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Folk Nights & Acoustic Music in Bristol

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Bristol's Folk & Acoustic Scene

Like jazz, folk is an extremely broad genre. From Joan Baez and Joanna Newsom to Bon Iver and the Fleet Foxes to Sheelanegig and Beirut, the folk field is vast. Fortunately when it comes to catering for such a broad spectrum of live music, Bristol excels.

Was folk & acoustic born in the West Country?

With local venues like Bristol Folk House and Bristol University Folk society, folk and acoustic music has a strong foothold in Bristol. The romantic images of a farmer chewing grass sitting on a hay bale is a West Country classic, English folk music has always thrived in the countryside. While Bristol isn’t as rural as its surroundings, music people have always flocked to Bristol from the surrounding areas, bringing the folk sound with them. So while folk music wasn’t born in the west country, it sure does have a home in Bristol.

Folk venues in Bristol
For off-centre Twee and Anti-Folk, be sure to check out what's on at the Louisiana and check the Lost Horizon listings. Cafe Kino and The Arts House both on Stokes Croft also host occasional anti-folk bands and solo musicians.

For less lo-fi and more straight up folk, key venues include: Lost Horizon, The Lansdown in Clifton, The South Bank Centre and The Folk House.

For more feisty folk bands keep an eye on gigs at The Attic and check out our gypsy jazz listings.

The folk big-guns and pop-crossover 'stars' like Noah and The Whale, Seth Lakeman and Mumford and Sons will be found at the biggest Bristol Venues (Colston Hall, o2 Academy and St George's Hall). For these gigs, arrive early as big folk events (at St Georges Hall in particular) can come packaged with some great (and potentially better) support artists.

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Our recent folk & acoustic recommendations

Sell out warning! Nora Brown’s rhythmically idiosyncratic Appalachian banjo and guitar carve jagged, sun-dappled pathways through tradition. Joined by award-winning Chicago fiddler Stephanie Coleman, the pair summon forgotten tunes and obscure ballads, dragging them into the anxious present. Magnetic old-world charm FFO: William Tyler, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Joan Shelley, Six Organs of Admittance. Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman at The Jam Jar.

A sweet double dose of Isle of Eigg cult microlabel Lost Map: the carnivalesque psych-folk of seven-member Cornish collective Blind Yeo promises to carry the Jar to new cosmic heights, bolstered by gloopy electro-indie-pop from label founder Pictish Trail. Fans of Tunng, The Beta Band, Melin Melyn, Jane Weaver et al – jump on it. Blind Yeo + Pictish Trail at The Jam Jar.

Kris Drever brings the windswept Orkney Isles to The Jam Jar, delivering trance-inducing pieces and plaintive hymn-like laments with his warm guitar and gently commanding Scottish lilt. Support from the luminous singer-songwriter Polly Paulusma adds a nimble counterpoint. FFO: King Creosote, Declan O’Rourke, Bill Ryder-Jones. Kris Drever + Polly Paulusma at The Jam Jar.

What happens when nine free-jazzheads get their hands on an ensemble's worth of gamelan goodies? Nist-Nah erupts in dizzying, metallic swarms of controlled chaos conducted by master polymath percussionist Will Guthrie, elevating you to a sonic nirvana only achieved by fearless adepts of Steve Reich, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, La Monte Young and The Necks. Will Guthrie & Ensemble Nist-Nah , Laura Phillips at Strange Brew.

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What our editors say

“Having shared stages with Overpass, Ellur, and Twin Atlantic, the band have honed a sound that shimmers with emotion and surges with scale. With new music slated for autumn/winter 2026, Fright Years are set to embark on their biggest headline tour to date, bringing their soaring sound and emotional intensity to stages across the country marking the next thrilling chapter in their ascent.”
From: Fright Years

“Shtëpi are a melting pot of exhilarating art-punk sounds, boasting an aggressive and emphatic live sound, reminiscent of Viagra Boys & Idles. Expect industrial synth sounds, groovy percussion and guitars that vary between static and devoted, yet always triumphant. The band’s eclectic song-writing defies the containment of genres, with their latest EP ‘CTRL + ALT + ROCK’ forming the consummation of 3 years of relentless gigging, which has seen the surging act support the likes of Geese, Personal Trainer and Getdown Services. Shtëpi are one of the country’s most exciting upcoming bands, catch them before they’re the country’s worst kept secret!”
From: Shtëpi + guests

“In January and February, they embarked on their first US tour in 11 years. March and April saw a tour in Western Japan. In August, they toured the Czech Republic and Germany, marking their inaugural European tour. In September, they played two shows in Taiwan, their first time performing in another Asian country besides Japan.”
From: Sunflowers + Green Milk From The Planet Orange

“LIFTER proudly take musical cues from a diverse range of sources, including slowcore, folk, country, chamber pop, and indie rock, and deftly showcase this throughout their latest release. A handful of comparable sounds would include Fairport Convention, David Grubbs, The American Analog Set and Sparklehorse.”
From: Foot Foot // LIFTER // Eva May // English Weather

“Over the past few years, the collective has been popping up at free parties, festivals, and street performances across the country bringing their mobile sound-systems and wild energy to every corner of the UK. Now, they’re hitting live venues to bring their unique rock/rave fusion show to a city near you!”
From: New Age Collective Winter Solstice