Live gig reviews from Bristol and beyondhttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-groove-village-weston-super-mare-the-lineup-packs-a-repeated-punch/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-groove-village-weston-super-mare-the-lineup-packs-a-repeated-punch/The second year of Groove Village sees the seaside grassroots festival back and bigger than ever, with eight venues featuring hometown acts, a heavyweight Bristol contingent and much more.Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-valley-fest-chew-magna-a-little-festival-with-a-big-heart/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-valley-fest-chew-magna-a-little-festival-with-a-big-heart/The glory of Valley Fest is self‑evident the moment you see Chew Valley Lake.Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/punk-rock-power-chords-and-pure-joy-frank-turner-bowling-for-soup-bring-cardiff-castle-to-life/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/punk-rock-power-chords-and-pure-joy-frank-turner-bowling-for-soup-bring-cardiff-castle-to-life/The co-headline tour between Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls and Bowling for Soup was created in friendship, admiration and a magic syncing of schedules. Their musical styles don’t necessarily align but their shared defiance and punk rock ethos definitely do.Mon, 06 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-aldous-harding-bristol-beacon-surreal-enthralling-and-entirely-herself/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-aldous-harding-bristol-beacon-surreal-enthralling-and-entirely-herself/Five albums in, and somehow I’ve never managed to see Aldous Harding live.Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-toots-the-maytals-trinity-reminds-us-why-their-legacy-endures/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-toots-the-maytals-trinity-reminds-us-why-their-legacy-endures/I walked into the Trinity Centre battling hay fever and walked out with something far more powerful: Reggae fever.Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-outertown-2026-a-day-of-discovery-disorder-and-pure-bristol-magic/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-outertown-2026-a-day-of-discovery-disorder-and-pure-bristol-magic/I arrived at Outertown 2026 full of hope and armed with a fluid, ADHD‑friendly map, the only sensible way to navigate Bristol’s most meandering day festival.Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-jens-lekman-strange-brew-its-a-musical-its-a-story-its-compelling/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-jens-lekman-strange-brew-its-a-musical-its-a-story-its-compelling/It all started in 2004 when Jens Lekman sang: “If you ever need a stranger to sing at your wedding, a last-minute choice, I’m your man”.Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-lucy-rose-st-georges-elegantly-powerful/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-lucy-rose-st-georges-elegantly-powerful/If ever a venue was fit to stage two phenomenal artists, the grand surrounds of St. George’s is the one.Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-heavy-lungs-the-louisiana-if-in-doubt-go-into-a-tiny-room-and-sweat-it-out-with-strangers/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-heavy-lungs-the-louisiana-if-in-doubt-go-into-a-tiny-room-and-sweat-it-out-with-strangers/Sometimes a gig exceeds your expectations and sometimes your mate carries the drummer out of the venue.Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-dominie-hooper-exchange-visceral-desolate-beautiful/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-dominie-hooper-exchange-visceral-desolate-beautiful/I’m no expert on refurbishment but when they managed to find both space and glamour in the Exchange’s basement, they mined gold.Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-doreen-doreen-electric-bristol-leave-your-ego-at-the-door-get-on-the-dancefloor/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-doreen-doreen-electric-bristol-leave-your-ego-at-the-door-get-on-the-dancefloor/When I grow up, I want to be in Doreen Doreen.Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-million-dead-electric-bristol-sweaty-and-euphoric/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-million-dead-electric-bristol-sweaty-and-euphoric/“We outdate Myspace!” Frank Turner exclaims with a grin.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-kae-tempest-o2-academy-bristol/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-kae-tempest-o2-academy-bristol/I can’t be the only one who looked in disbelief and excitement when they saw a bill with both Kae Tempest and recent Mercury Prize nominee Jacob Alon set to share the same stage. Every type of intense beauty covered then: ideal.Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-oswald-slains-bucky-launch-at-jam-jar-bristol-6th-november-2025/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-oswald-slains-bucky-launch-at-jam-jar-bristol-6th-november-2025/There’s something about firsts — first gigs at new venues, first albums from rising bands, first moments when music hits you in the chest and makes you move. On November 6th, Oswald Slain delivered all three in one glorious swoop at Bristol’s Jam Jar, a venue I’d somehow never visited until now. That nagging voice of “Why haven’t you been?” was finally silenced — and what a way to make an entrance.Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-simple-things-festival-2025-from-harp-led-bliss-to-sax-fuelled-chaos/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-simple-things-festival-2025-from-harp-led-bliss-to-sax-fuelled-chaos/Bristol’s genre-hopping day festival SIMPLE THINGS returned with a bang, threading punk, jazz, electronica and spoken word through the city’s most beloved venues. From the Beacon’s grandeur to the Sportsmans’ sticky floors, Simple Things was a celebration of sonic contrast and community spirit.Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-erotic-secrets-of-pompeii-rough-trade-bristol/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-erotic-secrets-of-pompeii-rough-trade-bristol/The Excitement and intensity in the room was palpable as we all gathered to celebrate the release of Erotic Secrets Of Pompeii’s second album Pitchfork Libra, with an intimate home town show at Rough Trade, Bristol. This was perfect timing as the album had a week to breathe its existence into our ears and give us time to indulge in some binge-listening in preparation. I love a quick turnaround from release to live show. I find it captures a space in time: the unpredictability and fragility of a stage show still in its infancy is gripping for both artist and crowd.Thu, 23 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-nova-twins-electric-pop-to-scream-to-rock-to-dance-to/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-nova-twins-electric-pop-to-scream-to-rock-to-dance-to/A combination of rock’n’roll and (another reviewer down with) flu presented the prospect of a two gig evening.Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-groove-village-festival/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-groove-village-festival/Groove Village brings a day of wild live music to Weston Super Mare, including highlights from Meryl Streek, Bureau De Change and many moreFri, 03 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-billy-nomates-electric-bristol-a-night-of-artistic-richness-and-emotional-resonance/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-billy-nomates-electric-bristol-a-night-of-artistic-richness-and-emotional-resonance/Summer is over!Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-divorce-strange-brew-bristol-march-31st-2025-a-night-to-be-treasured/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-divorce-strange-brew-bristol-march-31st-2025-a-night-to-be-treasured/It’s a strange sensation when a band’s debut album feels like a reunion. Divorce may have only just released Drive To Golden Hammer , but their presence has long lingered in the playlists and hearts of fans who packed out Bristol’s Strange Brew for a sold-out celebration. From the moment they stepped on stage, it was clear: this wasn’t just a normal gig.Sat, 06 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-forwards-festival-2025-a-bristol-love-letter-in-sound/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-forwards-festival-2025-a-bristol-love-letter-in-sound/If Bristol were a song, Forwards Festival would be its chorus—bold, brilliant, and impossible not to sing along to. Since its debut in 2022, Forwards has become a fixture on the UK festival circuit, and rightly so. It’s a celebration of Bristol’s rich musical heritage, a showcase for rising stars, and a playground for legends. Saturday’s lineup was a genre-hopping joyride, and I was strapped in from the first chord.Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-idles-block-party-queen-square-community-unity-and-freedom-of-expression/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-idles-block-party-queen-square-community-unity-and-freedom-of-expression/One question was on everyone’s lips in the lead-up to this event: how can you fit 15,000 people in Queen Square safely and happily? Well, let’s have a look!Sat, 02 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-a-night-of-friendship-emotion-and-musical-triumph-prima-queen-lilo-thekla-bristol-21-may-2025/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-a-night-of-friendship-emotion-and-musical-triumph-prima-queen-lilo-thekla-bristol-21-may-2025/What better way for Prima Queen to kick off their tour celebrating the release of their debut album, The Prize , than aboard Bristol’s iconic floating venue, Thekla ? For Bristol native Louise Macphail , this was more than just another gig—it was a homecoming, filled with nostalgia and the echoes of past nights spent in the crowd, including a memorable Phoebe Bridgers show she once dragged an ex to.Tue, 27 May 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-panic-shack-thekla-a-frenzy-of-flailing-limbs/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-panic-shack-thekla-a-frenzy-of-flailing-limbs/There aren’t many evenings when you go from sleeping to being in a punk rock circle pit in the space of 15 minutes, but Thursday was one of them.Sat, 24 May 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-ezra-furman-took-over-rough-trade-in-bristol-for-a-glimpse-at-her-new-record-goodbye-small-head/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/live-review-ezra-furman-took-over-rough-trade-in-bristol-for-a-glimpse-at-her-new-record-goodbye-small-head/Ten albums in, and somehow, this was my first time seeing Ezra Furman live. Ridiculous, I know. But what better way to make amends than at an intimate, sold-out in-store show at Rough Trade Bristol , celebrating the release of Goodbye Small Head .Fri, 23 May 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-knives-thekla-barely-draws-breath/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-knives-thekla-barely-draws-breath/You only get one debut album.Wed, 14 May 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-scissor-sisters-electric-bristol-fervent-filthy-fun/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-scissor-sisters-electric-bristol-fervent-filthy-fun/After 12 years away, a completely new musical landscape awaits the Scissor Sisters.Mon, 12 May 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-dominie-hooper-exchange-emotionally-charged-raw-and-unfurled/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-dominie-hooper-exchange-emotionally-charged-raw-and-unfurled/I’ve been keeping tabs on Dominie Hooper’s immense talents since she opened for the delight that is This Is The Kit at the Bristol Beacon last year.Wed, 07 May 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-dreamwave-louisiana-an-intensely-enjoyable-gig/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-dreamwave-louisiana-an-intensely-enjoyable-gig/Oh, the Louisiana. A venue dripping with live music history and, tonight, the future. I was buzzing for this one.Thu, 01 May 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-manic-street-preachers-bristol-beacon-yet-another-manics-masterclass/https://magicbarnesreviews.co.uk/gig-reviews/review-manic-street-preachers-bristol-beacon-yet-another-manics-masterclass/The Manics celebrated the release of their 15th studio album Critical Thinking as they played a sold out show in the Bristol Beacon on Saturday night.Thu, 01 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT