John Spiers & Jon Boden, Frankie Archer

Spiers and Boden headline the Saturday Night of Bristol Folk Festival, with support from Frankie Archer.

Spiers & Boden

Described by The Guardian as ‘the finest instrumental duo on the traditional scene’, John Spiers & Jon Boden first rocketed onto the music scene in 2001, quickly winning a clutch of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and going on to form and front the extraordinarily successful folk big band Bellowhead, which sold out The Royal Albert Hall several times, provides the theme tune for Radio 4’s The Archers and were recently heard on the soundtrack of BBC 1’s ‘Beyond Paradise’.

The much-loved duo reformed in 2021 after a seven-year hiatus, arriving with a brand new album ‘Fallow Ground’ which went on to reach number 3 in the Official Folk Albums Chart and was a Mojo magazine top 10 folk album of 2021.

They take to the road for a series of select dates, including this special appearance at Bristol Folk Festival.

‘It’s all exquisitely played – the pair are still the dons.’ The Observer

Frankie Archer

“Have you ever been there at the start of something new? Something exciting? Something that crackles with possibilities?” (Bristol 24/7). Frankie Archer is fresh on the scene and shaking up genres and traditions. Archer shares the lesser told sides of stories, championing women, challenging perspectives and calling for a fairer future, all to a unique mix of synths, samples, earthy fiddle and voice. Her originality has already seen her hand-picked for Jools Holland (BBC2 Oct 2023), and played by BBC Radio 2, 3 and 6. Frankie Archer’s imaginative and bold mash of electro alt-trad shows her Northumbrian fiddle roots, her deep love of electronic music and her immersion in soulful folk songs from the North East of England and around the world.

‘Gorgeous trad playing and creative vocal twists… a fascinating and intoxicating blend of the contemporary and the traditional’ Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2

‘Extraordinary’ Jools Holland

Important Ticketing Information

Book a Saturday Night ticket for the evening concert of Bristol Folk Festival featuring Spiers & Boden and Frankie Archer or join St George’s for a whole day of folk with a Saturday Day + Night Ticket, which also gives you access to the Saturday Day concert featuring Ranagri, Rachel Baiman and Around About Dusk, plus sessions, workshops and folk festivities.

For a weekend festival pass and more information about the festival see www.bristolfolkfestival.org