The Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival- This Weekend!

Bradford-on-Avon Town Council’s annual festival, aptly titled The Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival is back this weekend, championing local talent with an eclectic line-up of impeccable performers across its multiple venues and in association with the Wiltshire Music Centre…..

The festival launched in 2022, sees music pouring out of venues across the entire town over three days of music. From indie to rock, pop, jazz and blues, there really is something for everyone at this year’s festival. “Our town is a hub of creativity,” organiser Katie explains, “and we’re proud to keep that spirit alive through the BOA Live Music Festival.”

It runs from Friday 30th May to Sunday 1st June; it’s a long listed lineup, here’s what we’ve found and recommend you don’t miss if you’re attending. Throughout the weekend there will be music at eight venues: Westbury Garden, Trinity Hall (St Laurence School,) Lamb Yard, Timbrell’s Yard, The Three Horseshoes, The Castle Inn, The Canal Tavern, and of course, Wiltshire Music Centre.

On Friday 30th May at 7.30pm, Wiltshire Music Centre brings Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart to the festival. As a bassist, Jah Wobble is well-known for his heavy, hypnotic bass grooves, which often serve as the backbone for atmospheric, genre-crossing tracks. Covering everything from reggae to rock, dub bass to drum and bass, and global influences, his deep, melodic, and trance-like bass is central to the experience. He will open Bradford on Avon’s Live Music Festival for the Centre, along with this band of world-class musicians- the Invaders of the Heart.

Jah Wobble and the Invaders of the Heart: Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival

Jah’s career speaks for itself, spanning over 40 year’s he’s played on countless albums, with performers such as PIL’s John Lydon, Brian Eno, Bill Laswell, U2’s The Edge, Sinead O’Conner, Primal Scream, Bjork, The Orb, The Cranberries Dolores O ́Riordan and many more, as well as a regular on the hit TV show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Jah Wobble and the Invaders of the Heart at Wiltshire Music Centre is £27 / £14.50 U18s + students, but observe this special offer code: 30% off at checkout using promo code BOA30. Highly recommend it.

The Bowie Experience – Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival

Also on Friday you can find The Bowie Experience, 8pm at the Trinity Hall of St Laurence School. I highly recommend Karport Collective with Jess Chivers in support at The Castle Inn. Find some carnivalism at The Three Horseshoes from 5pm with delinquent fuzz jugernaut The Bucky Rage, BullyBones and Glasgow nuggets of Kosher Pickles!  And with Bird is the Word taking over music at The Boat House, who has Band of Others on Friday, you are spoiled for choice.

Decisions get even harder on Saturday 31st May, at the main stage at Westbury Garden you’ll find Retro Electro headlining at 9pm. The penultimate act is our favourites, Nothing Rhymes with Orange. All after a lineup of Karport Collective, Feast of Fools, Funky Monkey Bubble Club, Sian & Rob Colquhoun, the incredible Becky Lawrence and the Jazz Factory.

Meanwhile, at Lamb Yard I highly recommend Melksham’s indie pop band The Sunnies headlining at 9pm, after JPQ, JB & the Mojomakers, Lorikeet, Lone Sea Breakers, Body & Soul, and Jess Chivers from 3pm. The Castle Inn has The Relayz, Westward, This Way Up, I highly recommend Dylan Smith, Broken Focus, Lee Broderick, Joe Hunt, and I highly recommend Becky Lawrence, all from 1pm  

Saturday night at “The Shoes” you’ll find The Bucky Rage, Kitchen Lover, Kosher Pickles – Well Brined, and The Borough. The Canal Tavern has Star Shaped Pegs, Mojo & Yuji, Lloyd & Art,  and Jake Lockhart. Timbrell’s Yard has Lorikeet, highly recommend Ruby Darbyshire, Sian & Rob Colquhoun, Jess Chivers, Sour Apple and Feast of Fools.

It’s all afro-beat at Wiltshire Music Centre on Saturday with The Gasper Nali Band, highly recommend it. Famous since a film of him went viral, Gasper Nali is a not-so-traditional babatoni player from Lake Malawi. The babatoni is an African one-string home-made 3-metre long bass guitar, and with a stick and an empty beer bottle. Together with a cow skin kick drum and catchy melodies, he creates the most amazing and danceable original Afro Beats possible!

Gasper Nali Band: Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival

Gasper has toured the UK and Europe several times since his breakthrough video, playing in all environments from seated arts centres spaces to major festival stages. This year, Gasper will be transforming his customary one-man-band show and perform with a three-piece band for the very first time in the UK. Along for the ride is Malawi born songsmith and cultural proponent Luhangah on additional vocals and percussion, as well as Gasper’s long-time producer and collaborator Mattias Stålnacke on guitars.

Gasper Nali Band: Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival at Wiltshire Music Centre starts at 7.30pm. £16 / £9 U18s + students. Another SPECIAL OFFER here: 30% off at checkout using promo code BOA30.

Sunday is the first of June, and what a way to see the month in. At The Three Horseshoes from 3pm, for some mod, funk and RnB with The Convulsions. Trinity Hall has The Hipcats: A Century of Sinatra with support from JPQ from 7.30pm, and Judas Goat & the Bell Weather from 3pm, who we highly recommend too! 

Nick Langston & The Hipcats: A Century Of Sinatra: Bradford on Avon Live Music Festival

More Info HERE!

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