Music / gig listings
Bristol’s month in Folk & Roots – July 2026
It always happens – as soon as festival season rolls around there are fewer big acts playing at the various venues around town.
As I’ve said before, though, this just means that there’s every opportunity to explore some of the smaller things and get involved in the ever growing number of sessions around our city.
Even in a quiet month, the Folk House will never let you down.
Grainne Hunt – photo: @haleyjoy_photos
Described as “the Irish Joni”, queer nu-folk singer-songwriter Gráinne Hunt plays just off of Park Street on Thursday, July 2. She is often compared to the likes of Tracy Chapman and Natalie Merchant.
On Sunday 19 Echoes & Dreams present an evening of Greek music from the past, present and future.
Brilliant Scottish songwriter Adam Holmes will play selections from his eight albums on Saturday 25. He’s been nominated for countless Scottish Album of the Year awards and BBC Folk Awards and has shared stages with almost every contemporary Folk great from Martin Simpson and Karine Polwart to Lau.
Over the road at St George’s there’s the very welcome return of Spooky Men’s Chorale on Wednesday 22. Expect their signature blend of immaculate spine-tingling harmonies, deadpan humour, and commentary on the modern male psyche.
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If you fancy something a bit more contemporary and local then the Overmorrow play the Louisiana on Thursday 30. They are “whimsical, charming and down-right foot-stomping” and are supported by more Bristolian folkies in Billy in the Lowground and Claudine.
Albion features past and present members of Jethro Tull so it’s hardly a surprise that they are flute-led. They mash together folk, rock and metal and are touring their latest album It Was in the Month of May. They play in the main room on Saturday 4.
LA based Americana musician Chris Murphy plays down in the basement on Wednesday 8. His latest EP, Songs From the Trees, is a collaboration with Seth Lakeman.
For Folk music from a different part of the world the Jam Jar is, as ever, the place to go.
Colombian all-female percussion group La Perla – photo: La Perla
On Saturday 11 Bogota’s La Perla play in Bristol’s finest little venue. Moving seamlessly between Colombia’s Caribbean coastal roots and contemporary urban sounds – bullerengue, cumbia, merengue, gaita and champeta to punk, hip hop and beatbox – La Perla bring powerful lyrics, raw energy, and a wealth of tradition.
Also exploring the Folk traditions from different places, Aluca Trio, from Spain, hold a workshop and concert in Hotwells on Wednesday 8. They specialise in bringing the polyphonic singing of Catalonia and the Balearics to life.
Shovel Dance Collective at Bristol Folk Festival – photo: Paul Blakemore
The Broadside Hacks travelling folk club, Les Caravanes, is back on Thursday 30.
Featuring members of Shovel Dance Collective (who went down a storm at Bristol Folk Festival recently) and the wider Hacks family, they are an ever-evolving collective who take heavy inspiration from 1960s folk clubs, blending intimate solo performances with raucous full-band sessions.
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Over in Bedminster there’s a joyful celebration of all things Ukulele on Saturday 11 at Bristol Ukulele Festival. The day starts at 12:30 and runs to midnight and there will be workshops, live bands, jam sessions and plenty of opportunities to play along. That’s pretty Folk, isn’t it?
On Tuesday 28, acclaimed Australian songwriter Les Thomas blends Folk, Americana and poetic storytelling. Combining gritty acoustic blues with traditional folk storytelling, Thomas brings his honest, working-class anthems to the pub’s intimate performance space.
Easton is, once again, the home of all things interesting; the Greenbank always love to stretch the definitions of Folk and July is no exception.
On Thursday 2 local acoustic piano trio Yetii meld minimalist contemporary jazz structures with lush folkish-ness.
And on Thursday 16, Cuculi present Balladeste supported by Betty Blight. Balladeste draw together contemporary minimalism, Indian classical and Western folk. Betty Blight is a wonderful local singer-songwriter (watch out for a Baroque cover of Stereolab’s French Disko!).
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Down on Stokes Croft there will be plenty of foot-stomping, banjo-driven folk-punk energy of Bristol’s own Poor Old Dogs on Friday 3.
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On Saturday 25 Windmill Hill folkies the Town Gardens launch the fundraiser for their debut album Folk, as in People at a cosy, intimate show in their spiritual home. Support comes from Oswald Slain playing an acoustic set.
Ceilidhs, Residencies & Sessions
Increasingly, Bristol is finding the joy in a brilliant session – get along to any of this lot, get involved or just sit and enjoy some fantastic music.
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The Canteen on Stokes Croft has significantly expanded its acoustic programming this month. Alongside their established singer-songwriter night on the 6th, look out for their brand-new Sea Shanty Session (13th), a high-energy mid-month Ceilidh (15th), and a dedicated traditional Folk Session on the 27th.
There are an enormous amount of summer ceilidhs and Bals in July: the social dancing calendar is packed. Bristol Beacon hosts a massive Pride Ceilidh on the 3rd, while traditional summer gatherings take over the Folk House (14th), Downend Folk & Roots (17th), and the Trinity Centre (24th).
Naragonia Quartet and Hartwin & Ross perform at the European folk dance in Easton – photo: St Anne’s Church
For French and European dance enthusiasts, the Summer Bal at St Anne’s Church, Easton, on the 29th is a must.
And if that lot wasn’t enough, don’t forget the George & Dragon in Redfield which has a regular Folk Night (every 2nd Tuesday) that features Lizzie Morse and Nick Hart and a wildly energetic, foot-stomping Balkan Gypsy Klezmer Night (every 3rd Tuesday).
Festivals & Community Events
We are, of course, deep into festival season and there are plenty of interesting folky things in Bristol and the surrounding area.
Bristol Harbour Festival has five stages, a fringe and on-the-water events – photo: Paul Box
The Harbour Festival returns on Friday 17 but it’s the Millennium Square Stage on Saturday 18 that has plenty of good Folk stuff. There’s story-driven folk music from Sam Scott, the country-pop of Rhiannon Paige, Americana trio the Lost Trades, Taynee Lord’s country twang and the brilliant shanty madness of the Jolly Grogsters.
Priddy Village (Friday 10 – Sunday 12): just a short drive up onto the Mendips, this remains one of the absolute jewels of the West Country folk calendar.
This year features a stellar headline set from traditional Irish music royalty Dervish, alongside a packed weekend of dance, fringe sessions and open-air entertainment. Look out for Dallahan, the Melrose Quartet, Malin Lewis, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, Rusty Shackle and the Firelight Trio.
Lady Nade – photo: Alec Bowman
This magical gem is tucked away near Emerson’s Green. It runs from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 and is simply a beautiful, community-spirited boutique festival set in a glorious garden. Among all of the various treats Bristol’s very own Lady Nade plays on the Saturday night.
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In its new home of Neston Park, Wilshire, the fantastic celebration of World music (for want of a better term) returns from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26.
There are, of course, about a million really interesting acts on over the long weekend but the Folk highlights include Country Gongbang (South Korean bluegrass), La Perla (see the Jam Jar listing), Irish indie-folk duo Lemoncello and one of England’s best instrumental duos, Spafford Campbell.
Heartwood Chorus – photo: Gavin McNamara
The Harbour, Totterdown will host a wonderful community vocal workshop led by the Heartwood Folk Choir – “the finest Folk choir in the UK” – on Sunday 4. Open to all abilities, this session focuses on the joy of natural voice, community singing and traditional harmony.
Main image: Paul Blakemore
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