Music / Folk & Roots
Bristol’s month in folk & roots – August 2023
It’s all pretty quiet for Folk & Roots gigs in August.
Some of the bigger venues seem to have a bit of a summer holiday and a couple of the long established Folk nights have a well deserved break too.
In loads of ways that’s a very good thing though, because it means that you get to notice a few things that might, otherwise, pass you by.
is needed now More than ever
There are, in particular, some amazing American artists visiting Bristol in the next 30 days.
Very early on in August (on August 1 in fact) Irish singer, Mary Coughlan, plays The Redgrave Theatre in Clifton. Uncut magazine has described her as “a living link between Billie Holiday and Amy Winehouse” and she is absolutely incredible live.
Her voice is an extraordinary thing, all whisky-blurred and smokey huskiness, and she is a delicious mix of late night Jazz and sultry, battered Blues. The last time I saw her live she was captivating, I expect she’ll be just as good this time.
Tucked away in The Louisiana listings is, probably, the highlight of the month.
Tommy Prine is the son of the late, great Americana superstar, John Prine, and he plays a co-headline show with Arlo McKinley on August 29.
Tommy Prine doesn’t hide away from his dad’s influence and his debut album, This Far South, is a wonderful Country-Folk album. At turns reflective, angry and upbeat, it’s a fantastic record.
Prine has been touring the States with Margo Price so you just know that this show is going to be well worth seeing.
All the way from Bath, Ninotchka play The Louisiana on August 26. They are a brilliant three-piece playing Balkan, Klezmer and wild Irish Folk.
If you’re after music to dance to, drink to and generally throw yourself around the dancefloor to, Ninotchka will perfectly fit the bill.
They’re regulars at Glastonbury and other UK festivals too. Support is from Bristol singer-songwriter, Holly Eve.
Like Tommy Prine, Karen Jonas is also “a little bit country”. She plays Bedminster’s Hen & Chicken on August 18.
Americana Highways described Restless, her most recent album, as being like a “later-day Country tinged Rickie Lee Jones”.
With nine years of touring and six albums under her belt she is always an arresting live presence. Expect dreamy and dark alt-country tunes.
On August 23, a Folk artist does something a little bit different; Grace Petrie, one of Folk’s finest and angriest voices, brings her stand-up show to Bristol.
A huge hit at Edinburgh in 2022 there will, of course, be loads of stuff about gender politics and queer identities. It’s going to be very funny too.
Jake Xerxes Fussell plays Strange Brew on August 19. He’s an inventive and imaginative singer and guitarist, breathing new life into dusty American Folk songs.
Fussell is a tiny bit Appalachean, a tiny bit Cosmic and a whole lot amazing. When Will Oldham, Wilco and Bill Callahan are fans you know that you’re doing something right.
This show is promoted in conjunction with Bristol Beacon and is going to be yet another brilliant slice of American Folk in Bristol this month.
Another American, Christian Lee Hutson, plays on August 24. This time you can expect Lo-fi Americana-tinged ballads and a hefty slice of skewed Romanticism. Think Elliot Smith and Connor Oberst.
The first of the Coffee Club shows this month features the Eve Appleton Band on August 6.
Already attracting huge heaps of attention following the fact that she has just been announced as the Green Man Rising winner for 2023, Appleton has a beautiful, Folk voice and her songs have that gorgeous, other-worldly feeling that the best modern Folk has.
Green Man Festival has, well and truly, sold out so this will be the perfect time to see the Dorset-born, Bristol-based band warm up for it.
Ok. So this one is, technically, nothing to do with music at all but there’s a Folk Horror Double Book Launch at Bookhaus on August 30.
Verge by Nadia Attia and A Good House For Children by Kate Collins are delightfully spooky and full of darkly, Folk-ish horror. Both books are absolutely perfect as the summer slowly blends into Autumn.
Festivals
There are two Folk-ish festivals in August, both a little way away from Bristol but both will be worth a visit.
Weston-Super-Mare’s Sea Shanty & Folk Music Festival runs from August 4 to 6. There are so many brilliant Shanty bands playing (including Port of Bristol Shanty Crew), many from the West Country, and it’s all free.
The main stage is at The Italian Gardens but lots of cafes, pubs and bars will play host to all manner of piratical adventurers.
Didmarton Bluegrass Festival actually sneaks into September but it does, sort of, start on August 31. The music kicks off on September 1 and, this year, Dan Walsh & Brooks Williams, Flats & Sharps, The Often Herd and Noble Jacks are all playing.
The definition of Bluegrass is pretty wide and it’s going to be a weekend of banjos, drinking and dancing. What more could you want?
Main photo: courtesy of Port of Bristol Shanty Crew
Read next:
- Bristol’s month in folk & roots – July 2023
- Bristol’s month in folk & roots – May 2023
- Bristol’s month in folk & roots – June 2023
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