What's On / Bristol Gigs / funk and soul

Funk, Soul and Motown in Bristol

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Bristol's Funk And Soul Scene

Funk and soul - the secret undercurrent to Bristol music?
Funk and soul is now synonymous with radio personalities like Craig Charles and long-running nights like Soul Train (in Bristol). While its roots are deep, there was a period in the 90s when soul ran freely through the city via trip-hoppers Massive Attack who combined a soulful edge with current, to the minute electronic production. The more tortured soulful grooves of Tricky were like a bleak West Country version of neo-soul acts like Erykah Badu. While these acts rarely get called soul, their debt to 70s funk and soul legends like Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown and Bootsy Collins is undeniable.

Live Funk in Bristol
Funk isn't huge in Bristol but there are still some good funk bands playing regular gigs, even if the market is slightly smaller than it used to be. Quality hammond led jazz-funk jams can often be found at the Golden Lion on Gloucester road. For faster more sweaty funk gigs, keep and eye on what's on at the Mr Wolfs in Bristol city centre.

Live Soul in Bristol
In the early 2000's there was a much needed soul revival in the UK. At the core of this revival was Brighton and in particular it's Tru-Thoughts record label. Artists like Alice Russell and Belleruche ventured into 'nu-soul', while bands like the Quantic Soul Orchestra revisited raw early funk. While the albums made during this period were nothing hugely special, the performances that came with them were a welcome return of quality and engaging soul music. Being an important city in the UK's live music scene, Bristol and it's venues were (and still are) a key tour-stop for modern soul gigs. Whilst the revival is not as strong as it was, there are still some consistent soul and funk venues in Bristol to check whats on. Trinity Centre is the new home of Tru-thoughts / Stones Throw / Freestyle Recs type tours, with recent (2010) Bristol events including Belleruche, Speedometer and The Bamboos. The 02 Academy, Colston Hall and the Bristol Thekla are Bristol's main venues for bigger name musicians or comeback tours for legendary Motown and soul singers. It's also worth checking the Lost Horizon listings, they seem to have a great ability of booking upcoming talent before it hits the big time. While not strictly soul or funk, the venue has hosted some great cross over artists including Little Dragon and The Apples.

The Park Bar in Clifton with it's Hot Buttered Soul nights is also worth looking into.

If you're looking for disco clubnights in Bristol check the mainstream city centre venues (which we don't list on this website).

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Our recent funk and soul recommendations

Cuculi returns with pianist-composer Laurie Torres’ uniformly gorgeous post-minimalist piano pieces, shoulder-to-shoulder with multi-instrumentalist James Gow’s flickering cello, bass, and brass shapes. Seductive, intimate and mysterious FFO: Harold Budd, Duval Timothy, Ben Seretan. Subtle lo-fi piano experimentations from acclaimed Canadian artist

Take a trip with G-funksters XL Middleton and Moniquea! The LA scene lynchpins bring their Indeed Indeed party to Bristol for a one-off special, cooking up breezy West coast hip-hop and lowrider funk slathered in swag and sass FFO: DāM FunK, Dabeull, Mndsgn, Onra, Nite Jewel. Los Angeles funk party ‘Indeed Indeed’ is coming to Bristol for one night only!

Prepare for a loved-up lesson in smooth grooves and heart-on-sleeve lyricism from an under-the-radar R&B trailblazer. With a songwriting resume that includes Brandy and Tevin Campbell classics, Rahsaan Patterson’s music is brimming with infectious gospel, soulful sensuality and velvety vocal licks. American singer R&B / Soul

Wayne Snow gifts The Jam Jar with afrofuturist neo-soul and richly textured R&B, deeply shaped by icons like Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, Sade, Sun Ra, and King Sunny Adé. Expect glowing falsetto, cinematic atmospheres, and lulling club grooves that stir and soothe the spirit. A new era of Afrofuturist soul

More Photos of Funk, Soul and Motown in Bristol

What our editors say

“My Son the Hurricane is a multi-horn, multi-drummer brass-funk powerhouse from Niagara, ON. This 12-piece brass-dance collective has toured across multiple countries and lit up major festivals throughout Canada, the USA, Mexico, and Europe. In 2023, they sold out 45 shows and sparked a viral sensation with a video that racked up over 30 million views in just a few weeks—proof that there’s no live experience quite like My Son the Hurricane.”
From: My Son The Hurricane

“Formed in 1997 by boundary-pushing fiddle player Joe Broughton, the band fuses traditional British and Celtic folk with rock, jazz, funk, ska, Afrobeat, and Eastern European melodies. Known for electrifying festival performances, the Ensemble transforms the stage into a joyous, vibrant celebration of 21st-century folk music. Big, bold, and unmissable.”
From: Conservatoire Folk Ensemble

“Founded in 2021 by Norwich-based brothers Jonny Silver (guitar/vox) and Kenny Pleasures (drums/vox), PleasureInc. have consistently gone out of their way to make music you can’t quite put your finger on. You’ll find them at the point where British indie sleaze collides with American hip hop, sweeping up the offshoot shards of punk, funk and dance, and injecting it all with a spirit born from skateboarding and 90s wrestling. Rebellious, playful and energetic; their output feels akin to Beastie Boys, Gorillaz and Tyler, The Creator. Call it sleaze-pop. Call it crunch-core. Call it sh*t-that-make-ya-mumma-cry. Do not put your finger on it.”
From: Pleasureinc

“Over forty years later, he remains a tireless ambassador for the unique musical movement all over the world. His blend of complex funk grooves, traditional Nigerian music, African percussion and an underlying sense of jazz combines with his virtuoso keyboard skills and rhythmic singing to make him one of the most respected Afrobeat authorities of his era.”
From: Dele Sosimi

“Drawing on 1960s–70s funk, reggae, library music, psychedelic rock and global influences, Skinshape creates warm, atmospheric grooves shaped by a deep love of vintage recording and timeless songwriting.”
From: Skinshape