BlackFest 2026 – Bristol Music Showcase

BlackFest brings its Rhythms Night to The Jam Jar on Wednesday 28 October, the eighth year it's made the trip to Bristol. It's a night that links Liverpool and Bristol through history, heritage, live music, culture and conversation, and it starts with a Shore to Shore Exchange. Author and historian Malik Al Nasir and Bristol activist Roger Griffith MBE will be talking through the shared histories of the two port cities, both shaped by enslavement, colonialism, migration and cultural exchange.

From there, the Rhythms Night stage takes over with a long run of live music. The bill covers hip-hop, alternative R&B, neo-soul, reggae, jazz, acoustic and soul, with Bristol's own Laura Dia and Rebel Soul playing alongside Rising Son, MARNS, MoYah, Midé, MINA, KingFast, Rafaela and Bluboy. It's a wide spread of styles rather than one particular sound, so the music shifts across the evening.

There's more to it than just the stage. Community organisations Black Mothers Matter and The UnMuseum, run by Black South West Network, will have stalls, and an industry panel brings together music and creative professionals. The Jam Jar itself is a volunteer-led venue known for boundary-pushing gigs and sweat-soaked clubnights, which fits the mix of a talking exchange, a fair of stalls and a full night of live music.

It all kicks off from 18:00 at The Jam Jar, The Old Malt House, Little Ann St, Bristol BS2 9EB. Tickets are £15 plus a £1.20 booking fee, coming to £16.20.