Jalen N'gonda is one of the most captivating performers on today’s soul scene. His voice, equal parts raw feeling and elegance, exudes confidence and charm. Most recently, Jalen thrilled audiences and garnered rave reviews with his powerful solo performance in support of Thee Sacred Souls’ US tour. Now with a pair of widely revered singles under his belt at his new home, Daptone Records, Jalen prepares for the release of his debut LP, Come Around and Love Me. 

As a singer and lead guitarist in rock band Gomez, Ben Ottewell is well known for his unmistakable voice and talent for blistering and inspired guitar solos. Ottewell released his first solo album Shapes & Shadows (ATO) in 2011, featuring such beautiful acoustic tunes as 'Blackbird', 'Shapes and Shadows' and 'Take This Beach', which appeared on FX’s Sons of Anarchy. Since then, Ottewell has been pleasing audiences with a series of successful solo tours across the UK, US and Australia.

The Skids formed in 1977 in their home town of Dunfermline, Scotland by Richard Jobson, Stuart Adamson, Bill Simpson & Tom Kellichan. After releasing an independent single the band were played by John Peel, supported The Clash in concert and then were signed to Virgin Records in 1978. Their first singles were ‘Sweet Surburbia’, ‘The Saints are Coming’ and ‘Into the Valley’ - the latter reaching the UK Top Ten in early 1979. Their seminal debut album ‘Scared to Dance’; came out in 1979 and was quickly followed by two chart singles – ‘Masquerade’ and ‘Working for the Yankee Dollar’. Both singles were taken from the Bill Nelson (Be Bop Deluxe) produced second album ‘Days in Europa’. The album also featured new member Rusty Egan of Rich Kids & Visage fame after the departure of Tom Kellichan. The band released two more albums ‘The Absolute Game’ (1980) and ‘Joy’ (1981) before splitting. Stuart Adamson went on to have worldwide success with his new band Big Country. The Skids were at the heart of the punk scene in Scotland and took their music to London where they were signed by Virgin records. They made 4 albums and had numerous hit singles including Into the Valley, The Saints are Coming, Masquerade and Working for the Yankee Dollar.

Mercury Rev celebrates with a very special acoustic and intimate performance. An intimate, acoustic evening featuring many of the stories and songs surrounding the Mercury Rev's heart-breaking 1998 classic 'Deserter's Songs'. Performed in the fragile 'whisper and strum' way they were originally written, this promises to be an extraordinary glimpse into the forces that nearly destroyed a band and the strange events leading toward a most unexpected return.

Northern Irish experimental folk songwriter and producer Joshua Burnside is something of a regional anomaly. With a brooding, powerful sound echoing artists of places afar and time long gone, his enthralling craft defies local comparison in striving towards an aesthetic as much as visual as it is sonic. Balanced with a diverse palette of sounds, Burnside deftly blends alt-folk and elements of the Irish folk song tradition with South American rhythms and Eastern European influences, whilst introducing synthetic and found-sounds, synths loops and crunching beats to create a stormy world that shifts and swirls perspective like a lingering lucid dream.

Bossa Nova = Nouvelle Vague = New Wave. This transliteration was the starting point for Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux’s unique project, which, by appropriating the punk and post-punk cannon and running it through the Bossa Nova filter, reinvented the cover band genre, revealing new and brilliant talents along the way: Camille, Phoebe Killdeer, Nadeah, Mélanie Pain, and Liset Alea. The group’s first two albums, Nouvelle Vague (2004) and Bande A Part (2006) defined their unique sound with Bossa versions of New Wave Classics. Their third album NV3 (2009) featured collaborations with Depeche Mode's Martin Gore, Ian McCullouch from Echo and the Bunnymen, Terry Hall from The Specials, Barry Adamson, The Saints & Minimal Compact.

Formed in 1991 by Tanya Donelly (formerly of Throwing Muses and the Breeders) with Tom and Chris Gorman, Belly became known for a blend of spirited guitar rock, countrified dream-pop, and Donelly’s haunting lyrics and voice. The band’s 1993 debut album, Star, was a hit with critics and listeners alike. Belly is a band in the truest sense: the secret to their chemistry lies in the mix of personalities and complementary strengths.

A very special acoustic show with Mark Morriss & Adam Devlin of Britpop legends The Bluetones. The band, formed in 1993, had an impressive run of hit singles throughout the late 90's/early 00's, including ’Bluetonic’, ‘Slight Return’, ‘Marblehead Johnson’, ‘Solomon Bites The Worm’, ‘If’ and ‘Keep the Fires Burning’. They scored thirteen Top 40 singles and three Top 10 albums in the UK charts before splitting up in 2011. Join frontman Mark Morriss alongside band mate Adam Devlin as they "Cut Some Rug" on stage together at this very intimate show.

Stereo MCs formed in mid 80s, inspired by electronic music and early HipHop. They pressed up their first 12 vinyl and started an independent record label called G Street Records which released many UK hip hop artists and signed US acts such as Jungle Brothers.

Nominated for the BBC Sound of 2015, fast-emerging singer, songwriter and producer Holly ‘Låpsley’ Fletcher has become one of the most hotly-tipped new UK artists around. Through beautifully crafted songs such as ‘Station’ and ‘Painter (Valentine)’, the young Southport-raised artist has created a unique sonic identity, mixing sparse, minimal electronic production with gorgeous, emotive songwriting.

Chamber pop from Seattle musician Mike Hadreas.

One of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK’s festival scene, Ozric Tentacles formed during the solstice at Stonehenge Free Festival 1983 going on to become psychedelic staples at Glastonbury and other festivals. The creative vision of multi-instrumentalist Ed Wynne, the Ozrics’ uniquely trippy soundscapes connect fans of progressive rock, psychedelia and dance music culture.

His standout debut album, First Mind, in 2015 was the introduction of an artist who shirked the conventional and side-stepped the expected. It was a record of opposing shades, all leftfield rhythms, and harnessing an exquisitely natural guitarist doing extraordinary things, painting unique colours across a very moreish collection of songs. It was quite peerless, and translated to the stage alongside fine collection of talented players that formed his band. Nick's return with the first fruits of his new album sessions has brought with it his own outlook on a world that can't decide which direction it's going, or quite what to do with itself. We're all hastily trying to find our spot within these times, and Nick is no exception, but if clarity is part-resolved by a call to arms, perhaps it's time to make that call. Unconditional, the first new music from Mulvey in over two years, is a multi-layered, groove-based tune that doesn't stray too far from First Mind, but far enough to sound fresh, unique and exciting.

Starting his musical journey aged five in Paris, Cian Godfrey (aka Somebody’s Child) took to playing the piano in the family apartment. Upon moving back to Ireland, he gained an interest in songwriting, enabling him to tell his own stories. These narratives often reflect upon difficult mental health experiences, as well as the endearing happenings of a youngster growing up in Dublin.

Flyte is a London-based band formed by Will Taylor (vocals, guitar) and Nick Hill (guitar, bass, vocals), who met at secondary school. The band's name comes from Sebastian Flyte, a character in Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. Flyte's music is known for its literary influences and storytelling, with harmonies reminiscent of The Byrds and The Beatles.

Porridge Radio released their debut studio album Every Bad on Secretly Canadian. The album saw the band propelled from a word-of-mouth gem of Brighton’s DIY scene to one of the country’s most exciting upcoming bands.

Gotobeat is proud to present the first show of it's Bristol Summer Sessions at the Trinity Centre with indie soul band Skinny Living returning to the city on Friday 25th July. Skinny Living’s story is one of struggle, troubling situations and relentless hard graft. It’s also one of synchronicity, chance meetings, and the unflinching belief that their glorious indie soul music will reach the audience it deserves. Their potential is there to see. Echoing Bill Withers, The Isley Brothers and Paolo Nutini, their songs shimmer with a timeless, gentle beauty, exquisite vocal harmonies and a lyrical wisdom that inspires optimism and reflection in equal measure. The bands sound is defined by two acoustic guitars and vocal harmonies delivered by Wakefield natives Will Booth and Danny Hepworth, while the exquisite and ever-so-slightly haunted vocal and lyricism in the midst of it all belongs to front man Ryan Johnston, born in Belfast to a Catholic mother from the Republican area and a Protestant father from the other side of town. Presented by Gotobeat Ltd. This is a 14+ event

Nottingham indie four-piece Divorce are spearheaded by songwriting duo Tiger Cohen-Towell and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow. Initially meeting as teenagers through the city’s close-knit DIY scene, the band – completed by members Adam Peter Smith and Kasper Sandstrøm - came together as Divorce in mid-2021, releasing a slew of genre-defiant singles that quickly caught the attention of tastemakers the world over.

The art-damaged Brooklyn band Bodega want to get people thinking while they boogie, and their debut album, Endless Scroll, spotlights an abrasive dance-punk sound built on shouted vocals, deep thoughts, and jumpy rhythms. While they sanded off some of the rough sonic edges on subsequent releases like 2019's Shiny New Model EP and 2022's album Broken Equipment, they kept the lyrics sharp and the music bouncy.

Dan Whitlam has quickly become a one-to-watch with his soulful voice and poignant lyrics. Narrating the lives of a 20-something-year-old through spoken word and rap, he found enormous success with his multi-million-viewed videos on TikTok. Dan’s ability to capture raw emotions and convey them through music has caught the attention of Fred Again.. and Arlo Parks, as well as fashion brand Hermes, who made him their resident poet. With several single releases with Needwant, his unique style and versatility as an artist blending poetry, acting and music creates emotive and captivating performances, earning him a spot on BBC Radio London. Dan Whitlam is quickly becoming one of the most exciting young artists in the UK.

Hailing from the midlands and west of Ireland, the trio take inspiration from artists such as John Prine, Paolo Nutini, Ye Vagabonds, Talos, as well as others, and despite being in their infancy, they have already gained a strong core following from playing intimate live gigs.

Two piece from Bristol that provide a sweat soaked, tub thumping, groove infused experience. Squint your eyes and it’s a stag do on a karaoke machine but open your mind and you’ll find it’s at least 500% more enjoyable than that.

Henge and Gong will be performing as joint headliners on the Sounds of the Cosmos Tour, sharing equal billing across all dates. To keep things exciting, the order of performance will alternate from show to show. As such, we wont be revealing in advance who will be opening or closing on any given night. Please arrive in time for the advertised start, and plan to stay until the end to enjoy the full experience. The universe of Gong began in 1969 when Daevid Allen was inspired by a profound psychedelic vision. A founder member of Soft Machine, Allen incorporated his spiritual and metaphysical leanings into an evolving collective. More a mythology than a band in the conventional sense, Gong established itself as one of the most unique, innovative and experimental rock groups of the seventies, through an exploratory mix of rock, jazz and psychedelia with elements of mysticism and surrealism, unafraid to deliver its messages directly, obliquely or whimsically. The collective of Kavus Torabi, Dave Sturt, Fabio Golfetti, Ian East and Cheb Nettles is the most stable in Gong/s illustrious history, having written, recorded and toured together for eight years since Allen/s passing. A dynamic, powerful and explosive live band, their music draws from the credo of the original Gong while remaining committed to pushing the composition, performances and message into new realms, paying no mind to nostalgia. Gong in 2023 continue the ethics, attitude and lifestyle that was always woven into the fabric of the band. Extra-terrestrial joymongers - Henge - have been delighting audiences in the UK and Europe since they landed on Planet Earth ten years ago. Their scintillating live performances earned them Best Live Act at the Independent Festival Awards and they have since cemented their reputation with four acclaimed albums, numerous tours and regular main-stage festival appearances. Their music escapes definition, but occupies a space between rave and prog rock that nobody knew existed. It is energetic, subversive and invigoratingly playful, jovially going where no one has gone before. Ultimately, HENGE are spreading a message of hope which leaves audiences feeling amused and uplifted in equal measures.

Over the past decade, Deaf Havana have risen through the ranks to become one of the best known names in the alt-rock scene. Recently topping a festival bill for the first time at 2000 Trees, the Norfolk formed outfit are carrying on the momentum this week as they release a brand new album and prepare for a headline tour later this year. We caught up with singer, guitarist and song-writer Matthew Veck-Gilodi to discuss what to expect from the record, how they curate setlists six studio albums deep and more!

Alt.rock with indie and punk vibes from the multi-million selling trio and Brit rock favourites. Ash are a Northern Irish band formed in Downpatrick and featuring Tim Wheeler (vocals/guitar), Mark Hamilton (bass) and Rick McMurray (drums).

The Lovely Eggs are an underground surreal-psych punk rock duo from northern England. They have a fierce ethos that music should have no rules. For Holly and David, being in a band is a way of life. True to this , they live the way they play -- fiercely, constantly, in search of the good times. With 8/10 thumbs up from the NME and much support from BBC6 Music and Radio 1, the band continues to sell out gigs across the UK without the help of management, booking agent or record label support. With six BBC 6 Music sessions under their belt, as well as sessions for Radio 1 and XFM, The Lovely Eggs have enjoyed huge support from BBC 6 Music with airplay from DJs Marc Riley, Steve Lamacq, Lauren Laverne, Chris Hawkins, Gideon Coe, Shaun Keavney and Radcliffe and Maconie. Their songs have been produced by Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), remixed by Tinder Singh (Cornershop) and sampled by Zane Lowe for Scrubius Pip. With releases in the UK, Europe, USA and Japan, The Lovely Eggs have played around the UK, USA and Europe. With observational and often surreal lyrics about life, The Lovely Eggs have a powerful, stripped-down sound: one vintage guitar amp, One Big Muff distortion pedal, a guitar and drum kit.

Red Rum Club are a sextet from Liverpool, combing sounds of old and new channelling 'Tarantino-esque' wild western vibes with the help of a solitary trumpet. Liverpool influenced they deliver a modern twist of poetic yet catchy lyrics and melodies that blend to make the sound that is unmistakably, Red Rum Club.

There can’t be many other bands in the UK with as fervent a fanbase as The Rifles. Over a decade after their formation, they can still play to thousands of fans all over the country. They have an impressive catalogue under their belt which includes 5 studio albums and a host of songs that have become institutional fan favourites, and it is these tracks that have been compiled to form the new compilation, 'Singles Collection'. It’s hard to think of a band more operating on their own terms, more outside of any sphere of influence, and more still alive than the Rifles. 'Singles Collection' is a retrospective homage to that achievement.

Wine Lips is a Toronto-based garage-punk-psych band formed in 2015 by Cam Hilborn (vocals, songwriter, guitar) and Aurora Evans (drums). Initially a part-time project, they transitioned to a full-time band and have achieved international recognition. Their music is characterized by energetic, high-octane riffs and sneering vocals, often described as psych-pop, acid rock, and noise prog.

Gotobeat Festival is back for it's third year and this time we're back with two shows across different cities. This year we're sees the start of Gotobeat Festival - Bristol at Trinity Centre. An event that is a celebration of diversity in independent live music with a wide range of genres from across the UK scene. Our first wave of acts features the likes of Piri & Tommy, Fickle Friends, Karen Dio, ARXX, Tlya X An, Hana Lili, Spyres, Hunnybuzz, Ziggy 2000, Grack Mack & The Pack, Better Heaven, Yesterday's Girl with lots more to be announced soon. Early Bird tickets are on sale now, let's make this one to remember! Presented by Gotobeat Ltd. This is an 18+ event

Raver Tots is returning featuring a huge effects show throughout the event with dancers, performers, cold pyro, bubbles, festival sized confetti blasts, multi coloured lasers and lighting, parachute games, giant balloons, licensed bar and face painting!

Bare Jams are a six-piece band that effortlessly combines feel-good, summer vibe pop with soul, funk, jazz, rock, and a myriad of other elements. Frequently found on the must-see lists of festival aficionados, they have built a reputation for tight, exuberant, and genuinely candid performances. Their music spans a wide array of genres, focusing on catchy hooks, motivational lyrics, and singable horn lines, creating an infectious sound thats both unique and familiar. The band are well travelled, with an enviable tour history over the years: headlining their own shows across Europe as well as supporting legendary acts such as The Wailers, Katchafire and La Pegatina. Add to this their appearances at the biggest festivals in the UK and Europe: Glastonbury, Boomtown Fair, Isle of Wight Festival, and many more. They are a frequent must-see on festival aficionados lists with the bands reputation for tight and exuberant, yet wholesomely candid performances frequently filling tents to their sweaty capacities. Their debut album This n That was released in May 2020 to critical acclaim and the band are currently writing, recording and releasing a constant stream of singles leading up to a compilation-style album towards the end of 2023 that will act as a snapshot of the current chapter of the Bare Jams saga. Never ones to keep still, the band continues to delight old fans and recruiting new ones, playing to packed venues far and wide. Time and again, they bring a relentless energy enveloping a core moral message to both their live performances and recorded music. Bare Jams are serious worldly-wise optimists using their music as a panacea. Their mission: making records that inspire, inform and entertain; energising festival crowds and gig audiences and healing through melodies and lyrics. And surely the world needs some healing right now; Bare Jams are here to administer the cure.

From the Jam features Bruce Foxton from the original Jam line up. He also spent 15 years playing bass with Stiff Little Fingers. Bruce is joined by Russell Hastings on lead vocal and guitar. From The Jam have gained a reputation for the kind of incendiary ‘live’ performances that sealed the reputation of The Jam all those years ago. Audiences can expect to hear classic The Jam hits such as Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, Going Underground, Town Called Malice and The Modern World as well as some live favourites and songs from Bruce’s solo career.

Luvcat, the project of Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Sophie Morgan, is an emerging indie artist known for her theatrical and emotive alt-pop style. She's crafted an extravagant backstory for the persona, claiming to have run away with a Parisian circus, become a magician's assistant, and then mysteriously reappeared in London. Her music blends gothic and glamorous influences, drawing inspiration from artists like Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, The Cure, and Tom Waits.

One of soul musics gifted live performers Rahsaan Patterson makes his Bristol Debut Presented by Soulgigs. This is an 18+ event

Hugo Hamlet is a spiritual rockstar. A force of nature merging ancient wisdom with modern theatre, delivering ecstatic transmissions of truth & love. Trained in the art of performance but destined for the path of awakening, Hugo now walks through life as a cosmic teacher - part prophet, part transformative showman. Through living as a channel of joy and divine mischief, Hugo is building a global community rooted in love, freedom, and the remembrance of who we truly are.