Music / Folk & Roots
Bristol’s month in folk & roots – November 2023
There might be “no shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees” in November but, my goodness, there are a massive amount of Folk and Roots gigs coming up in this month of fireworks and falling leaves.
There’s riotous Irish-ness, global trance-y blues, glorious electronic-flecked folk and a shanty-punk party too.
is needed now More than ever
Sadly already sold out is the return of Mary Wallopers to Bristol on November 9.
They were brilliant at Thekla last year, full of Pogue-ish punky folkiness and righteous fury. Their new album is called Irish Rock n Roll and it’s an absolute stunner. Expect crazed drinking songs, heartbreaking ballads and some serious dancing.
Lucy Ward, Svavar Knutur and Adyn Townes came together during the various lockdowns of 2020, thanks to Global Music Match.
Ward is a fantastic folk singer from Derbyshire, Knutur a troubadour and storyteller from the fjords of Iceland and Townes an amazing songwriter from Canada.
Together they’ve made a glorious album, Unanswered and they play at Christ Church Downend on the November 17 and will, undoubtedly, be one of the highlights of the month.
One of the other huge highlights of the month will be the return of Frankie Archer on November 10, Archer plays as part of the Rising Folk series and is seriously amazing.
Using just her incredible voice, a fiddle and some electronics she effortlessly creates a stunning soundworld full of icy atmospherics and feminist storytelling. She has the ability to still the breath in the room.
Also at St George’s, Folk Rock pioneers Steeleye Span play on November 21. They celebrate 50 years as a band and will, doubtless, play all of your favourites.
Jon Boden (Bellowhead) and Eliza Carthy (incredible vocalist, fiddle player and member of Folk’s First Family) will bring a seasonal treat on November 23 with The Wassail.
Before carols there were wassails and Boden and Carthy promise some old, old Christmas songs, virtually guaranteed to brighten up the darkest of days.
On November 30, UK country superstars, Ward Thomas, perform a special stripped back show, full of wonderful harmonies, fantastic songs and a story, or two.
The Jam Jar offers up its usual wildly eclectic, utterly superb choices through November. Trials of Cato play on November 9. They are, easily, one of the best new Folk bands around at the moment.
Taking traditional tunes as a starting point, they add Welsh poetry, a sprinkle of electronica, a hint of jazz and great dollops of pop to create something exceptional. Their latest album, Gog Magog, is great.
American songwriter, Julie Byrne, plays on November 22. She is a brilliant finger-picking guitarist and has a road-worn take on American folk music. Her latest album, The Greater Wings, is a life-affirming thing.
Justin Adams and Mauro Durante take folk music in a slightly different direction on November 29. Merging blues with Southern Italy’s pizzica and taranta dance styles they conjure a deep trance style beloved by Songlines magazine and WOMAD.
Adams is best known as Robert Plant’s guitarist and is simply incredible. This one will be a must-see for anyone that likes their folk music a bit more experimental than traditional.
The Lost Trades have a bit of a Laurel Canyon/late 60s-early 70s folk about them, the play on November 23. They harmonise beautifully and will be playing songs from their latest album, Petrichor.
Mickey Kenney plays on November 17 and another massive highlight of November in Bristol will be the album launch of The Colour of Amber by Nick Hart and Tom Moore on November 19.
Hart is one of the finest interpreters of English folk song whilst Moore is a sparkling viola player. The album that the two have made together is incredible (out on Slow Worm Records on the November 22) so this launch show is likely to be very special indeed.
In the plush, seated environs of Clifton, two of the most exciting folk bands of the last twenty (or more) years play one after the other.
On November 15, major folk innovators Flook weave and spin traditional tunes over precise acoustic grooves. They were astonishing at the Priddy Folk Festival a few years ago, driving everyone up on their feet, they are wonderfully positive and delightfully danceable.
Blazin’ Fiddles play the next day, November 16, and they pack in all of the power and passion of Scottish traditional music and have been described, by The Scotsman, as “the Led Zeppelin of the folk world”.
For something even more raucous and twice as likely to make you dance – or just leap about like a loony – The Exchange are throwing a party to celebrate three years of Firejam (the promoter of mighty fine nights out) on November 25.
Thirteen bands spread across two stages and nine hours, it’s going to be a brilliant day out. The headliners are festival favourites, 3 Daft Monkeys, but there’s plenty of folk-punk, shanty-punk and anti-folk goodness too.
Highlights will, undoubtedly, be Jolly Roger, Nasty Fishmonger, Fidget & The Twitchers and True Foxes. All of this and it’s only 20 quid!
Other things and other places
There are still so many other things going on in Bristol in November.
With so many gigs on offer, there are bound to be clashes so on November 5 you can choose between Martin Stephenson, one of the finest singer-songwriters of all time, at Thekla or cider-fuelled good-time merchants The Mighty Shinkickers at The Grain Barge.
The Breath play at The Mount Without on November 8 and then you have to choose between Baskery at The Louisiana, The Dead South at The Marble Factory or The Rosie Hood Band at the John Wesley’s New Room on November 9 (assuming that you don’t fancy Trials of Cato at The Jam Jar on the same night, for some reason).
Bristol’s very own Lady Nade plays at Zion on November 17 and then supports fiery Folk-Rockers Holy Moly & The Crackers on November 23 at The Fleece.
Keston Cobblers Club play Dareshack on the 23rd too. The Men They Couldn’t Hang play two shows at The Thunderbolt on November 24 and 24 (they’ve both sold out).
Finally the Eve Appleton Band play Crofter’s Rights on November 19 and Hannah Alderidge plays Hen & Chicken on November 21.
After all of that you are officially allowed to collapse into a small heap and sleep until the new year (although just imagine what you’ll be missing in December!).
Main photo: Arthur Rene Walwin
Read next:
- Bristol’s month in folk & roots – October 2023
- Bristol’s month in folk & roots – September 2023
- Bristol’s month in folk & roots – August 2023
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