraordinary voice has only been revealed to wide-eyed listeners on three occasions in the last 10 years. The reception she received from our lovely audience has insured, we hope, that she will be returning with a larger repertoire to a much bigger audience….
…. and then it was the short walk to the fabulous Quay Theatre, where the fifty, or so merry music lovers marched to see our headline act William Topley, another hidden gem whose secret we have been trying so hard to fan the flames for, for decades in this country. While America has basked in its own over indulgence and abundance of Topley the UK offerings have been meagre. Therefore, our mission was to bring the mountain to Mohammed and all those who love great voices and great songwriting but before William and The Sea Gypsies appeared we were treated to Wh**ky Stour who had graciously agreed to support the evening.
Wh**ky Stour’s lead singer Nettie was known to us as a fellow artist, who attended our art group on Tuesdays at Pop Nouveau and we had worked with her and her brilliant guitarist husband Dave in the past, now but fresh from Bures festival, the complete band was a whole other deal. To a person, the band were skilled, tight and enjoying what they do so much that the vibe immediately spread to the packed Quay theatre audience.
Playing hit after hit, and delivered with such ease, it was mesmerising to watch live musicians play so well. Their Bass player, whose name I regret I do not know, was a standout to me. Unassuming and blood-tight with the drummer, the rhythm section was the heartbeat of the band. This in no way diminishes the intensely accurate riffs from Dave on guitar and Dave on Keyboards who between them added such well delivered melodies so accurately and with passion it completed the music side perfectly. Nettie and her fellow vocalist completed the sound with perfectly delivered vocals harmonies and performance. Wow.
How do you follow that? Well, you put on an artist on that pretty much nobody has heard of in Sudbury with just two guys on guitar and a female vocalist with a shaker in her hand. Well….. that is only going to work if they are a world-class act, It is only going to work if the female singer is Dorie Jackson, the most contemporary songwriting folk singer with a pure and effortless voice, whose latest album (Stupid says Run) is out now,. It only works if the guitarist is a virtuoso across all genres and has been Mark Knopfler’s chosen guitarist for eons and it only works if you have William Topley as the voice that this country has been needing to hear for far too long.
Being familiar with Williams extraordinary talent since the early nineties, I was one of only a handful of people that didn’t need convincing but from the moment the first song ended, the reaction from the audience showed everyone, including William, how much his music touches people. The sublime voice he has been given, to deliver his beautifully crafted lyrics ,made everyone sit up and listen. When you combine that with songs that silkily entangle delta-blues, rock, country and soul into a whirlwind of William’s travels, loves, dreams and imagined adventures that start from drug-crazed acquaintances in chicago, to deckhands on Spanish galleons, you’ll start to understand how he hypnotises and brings his audience into his very own visualisations. Its a very rare talent.
The amount of people that hung around in the foyer of the theatre after to buy CD’s ( yes that ancient format) to chat, to say thank you to the band and Pop Nouveau for hosting was heartwarming and it made ourselves and I’m sure the band and many others recognise how much live music and art can touch our souls. We all need a bit more of it.
A big thank you to the Quay Theatre for their hospitality especially the sound guys who are at the top of their game to all those who travelled so far including ex-Blessing keyboard player and producer Mike Westergaard and his wife Jane and a big thank you to Chad from Erffman vintage in Sudbury who runs a great local business but is also a superb photographer and friend. We will hopefully be posting his professional shots of the evening soon. In the meantime, here are a few of our own. Wh***ey Stour William Topley The Blessing with William Topley Chris Difford fans
