Beacon Shines A Light
Bristol Beacon announces a series of events for the Bank Holiday that sees an eclectic lineup of artists visit the city.
Words: Chris Knight
For those of us who haven’t made it to a festival this year there is a chance to cram in a series of gigs happening over the space of week featuring music ranging from country, R&B to post-punk.
Gretchen Peters
It all kicks off on Thursday 26th August when Gretchen Peters visits St George’s Bristol for a night of country music. Gretchen is an acclaimed singer-songwriter and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October so this rare visit to Bristol is one not to be missed.
The next night sees the record store Rough Trade hosting art-punk trio Cola who recently released their debut album Deep In View which was described as an “introspective collection of thoughts on the increasingly media-mediated world around us – perfect for fans of quirky guitar and witty lyrics”
Tank & The Bangas
Next up and the show I’m looking forward to in particular is with Tank & The Bangas at The Fleece on Monday 29th August. This New Orleans based group came to prominence after winning a NPR Tiny Desk Contest in 2017 and have since been Grammy-nominated for Best New Artist in 2020, not bad for a group that originally formed in 2011! Their sound is said to be a fusion of gospel, soul, hiphop, rock & spoken word and their live shows have built a reputation for being energetic so be prepared to have your feet moved!
Brandy Clark
Like every festival line-up, it’s inevitable that there will be timetable clashes and on the same evening Brandy Clark will be performing at St George’s. Like Gretchen Peters, Clark will be bringing her country flavoured songs to the stage and showcasing tracks from her 2020 album Your Life Is A Record.
Xenia Rubinos
On Tuesday 30th August, acclaimed artist Xenia Rubinos will bring the sounds of Latin rhythms, downtempo R&B and electronic pop to intimate settings of Strange Brew. This New York based artist draws inspiration from being a Latino woman and the BLM movement into her music but cannot simply be categorised as a protest singer. Her songs can be described as catchy and feel good and will move the heart, body & soul. Not to be missed!
Taraka
Finally this mini-fest closes on Wednesday 31st August at creative studio Dareshack with Taraka airing her infectious and raucous psych-grunge, indie and surf-rock.Taraka describes her music as ‘a combination of lo-fi opulence with ecstatic punk ritual, like the vivid visions of Kate Bush and Johnny Rotten who drank ayahuasca at the gates of Warped Tour ‘02’ and who am I to argue? She will be performing tracks from her 2021 debut Welcome to Paradise.
Todd Wills, Artistic Director of Bristol Beacon, said: “It’s brilliant to be presenting such an eclectic lineup of musical talent from the US and the UK this August. Bristol is home to such a variety of live music venues, each with their own individual flair, which pairs perfectly with the characterful artists we’ve been lucky enough to bring to the city this summer. Bristol Beacon celebrates music of all genres, and we can’t wait to see crowds joining us at these amazing venues this summer. If you haven’t ever been to one of them before, this bank holiday is the perfect chance.”
Tickets are on sale now for all concerts taking place across August bank holiday, and can be found here: Gretchen Peters, Cola, Tank and the Bangas, Brandy Clark, Xenia Rubinos and Taraka.
For more information on Bristol Beacon’s upcoming events for the month of August, please visit the Bristol Beacon website, and follow the venue on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
