A musical celebration on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal was part of Bradford being feted as the UK’s City of Culture this year. Sally Clifford beat a path to the West Yorkshire market town of Bingley…
MELODIC electronic beats play out from the lock chamber. The creator of this gentle yet funky compilation sits at the bow of the Skipton-based charity boat, Richard’s Endeavour, surrounded by his impressive synthesiser technology.
Steve Varden is the Morecambe-based musical maestro conducting this solo performance based around a couple of Korg Kaossilators synth/FX units, Boss RC-505 looper, Roland Jupiter-xm, After Dark Blipbox synth, Digit Cmpsr midi controller and an iPad, drawing power from a silent eco-friendly battery pack as the boat descends Bingley’s Five Rise Locks.
The soundscape formed part of a two-day musical event curated by Bristol-based Paraorchestra, a collective of disabled and non-disabled musicians, for Bradford 2025.
“As a regular musician and performer with the Paraorchestra, they asked me if I would be interested in playing some music on a canal boat while descending Bingley Five Rise Locks and I said yes.
“It was a really special feeling to perform to such a warm and appreciative crowd of people. The atmosphere was akin to my Paralympic Games days that were many years ago,” says Steve.
Bingley’s landmark locks are familiar territory to the performer. “I quit college in order to be more physically active rather than academic and that came in the form of renovating a motor boat that I took up Bingley Five Rise Locks in the late Eighties.
“Since then I have sailed many boats and have owned a few so I am very at home on the water. I think the first time I played music on a boat was on a trimaran in the Caribbean around 20 years ago, but this is the first time I have played an electronic set on a boat.”
Sally Goodman, skipper and trustee of Richard’s Endeavour, said they were delighted to participate in the event which forms part of the celebrations for Bradford’s City of Culture year.
“It is a privilege to be part of a wonderful, friendly and inclusive event. It has been amazing.”
Sally and Bob Evans, who is also a skipper and trustee with the charity, also praised the lock keepers and the staff from the Canal & River Trust for their support in helping them navigate the locks during the special event.
Richard’s Endeavour was originally purchased and operated by SCAD – Skipton and Craven Action for Disability. It relaunched as the community boat charity, Spirit of Endeavour, in 2021 thanks to the foresight of one of its late founders, Richard Clarke, after whom it now takes its name.
Floating along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Three Rise Locks, this musical journey is part of The Bradford Progress which began with an early morning performance on land at Cow and Calf Rocks in Ilkley on Saturday, May 17.
Working together as a ‘relay’ to reduce lockages and protect precious water supplies due to the recent dry weather, musicians onboard two boats waiting at the bottom of Three Rise Locks continued the melodic soundscape to the World Heritage Site of Saltaire.
Onlooker and artist, Lou Sumray, was so inspired by the event she wanted to get involved. Unfolding her sketch book at Three Rise Locks, Lou, from Bradford, explained she had documented the progress of the event walking from Cow and Calf Rocks in Ilkley, to see the canal performances through Bingley.
“For me, drawing records something different from what a photograph or hearing does. It has many elements to it,” says Lou.
The Bradford Progress was curated by Paraorchestra’s artistic director, Charles Hazlewood, Jeremy Deller, and the people of Bradford District.
Twenty-four musicians, from Paraorchestra and groups across Bradford District, performed a repertoire of electronica, with South Indian classical, jazz, folk and Klezmer being played across five boats.
Curating a production on the canal was a first for the organisation that has previously performed on beachfronts, city streets, festival stages, museums and concert halls.
The event was also made possible by the Canal & River Trust. A spokesman for the charity said: “Thanks to the support of our amazing volunteer lock keepers the trust helped to host the ‘Bradford Progress’ on Saturday, May 17. One of the Bradford 2025 highlight events, this musical journey travelled from Bingley Five Rise Locks to Saltaire on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
“In light of the exceptional circumstances with low water levels on the canal our team worked hard to ensure that this performance could still be brought to the waterway. The performance took place as a ‘relay’ of boats, rather than the original flotilla, to reduce the lockages required by 80% and save precious water supplies.”
