Music / folk and roots
Bristol’s month in folk and roots – December 2024
After that flurry of snow the other week, it’s starting to feel a bit like Christmas. You’d imagine that musical things might slow down through December, but apparently not. There are so many great gigs and such a range of folk-ish and Roots-y styles – presents for everyone really!
Christmas isn’t Christmas without the Downend Folk & Roots festive gig. This year they welcome Winter Union back, on December 13, and it’s going to be wonderful.
is needed now More than ever
Featuring members of The Willows, Gilmore & Roberts as well as Ben Savage and Hannah Sanders, there will be fresh arrangements of traditional carols both well-loved and little-known, and seasonal classics from both sides of the Atlantic. As is now traditional Bristol’s finest folk choir, Heartwood Chorus, will start things off.
This gig has now sold out but you can watch it as a live stream.
A Winter Union: ‘five leading lights of the British roots scene join forces to create a festive folk band like no other’ – photo: Ron Pengelly
For fans of British folk music, there are few acts as iconic as The Unthanks. The Tyneside sibling duo—Rachel and Becky Unthank—have earned a reputation for their strikingly haunting vocal harmonies and their ability to reinterpret traditional folk with a modern twist.
Expect an evening of stirring melodies, often drenched in melancholy, yet always full of beauty. This is folk music at its most atmospheric, capturing the essence of the British north with an emotional punch. There will be plenty of wintery treats too as they promote their beautiful In Winter album. They play on Thursday 19.
Bristol’s Strange Brew is the perfect venue to catch Muireann Bradley’s evocative solo performance on December 3. Hailing from Ireland, Bradley’s blend of blues, ragtime and country has already captivated the Green Man Festival and her appearance on Later… was stupendous. Bradley is at the very forefront of the new wave of Roots artists.
The Folk House is, as ever, stuffed with treats in December. Two incredible singer-songwriters join forces on December 7 for a night of stunning vocals and moving acoustic performances. Katey Brooks, known for her soulful delivery and emotionally charged songs, pairs beautifully with local hero Beth Rowley, whose distinctive voice combines folk, blues, and soul.
The next night, Irish singer-songwriter Jack Lukeman (December 8), celebrates the spirit of the season with humour, charm, and not a little magic. His cover of Nick Drake’s Northern Sky is particularly lovely. The Guardian said of him: “What a voice…. think Frank Sinatra, Scott Walker, Jaques Brel….Yes, we’re talking that good!”
Mikey Kenney is a brilliant fiddle player who plays just off Park Street on December 15. He is a passionate and well-respected advocate for traditional music – a brilliant Liverpool-style fiddler drawing primarily on his native North West English and Irish heritage, but grounded in a present-day, urban reality.
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Three Cane Whale are, quite simply, one of the finest, most interesting, most innovative folk bands around. And they’re from Bristol. If you haven’t seen them before, then you really are missing out. They are perfect for the atmospheric New Room so this will be such a festive treat. They play on Thursday December 12.
The John Wesley New Room is the perfect environ for Three Cane Whale’s layered, atmospheric string instrumentals – photo: Three Cane Whale
Increasingly The Louisiana is becoming the place to be for americana-ish roots music. Whilst not strictly roots, MT Jones is there on December 4. If you like a bit of old style R&B, 60s and 70s soul greats and a pinch of jazz then this is going to be hard to beat.
On December 9 Dylan LeBlanc mines the more traditional rock, blues, folk and country templates. Think Gothic americana with a bit of Johnny Cash thrown in for good measure.
Bristol favourite Gaz Brookfield gets all Christmasy at The Fleece on December 7. A brilliant singer-songwriter, he’s strummy and heartfelt, funny and clever, and he has a heap of songs that are perfect for dancing and singing at the top of your lungs to. Guaranteed to be a fantastic Christmas party.
On December 11, country band Restless Road – made up of three different but complementary voices (Zach Beeken, Garrett Nichols and Colton Pack) – is “one of the most intriguing and exciting acts of the year” (Wide Open Country).
Praised by People, Taste of Country, Billboard and more, the band’s powerhouse harmonies and soul-baring lyrics have accumulated over 250 million cumulative career streams and amassed a following of over 4.2 million on their social media platforms. As NBC’s TODAY host Hoda Kotb put it, “That harmony…you feel it in your soul”.
For something a little more atmospheric, Duck Brothers are back at The Fleece with their Christmas show on December 23. With an unconventional arsenal of self-built instruments fused with growling vocal harmonies, their dark and gritty sound is huge and distinctive.
Legendary folk singer Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band grace St George’s with their presence this December 4. Best known for her work with Steeleye Span, Prior’s rich voice and commanding stage presence make her a living legend in the folk world.
Expect to hear plenty of seasonal music as they celebrate forty years of Christmas collaborations. Sadly, this marks the last time that they will tour in this way. Still, expect emotional depth and passion that has made them a cornerstone of British folk music at Christmas.
Ready to take on their mantle are Awake Arise, a collaboration between Lady Maisery and Sid Goldsmith & Jimmy Aldridge. This show on Tuesday 17 is already sold out but it will be a joyous celebration of the darkest season. There will be traditional songs, folk carols, spoken word and newly written music; Awake Arise is a warm gift to the wintertime.
As well as folk award winning artist Sid Goldsmith with Jimmy Aldridge alongside Lady Maisery, the Awake Arise Christmas show has in the past featured trumpet and other special guests – photo: Awake Arise
St James Priory
Not content to just sing at Downend Folk & Roots, Bristol’s folk choir The Heartwood Chorus will also play at St James Priory on December 6. They are the absolute embodiment of a folky Christmas and are, simply, wonderful.
Alex Garden’s Folk Sessions at Easton’s Greenbank take place on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. That means that in December they are on Tuesday 3 and 17. They are wonderfully friendly affairs.
Everyone’s favourite little Bristol venue plays host to The Wanton String Band on December 7. If this doesn’t sound like your thing then you’re probably not doing things right: “The Wanton String Band play hedonistic folk-inspired psychedelic dance music. Their sound ranges from face-melting, trance-inducing renditions of fiddle tunes to synth-infused murder ballads. Their ecstatic, infectious take on traditional music has had audiences dancing on tables and hanging from rafters since their formation in 2016.”
For something a little less face-melting, there are a couple of Christmas Ceilidhs on December 14 & 15. They’re still going to be loads of fun though.
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Max Minerva’s bookshop in Henleaze isn’t exactly the sort of venue that normally gets written about here but, if you’re a lover of books and music, you won’t want to miss the Bookshop Band on December 12.
This literary folk band writes songs inspired by their favorite books, bringing stories to life through song in a way that will resonate deeply with readers and music lovers alike. Their performance is a beautiful blend of literary references, acoustic melodies, and heartfelt lyrics.
Literary folk: they love to perform surrounded by books, like here at Hatchards in Portsmouth – photo: The Bookshop Band
Main image: The Heartwood Chorus by Barry Savell
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