Events

Thurs 27 Aug 8pm The Stuns’ls and Harry Browns at Holy Trinity Church

The Stuns’ls are beating a voyage up to Bristol from South Cornwall to perform with Bristol’s infamous Harry Browns. Both groups are at the top of their game. They have powerful voices and love to use harmony and carefully crafted arrangements. They sound fantastic and are a lot of fun! The Stuns’ls are arguably the best shanty groups from Cornwall and are at the heart of the annual Mevagissey Shanty Festival. The are stopping off in Bristol en route to Holland. The Harries will be just back from Germany and have been singing for almost forty years. They sing acapella and also use exquisite guitar and fiddle arrangements in their songs. The setting of Holy Trinity church provides the best acoustic to hear these wonderful singers.

Both groups are donating their fees to this very good cause, St Peters Hospice.

Saturday 19 Sepetmber Martin Alvarado and Gerardo Villar y Los Aguirre

All the way from Buenos Aires, evocative tango and Argentinian folk delivered by one of the world’s finest vocal artists in this genre and a world class guitar quartet

All the way from Buenos Aires, evocative tango and Argentinian folk delivered by one of the world’s finest vocal artists in this genre and a world class guitar quartet. Expect the wow factor and an artistic journey of music, song and poetry. Widely considered to one of Argentina’s finest voices, Martín Alvarado – who will be in the UK as part of his 60th international tour - is a world renowned Buenos Aires-born troubadour who takes tango and other folkloric styles from his homeland to new levels of artistry.

As a charismatic performer singing with a full symphony orchestra or with just his voice and guitar in front of a handful of people, his soulful and unforgettable interpretations are always infused with warmth, colour, nuance and sensitivity.

Together with Gerado Villar and Los Aguirre guitar quartet, they offer the authentic sound of old Buenos Aires, with added 21st century flair in a repertoire that includes pieces by Piazzolla and songs by other major tango protagonists, such as Carlos Gardel, folkloric styles such as zamba, and original ballads.

Prepare for an emotional journey into the passion of Argentinian music, poetry, and culture - and art in its purest form.

“Completely beguiling tenor” Mary Ann Kennedy, BBC Radio 3

“Indisputably one of the world's finest vocalists” DJ Ritu MBE, Resonance FM, London

“The world needs to experience this extreme form of aural pleasure… totally mesmerising, a tango epiphany.” Max Reinhardt, BBC Radio

"The best voice in Buenos Aires" the late Hector de Rosas, former singer with Astor Piazzolla

In 2019, Alvarado was declared an “Academico” (Maestro) by the National Academy of Tango in recognition of his illustrious touring career of two decades during which he has performed in many major theatres, festivals and concert halls around the world.

In 2013 he won the Latin UK Award for Concert by International Artist of the Year and had an album released by one of the leading world music record labels: UK-based Riverboat Records, part of the World Music Network stable of labels which include the "Rough Guide to ..." titles.

Thursday 22 October  Breabach

Breabach remain securely ranked amongst Scotland’s most skilled & imaginative contemporary-folk acts and at the forefront of the burgeoning traditional music scene. The band unite deep roots in Highland and Island Gaelic tradition alongside progressive musical influences and have cultivated a unique sound, anchoring double bagpipes, fiddle, whistle, step-dance and song with energetic double bass and guitar accompaniment.

Versatility, love of experimentation and a willingness to push the boundaries of Scottish roots music have endured as the core values of the band over the past two decades. They have embraced and pioneered many cross-genre collaborations, linking up with artists including Quebec’s Le Vent du Nord, BAFTA award-winning animator Cat Bruce, indigenous Australasian artist Moana & the Tribe, video game composer Big Giant Circles, Cape Breton powerhouse Beòlach, the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and most recently with county star Darius Rucker as part of the Grand Ole Opry: Live in London show at the Royal Albert Hall. 

With 8 critically acclaimed studio releases to date, an extensive global touring schedule which has seen them perform from the Sydney Opera House to Central Park NY and having received recognition with 6 BBC ALBA Traditional Music Awards, a 2023 German Record Critic’s Award and as European Folk Group of the year finalists in the prestigious Songlines Awards, Breabach’s journey shows no sign of slowing.

Breabach are: 

Megan Henderson (Fiddle/Vocals/Step Dance)

James Lindsay (Double Bass/Vocals)

Calum MacCrimmon (Highland Bagpipe/Whistle/Bouzouki/Vocals)

Conal McDonagh (Highland Bagpipe/Uilleann pipes/Whistle/Vocals

Ewan Robertson (Guitar/Cajon/Vocals)

Kasai Masai 

Rooted in the rich musical traditions of the Congo, Kasai Masai is a dynamic soukous band known for their electrifying performances and infectious rhythms. Led by the charismatic Nickens Nkoso, a multi-talented musician, singer, songwriter, composer, pecussionist, dancer, the band brings the raw energy of Congolese folklore to the global stage. 

Kasai Masai has become a powerhouse in the world of Rumba and Soukous, blending infectious guitar melodies, pulsating rhythms, and electrifying stage performances. Their high-energy performances and unmistakable grooves have earn them a reputation as one of the most exciting live act in the contemporary soukous world. Whether performing in London, Paris to New York, the band continues to spread the joyous and rhythmic spirit of Congolese music to the new generations. With a legacy built on passion, rhythm, and cultural pride. 

“Kasai Masai is the finest soukous band in the UK” DJ Jamie Renton 

Since their formation, the band has performed at prestigious venues, and festivals worldwide, sharing stages with some of Africa’s greatest musicians. Their high-energy shows have made them a favorite in the world music scene, drawing crowds in Europe, Asia and beyond. 

Kasai Masai remains at the forefront of the soukous movement, proving that the heartbeat of Congolese music will never fade.

Fri 13 Nov Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow

For over a decade, Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow have been a distinctive and powerful presence on the UK folk scene, forging a partnership defined by deep musical connection, exceptional instrumental skill and rich vocal harmony. Rooted in the traditional music of the British Isles, their work breathes new life into centuries-old melodies - including songs collected in Somerset - while sitting seamlessly alongside original material inspired by the landscape and stories of the South West. At the heart of their sound is a timeless and intimate combination of guitar, fiddle and voices, delivered with energy, sensitivity and flair.

Their studio albums The Fox (2016) and Pill Pilots (2019) received widespread critical praise, earning five-star reviews and local and national radio airplay. The duo have toured extensively throughout the UK and across Europe, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Long-time BBC Radio 2 broadcaster Mark Radcliffe has been a vocal supporter, describing them as "reminiscent of the late Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy... I can give them no higher accolade. They deserve to be thought of as amongst the best."

One of the most exciting duos to emerge from the UK in recent times, Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow combine heartfelt musicality, unparalleled virtuosity and vocal harmony. Using the folk music of the British Isles as a catalyst, Kit and Aaron create dynamic and effervescent interpretations of centuries-old material as well as original songs and compositions, all the while celebrating the timeless aural quality of a guitar, fiddle and vocals duet.

Studio albums The Fox (2016) and Pill Pilots (2019) have been met by wide critical acclaim, receiving five star reviews and local and national airplay. The duo tour extensively in the UK and internationally across Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. BBC 2’s Mark Radcliffe is a champion of their work, saying “Kit and Aaron are reminiscent of the late Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy… I can give them no higher accolade. They are at the top of their game”.

“Fleet fingered and ingeniously arranged. .....deserve to be thought of as up there with the best of them" - Songlines

“Such dexterity, energy and passion.....mightily impressive” - R2 Magazine

“The pair demonstrate an eclectic approach that lifts them head and shoulders above the rest”-Acoustic Magazine

“Never a dull moment, with imagination firing throughout and an abundance of creative energy” -Living Tradition

Sat 28 Nov The Pagoda Project

Inspired by the folk traditions of the UK, this is music and song cut through with experimentation, boldness, humour and risk.  Expect ethereal to turn gutsy, passion and tears to be tempered by a good laugh and a tide of improvisation which means no two evenings are ever the same. 

"Paul Hutchinson’s utterly reliable and infinitely thoughtful accordion accompaniments, combined with Hannah Cumming’s most wonderful ‘folky’ voice and the delivery of the percussive drive one yearns to hear from a fiddle player were a joy. But with the addition of Karen Wimhurts’s divine clarinet/bass clarinet improvised bass lines, one felt all of a sudden that this might be as good as small scale modern English Folk Music performance ever gets...."

The Barnstormers

Lively fiery tunes from this exciting band. They take their name from Nailsea Tithe Barn where they often play. Fiddles, flutes, guitar and percussion they are the perfect accompaniment to the calling of Dave Francis who is known for his humour and encouragement.

The band’s origins are in Nailsea Folk Club and Fougere Rouge who played for some 30 years.

So expect glorious music, energy and a lot of fun!

Our Christmas concerts always sell out. Our vision is to combine some folk inspired beautiful seasonal music with some sing along carols. Hopefully Five Groats and a Ferret will be back to lend a voice or two.

We are really pleased that we have The Wilderness Yet to headline our concert this year. Lovely people, sumptious music.

The Wilderness Yet combines the acclaimed talents of folksinger Rosie Hodgson, traditional fiddler Rowan Piggott, and guitarist-flautist Philippe Barnes. They have earned audiences’ esteem as consummate musicians & singers, weaving an eclectic tapestry of traditional and original songs; a cappella three-part harmonies to luscious instrumental arrangements. From their eponymous debut The Wilderness Yet (2020), to their seasonal celebration Turn The Year Round (2021), to their last studio album, What Holds The World Together (2022), The Wilderness Yet have have consistently created genre-breaking music earning them hundreds of first class reviews from the global music press, airplay on the BBC & RTÉ, and performances at festivals from Cambridge to Folk by the Oak.

“It highlights not just their melodic musicianship but also how deeply engaging and well-crafted their music is. While The Wilderness Yet are inspired by and borrow tradition, there is a contemporary edge that heightens the pulse of the song and listener, capturing its essence and making it shine all the brighter. Exceptional...This is surely one of the folk albums of the year."  – Robin Denselow, Folk Radio

Jim Moray is a defining figure in contemporary British folk, reshaping traditional song through a distinctive, often cinematic approach. For more than two decades, his work has actively reconfigured the modern folk landscape, driven by a singular and unflinching vision.

Across eight albums released since the early 2000s, alongside an extensive body of production work, Moray has consistently pushed traditional material far beyond its assumed limits without severing its roots. From his game-changing debut Sweet England (2003) to later releases such as Skulk (2012) and Upcetera (2016), his recordings interrogate folk song as living material — reframing it through contemporary sound, narrative ambition, and production technique.

Moray’s arrangements of traditional songs now stand as modern classics of the genre. His treatments of Gilderoy, Horkstow Grange, and Fair Margaret and Sweet William have become reference points for how tradition can be reworked with both imagination and rigour, while his version of the ballad Lord Douglas has established itself as a touchstone for fingerstyle guitarists, studied for its structural clarity as much as for its emotional force.

Alongside his solo work, Moray has built his career through collaboration and close creative association. Sometimes as a collaborator, sometimes as a producer, he has worked with and alongside artists including Jon Boden, Blair Dunlop, Frankie Archer, Angeline Morrison, Sam Carter, Nick Hart, and Jon Wilks, maintaining a practice rooted in shared curiosity and creative exchange across the contemporary folk landscape.

He has also toured extensively with artists such as Billy Bragg, Richard Thompson, Ani DiFranco, Anais Mitchell, Bellowhead, Martin Simpson and Eliza Carthy. These associations place his work firmly within a lineage of musicians who continually test the boundaries of folk and song-based music.

Across his career, Moray has delivered defining performances at venues and events including Glastonbury Festival, Royal Albert Hall, and WOMAD. His work has attracted admiration well beyond the folk world; Iggy Pop once remarked, “I love this singer of old ballads,” a succinct endorsement from an artist long attuned to songs of love, life, and loss.

As Moray enters his third decade as a professional musician, he shows no interest in consolidation or retreat. His work continues to shape a younger generation of folk musicians exploring the wider canon and stretching the elastic limits of the tradition. Exacting, restless, and resistant to stasis, his trajectory suggests not a career in summary, but one still unfolding.
 

"I love this singer of old ballads" - Iggy Pop

“A landmark artist for our times” - Mojo magazine

“The most significant musician since Bob Dylan to decide that the folk idiom is the perfect vehicle for his musical adventures and experiments” - Sydney Morning Herald

Fri 16 April Pons Aelius   

Pons Aelius is an acclaimed, Newcastle-upon-Tyne based instrumental folk band. Formed in 2014, the sextet is celebrated for their progressive, high-energy take on traditional music, blending bagpipes, flutes, whistles, guitars, and percussion to create a vibrant sound.

Named after the ancient Roman fort that originally stood on the banks of the River Tyne, Pons Aelius emerged from the city's lively music scene. They were the 2015 winners of the prestigious Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award. Drawing from Scottish, English, and other regional traditions, their music is well-known for featuring an all-human acoustic rhythm section that delivers a colossal, intricate sound

A brand-new trio formed by three seasoned session musicians, this collaboration between

Archie Moss, Toby Shaer, and Jack Warnock was born out of a shared love for traditional

music from the UK, Ireland, and mainland Europe. Since meeting in 2019, the trio have

established themselves not only as dynamic performers but also as sensitive re-

interpreters of the tradition.

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Each artist is well respected in their own right: Archie Moss (accordion) is a BBC award-

winning musician, a celebrated composer, and one of the most in-demand button

accordion players in the UK, has performed alongside Seth Lakeman, Sam Sweeney, and

Eliza Carthy.

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Toby Shaer (fiddle, flute, whistles, cittern) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and

producer from the southeast of England. Over the past ten years, he has toured

extensively across Europe, Australia, and China with revered artists such as Cara Dillon,

McCusker, McGoldrick, Doyle, and, alongside Archie Moss, with Sam Kelly & the Lost

Boys.

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Jack Warnock (guitar, vocals) hails from Co. Derry in Ireland. An award-winning guitarist

and singer, he is also an avid Gaeilgeoir (Irish speaker), performing songs in both Irish and

English. His compositions and repertoire are steeped in storytelling as he embraces the

lineage of folk music in its truest form.

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This trio approach their craft and arrangements with delicacy and thought, drawing

influence from a plethora of traditions. A collaboration of three like-minded musicians

presenting folk music through a contemporary lens.

£16