Music / Folk & Roots
Bristol’s month in folk & roots – March 2024
And just like magic, the darkness lifts and the little sparks of spring can be seen (just as soon as it stops raining, of course). Even more excitingly, there are an enormous amount of brilliant folk and roots gigs in March.
Some of the finest musicians in the folk world are drifting through Bristol so it’s going to be a fantastic month.
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What started as the Downend Folk Club is 10 years old this year. There are plenty of things going on to celebrate – have a look at the mini festival that they have planned in July – but something really quite exciting is the introduction of lunchtime gigs on a Saturday.
The wonderful Carrivick Sisters play the first one on March 2. Twins, Laura and Charlotte, are absolute masters of Bluegrass, Old-time Americana and Folk and they will be simply perfect for a chilled, family-friendly afternoon session at Christ Church, Downend.
The regular Downend Folk & Roots show is on March 15 and features Hannah James and Toby Kuhn. James is contemporary folk royalty, being one third of Lady Maisery. Kuhn is a post-classical cellist with a taste for improvisation. Together they make some incredible music.
The highlight of Bristol’s folk gigs for March is, undoubtedly, Sam Sweeney in the Lantern Hall of the Beacon on March 10.
A member of Bellowhead, Leveret, The Full English and countless other bands, Sweeney is touring his latest album, Escape That. The last time he played Bristol it was just him, his violin and his irrepressible personality but this time he’ll have a full band with him. It’s going to be amazing.
Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman play on March 20. A superb English Folk duo they are never anything other than extraordinary live.
Last seen on the Beacon stage with the Transatlantic Sessions, Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle return with their gloriously harmonious trio on March 22. Expect world class musicians and quality folk tunes.
Mercury Prize nominated Folk singer, Sam Lee, plays on March 27 in support of his fourth album, Songdreaming – he’s brilliant too!
Finally at the Beacon, Jelli Records celebrate their 15th anniversary on March 28.The evening will feature Harri Mason and Onika Venus, amongst others, and donations will be collected on the night for the Brian Tumour Support charity.
As part of the Rising Folk series, Heather Ferrier plays in the Glass Studio on March 1. An accordionist, clog dancer and composer, Ferrier has been described by Tom Robinson as an “accordion virtuoso”.
Another Bellowhead alumnus, Rachel McShane, plays on March 7. Along with her group, The Cartographers, she makes stunning folk music. Not only is McShane a brilliant violinist, cellist and viola player but her voice is glorious. Not one to miss.
BBC Radio’s Mark Radcliffe calls Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow “reminiscent of Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy” and, surely, there’s no higher compliment. They play at The Folk House on March 2.
Bristol based, raw, urban folk duo, The Kahunas bring their festival friendly folk on March 7. Having supported the likes of Tankus the Henge, 3 Daft Monkeys and Ushti Baba, they’re bound to be loads of fun.
There’s a Bluegrass and Americana festival on March 23, featuring the likes of Taff Rapid, the Rye Sisters and workshops through the day.
Then on March 26, there’s a piece of folk-y storytelling in Tam Lin Retold. The storytelling is by Corinne Harragin and the music by Nick Hart.
Angeline Morrison is one of the most interesting of the contemporary voices around at the moment. Her latest tracks are visionary re-writings of black people’s experience into a tradition that largely ignored them.
She has a tremendous voice, perfect for fans of Buffy Sainte Marie, Shirley Collins, Shovel Dance Collective. She plays on March 8.
John McSherry has been a major figure in Irish traditional music for 20 years, as part of Lunasa and Tamalin. He, and his trio, play Strange Brew on March 13.
There’s a bit of an Americana feeling to the gigs in Bedminster in March. Singer, author and all-round legend, Dan Stuart (ex-Green on Red) plays on March 13.
Jenny Colquitt has been described by RnR Magazine as “one to watch” and has been a winner of Fatea Magazine’s Female Artist of the Year. She’s a little bit folk-y, a little bit indie and a little bit Americana and plays on March 27.
Sneaking in right at the end of the month, on March 31, The Hanging Stars are influenced by some of the greatest music of all time – The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers and Big Star – and are all 70’s tinged psychedelic folk and cosmic country vibes. What more could you ask?
The Schmoozenbergs launch their latest, and utterly wonderful, album in the crypt of The Mount Without on March 22. Mouse is a glorious slice of gypsy jazz, klezmer, folk-ish francophone brilliance. They are awesome live and this is going to be a fantastic celebration.
Heartwood, Bristol’s folk choir, perform a special concert for International Women’s Day on March 8. Their acapella arrangements of folk songs are absolutely incredible.
Other things
As if that lot wasn’t quite enough, there are still an enormous amount of incredible things scattered across the city. Chris Wood is one of the most extraordinary, most important English folk singers of recent years. He plays The New Room on March 21.
The Mary Wallopers are beloved by Bristol and they bring their sweaty Irish mayhem to the O2 Academy on March 17.
The Langan Band play Lost Horizon on March 23. They were brilliant at The Jam Jar last time they were here so this is likely to be just as fired by totally danceable mayhem.
Dublin singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey plays The Fleece on March 13 while Grace Petrie plays Trinity on March 23. Petrie is a proper, angry protest singer and is joined by fantastic poet, Molly Naylor.
Foot-stomping, adrenaline fuelled burst of energy, Bonfire Radicals, play The Canteen on March 8. They play folk music as though it were performed by ravers.
For something a bit more gentle, acapella singing duo Ben & Dom + Three Rivers play St Stephen’s on March 8. Liverpudlian alt folk duo Loris and The Lion are at The Orchard on March 24 and, finally, The Phogues celebrate St Patrick’s Day at The Exchange on March 17.
Phew. April’s looking busy too. Then there’s the Bristol Folk Festival in May…
Main photo: Gavin McNamara
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