Music / Bristol's month in folk and roots
Bristol’s month in Folk and Roots – October 2025
October is so ridiculously busy in Bristol’s Folk and Roots world that should you try to go to everything, you would need a couple of months of bedrest to recover. That said, there are some fantastic gigs featuring some of the most exciting folk artists around.
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One of the huge highlights of the brilliant Priddy Folk Festival this year were East Anglia’s the Shackleton Trio. They are black in our part of the world on Friday 17. They are, truly, folk at its finest – fiddle-fuelled, harmony-heavy and rooted in the rich soil of tradition.
In many ways St George’s seems to be the spiritual home of all things folky in Bristol and October is packed with established stars and some brilliant up-and-comers too.
Genius of the triple Welsh harp Cerys Hafana plays on Thursday 2. She’s recently played a couple of shows at Strange Brew and it says much about her incredible mesmeric minimalism and bold sonic twists that she’s just off of Park Street now.
There are a couple of Rising Folk nights this month, the first of which is Rhona Macfarlane (Friday 3). Mark Radcliffe, of BBC Radio 2 Folk Show fame, describes her music as “a lovely thing”. It is gentle, lyrical, intimate and glorious.
Holly Clarke at Downend Folk & Roots club in May this year – photo: Barry Savell
At the other end of their career, powerhouse duo O’Hooley & Tidow bid a (temporary?) farewell on Thursday 9. They have, consistently, been one of the best folk acts around for years and this one will be pretty special.
Fairground Attraction’s Eddi Reader is back in Bristol on Thursday 16. Quite simply, she has one of the great folk voices of all time and a back catalogue stuffed with gems. Finally, the second of the Rising Folk nights takes place on Friday 24.
Holly Clarke was superb at Downend a little while ago so will be warmly welcomed back.
If you thought that there was plenty to keep you busy on one side of Park Street, have a look at the other side: things are mighty busy at the Folk House. Bristol’s own Rosemary Wylde starts off the month (Wednesday 1) with her blend of Americana, folk and spirituals – there’s a new single on Jelli Records too.
Another Bristol stalwart, Suthering, bring their lush, harmony-rich echoes of the spirit of the land and sea on Friday 3. Accordion superstar, Heather Ferrier and her trio, play on Saturday 4 while James Riley plays the next day (Saturday 5). He was another huge favourite from Priddy this year with his soulful Americana soaked in London grit and Nashville warmth.
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The Broadside Hacks travelling folk club, Les Caravanes, is back on Thursday 9. Hopefully they’ll have their full compliment this time. Reg Mouross, Cohen Braithwaite Kilcoyne and Suntou Susso bring their worthy Stolen From God project to the Folk House on Friday 10 and then the Dovetail Collective play on Sunday 12.
There’s a Ceilidh on Friday 17 and the sold out Naima Bock show on Sunday 19. There’s an Irish Music Session the following day (Monday 20), rising folk star India Arkin on Thursday 23 and the incredible bluegrass of the Charlotte Carrivick Band on Sunday 26.
Last, but certainly not least, Mercury nominated singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams plays on Friday 31. In all honesty, you might as well find yourself a bed in the bar because with this lot in one place, there’s not much point in going home.
Breabach performed at the Royal Albert Hall in September as part of the Grand Ole Opry celebrations – photo: David Bergman
In a slightly bizarre turn of events the Beacon is packed with folky things too.
Astonishing trio Leveret make a welcome return to Bristol on Sunday 5 when they play in the Lantern. Fresh from supplying tunes for the House of Guinness soundtrack, Ye Vagabonds are in the same place on Wednesday 8.
The fiery highland bagpipes of Breabach appear on Sunday 12 and electronic-folk wonder, Frankie Archer, is on the Weston Stage on Tuesday 14.
Chris While & Julie Matthews make a return the following day (Wednesday 15) and there’s a tribute to the Songs of Joni Mitchell in the Lantern on Friday 17. That one features Kate Stables and Jessca Hoop, amongst others.
Southern blues-rock sisters Larkin Poe play in the Main Hall on Sunday 19 while Show Of Hands frontman Steve Knightley is in the Lantern on the same day.
As if that lot wasn’t enough folk-pop legend and general icon Suzanne Vega is supported by Katherine Priddy on Thursday 30. If you only go to one folk show all month, it’s probably got to be this one!
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Everyone’s favourite Bristol venue doesn’t miss out either.
There’s Afro-Celtic fusion from Baka Beyond on Thursday 2, high energy Quebecois trad music from Club Debris on Sunday 12 and then the mighty psych-folk-punk carnage that is Ushti Baba on Saturday 18. They’re here to celebrate the release of their second album and, if you don’t fancy Suzanne Vega at the Beacon, this is THE one for October.
There will be fiercely funky trad from a genre-defying Scottish quartet Dallahan on Thursday 30 and then a heck of a Halloween hoedown with Cut A Shine on the final day of the month.
Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage – photo: Zulfiya Wilde
The latest series of wonderful folk music in the beautiful surroundings of the Wesleyan chapel is on Thursday 23 as Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage return to Bristol. They offer their usual dreamy duets steeped in Appalachian and English folk traditions.
You have to wonder what the Fleece is up to as they only have a couple of folky, rootsy things and one of those is a Eurovision entrant.
Mad Dog Mcrea will party like there’s no tomorrow on Friday 10 with their brand of Celtic-y bluegrass-y mayhem. Then Remember Monday get all sorta Country-pop on Sunday 19.
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There are plenty of soon-to-be folk stars on the hallowed boards of the Louisiana as Katie Gregson-MacLeod (Wednesday 8), Gina Larner (Friday 10) and Mali Hâf (Wednesday 15) all bring various voices from various parts of the world.
Southern rockers The Fargo Railroad Co play on Tuesday 21 and there’s all sorts of interesting Halloween stuff including the Cellar Door: Hotfoot edition on October 31 with Trashcan Country from Honk, Yo Hablo, Austen Showers and Dogsbody.
One of the finest interpreters of folk song, Jon Wilks, is in Bedminster on Friday 3 while the graceful Americana of the Annie Keating Band play on Tuesday 7.
From there, there’s the usual line-up of seriously high quality Country/Roots that we have come to expect from the Hen & Chicken. Angel Snow (Thursday 9) is all atmospheric Nashville melancholy with cinematic sweep and then two alt-country legends play towards the end of the month: Lilly Hiatt (Monday 20) has bite, vulnerability, and bags of charm while Rod Picott (Friday 31) plays the Bristol show on his farewell tour right at the end of the month.
Celebrating their 40 year anniversary in Glasgow last year – photo: The Men They Couldn’t Hang
Folk-punk legends The Men They Couldn’t Hang play on the old boat on Thursday 16. They never disappoint and are still full of glorious political fire.
O2 Academy
Appalachian madness in the form of 49 Winchester will tear up the O2 on Thursday 16 while madness of an entirely different kind always ensues when Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello visit Bristol. Expect to dance like loonies on Saturday 25.
Stick in the Wheel appeared to a sold out crowd at Thekla last year – photo: Ursula Billington
All manner of different folky things are going on in Strange Brew during October.
For something experimental, raw and vital, Stick in the Wheel play on Monday 6. The haunting beauty of Kathryn Joseph will appear under the glitterball on Friday 17 and, finally, Martha Tilston’s crystal-clear storytelling and warm acoustic tones will spread love on Wednesday 22.
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St Anne’s is such a lovely place to go and watch some folk music and there’s some great stuff over there this month.
There’s a Folk Singing Session on Thursday 2 and then the Greenbank Folk Club has the first of two gigs the following day:
Bristol trio Tarren (Friday 3), are currently as good as they have ever been. Alex Garden, Sid Goldsmith and Danny Pedlar are some of the finest musicians our city has to offer. Then it’s the Longest Johns on Friday 10. They, surely, need no introduction whatsoever and are, quite simply, one of the best nights out around.
Other things and other places
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One of the highlights of the Bristol Folk Festival this year was singer-songwriter Sam Brookes. He has a glorious, almost jazzy voice and plays at The Architect on Wednesday 1.
Crafty Folk Events return to the Crafty Egg (Fishponds) on Saturday 4.
Brilliant alt-folk band the Little Unsaid are at the Cube on Wednesday 8. On the same day Ukranian “Ethnic chaos” outfit DakhaBrakha play Electric (formerly SWX). Bristol based duo Kai & Hollis make alt-folk earworms with a cynical smile and launch their debut album colours at the Greenbank on Friday 10.
Ukrainian Dakha Brakha are an unforgettable live experience – photo: Tomas Kusa
England’s finest and most inventive folk duo, Spafford Campbell, are at the Wardrobe Theatre on Wednesday 29. (Almost) finally, Ead Wood is the guitarist with Bristol band Langkamer but his solo album Cash Mountain is a deliciously wonky bit of alt-Americana. He plays at Cafe Kino on Thursday 30.
Westport Sound (Malmesbury)
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A seriously interesting looking festival of experimental new music is on in Malmesbury over the weekend of October 11-12.
Amongst all manner there are a couple of very cool, folky things. The New Eves play on the Saturday and Milkweed are on Sunday.
Main photo: Ushti Baba at Purbeck Festival @cassiecaptures
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