Bristol Live Music Highlights - June 2019
Posted on: 01 Jun 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. Check out our list of June picks below, including American Motown icon Martha Reeves, British-Nigerian afrobeat legend Dele Sosimi and an array of acclaimed artists as part of the 2019 Bristol Sounds series.
Damian 'Jr Gong' Marley @ O2 Academy Bristol // Saturday 1st June
An international musical icon, Grammy Award-winning artist and staple of UK festival lineups, Damian 'Jr Gong' Marley is back in the country in June following a sell-out run in 2018. The youngest son of reggae legend Bob Marley, Damian has carved his own path in music over the years and continues to shake up stages around the world with music from his impressive back catalogue that includes critically-acclaimed records Welcome To Jamrock (2005) and his most recent release, 2017's Stony Hill. Don't miss the chance to catch a very special artist headline the O2 Academy before he goes back on the road for the 2019 festival season.
Martha Reeves and The Vandellas @ Fiddlers // Saturday 8th June
Bonafide Motown legend Martha Reeves truly needs no introduction, but we're prepared to convince you to catch her on stage regardless. Internationally renowned as the voice behind timeless hits like Dancing In The Street, Nowhere To Run and Heatwave, she'll be performing in Bristol alongside long-time collaborators The Vandellas, combining her iconic vocals with the classic and soulful Motown sound.
Waldo's Gift Reworks: Justin Timberlake @ The Gallimaufry // Wednesday 12th June
Made up of acclaimed Cousin Kula drummer James Vine, Route2Roots bassist Harry Stoneham and Alun Elliott-Williams on guitar, Waldo's Gift have made a name for themselves with weekly performances at The Gallimaufry on Gloucester Road. They'll be presenting their regular show on Wednesday 12th June with an intriguing twist - they'll be reimagining and reworking the musical repertoire of one of the world's biggest pop artists, Justin Timberlake. A bit of leftfield JT and a beer on a Wednesday evening - who could say no to that?
Dele Sosimi & Ru Robinson @ The Old Market Assembly // Friday 21st June
Multi-award-winning Afrobeat ambassador Dele Sosimi has been flying the flag for the genre in the UK since 1995, and he's showing no signs of slowing down in 2019 with his Afrobeat Vibration project flourishing. His Afrobeat pedigree is unquestionable - he played the keys in Fela Kuti's Egypt 80 and subsequently played alongside his son Femi as part of Positive Force - and his pulsating live shows perfectly showcase his vision of the original Afrobeat sound: one faithful to the genre, but clearly bearing Sosimi's musical DNA. He'll be backed up at The Old Market Assembly by infectious DJ Ru Robinson, spinning eclectic world music until the early hours.
.jpg "Jerron 'Blind Boy' Paxton @ The Winston Theatre // Tuesday 25th June 2019")
Jerron 'Blind Boy' Paxton @ The Winston Theatre // Tuesday 25th June
Identified as "the world's greatest kosher blues singer" by the Wall Street Journal, Jerron 'Blind Boy' Paxton sings from the heart and paints vivid musical portraits of all that's good and bad in the world. More than just a blues guitar virtuoso, Paxton is also a master of the banjo, piano, fiddle, harmonica and Cajun accordion, making his live performances a thing of true beauty. After selling out the Folk House in 2018, he'll be back in Bristol this month for an eagerly-awaited show at the Winston Theatre.
Bristol Sounds pres. Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes @ Lloyds Amphitheatre // Wednesday 26th June
The opener of this year's Bristol Sounds series may well prove to be the biggest show of the lot. Few others have made as much of an impact on the UK music scene as producer and multi-instrumentalist Tom Misch over the last couple years, winning over thousands of fans at home and abroad with his laid-back style and the diversity of his releases. Having started out on Soundcloud and previously released the acclaimed Beat Tape and Beat Tape Two, Misch made his full studio album debut in 2018 with Geography, a record that saw him collaborate with the likes of De La Soul, Goldlink and fellow London artist and close friend Loyle Carner. Joined on stage by none other than breakout jazz drummer Yussef Dayes at the Lloyds Amphitheatre this month, you simply cannot afford to miss this one.
.jpg "The full 2019 Bristol Sounds schedule.")
Bristol Sounds pres. Bloc Party @ Lloyds Amphitheatre // Friday 28th June
Formed in 1999 by Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack and established as Bloc Party in 2003, the band quickly gained recognition in the early-mid 2000s with their debut album, Silent Alarm. Following its release in 2005 the record earned widespread critical acclaim and was named Album of the Year by NME (which, at the time, still carried some weight), before going on to be nominated for a Mercury Prize and eventually certified Platinum. It's that debut album that will provide the material for Bloc Party's Bristol Sounds show, featuring some of the band's biggest-ever tracks including So Here We Are/Positive Tension, Banquet, Pioneers and Helicopter, so you can expect a huge show when Okereke, Lissack, Justin Harris and Louise Bartle play it in its entirety this summer.
Bristol Sounds pres. The Cinematic Orchestra // Sunday 30th June
Last but certainly not least, The Cinematic Orchestra will close the Bristol Sounds programme with a typically emotive and accomplished live show at the Lloyds Amphitheatre. Formed in 1999 and made up of six current members, The Cinematic Orchestra fuses jazz improvisation with cutting-edge electronica to create a sound unlike any other in modern music. Expertly produced tracks like the emotional To Build A Home and the slow-burning Arrival Of The Birds & Transformation have established The Cinematic Orchestra as an absolute must-see act - don't miss out on this one.
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:
Having moved to Bristol from Cornwall in 2015, Matt recently completed a degree in Journalism at UWE. He's keen on a wide variety of musical genres, as well as taking an interest in art and illustration, producing his own work in his spare time. Matt makes the most of Bristol's diverse nightlife and attends live music and club nights regularly. Get in touch via email at matt@365bristol.com.
