Bristol's World Music Gigs

upcoming gig

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

Sell out warning! Crazed cumbia meets mutant surf, acid champeta and retro-future radiophonic SFX via Bogotá’s most notorious supergroup (ft. Meridian Brothers mastermind Eblis Alvarez). Astonishingly strange new instrumental worlds FFO: Romperayo, Dengue Dengue Dengue!, Ondatrópica, Frente Cumbiero, Fumaça Preta. Los Pirañas at The Jam Jar.

Sell-out warning! Gorgeous, dream-soaked ghost music, refracted through hypnagogic pop lulls and a soulful jazz poise. Tara Clerkin Trio’s seductive sound is rooted in the city’s lineage of smudged trip-hop and experimental forms, with this homecoming gig at Trinity promising something quietly magical that we’ll all look back on for years to come… utterly unmissable. Tara Clerkin Trio at The Trinity Centre.

Sell out warning! Come commune with the music of the stones: TSHNE continues to astound after THAT intimate Bridget St John happening with Incredible String Band treasure Robin Williamson – the arch bard of UK outsider folk – gracing the lil ol’ Microplex. Undiminished by time, he performs with longtime partner Bina on a stunning set of Celtic and Indian traditionals, marked by intricate, eccentric magic. Robin & Bina Williamson + Rosie Brownhill + Fohn at The Cube.

Radical troubadour Grace Petrie brings her unique brand of fist-in-the-air protest folk to a rapturous St George's, examining social and political issues of austerity-ravaged modern Britain with Bragg-approved anthems of solidarity and solace. 21st century icon FFO: Frank Turner, Laura Jane Grace, Kirsty MacColl, Onsind. Grace Petrie - Bristol at St George's Bristol.

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What our editors say

“Join us this Sunday as we welcome Internationally Acclaimed, London-based Saxophonist and Composer Len Aruliah. Known for his beautifully melodic and intricate lines, Len has toured with Gene Pitney, played theatre in the West End, world music with the 4Seasons Band and Association of British Calypsonians, and featured with the riotous Hackney Colliery Band and the River City Stompers. This sunday Len will join the house trio for a set of Jazz standards before welcoming guests to join for a jam session in set 2.”
From: Len Aruliah + Jam session

“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