Music / Folk & Roots
Bristol’s month in folk and roots – January 2026
As is quite often the case, January is pretty slow starting in the Folk and Roots world. There will be some Wassailing and a Burns Night Ceilidh or two though, of course. There’s plenty of Americana around too.
Bristol’s ‘spooky folk songstress’ Hannah Wood is in the support slot for Downend’s first folk club gig of the year – photo: Hannah Wood
2026 kicks off in fine style in Downend with the return of UK Americana superstars the Black Feathers on Friday 16. This will be the third time that Sian Chandler and Ray Hughes have headlined Downend and they never disappoint.
Bob Harris reckons that they are “absolutely wonderful” and Chandler’s voice is worth the trip across the border into South Glos all by itself. Brilliant Country-tinged folk that reminds you of the Civil Wars or Gillian Welch. Support is from Hannah Wood.
Things are quite quiet just off of Park Street but the monthly Irish Music Session takes place on Monday 12 and there’s a Ceilidh on Saturday 17, featuring Jigfoot.
Four-piece Americana band Common Ground play a hometown show in the cafe on Thursday 29.
Bearpit are a trans / non-binary folk trio formed at Bristol Pride 2025 – photo: Bearpit
Grant Lee Phillips was, once upon a time, in alt-rockers Grant Lee Buffalo (Fuzzy is, simply, one of the great albums of the 90s). His solo stuff is gloriously soulful, beautifully intimate. He’ll play songs from his twelfth solo album, Hour of Dust, as well as old favourites in the Lantern Hall on Wednesday 14.
Bearpit celebrate Burns Night with a Ceilidh on Sunday 25. Featuring Alex Garden, they are a fantastically inclusive, trans and non-binary trio who invite everybody onto their dancefloor to dance like mad.
Veteran singer-songwriter Martyn Joseph is back at the Lantern Hall on Wednesday 28. Most often compared to Springsteen, Joseph is a great guitarist and is armed with 27 albums worth of material.
Finally Le Vent Du Nord, the Québécois folk powerhouse, play in the Lantern on Friday 30. If you want fiddles, accordion, harmonies, utterly joy and plenty of dancing, then this might be the gig of the month.
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It’s wall-to-wall Americana over at the Louisiana. John R Miller is from West Virginia and is a mighty fine singer-songwriter and guitar picker. For those with a love of John Prine, Steve Earle and JJ Cale, Miller plays on Sunday 18.
Niall McNamee has been described as “the lovechild of Shane McGowan, Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer, with a voice like Guinness and tears”. These are some of my favourite things. He’s at The Louisiana on Thursday 22.
Kelsey Waldon is a Country singer from Kentucky. Authentic and heartfelt, she is touring her latest album, Every Ghost, and stops off in Bristol on Saturday 24.
The annual Urban Wassail is always a gloriously madcap way of seeing in the new year – photo: David Jeffery Hughes
For something a little bit different, and a tiny bit bonkers, there’s an Urban Wassail in the main room of the Exchange on Friday 16. Skimmity Hitchers and the Shinkickers will bring the cider-fuelled chaos but expect a Wassail play (written by the audience), home-made costumes, The Apple Tree Man, and cider. Lots of cider.
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Slightly less demented, Dominie Hooper launches her album, In This Body Lives, in the basement on Wednesday 21. Rooted in folklore with a nod to Linda Thompson and PJ Harvey, it will be spine-tingling stuff. Support comes from Bristol’s soul-inspired eclectic songwriter Lawi Anywar.
On the last day of the month (Saturday 31) Tennessee singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah brings her masterful blend of lonesome folk and neo-blues to the main room. She is Grammy nominated, plays a mean banjo and has an incredible voice. What’s not to love?
If you haven’t made it down to the newly-re opened Croft yet then, maybe, now’s the time. Louisiana singer-songwriter Dylan LeBlanc spreads a little bit of Southern Gothic romance all over Stokes Croft on Wednesday 21. Support is from Henry Grace.
The Burns Night Ceilidh at Old Market Assembly always sells out so, if you want a good old dance on Friday 23, there’s only one place to be. The music comes from Alex Garden and Nick Hart with Michelle Holloway calling. That’s three brilliant reasons to go and celebrate wildly right there.
Louis Alberry launches his album Milk Teeth in Easton on Tuesday 27. Expect alt-folk guitar wizardry and a clutch of haunting, charming songs with lyrics that strike a careful balance of confessional and cryptic. If you like Nick Drake, John Martyn et al (and who doesn’t?) then this is one for you.
The Caper Ceilidh on Friday 23 at Trinity is an opportunity to have a good old dance and raise money for the reintroduction of White-Tailed Eagles to South Wales. Which is two good causes, if you ask me. The music will be provided by Fitty Gomash.
The March Hares host occasional themed ceilidhs with dressing up and other antics; the most recent was a Mad Hatter’s dance party for May Day. The band is a regular at Knowle’s Redcatch Community Garden’s sell-out dances – photo: Hannah Ford
There’s yet another chance to dance the winter blues away, this time in a unique setting and with the customary gastronomic accompaniment. The delightful community garden in Knowle is holding a Burns Night ceilidh complete with pipes, poetry and a haggis supper.
Music comes from the March Hares, an accomplished quartet that heartily encourage everyone onto the dancefloor for family friendly fun. Semi-regular, these events are a hit with the local community and usually sell out so get in quickly.
Main photo: Hannah Ford
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