Simple Things Festival are hosting a series of unique live shows this year

Simple Things Festival are hosting a series of unique live shows this year

Posted on: 27 Apr 2022

The team behind the celebrated multi-venue festival are bringing a diverse selection of acts to Bristol over the coming months.

 

We truly are spoilt for choice when it comes to live music in Bristol, with an array of internationally-renowned and exciting emerging acts performing across the city on a regular basis. 

 

Bristol's vibrant selection of venues caters for a broad range of genres, while leading promoters have their fingers on the pulse and a canny knack for booking top-notch musical talent.

 

Simple Things Festival, which usually takes place across multiple venues in September, has been busy organising a series of blockbuster live shows in 2022, having already brought the likes of Yves Tumor, Shygirl and Silverbacks to the Westcountry so far this year.

 

The festival team have got plenty more in store in spring, summer and autumn, spanning an eclectic mix of sounds - read on for a quick guide to what to expect over the coming months, and be sure to secure your tickets ASAP to avoid disappointment.

 

 

Blackhaine @ Strange Brew | Wednesday 11 May

 

Operating in a unique space between noise and drill, Blackhaine has its origins in the anxiety-wracked stasis of 2020, with output focusing on 'the transition from stomach-knotted dread to exhaustive, prang-out negative ecstasy.'

 

An undeniably political act, rapper Michael Lawson's Blackhaine live show features deconstructions of existing sounds and near-future releases, while also experimenting with a mish-mash of ambient and punk influences.

 

 

Viagra Boys @ The Marble Factory | Thursday 12 May

 

Made up of classically-trained jazz musicians, karaoke-loving tattoo artists and seasoned veterans of the hardcore scene, Viagra Boys are an unstoppable vessel of modern-day punk music.

 

Expect pulsating contemporary rock sonics, rasping vocals and typically frantic instrumentation as the sextet arrive at Motion's Marble Factory in May.

 

 

Jessy Lanza @ Strange Brew | Wednesday 18 May

 

Songwriter, producer, singer, DJ - Jessy Lanza is a woman of many talents. Combining effortless vocal sections with bold, bouncy synths, the Canadian artist's experimental club sounds have earned her a stellar reputation globally.

 

A regular on revered London-based label Hyperdub, Lanza should provide the perfect soundtrack to Strange Brew's intimate performance space when she arrives on Fairfax Street next month.

 

 

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever @ The Marble Factory | Wednesday 25 May

 

The first of a Simple Things double-header on 25 May will cult Aussie rockers Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever take the stage at The Marble Factory, showcasing new material from their eagerly-anticipated fourth album, Endless Rooms.

 

After their latest record, Sideways to New Italy, was dubbed one of the best guitar albums of the year in 2020, RBCF will arrive oozing with bright and lively tones, unleashing head-spinning riffs and quirky 80s jangle-pop influences to form their one-of-a-kind sound.

 

 

Altin Gün @ Bristol Beacon | Wednesday 25 May

 

Turkish psychedelic folk outfit Altin Gün have garnered widespread acclaim through their catchy, upbeat pop sound, fusing classic sounds with contemporary production, best exemplified on their Grammy-nominated sophomore album, Gece.

 

Follow-up record Yol extends the band's upward trajectory while unveiling a handful of suprises. Organised in collaboration with prolific Bristol promoters Worm Disco Club, this is certainly not one to miss.

 

 

Soichi Terada (live) @ Strange Brew | Wednesday 1 June

 

Electronic maestro Soichi Terada has done a stellar job bringing the sounds of the Japanese underground to new shores, carving out a formidable reputation through the release of his 2015 record Sounds From The Far East and his most recent album, 2021's Asakusa Light.

 

The latter is the culmination of a busy five-year run for Terada, which has seen the DJ, producer and computer game composer reach a new school of club-goers and secure long-overdue recognition beyond home soil.

 

Support at Strange Brew will be provided by two highly-regarded Bristol DJs in Ellie Stokes and Millie McKee.

 

 

William Basinski @ St George's | Saturday 11 June

 

Arranged in collaboration with Bristol Beacon, Simple Things may have found the perfect setting for William Basinski's ambitious compositions in St George's Concert Hall.

 

For more than thirty years, the innovative, classically-trained artist has employed analogue tapes to create haunting, hypnotic soundscapes.

 

A truly multi-disciplinary musician capable of stitching numerous instruments into his performances, Basinski's live show needs to be seen to be believed.

 

 

Tirzah @ Fiddlers | Tuesday 21 June

 

Tirzah will arrive in BS3 this June for an eagerly-awaited performance at Fiddlers, touring new material from her critically-acclaimed sophomore album, Colourgrade.

 

Following up her cult 2018 debut Devotion, the new record explores recovery, gratitude and new beginnings, presenting the singer's first discovery of the love shared between a mother and her child.

 

 

Jockstrap @ The Fleece | Tuesday 5 October

 

Talented electronic two-piece Jockstrap will return to Bristol for another energetic live performance this autum, arriving as one of the most intriguing musical projects in the UK right now. 

 

Made up of Georgia Ellery (of Black Country, New Road) and Taylor Skye, the duo's latest single 'Concrete Over Water' retains their mesmerising essence, and has left fans more desperate than ever for the release of their eagerly-awaited debut album.

 

 

TRAAMS @ Strange Brew | Friday 14 October

 

Cherished post-punk trio TRAAMS will arrive in BS1 this autumn, armed with Personal Best, their third studio album and first full-length release in seven years.

 

After half a decade apart, the band have rebuilt themselves from the ground up, buoyed by the limitations of the pandemic and a renewed urge to create music together.

 

 

Sinead O’Brien @ Exchange | Friday 21 October

 

Enigmatic poet, songwriter and performer Sinead O'Brien navigates spoken word with a contemporary twist.

 

A culmination of pure artistic talent and chance, her writing was scribbled down in Parisian cafes before falling into the hands of guitarist Julian Hanson and drummer Oscar Robertson, who used their craft to ignite her words.

 

The trio will arrive in Bristol for a rescheduled performance this October, performing material from O'Brien's debut album, Time Bend and Break the Bower.

 

 

Animal Collective @ SWX | Sunday 6 November

 

Veterans of the experimental pop realm, Animal Collective's legacy spans more than two decades of mind-bending rhythms and boundary-pushing electronic sounds. 

 

The band's expansive catalogue of music resembles an open sketchbook of melodic endeavours, with their latest release, Time Skiffs, offering the same spirit of the group's iconic earlier work while continuing to pull their style in new directions.

 

 

Simple Things have collaborated with a selection of renowned Bristol-based promoters to put together their 2022 gig series, organising events across some of the city's best-loved venues.

 

To find out more about Simple Things, to secure your tickets for any of the shows mentioned above, or to follow news and updates, head to the festival's website or find the team on Instagram.

Read more:

 

 

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.