Five performances to watch out for this weekend at Bristol Harbour Festival 2018

Five performances to watch out for this weekend at Bristol Harbour Festival 2018

Posted on: 17 Jul 2018

Bristol's Harbour Festival is back with a bang this weekend, featuring one of their most ambitious lineups to date! With reggae royalty Jimmy Cliff and hip-hop hero Grandmaster Flash set to take the stage on Friday, as well as a host of Bristol's hottest musical talent and an as-yet-unnamed Special Guest performer on Sunday night, we take a look at five of the most unmissable acts in 2018.

Backstage at The Amphitheatre.

Taking place across ten stages, including a selection of Bristol's favourite music venues, this year's festival is set to be the biggest ever, welcoming any and all music lovers to the city's famous harbourside. See below for a quick rundown of the most unmissable acts on the 2018 programme.

 

365Bristol Pick of the Weekend: Jimmy Cliff & Grandmaster Flash with Trojan Soundsystem

Where: The Amphitheatre, Friday 20th July at 6.00pm

Jimmy Cliff and Grandmaster Flash will be hosted by Colston Hall on the Bristol Music Stage. Image: Colston Hall

When it comes to reggae and hip-hop, it doesn't come much bigger than these two. Having earned 'legend' status in their respective genres over the years, no-one can deny the influence that Jimmy Cliff and Grandmaster Flash have had on their own music scenes over their vast, successful careers.

A Grammy Award-winner and one of only two living musicians to have been awarded the Order of Merit, granted by the Jamaican Government as one of the highest honours available for services to arts and science. Cliff was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Meanwhile, Grandmaster Flash is undoubtedly one of hip-hop's most important pioneers, introducing the world to the genre with his group, The Furious Five, back in the late 1970s and early 80s. Grandmaster Flash was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, the first hip-hop artist to ever be granted the honour.

Along with UK ska, dub and reggae heavyweights Trojan Soundsystem, expect an unforgettable show that is sure to bring out the best of each respective artists' work, mixing classic old-school hip-hop, reggae, ska, dancehall and more. Do not miss out on this one!

 

The Bristol Reggae Orchestra

Where: Bristol Centre Stage, Saturday 21st July at 2.15pm

Orchestral music has really taken off in the last year or so, with countless genres and even a selection of films getting the instrumental treatment on stages across the UK. But, founded in 2010, the Bristol Reggae Orchestra is way ahead of the curve, winning fans wherever they play with their unique brand of live reggae. Made up of more than forty musicians, some professional and some hobbyists, the band combine the power of full-scale orchestral arrangements with the carefree and upbeat style of ska and reggae - perfect for a Saturday afternoon!

 

Harvey Causon

Where: Thekla, Sunday 22nd July at 5.15pm

Harvey Causon. Image: Dominika Scheibinger

Off the back of a recording session at the BBC's world-famous Maida Vale studios earlier this year, as well as a string of successful gigs and festival performances so far this Summer, Harvey Causon is going from strength to strength in 2018 and has been tipped for big things. 

Following the recent release of 'Murphy's Hand', a collaborative project with Bristol-based producer Gabe Gifford, Causon will be playing through his critically-acclaimed repertoire on Sunday afternoon at Thekla.

 

Cousin Kula

Where: The Dockside Stage, Saturday 21st July at 8.00pm

Cousin Kula are quickly winning over more and more fans outside their native Bristol, where they've already established a firm fan base. Their brand of quintessentially British-sounding psychpop blends strong vocals, rich synths and accomplished production, and the band has already supported the likes of The Kooks and Dutch Uncles.

Having already earned the admiration of the music press, including praise from BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing and NME, Cousin Kula are certainly one to watch out for on the Bristol scene and beyond. 

 

Farebrother

Where: The Dockside Stage, Saturday 21st July at 7.00pm

Bath-based indie-rock group Farebrother are quickly emerging as one of the standout newcomers in the South West. Having had a busy year already with the release of acclaimed singles 'Rewind' and 'A Little Late', as well as playing a string of well-received live shows, the band are certainly making their mark on the music scene, both locally and further afield. 

Farebrother followed by Cousin Kula on The Dockside Stage from 7.00pm on the second day of the festival is an absolute no-brainer.

 

Best of the Rest

As well as the acts highlighted above, there's a huge showcase of fantastic artists scheduled for the Harbour Festival. Among the best of the rest of this year's programme are 16-year-old singer-songwriter Isabella Alford, Bristol-born vocalist Yola Carter, the acclaimed Ruby Jazz Band and, of course, Sunday's mystery Special Guest Act.

 

The 2018 Bristol Harbour Festival kicks off this Friday 20th July and runs through to the evening of Sunday 22nd. For more information on the festival, including what else is on throughout the weekend and a full musical timetable, visit their official website or check out their Facebook page.


Article by:

Matt Robson

 

Editor - 365Bristol.com & LOUD Magazine
 

Matt is a Journalism graduate and writer, passionate about supporting Bristol music, art and independent business. Get in touch via email at matt@365bristol.com.