Bristol's World Music Gigs

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Bristol's World Scene

Do we need the term World music in 2020?

World music has always been a problematic term, somewhere like Bristol is a key example of why. With 16% of the population being from ethnic minority groups and dedicated centres studying the impact of migration on citizenship, there seems little distinction between ‘local music’ and ‘world music’ anymore. Reggae is often classed as ‘world music’ given its Jamaican roots, but it has a strong UK heritage and for someone who is a 2nd or 3rd generation UK citizen with migrant parents, making music that’s classed as ‘world’ when they’ve never lived anywhere else but say, Bristol, seems an offensive categorisation. Its almost a cliche to say we live in a global society, so isn’t all music now world music?

Everyone knows that Bristol is a true melting pot of cultures and it comes as no surprise that the city has a healthy world music scene which manages to avoid the cliche. The on-trend big names in world music like William Onyeabor, Ebo Taylor or the Kuti family usually find themselves at home in Bristol’s Colston Hall. Occasional headliners can also be found at The Fleece and the Trinity Centre. St George’s hosts regular world music events covering more traditional music from Senegal, Mozambique and South Africa, where instruments like the kora and mbira are commonplace.

Locally, Bristol is home to some very talented ‘world music’ musicians. Afrobeat stalwarts like Mankala and No Stop Go (formerly Bristol Afrobeat Project) play smaller venues like The Canteen and The Old Market Assembly but also get the opportunity to support international bands at larger Bristol venues.

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Our recent world recommendations

Brazilophiles, stop what you’re doing! Celebrated expat muso Mario Bakuna lets you inhabit the Golden Age of samba, bossa and jazz for one night only, with fresh interpretations of the Brazilian songbook by his world-class trio. Featuring bold arrangements of golden standards by Gilberto Gil, João Bosco and more, Brazilian Landscapes is an invitation to a vital musical destination, no passport needed. Mario Bakuna band reimagine the classics from Marcos Valle, Gilberto Gil & Djavan to Dominguinhos and Luiz Gonzaga.

Sell out warning! Luring the Brew into holiday mode: Austin two-piece Summer Salt are millennial dad rock with doo-wop softness and sultry bossa nova sway, blended over ice into sunshine bop perfection. Stick the out of office on and get to know! FFO: Peach Pit, Real Estate, Kruanghbin, Pop Etc. Blowout x Gravy Train Present the Texas indie pop combo pulling influences from sunny '60s West Coast pop, bossa nova and jazz.

Sell out warning! It doesn't get much better than this Bristol warm-up for the festival-ready summer phreaks: 14 hours of forward-thinking global bass and live riddims across 5 venues in St Jude’s. Big highlights include: DJ sets from Ninja Tune globetrotter Quantic and Brownswood jazz sensation Joe Armon Jones, Dar Disku’s Levantine disco fire, ancestral electro-afro-funk from Raz & Afla + much much more. A multi-venue festival, taking over St Judes with 14hrs of music. Quantic, Zero 7, Kanda Bongo Man + much much more!

Worlds collide as you get steeped in the Moroccan Gnawa musical tradition from a true master. Mohamed Errebbaa leads his 7 piece band through winding polyrhythms charged with the healing trance of Sufi mysticism. A night of Gnawa Music - Renowned for its innovative fusion of traditional Gnawa music with contemporary genres such as funk, afrobeat, blues, and jazz. This blend results in powerful performances that honor ancient traditions while engaging modern audiences.

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What our editors say

“Those whispers became Where the South Winds Wail. The record doesn’t unfold like a traditional collection of songs so much as a séance with an unknown past. Surf twang draped in shadows, blues exotica wandering into humid night, psychedelic cumbia tangled with echoes like an Afro-Amazon juke joint — each track a ghostly transmission, pulled from the air and reanimated in the present.”
From: Gitkin

“Fusing DJ sets with live instruments, this event dives into a bold, relatively untapped sound that feels right. Expect genre-blurring performances featuring live guitar, saxophone, and trombone woven seamlessly into DJ sets, all under a vibrant world music theme.”
From: Merchant

“9-piece collective TC & The Groove Family are bringing their fiery, eclectic sound that flies through afrobeat, broken beat, jungle, jazz, and grime to Bristol's Strange Brew. Originally formed in Leeds, their sound reflects the diverse musical and cultural backgrounds at the core of their project, and embodies their belief in music being a driver of unity. Come through for a party! Plus support MĀDŁY MĀDŁY is multilingual singer, rapper, and poet whose work weaves together the threads of Neo-soul, Nu-jazz, and hip hop, and resonates deeply across borders. eartrumpet”
From: TC & The Groove Family + MĀDŁY

“Now after refining our genre-binding high energy folk sound with countless gigs of all sizes for many years, we felt the time was right to record our debut album. We are incredibly pleased with it and it really captures our unique sound with influences rooted in Celtic folk, balkan and klezmer, as well as rock, afrobeat, ska, gypsy jazz and many other styles blended in.”
From: Razzomo 'Journeys' Album Launch + Mike Dennis

“memotone is one alias of Will Yates, a composer and musician working at the fringes of the music industry. Leaning into jazz, folk, contemporary classical, ambient and esoteric fourth-world music. Memotone's live show is part pre-prepared/part improvised performance, using a mix of live instrumentation, samplers, effects and loopers to build a window into his singular soundworld.”
From: Blue Lake , Memotone, Eva May