Holy bingo have you seen all the upcoming QU Junktions gigs? Send them a tenner in the post right now. This is merely the soonest, and while Charlie Parr will indeed bring devastating bonhomie and aged country blues grandeur, you’d be a fool not to lose your shit to Trembling Bells. Just one of the many strings to Alex Neilson’s heaving bow (he’s free drummed for Scatter, Will Oldham and Baby Dee, to name a small fraction), the Bells make mad gothic folk shanties that swirl and shift around Lavinia Blackwall’s ice dagger vocals. They’re scary, transcendent and joyous and will sweep you up proper.

Please note running order is Frank then Charlie then Trembling Bells

Charlie Parr is a hero to many and his warm, humble and life affirming presence is always welcome in Bristol. The Charlie Parr live experience showcases music blending bluegrass, blues and country, with a rock-red seam of rag and stomp. Early shows at the Cube helped spread the word about the sheer energy and good time vibes that circle this authentic country-blues musician from Duluth, Minnesota, and people keep coming back for more. With a lived-in rasp of a voice, National resonator and 12-string acoustic guitars, a banjo and an almost limitless repertoire of his own songs and well-travelled numbers by Mississippi John Hurt, Charley Patton and other cohorts from another time, he lays it on you and you sense the American Primitive blues tradition coming alive before you.

Trembling Bells are loved and you can see why a band steeped in folk (psych/acid and trad) /rock (canonical, raw and crafted) and even early music traditions (hear Vinnie’s soaring lead vocals and glisten) but this four piece are free from heritage bursting out with a manic energy, strong songs and a beautifully woozy distinctly sceptred isle style . Many think there new album should have been nominated for a Mercury Prize but they aren’t really a sixth form band they skipped that for the hills, the big music and the smokes.

Founded in early 2008 by renowned UK drummer, Alex Neilson (Will Oldham/Current 93/Six Organs Of Admittance), Trembling Bells have enjoyed a year of touring the high roads and byroads of the UK with a trip to play wyrd and wild in Brazil and two shows at Glastonbury. Trembling Bells are set to play Belle And Sebastian’s ATP and have been heralded by such influential musical figures as record producer, Joe Boyd (“Trembling Bells are my kind of band…”) and Paul Wellerwho sited Carbeth as his favourite album of 2009 in Mojo magazine (“Carbeth is a great album. Really folky but not slavish and there is a mystery in there.”).

Frank Fairfield is a star. Just watch this. A California based fiddle, guitar and banjo player and ardent 78 collector who was the specially-chosen tour guest of Fleet Foxes, Fairfield sings soaring hillbilly ballads, arcane rambling songs and murder ballads in a reedy tenor with that irresistible dust to digital quality. Still in his early twenties but steeped in the pre-War Americana of Mississippi John Hurt and Dock Boggs, he cut his teethas a street performer in LA and has the raw intensity and spellbinding technique to make your hairs stand on end. With fans including Ry Cooder and Greil Marcus and a new reissue label, Pawn Records, passing light over some of the lost marvels amongst his 78 rpm record collection … this boy is gonna go far! Close down your browsers and savour.

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