Free Community Music Festival: Folk, Roots + Blues Edition
Schedule
Mon Aug 25 2025 at 03:30 pm to 09:15 pm
UTC+01:00Location
22-23 Westgate Street, BA1 1EP Bath, United Kingdom | Bath, EN
Advertisement
Join us at our Free Community Music Festival Folk, Roots and Blues Edition feat. Rusty Shackle, True Strays, Concrete Prairie, Barney Kenny, Courting Ghosts & Somerset Velvet! Presenting 6 awesome acts across 2 stages, this mini festival will run from 1530-2115 open to all ages (with under 16’s to be accompanied by an adult). This is a free event or pay what you can to continue helping us put on these shows. We ask that you book tickets so we can best manage the evening for you!
Funded with support from Bath Spa University.
Line Up:
SOMERSET VELVET (3:40pm - 4:10pm)
Somerset Velvet are a Bath-born psychedelic folk rock group. They create heavy hippy atmospheres, remembering then and embracing now.
COURTING GHOSTS (4:30pm - 5pm)
Since their debut performance in 2023, Courting Ghosts has been on a steadfast creative journey, continuously honing their craft. Their song writing has not only been featured in Songwriting Magazine, a respected publication, but also showcased at prominent song writing festivals, further solidifying their growing reputation in the music world. Courting Ghosts’ blend of heartfelt lyrics and intricate arrangements continues to resonate with an ever-expanding fanbase. Celebrated for their distinct fusion of Indie-Americana, acoustic, and folk-rock music their sound is characterised by a strong emphasis on melody, weaving together expansive acoustic ballads with lively, rhythm-driven tracks that highlight the band’s impressive range and versatility. Courting Ghosts are Chris Hoar, lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Marcel Rose, lead guitar, Dave Turner on keyboards, Andy Maggs on bass and Dermot James on drums.
BARNEY KENNY (5:20pm - 5:50pm)
Having supported the likes of Seth Lakeman, Baskery, True Strays. Martin Carthy, Geoff Lakeman, Mishra, Mad Dog McRea, Wille and the Bandits, Rusty Shackle, Kitty Macfarlane, The Langan Band and Blair Dunlop, Barney Kenny is carving out a name for himself as a solo artist across the folk circuits of the South West and in the past the North West.Having toured the UK solo, with his duo Tamar and also with musical partner Chris Murphy (USA) armed with a 6 string and a Lapsteel slide guitar, Barney Kenny’s music doesn't fall into the normal trappings of 'folk'. Heavily influenced by world music, blues and rock, Barney blends storytelling and acoustic music with his foot-stomping somewhat delta style. He has racked up several thousand views on the Narrowboat Sessions platform and also over social media. His writing crosses many boundaries throughout a live set, from Anglo-Celtic tunes to southern-blues rock to retellings of traditional songs from the transatlantic scene.. His slide playing is ever-exciting to watch whilst his more driving style of guitar playing is the perfect accompaniment to his lyrical narratives.
CONCRETE PRAIRIE (6:10pm - 6:40pm)
Take a dash of Folk fun, a soupçon of indie integrity and a lot of Americana & Alt-Country vibes, and you have a veritable soundtrack for the glamour & grit of modern living courtesy of Concrete Prairie. While their songs tackle themes such as mental well-being, loss & hardships, they are also shot through with silver linings, as reflected by a spirited and rousing sound forged from twanging guitars, frantic fiddle and yearning prose.
TRUE STRAYS (7pm - 7:30pm)
Lifelong friends, the Americana, roots rock n roll duo from Bristol take their songs further afield than ever before. Armed with their crowd funded debut album ‘Heart of the Matter’ and latest release ‘Live from White Noise;’ they toured the UK, supported Lukas Nelson & the Promise of the Real, rocked the Joe Bonamassa Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean Cruise alongside the man himself, completed their first tour of Sweden all whilst paying the bills with their day jobs. Their songs focus on the dirt that life throws at you and how struggle can be transformed into something better. The prolific song writing duo draw influences from classic sounds such as Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Fleetwood Mac and modern retro inspired acts like Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr and the Black Keys.
RUST SHACKLE (8pm - 9:15pm)
Welsh indie-roots six piece Rusty Shackle have been tearing up stages around the globe since 2010. Brandishing their distinct folk-roots sound armed with an electrifying mix of rampant fiddle, slick guitars, hooky mandolins and banjos melodies underpinned by tight pulsating drums and bass, they really are a force to be reckoned with. The band have built up a devoted fanbase with their captivating feel good live shows. Their latest album “Under a Bloodshot Moon” stormed the Official UK Folk Albums Chart straight in at Number 2 with no label backing, highlighting the support of their dedicated fanbase. Rusty Shackle have toured extensively around the UK, Europe and USA and are mainstays on the festival circuit. They deliver excitement every time they step onstage and give everything they have to steal your heart with their music.
General Information:
This is a free event, with a pay what you can option.
All money raised will go towards funding more free community events just like this.
Please book your tickets in advance so we can best manage the evening for you!
Pre-booked tickets guarantee entry until 8:30pm, after which point we reserve the right to re-allocate unused tickets to others in the queue.
For information on our accessibility visit https://komediabath.co.uk/plan-your-visit/accessibility/
If you have any specific access queries, please email [email protected].
Standing // Doors: 3:30pm // First Act: 3:40pm // All ages welcome (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult)
Pay What You Can £20 - £20.00Pay What You Can £10 - £10.00Pay What You Can £7 - £7.00Pay What You Can £5 - £5.00Pay What You Can £3 - £3.00Free - ticketed - £0.00
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
22-23 Westgate Street, BA1 1EP Bath, United Kingdom, 22-23 Westgate Street, Bath, BA1 1, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
