Bristol’s month in metal and prog – September 2025

This month’s highlights include the very welcome return of veterans FM (pictured) and Ricky Warwick, heavy cello from Jo Quail, Faroese singer/songwriter Eivør and comedy metal from Nekrogoblikon. Truly something for everyone . . .

There are some tasty additions to the Coming Soons too, including whoever’s in 10cc these days on their splendidly titled Not Another Bloody Greatest Hits Tour and Blackbraid – the first Native American rock band to play Bristol since Blackfoot took the Colston Hall by storm back in the 1980s.

FM

Fleece, Sept 11

Think of the great AOR bands and you tend to picture the likes of Journey, Toto and Survivor – all American acts who sold records by the truckload. Didn’t the Brits have anyone to compete? Well, yes we did. But strange as it may seem from this perspective, the music press wasn’t interested in them, preferring instead to lavish attention on hopeless, no-mark landfill indie bands. By far our strongest contenders were the magnificent FM. Brilliantly, umpteen years and several line-up changes later they’re still going, with ambitions suitably recalibrated, sustained by a modestly proportioned if fiercely loyal audience. Steve Overland’s golden voice is undiminished by age and as they proved at the Thekla in 2022, they remain every inch a class act. Their 15th (count ’em!) studio album, Brotherhood, is out now, and they’re promising a career-spanning set tonight stretching all the way back to their brilliant 1986 debut album, Indiscreet. Support comes from hotly tipped Portsmouth blues-rockers Brave Rival.

Luke Morley

St. George’s, Sept 16

Thunder guitarist Luke Morley embarks on a tour in support of his third solo album, Walking on Water, which follows 2023’s excellent Songs from the Blue Room. Support comes from  Bobbie Dazzle and Willie Dowling – whom many of us will recall from Britrockers The Grip.

Jo Quail

The Jam Jar, Sept 17

Cellist to the (metal) stars, though billed here as ‘contemporary classical’, Jo Quail plays her first local gig since that three-might residency at the Gryphon in 2023.

Nekrogoblikon

Electric Bristol, Sept 18

Stepping up from the Thekla, LA’s Nekrogoblikon are a treat for fans of comedy metal, from Evil Scarecrow to Alestorm and Okilly Dokilly (whaddya mean you’ve never heard of the Ned Flanders-fixated metallers?). Their amusing videos have achieved zillions of YouTube views, although this hasn’t translated into huge album sales. As the name suggests, they’re entirely goblin-oriented. They also earn extra kudos for releasing an album entitled Heavy Meta.

Eivør

Electric Bristol, Sept 20

Also stepping up from the Thekla, where she played last year, Faroese singer/songwriter Eivør has long appealed to metal audiences and signed to avant-metal label Season of Mist for her terrific album Enn, which has lyrics by Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæ. Best known for her work on the soundtrack to The Last Kingdom, she’s a confident and very impressive liver performer.

The New Roses

Thekla, Sept 24

They sound very American indeed, with an obvious southern rock influence in the mix, but The New Roses actually hail from Germany’s scenic Rheingau region (y’know – where they make the wines). The Scorpions might have something to say about the inflated PR claim that they’re “Germany’s most successful hard rock band”, but this hard working quartet certainly know their way round a catchy tune and you probably know at least one of their songs already, as Without a Trace was included on the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack. They were last seen locally at the Louisiana in 2018 and their new album, Attracted to Danger, is out now on Napalm.

Ricky Warwick and the Fighting Hearts

Exchange, Sept 25

Almighty, Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders frontman Ricky Warwick brings his new solo project to town for a low-key show introducing the Blood Ties album. Get there early for his special guest C.J. Wildheart, who may even flog you some of his ‘Devilspit’ hot sauce.

Atreyu

Electric Bristol, Sept 27

Last seen at this venue when it was still SWX, US metalcore mob Atreyu are still plugging their The Beautiful Dark of Life album on Spinefarm.

Main pic of FM: Paul Stuart Hollingsworth

COMING SOON

Here’s our essential diary of upcoming gigs that should be of interest to anyone of a rockin’ disposition.

Blood Incantation, Electric Bristol, Oct 6

Testanent/Obituary/Destruction/Gostwhore, Bristol Beacon, Oct 7

The Utopia Strong, Cube Microplex, Oct 10

Glenn Hughes, O2 Academy, Oct 14

Paradise Lost, Electric Bristol, Oct 15

The Troops of Doom, Exchange, Oct 20

Battle Beast, O2 Academy, Oct 23

Reef, O2 Academy, Oct 24

Moon Reaper, Exchange, Oct 28

Rick Wakeman, Bristol Beacon, Oct 29

The Vintage Caravan, Exchange, Oct 29

Anenra, Fleece, Nov 5

Focus, Fleece, Nov 6

Francis Rossi, Bath Forum, Nov 7

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Fleece, Nov 12

Saxon/Dirkschneider, Bristol Beacon, Nov 13

Orbit Culture, Electric Bristol, Nov 15

Conan, Thekla, Nov 21

Svalbard, Exchange, Nov 22

Jared James Nichols, Thekla, Dec 1

Katatonia, Electric Bristol, Dec 8

Orange Goblin, Electric Bristol, Dec 14

Clutch, Bristol Beacon, Dec 15

Fury, Exchange, Dec 18

Evil Scarecrow, Thekla, Dec 19

Epica/Amaranthe/Charlotte Wessels, Bristol Beacon, Jan 20

Pentagram, Thekla, Feb 2

Avatar/Alien Weapnry, O2 Academy, Feb 18

Smith/Kotzen, O2 Academy, Feb 20

10cc, Bristol Beacon, March 24

Jethro Tull, Bristol Beacon, May 10

Full Ov Hell, Fleece, April 7

Blackbraid, Fleece, April 9

Love with Johnny Echols, Fleece, April 30