Bristol Live Music Highlights - May 2019
Posted on: 01 May 2019Here at 365Bristol, we're committed to making you aware of the best Bristol has to offer in terms of live music, great food and drink, days out and more. With the Live Music Highlights series, we'll be providing you with a list of the top live events at the beginning of every month, taking into account some of the city's favourite acts and venues as well as some you might never have heard of. Bristol stages will be hosting some top talent throughout May, with jazz aficionado Kamasi Washington, acclaimed poet Benjamin Zephaniah and an array of exciting artists as part of the 2019 Dot To Dot Festival all set to perform between now and the end of the month. Find all the details below.
Fat White Family @ O2 Academy Bristol, Friday 3rd May
Fat White Family are back on the road this month with their masterful new album, Serfs Up!, released in April. The band are no strangers to the live circuit having been playing out prolifically since their inception back in 2011, and their 2019 run will see them perform up and down the country before moving on to play a string of European shows in France, Germany and Belgium ahead of this year's festival season. They'll be bringing their uncompromising sound to Bristol's O2 Academy on the first Friday of the month.
Thekla 35th Anniversary Celebrations w/Soeur, No Violet, Leeches + more @ Thekla, Sunday 5th May
The world-famous Thekla is marking its 35th Anniversary in trademark style in this one, inviting some of Bristol's most exciting up-and-coming bands to play an afternoon showcase to celebrate the city's sound. Soulful yet fiery rockers Soeur, captivating grunge-rock four-piece No Violet, elusive art-punk collective Cruelty and our current Bristol favourites Leeches top the bill for what is certain to be an absolute blinder to close a weekend of Anniversary shindigs at one of the city's favourite music venues. Advance tickets available now at just £5.50 apiece.
Flamingods @ The Exchange, Wednesday 8th May
Fresh off the back of a well-received support performance when eclectic Syrian artists Omar Souleyman came to town back in March, multi-national psych five-piece Flamingods are back in Bristol this month to play a headline show at The Exchange. With a huge repertoire of sounds reminiscent of a range of established acts like Kasabian, Foals and Air, the band's multi-instrumental performances are a joy to behold and should be an attractive proposition to anyone that's looking to liven up their gig schedule.
Benjamin Zephaniah and the Revolutionary Minds @ Trinity Centre, Thursday 16th May
Internationally-renowned poet, writer, actor and socio-political commentator Benjamin Zephaniah will be making his return to Bristol's Trinity Centre this month in support of the official re-release of his Revolutionary Minds album. Widely regarded as one of the greatest poetic voices of his generation, Zephaniah is heavily influenced by the music and poetry of Jamaica, and his poetry, books and plays have captivated hearts and minds all over the world. His music may well be lesser known than his written work but take nothing away from an album of dub-reggae juggernauts and powerful lyricism, created alongside accomplished producer The Sea.
Body Type @ Crofters Rights, Thursday 16th May
All-female Aussie group Body Talk will be appearing at Crofters Rights next month as they embark on their first-ever run of UK headline and festival shows. Their most recent release has just dropped in the form of 'Free To Air', the latest track to be lifted from the forthcoming EP2 release. Their self-titled first EP, featuring favourites 'Ludlow (Do You Believe In Karma?)', 'Arrow' and 'Palms' received critical acclaim from several established musical publications, including The Fader, NME, DIY, Beats 1 and BBC Radio One, and they'll be heading to British shores in early May.
Kamasi Washington @ O2 Academy Bristol, Thursday 23rd May
Acclaimed jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington is making his long-overdue return to Bristol this month with a show at the O2 Academy. Washington's emergence as one of the standout figures of the modern jazz scene has been seemingly sudden, but make no mistake, he's widely regarded as one of the most exciting artists out there right now. He's locked in to perform a string of headline shows in support of his latest full-length album, Heaven and Earth, and we thoroughly recommend you save the date for this one.
Dot To Dot Festival @ Multiple Venues, Saturday 25th May
Dot To Dot Festival's 15th year sees the event once again take over the city's music venues for a packed day of gigs from lunchtime until late. From the bigger headline acts at the O2 Academy and SWX to smaller, more intimate sets at The Lanes, The Louisiana, Thekla and The Fleece among others, there is ample opportunity to discover your new favourite artists during the course of the day. Acts to watch out for this year include powerfully atmospheric American duo Missio, soulful London-based singer-songwriter Jordan Rakei, Bristol favourites Swimming Girls and indie-pop four-piece Sun Silva. Find out more about this year's Dot To Dot here.
For more information on the above shows or to book your tickets now, follow the links in the headings to the respective events. Ticketing information is correct at the time of writing but is subject to change, so act now and book tickets to avoid missing out!
Article by:
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.
