Bristol Live Music Highlights - August 2019
Posted on: 01 Aug 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 hip-hop fans should be paying special attention to this one, with Madlib, Loyle Carner, Sage Francis & B. Dolan and more set to appear on the city's favourite stages in August.
Los Clandestinos @ The Passenger Shed // Friday 2nd August
Iconic pianist John Baggott (best known for his work with seminal bands Portishead, Massive Attack and, currently, Robert Plant and The Sensational Spaceshifters) has a love of jazz as deep-rooted as any on the Bristol scene. Alongside Pete Judge, a trumpeter renowned as a major leftfield player having been involved with the mighty Get The Blessing and acoustic multi-instrumentalists Three Cane Whale, he'll be tackling the Great American Songbook in a way you've never heard it before. Expect hand-picked standards as well as John's own compositions, and an on-stage rapport strong enough to rival anyone else on stage in Bristol on the first Friday of August.
Sage Francis & B. Dolan @ The Fleece // Saturday 3rd August
Long-time friends and collaborators Sage Francis and B. Dolan, formerly of acclaimed spoken word artists Scroobius Pip's Speech Development Records, have joined forces once more for a 2019 headline tour under the combined Epic Beard Men pseudonym. After decades of sharing stages and crafting collaborative records in the studio, the American rappers have finally caved to years of fan pressure to form an official group. Expect old-school hip-hop flavour delivered in no-holds-barred fashion in this one.
Blackalicious @ Trinity Centre // Sunday 4th August
Continuing in a hip-hop vein, Sunday 4th August sees acclaimed US duo Blackalicious return to Bristol to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their critically acclaimed debut album, Nia. The Sacramento leftfield duo are two of the most revered technicians in hip-hop, and they've collaborated with a slew of respected artists over the years, from DJ Shadow to Lee Scratch Perry. Catch them live at the Trinity Centre this month.
Waldo's Gift Reworks: Aphex Twin @ The Gallimaufry // Wednesday 14th August
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. The group's Rework nights continue to gain attention from music fans all over the city, and this month's is likely to be one of the busiest yet as they prepare to put their own spin on the extensive back catalogue of the one and only Aphex Twin.
Madlib (DJ set), Kamaal Williams (live), Carista + more @ Motion // Saturday 24th August
One of the most exciting and eagerly-anticipated events on Motion's 2019 calendar comes this month as iconic hip-hop DJ and producer Madlib headlines a night of smooth grooves and soulful sounds that will also see acclaimed London musician Henry Wu perform a live set under his famed Kamaal Williams alias. With The Heliocentrics and Carista also appearing on the billing you can bet that we'll be situated front left for the duration, seeing out the summer in impeccable style.
The Downs Festival w/IDLES, Grace Jones, Ms Lauryn Hill + more @ The Downs // Saturday 31st August
The 2019 edition of The Downs Festival falls on the last day of August, and with it comes another huge one-day lineup packed with some huge names from Bristol and beyond. Expect funk and old-school hip-hop flavour from Ms Lauryn Hill, a soulful set from the one and only Grace Jones, class-leading UK hip-hop from none other than South-London man-of-the-moment Loyle Carner, a no-nonsense homecoming set from IDLES, DJ sets from Crazy P and Nightmares on Wax and talks from the likes of Darren 'Loki' McGarvey among others. The Downs is undoubtedly one of Bristol's very best one-day parties so be sure to get your tickets now while you still can.
For more information on any of the above shows, or to find ticketing information and updates, follow the links in the headings to the respective events. Ticket availability is correct at the time of writing, but is subject to change.
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.
