People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Maaike Siegerist
Maaike Siegerist is a Dutch-born jazz and ‘dark folk’ artist. She moved to England to study songwriting at Bath Spa University, and has also lived in China.
She is next performing at Salem Methodist Church in Winterbourne on March 2 and at Redcatch Folk Club in Knowle on March 16.
Here are Maaike’s top-five Bristol favourites:
is needed now More than ever
Dain Korea
“If you like Korean food, visit Dain Korea, a little eatery up on Gloucester Road. I can’t get enough of their dolsot bibimbap – a sizzling hot earthenware pot filled with rice, veg, chilli sauce and tofu or meat, topped with an egg. Mains come with bright red, spicy Korean appetisers and a salad, and fruit afterwards. Bring your own booze or sample some jasmine tea or Japanese beer.”
The Arts House
“The Arts House is a cosy arts venue and restaurant in Stokes Croft, with a varied performing arts programme downstairs. I played support here a while ago for Jonni Slater, a local indie singer-songwriter, who did a show with video projections. Their regular open mic night is every other Friday and brings a refreshing mix of spellbinding poetry and acoustic music.”
Jelli Records
“For musicians and music lovers, Jelli Records does a lot of great work. On Monday nights, you can tune into their show on Bradley Stoke Radio. Steve and Dave play new music and fire questions at musicians, who also play live on the air. On Tuesdays, you can catch their open mic and curated songwriter nights at The Bristol Fringe in Clifton Village. In the summer, the team manages stages at various festivals, including Redfest, the Balloon Fiesta and the Harbour Festival. And on top of all that, they also support Guide Dogs for the Blind!
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
“I keep going back to the temporary exhibits at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. I first went to see Do Ho Suh’s fascinating transparent installation, New York City Apartment/Bristol. It was described as ‘the ghost architecture of a soft corridor and staircase’, and dealt with the issues of migration and belonging – which spoke to me, being a migrant myself. More recently, it was great to see Hokusai’s The Wave and other fabulous prints as part of the museum’s Masters of Japanese Prints series. I’ll definitely visit the next exhibition in the series, Life in the City, which opened earlier this month and depicts Japanese city life in the 18th and 19th centuries.”
Lunchtime concerts at St Stephen’s Church
“Head to St Stephen’s Church at 1pm on Mondays for free performances ranging from singer-songwriters and folk, to classical and choir music, curated by David Mowat, who is a jazz trumpeter himself. Enjoy the music in the church’s beautiful hall and treat yourself to great value food and drinks in the church cafe afterwards.”
Main photo by Jonni Slater
Read more: My Bristol Favourites: Laura Kidd