Music / world music
Bristol’s month in World Music – July 2025
Well it’s a bit of a blow for World Music fans to face July with no WOMAD festival to highlight, and still no news as to their future site plans for 2026. A small consolation is a choice of boutique festivals with good world music acts: the Seeker Festival ‘somewhere in the Isle of Purbeck’ (Fri 11-Sun 13) has Ghanaian livewire K.O.G. and Gnawa groovers Electric Jalaba while the Fieldview Festival in Little Somerford, Wiltshire (Thur 31 – Sun 3) also has K.O.G as well as Golden Guild Reggae Band, Ishmael Ensemble and Abolico Synergy Capoeira. The Ham Farm Festival (Emerson’s Green, Fri 25-Sun 27) has the traditional Brazilian Club de Choro Bristol and Flamenco dancer Lourdes Fernandez’s Raices performance.
Hailing from Reunion Island, near Madagascar, the 10-strong Lindigo (Jam Jar, Sat 12) are core practitioners of the traditional Malaya tradition of call and response singing, updated with a mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation and some powerful percussion. The venue also welcomes back South Africa’s brilliant BCUC (Wed 2) with a similar blend of exuberant ritual voices and irresistible grooves but you’ll need to be quick to get a ticket for that one. Ghanaian master percussionist, singer and composer Ben Baraka brings his band to Canteen (Sat 12) and Bristol’s finest Afrobeat collective No Go Stop will also be shaking the Canteen rafters (Thur 31). Gentler grooves can be expected from Gambian kora griot Suntou Susso playing at the al fresco Bristol Tree Craft (Thur 17) and the interesting cross-cultural fusion (pictured at the top) of Kate Griffin’s banjo with Mozambican timbila xylophone player Matchume Zango (St Anne’s Church Greenbank, Wed 9).
Plenty of ska at the Bell this month, with The Marching Skaletons (Sat 5), 2-tone influenced Subject A (Wed 16) and ska-reggae purveyors Revelation Roots (Wed 23). Mizizi’s 10-piece reggae party makes a welcome return to Canteen (Fri 18), the Star & Garter hosts a celebration of Afro-Caribbean Culture with MCs and DJs (Sat 12) while Lost Horizon have the veteran sound system Downbeat Melody for a Day Party (Sun 27)
is needed now More than ever
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny’s cross-Caribbean cultural influences have seen him dubbed The King of Latin Trap (Fleece, Fri 11) as well as a master of reggaeton. As it happens Canteen can also boast of a royal visit from The Queen of Brazilian Dancehall Ragga in the shape of Lei Di Dai (Fri 4), a vigorous performer fusing contemporary Brazilian and Jamaican vibes. The Cotham Club (Cotham Parish Church, Fri 18) looks to a more established Brazilian sound, with Marta Zubieta & The Suaves exploration of ‘golden age’ Bossa Nova and samba brought to fresh life thanks to their authentic percussion, energetic playing and Marta’s vivacious vocal talents. You can also catch the band at Canteen (Wed 23).
During the 70s Indonesia had a vibrant psychedelic funk-rock scene and contemporary sextet LAIR draw on that legacy as well as their Javanese Pantura traditions. They make an impressive raw sound using distinctive guitars with terracotta clay bodies. The duo of Texan accordionist and singer Ruben Moreno and guitarist Lil Jim (The Bell, Tue 15) catch a legacy sound, too, namely the classic Zydeco sound of greats like Clifton Chenier and others. Apparently Ruben is also a master washboard player, though combining that with the accordion must be something of a challenge.
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