Bristol's Blues Events

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Bristol's Blues Scene

Is blues music under-represented in Bristol?

While other American-originated music like funk and soul enjoy a huge number of acts and dedicated venues, where is the home of blues in Bristol? With its roots in the oppression of the black peoples of America, blues was transplanted over to the UK via white rock acts like the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. A quick browse of blues played on the BBC recently and tyhe Guardian’s list of the best blues festivals show some support for nearby Bath, but nothing for blues in Bristol. This begs the question: who will lead the new blues revival in Bristol?

Blues gigs in Bristol are found in pretty consistent venues with places like The Prom and the Thunderbolt popular live blues spots. Generally blues-rock seems more prominent in Bristol than traditional rhythm and blues bands or delta blues singers, although there is some really interesting stuff out there. Other venues to check for blues include the Cori Tap in Clifton and the Blue Lagoon on Gloucester Rd.

It's always worth looking at what's on at the Canteen in Bristol whose listings vary in style but are usually consistently high in quality - some potential blues gems there...

Buy tickets for blues events in Bristol

Our recent blues recommendations

Jools-approved County Donegal wunderkind Muireann Bradley breathes fresh life into the Americana songbook! Her understated acoustic reproductions of interwar blues, ragtime & country are carried by dextrous finger-picking, lilting vocals, and a masterful knowledge of roots tradition… Bradley’s a shining star in a new generation of folksters for sure. 17 year old virtuoso guitarist playing acoustic fingerpicking country, piedmont, and ragtime blues styles from the 1920s / 30s / 40s

Twende called it! Soulbee’s first big headline show’s a testament to the weight of their yet-to-be-released bass-heavy neo-soul and the waves it’s been making amongst those that know. Slotting in niceley alongside Eva Penney’s emotionally charged singer-songwriter delights, this is one-to-watch FFO: Erykah Badu, Anderson Paak, MĀDŁY, August etc. A cozy night of Soulful music from some of Bristol's up and coming Musicians.

Sell out warning! Plaintive finger-picking pastoral folk brilliance, dripping with hushed Nick Drake-style melancholia and Bert Jansch barroom virtuosity. Henry Ayling’s a troubadour lost in time: travelling from place to place along cart-dusted hedgerows in search of songs and sympathetic ears. Simply jawdropping! An evening of folk music in a late autumnal key to tickle the last leaves from the tree.

Sold out - get on the waiting list! The jazz gods have spoken, allotting us mortals in Bristol one final chance to reach true transcendence and achieve a love supreme. Get down on your knees - the greatest reedsman of the 21st century is about to lift the roof off St Mary Redcliffe. Praise be the Worms! World respected musician and Jazz performer brings his beautiful sounds to this incredible space.

What our editors say

“Larkin Poe, the dynamic sister duo known for their electrifying blend of Southern rock, blues, and Americana, emerges once again onto the musical landscape with their eagerly anticipated album, Bloom.”
From: The Bloom Tour

“Their two strong voices blend to create haunting harmonies, while they artfully juggle fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin, and incorporate traditional dance and foot percussion into their performance. Their original – and often dark – compositions push the boundaries of tradition and the constraints of genre. Drawing from old-time, Quebecois, blues, punk, Celtic, Balkan and doom metal, they create a soundscape that is both familiar and new.”
From: Mama’s Broke

“Laurence Jones, the multi-award-winning guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter born in Liverpool released his 8th studio album ‘Bad Luck & The Blues’ which charted #1 in The Official Jazz & Blues Charts in The UK. Hailed "The future of the blues" as Classic Rock Magazine aptly puts it! With his impressive prize cabinet of awards and a place in the British Blues Hall Of Fame, he's one of the UK's greatest guitarists.”
From: Laurence Jones

“A songwriter, inheritor of tradition, and a walking, talking jukebox, Paxton approaches his craft with equal part wit and reverence, with a knack for leg-pulling and cracking wise. Things Done Changed is an album of original songs that sound beamed in from nearly a century ago, when jazz and blues were performed as a means of both personal and cultural survival.”
From: Jerron Paxton

“With a five-octave range and a voice that effortlessly traverses rock, blues, and soul, it is always the voice that introduces you to Sari Schorr. A creative force of nature through music, photography and the written word, Sari’s world is a place of resilience and tenacity. Sari is a firm believer in the enduring power of the human condition to overcome any obstacle – and for music to be the force for unity.”
From: Sari Schorr