bellowhead tour support

Check when our Box Office is open >>

The Glasshouse

• What’s On

plus support The Longest Johns

Part of Storytellers

Tickets – £30.30 to £49.50

• Jump to  → 

About the band

Thrilling. rowdy. riotous fun..

Marking Bellowhead’s 20th anniversary in 2024, the band are back on tour celebrating twenty years since the release of their debut 5 track E.P.Onymous and ten years since the release of their Top 20 studio album Revival which featured favourites including ‘Gosport Nancy’ and ‘Roll Alabama’.

Need to know

Price : From £30.30 – £49.50

Stage Times : Announced nearer showtime.

Age : Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.

“The reunion tour in 2022 meant such a lot to all of us after such a difficult time, and seemed to bring so much joy to our fans, that we thought we’d probably best do it again!”

In 2004, Bellowhead burst onto the British folk scene like nothing before or since. Famously conjured up by duo Spiers & Boden whilst sitting in a traffic jam, they roped in friends, and friends of friends until the big band was born. In their early years Bellowhead played to hundreds of thousands of people at festivals and on tour and were regularly lauded as “One of the country’s greatest live outfits.” They recorded five studio albums (selling over a quarter of a million copies), were the proud recipients of two silver discs and won a staggering eight BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

After a hiatus, and prompted by a record-breaking online stream during the pandemic, the band reunited for a joyous sold-out tour in 2022 which reaffirmed their status as one of the biggest and most in demand UK folk acts. A review from one of the shows in the Telegraph described it as “A thrilling reunion gig… rowdy, riotous fun”.

Fresh, exciting new menus every time you dine.

Book your table in our Restaurant and make a night of it.

Save me a table

Plan your journey

Food and Drink

Access Info

Saturday 23 November 2024

From: £30.30 - £49.50

• [ April 19, 2024 ] --> FONTAINES D.C. announce UK & Ireland tour dates Gigs -->
• [ April 19, 2024 ] --> American comedian THEO VON announces headline show at SSE Arena, Belfast Gigs -->
• [ April 19, 2024 ] --> KINGS OF LEON unveil new single ‘Nothing To Do’ from upcoming album ‘Can We Please Have Fun’ News -->
• [ April 18, 2024 ] --> Can Olly Alexander Win the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK This Year? Features 2 -->
• [ April 18, 2024 ] --> ALBUM REVIEW: Iron and Wine – Light Verse Album Reviews -->

XS Noize | Latest Music News

• Live Review Bellowhead At Royal Albert Hall London

LIVE REVIEW: Bellowhead at Royal Albert Hall, London

In 2010 Bellowhead made history when their third LP, Headonism, became the highest-selling independently released folk album of all time. The eleven-piece (before they disbanded in 2016) then released another two albums, which earned them their highest official chart entries, with both entering the official top 20. 

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Headonism, Bellowhead reassembled for a one-off worldwide concert stream on 5 th December 2020. With over 10,000 tickets sold along with copies of the live album that followed, it was clear that fans would not allow the band to retreat back into retirement. With 2022 marking the tenth anniversary of Bellowhead’s fourth album Broadside , an 18-date nationwide tour was announced, which included a show at the Royal Albert Hall.

Support came from Bellowhead’s own Sam Sweeney, who played fiddle-led instrumentals from this latest album, Escape That which has a cover that looks more like the advertisement for an American blockbuster release rather than a folk LP. Nonetheless, folk music is about creating the beautiful sounds and harmonious cacophonies that Sweeney did with his backing band. The sincerity of the joy Sweeney displayed playing live whilst wearing his self-described “Neil Buchannan, Art Attack” multi-coloured jumper elated the Royal Albert Hall.

With a colossal backdrop of the Broadside LP, it was hard to believe that this modern folk classic was already ten years old. The Jon Boden fronted band opened with “Byker Hill,” Broadside’s opener. The fusion of the pure folk arrangements with anthem-arranged guitars showed how aged lyrics and folk tales can maintain their meaning as they are musically reinterpreted for subsequent generations. “The Old Dun Cow” brought the brass to the forefront to add intensity and told the story about how a fire at a public house cannot stop people from having a jolly old time by getting inebriated. The funk and jazz-leaning elements in the last minute of this track still pleasantly surprise without detracting from the fact this is a traditional folk song. The brass sections were also centre-stage with songs including “Betsy Baker”.

As well as playing masterpieces, Bellowhead gave the audience a guided tour of the UK and beyond with songs like the trumpet leading “Roll the Woodpile Down” about the sunshine state Florida. “Black Beetle Pies”, with its mystery, intensity and suspicion, took the audience to the Raglan House in Brixton. With opening xylophones, the audience were told of a benevolent woman whose philanthropic works include feeding the poor with stench-carrying insects. The unnerving soundscape is elevated to a new level on “The Wife of Usher’s Well”, who had to send her sons out to sea to their inevitable deaths. “London Town” later raised people from their seats, and the audience danced in unison as they sang along to the chorus: “I was up to the rigs, Down to the jigs, Up to the rigs of London Town”.

Sam Sweeney’s energy, despite not doing the “couch to 5k” he’d promised himself before this tour, was incredible. His sparkling green jacket transcended the stage as he jumped off every pillar and danced with merriment, all while adroitly playing the fiddle and the pipes. Each member’s sounds perfectly synchronised and harmonised whilst the individual personalities of each band member, including their attire, ensnared the audience. Some opted for period costumes; Boden opted for bright pink jackets, whilst Benji Kirkpatrick rocked out the spring break look. Each member of the band from the outset elatedly toiled and seldom had a moment to be idle. This was the magic of Bellowhead; everyone and every sound mattered, counted and equally touched the audience.  The magic of the late Paul Sartin, who played oboe and violin in Bellowhead, was present with emotive musical arrangements to his pre-recorded vocals.

Whilst fans can accept that Bellowhead have reached their zenith in the studio, they proved at the Royal Albert Hall they are still peaking. The live legacy of Bellowhead is so potent they are likely to attract new fans despite being a disbanded group.

• Royal Albert Hall

Related Articles

MORRISSEY announces a new London headline show at Eventim Apollo on Sunday 19th March

Morrissey has today announced a new London headline show at Eventim Apollo on Sunday 19th March. This show is part of a European tour that includes dates in France and Belgium. Tickets for the shows go […]

LIVE REVIEW: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Kentish Town Forum, London

2018 was always going to be the year where hopes of a triumphant return of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) would materialize after all 2018 is the bands twentieth anniversary and the tenth year since […]

LIVE REVIEW: Bonny Light Horseman at Union Chapel, London

“Supergroups” are not new. However, with a lineup consisting of Anaïs Mitchell, best known for providing the songs for the musical Hadestown, Eric D. Johnson, Fruit Bats, The Shins, and Josh Kaufman, who has produced […]

Be the first to comment

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Privacy Overview

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Deutsch Português
• Popular artists
• On tour: yes
• Bellowhead is not playing near you. View all concerts
• Moscow, Russian Federation Change location

14,747 fans get concert alerts for this artist.

Join Songkick to track Bellowhead and get concert alerts when they play near you.

Nearest concert to you

Ipswich Regent Theatre

Touring outside your city

Be the first to know when they tour near Moscow, Russian Federation

Join 14,747 fans getting concert alerts for this artist

Upcoming concerts (19) See all

De Montfort Hall

Brighton Dome

The Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury

Bristol Beacon

New Theatre Oxford

Royal Concert Hall Notts

Harrogate Convention Centre

Sheffield City Hall

View all upcoming concerts 19

Similar artists with upcoming concerts

Tours most with, live reviews.

What a night! while I am a fan, I admit I did wonder what Glasgow would make of the essentially 'English' nature of much of the traditional material that Bellowhead use. No need to worry! The band took their material right to the audience with no compromise! And they loved it! Probably one of the few bands that could have got away with 'Let union be' in Glasgow after the referendum!

Bellowhead also put on a great stage show. 11 instrumentalists from helicon to cello, traditional folk with a brass section! And they know how to put on a show! Lights, actions and staging all contribute to highlight the music.

Primarily the tour was about promotion of their new album,'Revival', and songs featured include Gosport Nancy, and I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, but as befits a 10th anniversary, a fair proportion of favourites from older albums - 10,000 miles Away, and Betsy Baker from Broadside, also feature.

Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall has a reputation for being not great in building atmosphere; too 'comfortable', many people think. Bellowhead had them rocking in the aisles by the end of the night! We didn't go on to the pub that the band said they were going off to - after all, there were 11 of them to squeeze in before the audience was added!

Report as inappropriate

Bellowhead have 11 members, about 20 instruments and the energy of Olympic athletes - they pour their heart and soul into every gig and seem to be determined not to leave anything in the tank when they go off stage.

I've seen them live about 10 times now, and I can honestly say they keep getting better, from a tiny venue in Bristol to new years eve at the Colston Hall and a sell out gig at the Albert Hall I've seen them grown into the best live band I've ever seen - better than the Who & the Stones even.

They play traditional folk tunes in a way no one else can match, its proper dancing music with sing along choruses - one thing I would recommend is get standing tickets for a great time :)

Photos (10)

Posters (28)

Past concerts

The Bridgewater Hall

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

View all past concerts

Bellowhead tour dates and tickets 2024-2025 near you

Want to see Bellowhead in concert? Find information on all of Bellowhead’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

Bellowhead is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 19 concerts across 1 country in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

Next 3 concerts:

• Leicester, UK
• Brighton, UK
• Portsmouth, UK

Next concert:

Concerts played in 2024:

Touring history

Most played:

• London (37)
• Liverpool (18)
• Bristol (15)
• Cambridge (15)
• Sheffield (13)

Appears most with:

• Neil McSweeney (17)
• Seth Lakeman (14)
• Show of Hands (13)
• Jon Boden (12)
• Stornoway (10)

Distance travelled:

Similar artists

• Most popular charts
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.

• But we really hope you love us.

Bellowhead Verified

Concerts and tour dates, bandsintown merch.

Live Photos of Bellowhead

Fan reviews.

Fans Also Follow

About bellowhead.

All Upcoming Events

Utilita Arena Cardiff | Cardiff, UNITED KINGDOM

Bellowhead celebratong 20 Years of band, announce 2024 tour

Pin It on Pinterest

At The Barrier

Live music, reviews and opinion / est. 2018, bellowhead – portsmouth guildhall: live review.

Bellowhead – Portsmouth Guildhall – 10th November 2022

Britain’s favourite Folkestra made their welcome return to live performance last week. We were there!

It’s been a long time – 2,384 days, in fact – since Bellowhead last trod the boards in front of a live audience but, when the eleven-strong ensemble hit the stage at Portsmouth’s Guildhall on the evening of Thursday 10th November, it really did feel like Britain’s favourite Folkestra had never been away. Of course, the festive spirit of the Bellowhead revival was dampened considerably by the recent loss of fiddler/oboist Paul Sartin (more of which later) but, make no mistake, Bellowhead were back – and they were on fire! The Portsmouth date was the first of a 16-date Bellowhead tour, scheduled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Broadside , the band’s awesome 2012 follow-up to their 2010 breakthrough album, Hedonism .

The stage set – an endearing blend of the deck of a galleon and the saloon bar of a dockside boozer – was a perfect fit for a city with the nautical history and imagery of Portsmouth and we all knew, as we entered the Guildhall, that tonight was going to be very special indeed.

I’ve always been fascinated by Portsmouth Guildhall. The concert hall is shabbily impressive – small enough to allow audiences to feel up close and intimate with whoever it is that they’ve come to see, and the sound is good. And WHAT a musical history the place has got – you name an act and it’s pretty certain that they’ll have played there: Pink Floyd – yep! David Bowie – of course! The Jam – regularly! Elton John, The Clash, Elvis Costello, U2 – the list is endless. The Guildhall legend is alive and well – and that legend grew a little bigger on Thursday night as Bellowhead drained our emotions and energies! And the really nice thing about Portsmouth Guildhall is that it was designed by Leeds architect William Hill and it’s an almost identical replica of his other masterpiece – At The Barrier’s own Bolton Town Hall…

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Before Bellowhead was summoned to the stage, we were to be treated to a wonderful set from Sam Sweeney, the band’s fiddler and sometime bagpipe practitioner. Backed by Jack Rutter on acoustic guitar, Louis Campbell on electric guitar and Ben Nicholls on double bass, Sam gave us a whistle-stop tour of his excellent new album, Escape That (out now on CD, LP and digital formats on Hudson Records). And – you know what? – the Victor Kiam in me enjoyed the tunes so much, I bought the album! It’s a delightful blend of traditional Celtic-flavoured folk with lashings of jazz mixed in for good measure, and I heartily recommend that anyone with a liking for that kind of thing (pretty well all of us in the ATB team, that’s for sure…) gives it a listen.

Sam kicked off with Ruby, the album’s opening track and I was immediately impressed by the richness and solidity of the music. Want To Fly Want To Flee was next – a skittish Irish-flavoured tune that builds nicely. Ben’s bass reverberated around the room and I found myself comparing the band’s sound to that of a mini Moving Hearts.

Sam wrote the jiggy Nightshifting whilst working in a Slough factory during lockdown. It’s quite an earworm with its strong Celtic theme spiced up with just the right amount of jazzy seasoning. Deep Water Shallow (End) is bright and sparkly with some great contributions from Jack’s choppy acoustic guitar and Louis’s soaring electric solo. A truly transportational tune – it was easy to imagine that we weren’t in Portsmouth at all, we were drifting amongst the rainclouds, above the Celtic hills of Scotland and Ireland, with blissful smiles on our faces.

Sam concluded his short set (and remember, he had to leave himself with enough time to shower and change before remounting the stage for an energy-sapping spot with Bellowhead…) with Pink Steps, a tune that came into Sam’s head whilst sleeping on a tour bus outside The Beacon concert hall in Bristol. Sam freely admits that he isn’t normally prone to nocturnal visitations but he’ll certainly be glad to have had this one. It’s another sprightly tune that gets ever more exciting as it progresses. Louis’s and Jack’s guitars were frantic and Sam’s fiddle was wildly exploratory, without ever getting out of control. Regardless of what happens next for Bellowhead, Sam Sweeney is a name to watch out for and Escape That is a must-listen album!

Bellowhead’s last appearance in front of an audience was way back in May 2016 and, at the time, I suppose that we were all pretty well convinced that that would be the last we’d see of this most engagingly dramatic of bands. We all appreciate that the expense and logistics of keeping an 11-piece mini-orchestra on the road must be quite a challenge, so we were overjoyed when it was announced that Bellowhead would be re-forming for one-off streamed concert in December 2020 to mark the 10th anniversary of Hedonism . That show, streamed on 5th December 2020, was a fine event – enshrined on the live album, Reassembled (now reissued on limited edition yellow vinyl to promote the current tour) – and it was, indeed, wonderful to see Bellowhead back together again. However, fine event it maybe was, but it wasn’t Bellowhead in the flesh. Tonight was different – they were really here, and the expectancy was palpable.

They hit the ground running, and the pace never let up. The bulk of the show’s material was to be taken from the Broadside album and, right from the opening chords of Byker Hill, one thing was clear. Bellowhead are as exciting now as they’ve always been. Clad in a pink jacket/ black shirt ensemble, frontman Jon Boden greeted us with “ Good evening Portsmouth! This is our first gig in, like, a million years! ” and we were well and truly up and away. 10,000 Miles Away was full of pomp, glam and seafaring spirit. Benji Kirkpatrick, in shorts, was everywhere – and, as the evening wore on, I don’t believe that he ever played the same instrument for two songs in succession – and John Spiers was, as ever, a dependable anchor to the voyages of exploration going on everywhere else.

Sam Sweeney, fresh from his revitalising bath and dressed now in a glittery shirt, led the way on Jack Lintel, his manic fiddle instrumental from 2014’s Revival album, before the band returned once again to Broadside for a sublime Betsy Baker. Jon B made maximum use of the stage props as he climbed to the highest point to deliver an assured vocal. This was Bellowhead at their orchestral, folky, slightly psychedelic best!

I first came across the folk standard, Old Dun Cow, the hilarious tale of the fire brigade’s antics when they attended a conflagration at the local alehouse, when it was performed on a BBC TV Special by The Spinners, sometime in the early 1970s. It’s fair to say that Bellowhead’s version of the song is rather better – suitably incendiary and the bass notes from Ed Neuhauser’s sousaphone never fail to send those shivers down my spine. The Wife of Usher’s Well was as dramatic as always, and the four-part vocal harmonies were simply stunning, before we were returned, once again to the Revival album and a wonderful version of Fine Sally, complete with a new verse in which the song’s subject stages a full recovery and reports fiendish, fraudulent doctor to the BMA!

By far the most poignant and memorable part of the evening was the tribute to the band’s recently deceased multi-instrumentalist Paul Sartin. Benji Kirkpatrick – also a bandmate of Paul’s in their Faustus project – made the introduction, as Paul’s recorded voice emerged from the PA for an unaccompanied first verse of Brisk Lad. The band joined in with a heart-rending six-part harmony and provided a thoroughly respectful instrumental backing, as a simple backdrop message: “Paul Sartin 1971-2022” replaced the colourful Bellowhead logo for the duration of the song. It was the evening’s true highlight and the song – and Paul’s memory – duly received a deserved standing ovation.

And I think that Paul’s memory was equally well-served as the band continued with the medley of morris tunes, led by Benji, that followed the solemn tribute. Rest in Peace, Paul – you’ll never be forgotten.

Taken from the Copper Family’s collection, Thousands Or More is a rousing chorus song that Jon B delivered in a vagabond-like voice. He also plugged in an electric guitar for a wonderfully flute-like solo, as the band burst into an irresistible waltz.

We enjoyed a set of dance tunes featuring Jon B on triangle and some divine oboe from Sally Hawkins (who coped admirably with the unenviable task of filling Paul Sartin’s role) before we got back to Broadside business with a manic Black Beetle Pies. Jon delivered his vocal through a megaphone, drummer Pete Flood stepped forward to give us a frantic xylophone solo and Rachael McShane played along on a small blue glockenspiel. “ How insane is THAT?!? ” said the astounded lady behind me.

A trip back to Revival was next on the list – first for Let Union Be (“ It’s not about politics – it’s about togetherness,” said Jon. And so say all of us!) John Spiers’ melodeon was majestic, as were the strings and the brass. There’s nothing that bellows quite like Bellowhead! And I’ve always loved Rosemary Lane, Bellowhead’s take on Scarborough Fair – it’s a lot rockier than anything that either Martin Carthy or Paul Simon ever imagined, but it’s equally respectful – in that special brassy Bellowhead kind of way.

Portsmouth + Bellowhead + a sea shanty = delirium – and so it proved tonight. As the band burst into Haul Away, the city’s landlubbers were up their feet and swaying along and, for a lesser band than Bellowhead, that would have been a difficult one to follow but, when there are songs like Lillibulero on the setlist, it really isn’t a problem, let alone when Roll Alabama is the next one up, and Jon Boden is minded to leap like a deranged springbok around every little bit of the elaborate stage.

The excitement had reached fever pitch by now and I reckon that every single person in the hall was up, swaying and clapping along to the Sloe Gin Set – John Spiers’ infectious collection of dance tunes. Young and old alike were a-leaping and a-hopping along and I hadn’t seen anything like it at an indoor concert for many a long month. We were getting close to the end, but we all knew that there are some tunes that Bellowhead aren’t allowed NOT to play… London Town, from their debut Burlesque album, for example. We all know the actions but, just in case anyone may have forgotten them during that long hiatus, Rachael and Sam ascended the upper levels to remind us.

There was still time for another and it was – what else – New York Girls! We sang heartily along and, when the band bid their farewells, we were rewarded with more. So – what had they missed so far? That’s it – Roll The Woodpile Down!!! And that, sadly was it. What a night. What a band. Bellowhead have been very clear that the current tour is a one-off event and there’s no commitment been given to any further appearances. It would be a huge shame if the Bellowhead circus was allowed to die after this tour. But I can’t really see that happening. Can you??

This really is a tour that you miss at your peril. Many of the shows are now sold out but, if you haven’t booked your seats yet, and you feel a last-minute urge to pop along to what might just be the show of your life, then you can check the itinerary here . But hurry up, these hot cakes are selling fast!

Keep an eye out for our end-of-tour coverage as the Bellowhead ship rolls around the North West , concluding in Manchester on 28th November.

Bellowhead online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube

If you would like to keep up with At The Barrier, you can like us on Facebook  here , follow us on Twitter  here , and follow us on Instagram  here . We really appreciate all your support.

Share this:

Categories: Live Reviews

Tagged as: Bellowhead , Benji Kirkpatrick , broadside , escape that , Featured , folk music , John Spiers , Jon Boden , Live Review , portsmouth , rachel McShane , Sam Sweeney

Published by John Barlass

John has been a music obsessive since he first heard 'Love Me Do' seeping out of the family radio in 1962. he spent a career in the rail industry before turning back to his first love of music. He plays bass guitar and melodeon, loves folk/rock and lives in Warwick. View all posts by John Barlass

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Discover more from At The Barrier

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

• Ethics policy
• Privacy Policy
• Ownership, funding and corrections
• Complaints procedure
• Terms & Conditions
• Food and Drink
• Brighton and Hove Albion
• Public notices

Bellowhead reunite and announce tour including Brighton concert

During lockdown in 2020 the 11 members of Bellowhead first re-connected online to remotely record ‘New York Girls – At Home’. That led to re-uniting in person for a one-off performance which was streamed to mark the anniversary of Hedonism. Thousands of fans watched the concert (one of the biggest online streams of 2020) confirming that Bellowhead are still one of the biggest and most in demand UK folk acts despite not performing for nearly 5 years.

The stream led to pleas from fans for more and now the stars have aligned and they are to reunite for a mammoth tour in November 2022 to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of their fourth album ‘Broadside’ ! This will include a performance at the Brighton Dome on 15th November 2022.

The band say “The reaction to the online concert was overwhelming and we really did enjoy playing together again. The 10th anniversary of Broadside presented an opportunity for us to take things one step further and get back out on the road. We couldn’t say no! It’s going to be lots of fun – hope you’ll join us for the party.”

Broadside was released in 2012 and produced by John Leckie. It gave the band their first Top 20 in the UK Official Album Charts and features 12 songs including the BBC Radio 2 playlisted singles ‘Roll The Woodpile Down’ and ‘10,000 Miles Away’.

Support on all dates will come from Sam Sweeney with his band. Sam is a veteran of the mighty Bellowhead and former artistic director of the National Folk Youth Ensemble. He recently released his second solo album Unearth Repeat.

Bellowhead formed in 2004 and after 12 amazing years, they called it a day in 2016. In their active years they played to thousands of people at festivals and on tour, recorded 5 studio albums (selling over a quarter of a million copies), were the proud recipients of 2 x silver discs and won a staggering 8 x BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Fans are sure to delight in the news that one of the planet’s most exciting, joyous and brilliant live bands are set to reunite for a special one-off tour in Autumn 2022.

Tickets are on sale from today and can be purchased HERE .

Bellowhead November 2022 tour (support from Sam Sweeney):

10 PORTSMOUTH Guildhall 11 OXFORD New Theatre 12 LECEISTER De Montfort Hall 13 CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange 14 LONDON Royal Albert Hall 15 BRIGHTON Dome 16 SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion 17 IPSWICH Regent Theatre 18 BATH Forum 20 PLYMOUTH Pavilions 21 CARDIFF St David’s Hall 21 BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall 22 NEWCASTLE O2 City Hall 23 NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall 25 HARROGATE Convention Centre 26 LIVERPOOL Philharmonic 27 SHEFFIELD City Hall 28 MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall

bellowhead.co.uk www.samsweeneymusic.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Owners of listed building told to remove modern roof

Paloma faith may have to cancel brighton show, councillor directs traffic after site workers get stuck in roadworks gridlock, albion charity opens cafe in former brighton pub, brighton summer all-day music event announced, woman attacks passenger on bus in hove, make britain more like brighton to tackle toxic masculinity, says danny dyer, street food market and taproom granted drinks licence, traffic lights to remain in place after gas main damaged along seafront, hove teaching assistant impresses judges in masterchef heat, arts and culture.

A chance to get all Bugeyed in Brighton

Erland Cooper unearths new album and announces Brighton concert

The Great Escape announces full festival schedule

Brighton gets the Lynks effect!

Honours even on opening day at Hove

A fine innings from James Bracey kept Gloucestershire in contention on day one of their County Championship fixture against Sussex...

Sussex thwarted by rain on final day at Leicester

Leicestershire 338 and 86-1 Sussex 694-9 declared Match drawn Frequent heavy showers killed off any prospect of a positive result...

Simpson double century gives Sussex the edge on day three at Leicester

New captain John Simpson struck a maiden double century as Sussex put Leicestershire to the sword on day three of...

Sussex close in on Leicestershire’s first innings total

Leicestershire 338 Sussex 282-6 Sussex opener Tom Haines posted his second century of the season after all-rounder Fynn Hudson-Prentice had...

© 2023 Brighton and Hove News

Privacy Overview

Since their formation in 2004 Bellowhead have occupied a unique place in Britain's musical landscape. Wild, joyous, perverse, bold, crazy more...

November 2024

• Nov 07 Thu Leicester, De Montfort Hall Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 08 Fri Brighton Dome Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 09 Sat Portsmouth Guildhall Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 10 Sun Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 11 Mon Ipswich, Regent Theatre Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 12 Tue Bristol Beacon Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 13 Wed New Theatre Oxford Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 14 Thu Nottingham, Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 15 Fri Harrogate Convention Centre Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 16 Sat Sheffield City Hall and Memorial Hall Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 18 Mon London Palladium Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 19 Tue Plymouth Pavilions Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 20 Wed Utilita Arena Cardiff Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 21 Thu Bath, The Forum Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 22 Fri Birmingham, Symphony Hall Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 23 Sat Gateshead, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 24 Sun Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 25 Mon Manchester, Bridgewater Hall Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets
• Nov 26 Tue Cambridge Corn Exchange Bellowhead The Longest Johns View Tickets

Fans who like Bellowhead also like

Spiers & Boden

Show Of Hands

Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings

Eliza Carthy

Seth Lakeman

Tue 12 Nov 2024

Plus support The Longest Johns

Beacon Hall

General sale opens in

Members priority booking opens in.

£29.98 - £49.05 incl. booking fee

Access priority booking…

Get unique deals , great benefits and priority booking on your favourite shows, and support music in the city.

Bristol Beacon Memberships are £45 a year and include these benefits .

• Watch & Listen
• Seating Plans
• Getting Here

In 2004, Bellowhead burst onto the British folk scene like nothing before or since. Famously conjured up by duo Spiers & Boden whilst sitting in a traffic jam, they roped in friends, and friends of friends until the big band was born.

In their early years Bellowhead played to hundreds of thousands of people at festivals and on tour and were regularly lauded as “one of the country’s greatest live outfits.” After a hiatus, the band reunited for a joyous sold-out tour in 2022 which reaffirmed their status as one of the biggest and most in demand UK folk acts.

2024 marks Bellowhead’s 20th Anniversary, it’s also 20 years since the release of their debut five track E.P.Onymous and 10 years since the release of their album Revival which featured favourites including Gosport Nancy and Roll Alabama.

Presented by SJM Concerts

Format: Reserved seating

Age:  Under 14s accompanied by an adult 18+

Doors:  19.00

All timings are approximate and subject to change

“Rowdy, riotous fun.” The Telegraph

About Beacon Hall

Our new flagship venue at Bristol Beacon

Seating plans

Beacon Hall has three levels that can be used in a seated or standing format. View seating plans, auditorium entrances and exits and accessible viewing areas.

Venue information

Take a closer look at our beautifully restored venue, see what’s on and view detailed information about the performance space.

at Bristol Beacon

Getting to the venue

Location: Beacon Hall is located within Bristol Beacon. Head to Level 1 and follow signs to find the auditorium.

Address: Bristol Beacon, Trenchard Street, Bristol, BS1 5AR

Bicycle racks can be found in front of the main entrance on Trenchard Street, Colston Street, and on the city centre promenade. Find your nearest cycle routes using Cycle Planner .

Car parking

Trenchard Street multi-storey car park is 200m away, directly behind Bristol Beacon.

  Bristol Clean Air Zone

Bristol Beacon is inside the Bristol Clean Air Zone. Check if your vehicle will be charged and how much you’ll have to pay.

Most bus services stop in and around the city centre promenade, 250m from Bristol Beacon.

View detailed travel information

Spaces for wheelchair users are in:

• row S in the centre of the rear Stalls (10 spaces)
• row Z in the left and right wings at the back of Lower Tier (4 spaces, 2 on each side),
• rows G/H on the left only at the back of Upper Tier (2 spaces)

Assistance Dogs

Assistance dogs and emotional support animals are allowed in the performance space. Seats in row F are most suitable. If you prefer, you can leave your animal with a member of staff during the performance.

Hearing Facility

A Sennheiser MobileConnect assistive listening system is installed in the venue. Download the free App and use your own mobile device and headphones to listen to the performance. (Devices are available on request.)

View detailed access information

Eat & Drink

We’ve got plenty of places for you to relax and refill. From coffee and cake, to delicious sharing boards, to full menus.

View places to eat & drink

You may also like

Event ticket coverage.

Protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances with Booking Protect and get a full refund if you’re unable to attend.

Find out more

Mon 29 Apr 2024

Rock and Pop

Adrianne Lenker

Plus support from Nick Hakim

Wed 1 May 2024

Darius Rucker: Starting Fires Tour

Plus Tyler Booth

Thu 2 May 2024

Cosmo Sheldrake

Plus support

Fri 3 May 2024

Ocie Elliott

Plus Old Sea Brigade

Lantern Hall

Mon 6 May 2024

Indian Classical

Part of DIASPORA! Festival

Orchestral Qawwali Project

Thu 9 May 2024

Johnny Flynn & Robert Macfarlane

Select a date.

• Tue 12 Nov 2024 19:00 Limited Availability

We use cookies to ensure we give you the best experience of our website. Learn about how we use them .

Register for email updates

Stay up to date with the latest events

• Investigations
• Classifieds
• Legal Notices

Comedian John Crist brings ‘Emotional Support Tour’ to Dayton

Nashville-based comedian John Crist is coming to Dayton on his “Emotional Support Tour” for a one-nighter at the Schuster Center.

Crist, known for his clean comedy and viral sketch videos, has a broader appeal than the Christian comedian label gives him credit for. And while a good chunk of his material does heavily feature religious references and free Chick-fil-A plugs — per his upbringing and affinity for chicken sandwiches — inanity is pointed out on all sides, cementing Crist as a well-rounded yet nuanced comedian.

There’s a moment in his most recent special, “John Crist: Would Like to Release a Statement,” when a callback from an earlier bit appears to arrive to Crist from the ether. It was as if lightning had hit the room. The audience erupted and Crist fell over, as if in disbelief that this particular line came back around.

Crist says he doesn’t plan for those moments; they just happen. Some things can only be written on stage, and they either evolve into recurring bits or disappear as quickly as the sound dissipates in the room.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Crist said, on the spontaneous arrival of inspiration. “You gotta put yourself into position to make it happen more frequently.”

And though it might not happen every show, there’s a good chance that what one audience gets is different from another. A show in Dallas is likely not the same as a show in Dayton, but Crist rolls with the changes wherever he goes.

His stage presence is frenetic and wired though his phone persona is much more subdued, despite ricocheting from hotel room to hotel room, somewhere between Duluth and San Jose, perhaps in need of some emotional support.

Originally from Georgia, Crist grew up the son of a pastor. Although his first open mic was in a Chili’s around 2009, he cut his comedic teeth in the church circuit for the decade following.

Now Crist is regarded as one of comedy’s fastest-rising stars, selling out theaters and accumulating billions of views on YouTube — not to mention the release of his 2022 book, “Delete That: (and Other Failed Attempts to Look Good Online),” and comedy video podcast, Net Positive.

Crist is often labeled as a Christian comic — making the top ten results in most “best Christian comics” lists, repeatedly referencing Christianity, etc. — though the other belief he has is that labeling is up for others to decide.

“Every human wants to kind of qualify every experience they have,” Crist said. “Being from the South, my dad being a preacher, being homeschooled, all those things… I talk about that stuff because that’s the lens I have and always will see the world through.”

And he has a point: comics talk about what they know, and the thing that John Crist arguably knows best is his faith. There are allusions and direct crowd work related to that faith in his act, but that doesn’t necessarily mean non-Christians won’t enjoy John Crist — in some ways, they might enjoy him more because of the absurdities he points out about Christians. But by that same token, John Crist doesn’t need an audience of Christians to get laughs; his observational, anecdotal style of humor is accessible from nearly every side.

“Any comic staying true to the art form,” Crist said, “is trying to keep all groups honest.”

Many of the topics he tackles, especially toward the end of his most recent special, err on the side of anti-woke, anti-PC, reducing Portland down to Suburus and soy milk lattes and comparing getting “canceled” to getting COVID-19.

“I’ve already been canceled — I can tell the truth now,” Crist said in the special, going on to say he now has the “canceled antibodies.” It’s a funny tag, but one might feel he’s making light of his being “canceled” with too glib of a statement.

In late 2019, sexual misconduct allegations arose against Crist. He scrapped the remainder of his aptly named “Immature Thoughts Tour” and Netflix postponed his stand-up special — though the footage was subsequently used for his self-released YouTube special “What Are We Doing?” in 2022.

Crist took some time off stand-up, eventually owned up to his actions and went to rehab. He’s newly sober from alcohol and says he’s more popular than ever before.

“I’m still the same guy that I was… maybe a little bit more free,” Crist said, on how his material changed after the allegations. “A lot of the videos I make now are not so much in a box of Christianity. We’ve been able to branch outside of that box. And the show now… it’s for everybody.”

Like baseball’s Pete Rose or comedy’s Roseanne Barr, Crist has an asterisk on his career but he continues to sell out shows across the country — from his home, The South, to the Gem City (which is nearly sold out).

John Crist might have initials that resemble those of a known religious leader, talk about faith and eat at Chick-fil-A once in a while, but the only label that matters to him is “comedian” because that’s what he is, and he does it as honest as he can.

More details

What: Comedian John Crist’s Emotional Support Tour

Where: Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center

When: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25

Tickets: daytonlive.org/events/john-crist

Other info: Comedians Caleb Elliot and Derrick Stroup will open the show

About the Author

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine announce extra Ascendancy / The Poison 2025 tour dates, plus stellar support act

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine have announced additional dates on their Poisoned Ascendancy world tour.

The metalcore favourites announced the tour in February, which will see them coheadline to celebrate their 20th anniversaries of their respective breakthrough albums, Ascendancy and The Poison .

The records will each be performed live in full.

The bands also announced the UK dates simultaneously, which will start on January 26, 2025, in Cardiff, Wales, and conclude on February 1 in London.

Now, the pair have added a string of European shows to the tour.

The full list of dates and the new poster are available below.

It’s also been revealed that Swedish groove/death metal up-and-comers Orbit Culture will be the support act for the UK and Europe gigs.

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine have stated previously that The Poisoned Ascendancy will be a world tour, implying that North and South American and Asian dates will be added to the run in due course.

Ascendancy was released on March 15, 2005, as Trivium’s debut on renowned label Roadrunner Records.

It only charted at 151 in the band’s native United States, but received critical acclaim and became a sleeper hit, especially in the UK following Trivium’s main-stage set at Download festival, Donington, that June.

Ascendancy has since been certified Gold in the UK.

The Poison came out on October 3, 2005, and was Bullet For My Valentine’s debut album.

It reached number 21 on the album charts in the band’s native UK and also received critical acclaim.

The Poison has since been certified Gold in the UK and in the United States, and certified Platinum in Germany.

When the first Poisoned Ascendancy dates were announced in February, Trivium singer/guitarist Matt Heafy commented: “Bullet For My Valentine’s The Poison and Trivium’s Ascendancy are two records whose influence can be heard to this day – in the DNA of modern metal.

“It’s incredible to think of the impact the albums had when they came out in 2005. They were both like bolts of lightning.

“Both bands grew up independently of each other in different countries and separately from any movement or scene but both shared a common love of melodic heavy metal at the core; and both had similar meteoric rises right out of the gate.”

Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck also commented, saying: “I honestly can’t believe it's been 20 years since the release of The Poison and what an incredible 20 years it’s been.

“I feel so proud of what we've achieved as a band in the last two decades and it all started with that debut album.

“ The Poison is such an important part of our lives musically and personally and we know the massive impact it had on the metal world on a global level.

“This tour will be made even more special as our brothers in Trivium are also joining us on the road to celebrate and play in its entirety their stunning album Ascendancy .”

Trivium / Bullet For My Valentine The Poisoned Ascendancy 2025 tour dates:

Jan 26: Cardiff Utilita Arena 

Jan 27: Cardiff Utilita Arena

Jan 28: Glasgow OVO Hydro

Jan 30: Manchester Co-op Live 

Jan 31: Birmingham Utilita Arena   Feb 1: London The O2

Feb 2: Düsseldorf Mitsubishi Electric Hall, Germany

Feb 4: Stuttgart Scheleyer-Hall, Germany

Feb 5: Zurich The Hall, Switzerland

Feb 7: Paris Le Zenith, France

Feb 9: Antwerp Lotto Arena, Belgium

Feb 10: Hannover Swiss Life Hall, Germany

Feb 11: Amsterdam AFAS Live, Netherlands

Feb 13: Hamburg Sporthalle, Germany

Feb 14: Berlin Max-Schmeling-Halle, Germany

Feb 15: Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle, Germany

Feb 17: Milan Alcatraz, Italy

Feb 18: Munich Zenith, Germany

Feb 19: Vienna Stadthalle, Austria

Feb 21: Gliwice Arena, Poland

Feb 22: Prague Forum Karlin, Czechia

Feb 23: Luxembourg Rockhal, Luxembourg

Feb 26: Lisbon Campo Pequeno, Portugal

Feb 27: Madrid Vistalegre, Spain

Get tickets.

How Zendaya Feels Having Tom Holland's Support During 'Challengers' Press Tour (Exclusive)

How zendaya feels having tom holland's support during ‘challengers’ press tour (exclusive), 'the fall guy': ryan gosling and emily blunt on their characters' chemistry (exclusive), 'abigail': william catlett and kevin durand explain new vampire rules (exclusive), tori spelling surprised by ian ziering's 'offensive' post-split dating question, priyanka chopra opens up about being a protective mom and having a great support system (exclusive), mandisa, 'american idol' contestant and grammy winner, dead at 47, blake shelton gives tour of his new las vegas bar (exclusive), taylor swift fans think 'the alchemy' is about travis kelce, why fans think taylor swift’s 'thank you aimee' is a diss track about kim kardashian, dwayne johnson tears up over chris janson's idea to honor the rock’s late dad (exclusive), uma thurman on reuniting with john travolta & samuel l. jackson for 'pulp fiction' 30th anniversary, 'pulp fiction': john travolta shares memories of working with bruce willis (exclusive), 'abigail': dan stevens and kathryn newton on being soaked in blood (exclusive), jason kelce reveals why he refuses to wear underwear, 'field of dreams' turns 35: kevin costner predicts emotional reactions in 1989 interview (flashback), kim kardashian and emma roberts passionately kiss in 'ahs: delicate', zendaya recreates serena and venus williams' iconic vogue shoot, ‘hit man’: glen powell plays undercover criminal in new dark comedy, prince william makes first official appearance since kate middleton's cancer reveal, jennifer love hewitt shares first-ever photo of her 3 children, orlando bloom on supporting his kids if they follow in his thrill-seeking footsteps (exclusive), the actress spoke with et from the los angeles premiere of 'challengers' on tuesday..

Zendaya is feeling the love from her fans, including her No. 1 supporter, boyfriend Tom Holland . 

Talking with ET's Denny Directo from the Los Angeles premiere of her new film, Challengers , on Tuesday, the 27-year-old Emmy winner said she has been astounded by the sheer amount of love from not only her on and off-screen love interest, 27, but her family and friends as well.

"It's great. I mean, I feel so lucky. I have so much beautiful support around me," Zendaya told ET. "Even tonight, I have so many family -- they're over there -- family and friends here."

While Holland was nowhere to be seen on the black carpet, it is possible that the Uncharted star was giving his longtime love her moment to shine before greeting her inside. At the London premiere last week, Holland skipped the carpet but was caught kissing and embracing his girlfriend inside the venue in photos and videos posted online . Could he have done the same in sunny L.A.?

In early March, near the beginning of Zendaya's Challengers press tour, Holland joined her for an appearance alongside her stylist and close friend, Law Roach, at the BNP Paribas Open. During the match, the Euphoria star and her British beau were seen goofing around during the game and jamming out to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston. One adorable pic posted online also showed Holland snapping photos of Zendaya as she spoke with the event's winner, Iga Swiatek. 

While Holland has been sneakily showing up to support Zendaya as she promotes her new film, it's evident that the Cherry actor has had nothing to worry about all along as the only thing capable of stealing the show has been Zendaya's style. 

During stops in Australia, London, Paris and Rome, the actress has given a new definition to "tennis chic" with dresses and looks inspired by the film and the sport at the center of the Luca Guadagnino flick. 

"I've really enjoyed this press tour. I think just the idea of tennis whites in general and kind of playing with that in each of my looks," she told ET. "It's just been fun, you know, just experimenting and building this other red carpet character."

For her looks over the last month, she and Roach have dabbled in everything from bedazzled tennis dresses to tennis-ball green get-ups and one gown with a person playing tennis on the front. For the Los Angeles premiere, however, the pair decided to keep it simple with a lacy black and pink gown designed by Vera Wang, which she said relates to the film in a way fans will understand after watching. 

"It's interesting 'cause we've had this dress for a while and it just felt like the right time to bring her out," Zendaya said, hinting that the look mirrors a potentially scandalous scene in a nightgown. 

Before heading in and celebrating the hard work of the film's cast and crew, Zendaya also commented on one big-name guest in attendance and one who may have an expert opinion on the more technical side of the film's sport. Tennis great Venus Williams showed up and showed out to support the movie on Tuesday, which Zendaya said made her a little nervous. 

"I heard that she came and I was like, 'No way, this is the coolest thing!' So I'm very nervous 'cause I know Serena [Williams] has seen the movie but I'm very nervous about her seeing my tennis," she shared.

Should Venus, 43, find faults in Zendaya's skill with a tennis ball and a racket, Zendaya added, "I apologize in advance."

Challengers is in theaters April 26. 

ET NEWSLETTER

RELATED CONTENT: 

Serve Up the Perfect Present: 12 Best Gifts for Tennis Players

Zendaya and Tom Holland Spotted Kissing at 'Challengers' Premiere

Zendaya Talks Having Kids and Tom Holland's Impressive Rise to Fame

• Tom Holland
• Challengers
• ET Black Stories

Latest News

Updates on celebrity news, tv, fashion and more.

By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Sign In Up with your social account

We won't post to any of your accounts

Your password must include:

• Min 8 characters
• Min 1 lowercase character
• Min 1 uppercase character
• Min 1 number

Zendaya Feels ‘So Lucky’ Having Boyfriend Tom Holland’s Support During ‘Challengers’ Press Tour 

Zendaya ’s support system has been out in full force as she embarks on the press tour for her latest movie, Challengers .

While attending the film’s Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday, April 16, the actress, 27, told Entertainment Tonight that she feels “so lucky” to have her boyfriend, Tom Holland , by her side throughout the whirlwind promotion process.

“I have so much beautiful support around me,” Zendaya explained . “Even tonight, I have so many family — they’re over there — family and friends here.”

While Holland, 27, has been opting out of red carpet appearances for the film, he was spotted alongside Zendaya inside the London premiere’s venue earlier this month. The pair embraced, and Holland was later spotted taking photos of his girlfriend when she arrived on stage.

Related: Zendaya and Tom Holland’s Relationship Timeline

Just ahead of the film’s press tour, Holland and Zendaya took their love courtside in March, attending the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. The duo were spotted singing along to Whitney Houston ‘s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” before the Emmy-winning actress met with winner Iga Świątek to pose for photos.

“I already got used to all this post-match craziness,” Świątek, 22, said in a press conference after the game. “For sure, meeting Zendaya was crazy, but on the other hand, she’s a human like all of us. So I was just happy that she’s enjoying tennis and she’s, you know, having this movie with tennis theme [ Challengers ] coming out. So that should be really exciting.”

When it comes to making public appearances — courtside or otherwise — Holland and Zendaya, who first sparked romance rumors in 2017, have opted for a quieter approach.

You have successfully subscribed.

Subscribe to newsletters

By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly

Deal of the Day

Check our latest news in Google News

Check our latest news in Apple News

Related: Costar Couples! Celebs Who Fell in Love on TV and Movie Sets

“Zendaya and Tom really did their best to keep their romance under wraps when they first started dating,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2023. “Before they began seeing each other, they had both always been very private when it came to their personal lives. It was something that bonded them in the early stages of their relationship because they were both on the same page when it came to avoiding public speculation.”

However, that changed after their relationship officially went public. Following years of chatter about their status, the Spider-Man costars were spotted kissing in a car in 2021, finally offering fans visual confirmation that their romance was not just a rumor.

“They acknowledge that everyone knows they’re together,” the source added. “So Tom is proud to call Zendaya his girlfriend and express how much he loves her because he wants the world to know.”

In this article

Tom Holland

More Stories

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Germany’s Leader Walks a Fine Line in China

Chancellor Olaf Scholz tried to promote German business interests while delivering warnings from Europe about trade and geopolitical tensions.

By Alexandra Stevenson and Melissa Eddy

Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany tried to strike a delicate balance on a trip to China this week, promoting business ties with his country’s biggest trading partner while raising concerns over its surge of exports to Europe and its support for Russia.

Mr. Scholz met with China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Tuesday, the culmination of a three-day visit with a delegation of German officials and business leaders. He also met with Premier Li Qiang as the two countries navigate relations strained by Russia’s war in Ukraine and China’s rivalry with the United States, Germany’s most important ally.

Throughout his trip, Mr. Scholz promoted the interests of German companies that are finding it increasingly hard to compete in China. And he conveyed growing concern in the European Union that the region’s market is becoming a dumping ground for Chinese goods produced at a loss .

But Mr. Scholz chose a conciliatory tone over a combative one in his opening remarks before sitting down with Mr. Xi on Tuesday morning, in a meeting that stretched over three hours and turned into a walk and lunch.

It was the German leader’s first visit to China since his government adopted a strategy last year that defined the Asian power as a “partner, competitor and systemic rival ,” calling on Germany to reduce its dependency on Chinese goods.

Germany’s economy shrank last year, and its weaknesses have exposed a reliance on China for growth. Energy prices have risen because of the war in Ukraine, which has been facilitated by Beijing’s support for the Kremlin. German companies have pushed for more access to China and complained that they face unfair competition .

The chancellor visited German companies with extensive investments in China and met with trade representatives and officials in the sprawling industrial metropolis of Chongqing in China’s southwest and in Shanghai and Beijing.

At a talk with a group of students in Shanghai on Monday, Mr. Scholz fielded a question from a student who planned to study in Germany this year, who said he was “really worried” because the country had partially legalized cannabis. “When you study in Berlin, you can run around the whole time and never meet anyone who does that,” the chancellor assured him.

But he also used the platform to push more serious messages about trade. “Competition must be fair,” Mr. Scholz told the students. “We want a level playing field,” he said.

Mr. Scholz’s trip was an example of the difficult dance that Germany is trying to do: maintaining economic ties with China while managing U.S. pressure to align itself more closely with Washington against Beijing.

In his meetings, Mr. Scholz highlighted Germany’s commitment to doing business with China, but he also warned that Beijing had to curb the flood of Chinese goods into Europe. At the same time, he expressed reservations about the European Union’s investigations into China’s use of subsidies for green technology industries, saying that any discussion about trade must be based on fairness.

“This must be done from a position of self-confident competitiveness and not from protectionist motives,” Mr. Scholz told reporters on Monday.

China’s manufacturing push in green sectors like electric cars and solar panels has touched off trade disputes with Europe and the United States, where such industries have also received government support. But with 5,000 German companies active in the Chinese market, Germany stands to lose more than many of its European partners would if Beijing were to retaliate against the European Union.

“If the E.U. goes too hard against China, we could expect countermeasures and this would be a catastrophe for us,” said Maximilian Butek, the executive director of the German Chamber of Commerce in China.

“For us it’s extremely important that the Chinese market remains open,” he said.

In his meeting with Mr. Xi, Mr. Scholz indicated that Russia’s war on Ukraine and its arms buildup were high on his agenda. “They directly affect our core interests. Indirectly, they damage the entire international order,” he said in opening remarks at the meeting, a transcript of which was provided by Mr. Scholz’s office.

Despite pressing the issue with Mr. Xi, he did not appear to win the commitment that he had sought from the Chinese leader to take part in an international conference for Ukraine planned in June. Germany had hoped that China could use its influence over Russia to help work toward a peace agreement.

Germany would also like China stop selling goods to Russia that have potential uses on the battlefield, and Mr. Scholz told reporters that he had brought up the issue in his meeting. “The point has been made,” he said. “There can be no misunderstanding about how we see things.”

China is hoping to drive a wedge between Europe and the United States by courting leaders such as Mr. Scholz. State media reports depicted his visit as demonstrating the strength of China’s relations with Europe, playing up its economic ties with Germany.

In his opening remarks to Mr. Scholz, Mr. Xi said cooperation between China and Germany, which have the second- and third-largest economies, was beneficial to the world, a remark that could be read as directed at those who have urged Berlin to distance itself from Beijing.

“The two countries should view and develop bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective and work together to inject more stability and certainty into the world,” Mr. Xi told Mr. Scholz, emphasizing the importance of seeking “common ground.”

Beijing is sure to welcome the message that German businesses are committed to China. The Asian giant is trying to court foreign investment to reinvigorate its economy, which has faltered because of a housing slowdown. Some Western businesses and investors have also been rattled by Mr. Xi’s emphasis on national security, which they regard as making it riskier to operate in the country.

From China’s perspective, Germany may be its best hope of delaying or watering down any trade restrictions from Europe, said Noah Barkin, a senior adviser in the China practice at the Rhodium Group, a research firm.

German carmakers have invested billions of dollars in China, and much of their revenue comes from there. Many worry that if the European Commission imposes higher tariffs on Chinese exports, and Beijing retaliates, German businesses will suffer most.

Chinese officials “know that German companies are heavily invested and they use that politically to influence political decision making in Berlin,” Mr. Barkin said.

Germany’s biggest companies, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and BASF, have large operations in China and strong, effective lobbies in Berlin, Mr. Barkin added. Executives from those companies, along with several others, traveled with Mr. Scholz to China.

“The supply chain in China is stuffed with German goods,” said Joerg Wuttke, a former president of the E.U. Chamber of Commerce in China. “If China has a price war with Germany, then no one will make money anymore.”

Mr. Scholz also brought along the German ministers for agriculture, the environment and transportation, officials who experts said would be particularly interested in working with China.

“You set an agenda with these three ministers, the tonality is overall a cooperative one, these are areas that we want to work on,” said Janka Oertel, director of the Asia Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Chinese officials, for their part, have brushed off the European accusations of unfair trading practices, calling them groundless and an act of “ typical protectionism .” They have hinted that they could retaliate for any actions taken by the European Union, saying that China was “strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes” its investigations.

In an interview with the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Wu Ken, China’s ambassador to Germany, said the competitive edge of Chinese electric vehicles “relies on innovation, not subsidies.”

“The challenge faced by developed countries lies more in the fact that Chinese companies are more efficient,” the ambassador said.

Vivian Wang contributed reporting from Beijing and Zixu Wang from Hong Kong.

Alexandra Stevenson is the Shanghai bureau chief for The Times, reporting on China’s economy and society. More about Alexandra Stevenson

Melissa Eddy is based in Berlin and reports on Germany’s politics, businesses and its economy. More about Melissa Eddy

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.