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

Sell out warning! Space is the place, but earth will do for the last true original of astral gospel and synth folk blues wonderment. Lonnie Holley crash lands at the Microplex for 2 dates of macrocosmic outsider enlightenment and eccentric musical radiation. Infinite soul enrichment FFO: Sun Ra, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Laraaji, Lil B’s Rain in England, Mourning [A] BLKstar. Lonnie Holley w/ Shahzad Ismaily & Allan Gilbert Balon at The Cube.

Berlin's hot shit jazz fusion trio, stepping on Robert Glasper’s sophisto toes with their deft broken beat / boom-bap inflected propulsion, florid funk bass fills and collabs with rappers like ENNY. This is bop for the broad-listening brigade! FFO: Emma-Jean Thackray, Madlib, R+R=NOW, Joe Armon-Jones. An Evening Of Explosive Contemporary Jazz

Sell out warning! A Malian blues master, electrifying the Saharan desert like his father before him! Vieux Farka Touré’s blistering guitar-funk-roots-rock fusion and weathered vocals are the sound of a star being born. Musical wonder to behold FFO: Tinariwen, Tamikrest, Ali Farka Touré, Oumou Sangare, Bombino. After dazzling sold-out crowds across the UK last year, the mighty Vieux Farka Touré is back — and he’s ready for a party.

Middle Eastern nay reed-flute master and global jazz flautist Faris Ishaq celebrates the spiritual, searching, unstoppable work of John Coltrane alongside the British European Jazz Ensemble. Inspired by the soul-baring style of the iconic saxophonist and infused with Ishaq’s Arabic folk and classical influences, this is one for seekers of true cosmic envelopment. A masterful meld of Palestinian folk and 'spiritual/cosmic' jazz.

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What our editors say

“Washington DC native GoldLink makes progressive hip-hop that’s steeped in culture, from the homegrown hip-hop sound of At What Cost (2017) to the eclectic styles of African, Latin American and Chinese music on 2019’s Diaspora. The MC’s “future bounce” (a refreshing breeze of rap, house and funk) has earnt him multiple Grammy nominations and been featured on tracks by Christina Aguilera, Gorillaz and labelmate Kaytranada.”
From: GoldLink

“Dutch quartet YĪN YĪN release their fourth album, Yatta!, extending their unique mix of disco, funk, psychedelia and Southeast Asian music, and revealing a band whose groove just keeps getting deeper.”
From: Yīn Yīn

“Fusing funk, acid house and indie swagger, Shaun Ryder, Bez and co. became the unruly heart of the Madchester scene – their hedonistic energy immortalised in classics like Step On, Kinky Afro and the platinum-selling Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches.”
From: Happy Mondays + The Farm & Northside

“The Cement Garden are a 3-piece post punk outfit hailing from Bristol. Having been together for 5 years, they deliver a fast-paced mix of thunderous drums, funk-driven basslines and aggressive guitars, all garnished with socially charged lyrics, and bring maximum energy to every song. FFO shame, Soft Play”
From: The Cement Garden

“Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, the eight-piece ensemble is led by the dynamic Paul Janeway, whose vocals have earned comparisons to the greats. Their new self-titled sixth album, recorded at the legendary FAME Studios, marks a return to raw, heartfelt soul—blending gospel, psych-funk, and cinematic rock with a renewed sense of purpose.”
From: St Paul & The Broken Bones