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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

Calling all fans of AD93-esque smudged minimalism! A triple bill of breathtaking avant-garde world-builders beckons, melding Feeo’s sculptural drone-ambient arabesques, Ugnė Uma’s abstract-pop romanticism and swirling, meditative poetics from Radio Hito. Three of today's most distinctive solo acts operating in the realm of hazy electronics, combining voice, subtle pop motifs and ambient poetics with smoky jazz club atmospheres. All featuring high on 2025’s end-of-year lists at the likes of Boomkat, RA, Crack Mag & more. Essential listening!⁠

Bristol's boldest champions of underground folk, Cuculi hosts another spine-tingling session via the jazz-addled torchsongs of Georgia Duncan. With intricate instrumental interplay courtesy of JOW cello maestro James Gow, and carried by Georgia’s impossibly elegant vocals, this is dazzling, ethereal stuff FFO: Karen Dalton, Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Keren Ann, Allie Crow Buckley. Soulful folk-jazz from highly original songwriters

Sell out warning! The Jam Jar's global melting pot gets a serious stir when arch-fusionistas Lokkhi Terra revitalise their bewitching Cubafrobeat clash with Dele Sosimi. A star-studded 8-person spectacular, rallying Yoruba spirits and raga Ustads into an utterly unmissable musical force FFO: Fea Kuti, Irakere, Kokoroko, Tito Puente. Twende presents: Lokkhi Terra’s and Dele Sosimi, Their music spans across continents fusing together the sound of Cuba, West Africa, Bangladesh and London for a multicultural collaboration of music and culture creating a sound that is distinctly new!

The indomitable Chai Wallahs score an end-of-season special full of the usual unusual turntablist melting pot antics. With K.O.G’s electrifying afrobeat, hiphop and high-life grooves, alongside revolving door collective CONN3CT’s neo-soul / afro-jazz meltdown and Jamu’s live rap pass-the-mic spectacular. Golden era diggers and festival freaks: this is your New Year’s ticket. KOG, Jamu Ft. All Star Crew, Conn3ct Ft. Aziza Jaye, Amy True & MĀDŁY, DJ Hiphoppapotamus & Selecta Si Chai

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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

“Known for his rock-and-roll inspired solo albums, as well as his contributions to internet funk sensation Vulfpeck, Katzman has had this feeling bubbling in the recesses of his mind for some time now, weaving its way through his songwriting process and onto his recordings. The feeling itself is multi-dimensional: it's a subtle sarcasm, but not at the expense of sincerity; criticism, but not at the expense of joy; character, but not at the expense of vulnerability. + special guests tba”
From: Theo Katzman

“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

“Cotonete built their reputation through a series of rare singles and collaborations, notably with Dimitri from Paris, before releasing their first album in 15 years, Super-Vilains, in 2019 on Heavenly Sweetness. That record’s moody grooves and live shows across France and the UK—especially their Dingwalls appearance hosted by Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge—cemented their reputation. Along the way, a creative connection with Brazilian legend Di Melo produced Atemporal, an eight-track blend of funk and Brazilian soul later sampled by Drake on his 2023 album For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition.”
From: Cotonete