Music / folk and roots
Bristol’s month in Folk and Roots – June 2025
There’s absolutely no doubt that some of the most exciting music around is, currently, coming from the Folk and Roots world. As if to prove the truth of that, Bristol has got so many brilliant gigs in June. It’s hard to know which one(s) to go to…
There’s quite a coup over in Downend this month as multi-award winning Irish folk singer Cara Dillon plays at Christ Church on Friday, May 20. Dillon’s glorious voice will be joined by Sam Lakeman and support comes from Heron Island. Tickets are, to the surprise of no one, almost sold out but there are a few still available in the balcony.
is needed now More than ever
This is going to be an extraordinary, intimate gig.
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One of the loveliest albums of the last year or so is undoubtedly Miranda Rutter’s Bird Tunes. She plays the album at the Wesleyan chapel on Thursday 19, alongside concertina genius Rob Harbron (Leveret, the Remnant Kings, Emily Portman etc.).
Rutter’s fiddle playing is absolutely exquisite and this will be utterly heart-stopping.
Having already bewitched audiences with their wintertime show, Lady Maisery and Sid Goldsmith & Jimmy Aldridge now get together for a summertime celebration, and bring Wakefire to St George’s on Thursday 26.
There will be more than one mention of May, plenty of Morris, a bit of cider and loads of summery magic.
Brilliant folk-singer Sam Kelly launches his new album, Dreamers Dawn, on the old boat on Wednesday 11. It’s already being tipped as one of the best folk albums of the year and Kelly is always superb live.
Strange Brew always guarantees some seriously interesting moments of folkish-ness, and June is no different.
Welsh-based dreamy psych-folkers Samana play under the glitter ball on Thursday 12. Then Eddi Reader returns to Bristol on Tuesday 17. She was, of course, last seen ’round these parts with the reformed and utterly wonderful Fairground Attraction at the Beacon. This time she’s with her husband, John Douglas.
Reader possesses, simply, one of the greatest folk voices in the world.
Will Carlisle describes himself as a ‘big tent folk singer’ – photo: Willi Carlisle
Described as “one of the most compelling songwriters and storytellers of our era”, Willi Carlisle plays the Louisiana on Monday 2.
He’s followed by Country/Honky Tonk/Rockabilly superstar Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys on Thursday 5 and the awesome Kitty Liv on Wednesday 18. Liv used to be part of retro heroes Kitty, Daisy & Lewis but her latest album, Easy Tiger, is a brilliant slice of soulful, rootsy pop.
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For something a little bit different, there’s Cellar Door: Passing Place on Saturday 14, which celebrates the release of Hypothetics album The Crossing. Expect neo-folk, plenty of experimentation and an excellent line-up of off-kilter things.
Talking of off-kilter things, the Cube can be relied upon to find the interesting and challenging. There’s a double-headliner featuring Rois and Eric Chenaux on Friday 13; both artists take Folk music off into fuzzier, woozier, darker places, both are gloriously experimental.
So too are One Leg One Eye featuring Lankum’s Ian Lynch. They play on Wednesday 18 and create pitch-black songscapes, full of drones and thrilling noise.
Slavic voices, led by Polina Shepherd, sings music from the Slavic world including Orthodox chants, classics by Tchaikovsky, Schnittke, Art songs, Polish, Ukrainian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and more – photo: Kirill Nikitin
There’s something seriously special at St Mary Redcliffe on Saturday 14 as Slavic Voices London & Brighton Choir and Heartwood Chorus explore the beauty of the human voice at an afternoon concert. The Slavic Voices Choir present music of all styles from the Slavic world: Orthodox chants, beautiful classics by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Schnittke and others, refined XVIII-XIX-centuries Art songs and gritty folklore from the far corners of Siberia to the banks of the Black Sea. Heartwood, of course, are Bristol’s finest Folk Choir.
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The next day, on Sunday 15, Polina Shepherd (the leader of the Slavic Choir) plays a solo show at Mr Wolf’s where she is then joined by local Klezmer band Tropanka. That’s another afternoon show.
If that’s not enough, Neil Johnson (leader of Heartwood Chorus) leads a singing workshop at the Harbour, Totterdown on Saturday 7.
The Devil Makes Three bring their thrilling take on American Roots music to Trinity on Thursday 19. The support bands are great too – Beans on Toast and the long-awaited return of Sam & Ritchie from the much-missed CC Smugglers. What a line-up that is!
Bristol’s Youth Folk Day has a day’s programme of participatory workshops for people 10-25 years old interested in folk, with an afternoon concert by Melrose Quartet and evening ceilidh – photo: Barka Photography Sheffield
There’s a great afternoon celebration for Youth Folk Day at the Beacon on Saturday 7. The Melrose Quartet and the National Folk Troupe of England will be exploring all sorts of traditional songs, tunes and dances.
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Country superstar Breland plays the Fleece on Tuesday 3. Rolling Stone claim that he blends “elements of Country, Hip Hop, R&B, Gospel and Pop – in a way that many have not experienced before,” and he’s racked up 1.2 billion streams too.
It’s always so good to see a bit of country music in Bristol.
Alt-Folk-Rock songwriter Elly Hopkins launches her debut single, Cecile, at one of Bristol’s finest places to have a drink, Ill Repute, on Friday 6. It’s a cracking bit of soulful, garage-rock-doo-wop for fans of CMAT, Julia Jacklin and Margaret Glaspy.
She’s incredible live and this full band show is going to be great.
Amble were well received at the Fleece last year – photo: Andrea Loftus
Amble are right at the forefront of the revival in Irish folk music (see also Kingfishr, the Mary Wallopers, Lankum et al). They do one of those nifty Live and Signing things at Rough Trade on Wednesday 4. It’s sold out but they are back in Bristol in November (at the Trinity on the 25th).
Ruth Lyon, of Holy Moly & the Crackers, is also playing live and signing copies of her new album, Poems & Non-Fiction, on Saturday 21. She’s a powerful songwriter and has a gloriously soulful voice.
Powerful folk duo Mama’s Broke play at everyone’s favourite Bristol venue on Friday 6. They draw from old-time, Quebecois, blues, punk, Celtic and Balkan traditions. Anglo-French five-piece Topette!! return to the Jam Jar on Sunday 8. This one is, very much, one for the dancers.
Liv Dawn is a folk-pop singer from Scotland – photo: Liv Dawn
Award winning singer-songwriter Steve Tilston returns to Bristol, to celebrate the release of his latest, and possibly last, album “Last Call” on Friday 6.
Then at the end of the month, Loch Lomond’s folk-pop singer Liv Dawn plays just off Park Street on Monday 30.
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Bedminster continues to be the home of Rootsy things in Bristol. Canadian songwriter Dana Sipos plays on Tuesday 3.
Alabama’s Pine Hill Haints support their latest album, Shattered Pieces of the True Cross, on Wednesday 25. Expect washtub bass, snare drum, washboard, the occasional singing saw and a healthy dose of Southern psychedelia.
Finally, son of country music icon Bobby Bare plays on Thursday 26. Bobby Bare Jnr is a singer-songwriter who used to be in Guided By Voices (amongst others).
Bristol violinist boci supported Jim Ghedi at Rough Trade this year – photo: Ursula Billington
Two brilliant local singer-songwriters play at Grain Barge on Sunday 1. Man at Sea is a classic songwriter in the Rufus Wainwright mould, and boci wowed everyone at Bristol Folk Festival a couple of weeks ago.
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There’s the usual feast of good things in Easton this month. There’s a Ceilidh on Friday 6. The ever-fabulous Garden Sessions (featuring the equally fabulous Alex Garden) return on Tuesday 3 and 17.
And for good measure Beth Roberts, of Hands of the Heron and Hedera, plays on Sunday 8.
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It might not, quite, be in Bristol but the Tangled Roots Festival is in Timsbury near Bath. There’s loads of great stuff at Radford Mill Farm on Saturday, June 7. Highlights include Jackie Oates & John Spiers, Balamuc and Farefeld.
Main image: Three Cane Whale
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