By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – Bristol, The intersection of avant-garde jazz, hazy trip-hop, and pastoral folk has found its most compelling modern champions in the Tara Clerkin Trio. Following the mid-summer release of their latest full-length effort, Somewhere Good, the Bristol-based ensemble has officially confirmed a massive expansion of their touring schedule. While fans in the United Kingdom were already preparing for a series of intimate performances scheduled for this autumn, the trio has now unveiled a comprehensive North American itinerary. This upcoming trek, which spans the United States and Canada, is set to take place throughout January and early February of 2027, marking a significant milestone for the group as they bring their atmospheric, genre-defying soundscapes to a much wider international audience.
The trio, comprised of namesake Tara Clerkin alongside multi-instrumentalists Sunny Joe Paradisos and Patrick Benjamin, has seen their profile rise exponentially over the last year. Their June release, Somewhere Good, was met with immediate and widespread critical acclaim, cementing their status as one of the most innovative acts currently operating out of the UK’s vibrant experimental scene. The album was notably featured in mid-year retrospectives as one of the standout musical achievements of 2026, with critics praising its ability to feel both meticulously structured and effortlessly improvisational. The title track, in particular, was singled out as a masterclass in mood-setting, earning "Best New Track" honors and serving as a gateway for many listeners into the band’s unique sonic world.
The upcoming UK leg of the tour serves as a homecoming and a victory lap for the group. Starting in October, the band will perform two back-to-back nights at London’s prestigious Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) on October 20 and 21. These shows are expected to set the tone for the tour, utilizing the venue’s reputation for hosting cutting-edge art and music to complement the trio’s ethereal stage presence. From London, the group will travel north to Manchester for a performance at Halle St Peters on October 22, followed by a highly anticipated hometown show in Bristol at the Trinity Centre on October 25. The UK run continues through Wales and the northern reaches of England, including stops in Cardiff, Leeds, Oxford, and Newcastle, before concluding with a series of dates in Scotland. Notably, the band will perform both a matinee and an evening set at Glasgow’s Glad Cafe on November 15, highlighting the high demand for their live performances.
The announcement of the North American dates represents a bold new chapter for the Tara Clerkin Trio. For many fans in the U.S. and Canada, this will be the first opportunity to witness the group’s intricate arrangements in a live setting. The tour kicks off on January 8, 2027, at Songbird in Washington, D.C., before winding through the American South with stops in Carrboro, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia. As the group moves westward, they will visit the 29th Street Ballroom in Austin, Texas, on January 12, a city known for its appreciation of eclectic and experimental sounds.
The West Coast portion of the tour is particularly robust, reflecting the trio’s growing popularity in regions traditionally receptive to avant-pop and indie-jazz fusion. After a night at Phoenix’s Valley Bar, the band will head into California for a four-city run. This includes performances at the Soda Bar in San Diego and Zebulon in Los Angeles—the latter being a venue perfectly suited to the trio’s blend of jazz-inflected rhythms and ambient textures. From there, they will travel north to San Francisco’s Rickshaw Stop and the intimate Miniplex in Arcata. The Pacific Northwest leg follows, with shows at Polaris Hall in Portland and Baba Yaga in Seattle, before the trio crosses the border for their first Canadian date at Vancouver’s Fox Cabaret on January 23.
The final stretch of the tour sees the band traversing the Midwest and the Northeast, hitting major cultural hubs and smaller, tastemaker-focused venues. After a performance at Minneapolis’s legendary 7th St Entry, the group will head through Columbus and Detroit before returning to Canada for a show at Longboat Hall in Toronto. The tour then moves into Quebec for a night at Montreal’s La Sala Rossa on February 2. The North American journey concludes with a series of high-profile dates in the Eastern U.S., including Boston, Kingston, and Philadelphia. The tour reaches its grand finale on February 6 at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, New York. This closing show at one of Brooklyn’s premier experimental art spaces is expected to be a highlight of the winter concert season, providing a fittingly grand environment for the trio’s final performance of the run.
The success of Somewhere Good and the subsequent scale of this tour announcement reflect a broader trend in the music industry where "slow-burn" experimental music is finding a dedicated, global audience. The Tara Clerkin Trio does not rely on traditional pop hooks or aggressive marketing; instead, their music invites the listener into a quiet, complex interior world. Their sound is characterized by a delicate balance of woodwinds, soft percussion, and Clerkin’s own haunting, often understated vocals. It is a sound that feels distinctly British—specifically tied to the dub and jazz-infused history of Bristol—yet it possesses a universal emotional resonance that explains their success in international markets.
As the band prepares for this extensive period on the road, the logistics of bringing such a nuanced sound to diverse venues remain a point of interest for fans. The trio is known for their ability to adapt their studio recordings into immersive live experiences, often expanding on the improvisational elements of their tracks. For those who have followed the band since their self-titled debut or their subsequent EPs, this tour feels like the realization of the potential they have shown since their inception. The transition from local Bristol favorites to international touring artists has been a steady progression, fueled by consistent artistic growth and a refusal to compromise their experimental leanings.
With tickets expected to go on sale shortly, the anticipation for both the UK and North American legs is high. The 2026-2027 season is shaping up to be the defining era for the Tara Clerkin Trio, as they transition from the studio acclaim of Somewhere Good to the physical reality of global stages. Whether in the historic halls of Manchester or the DIY-adjacent spaces of Brooklyn, the trio is poised to provide a soundtrack for the quiet, contemplative moments of the coming winter.
The full itinerary for the upcoming tours is as follows:
UK Tour Dates:
10-20 London, England – ICA
10-21 London, England – ICA
10-22 Manchester, England – Halle St Peters
10-25 Bristol, England – Trinity
10-26 Cardiff, Wales – Chapter Arts
10-27 Leeds, England – The Attic
10-28 Oxford, England – Common Ground
11-14 Newcastle, England – The Lubber Fiend
11-15 Glasgow, Scotland – Glad Cafe (Matinee)
11-15 Glasgow, Scotland – Glad Cafe
11-16 Edinburgh, Scotland – Pianodrom
North American Tour Dates:
01-08 Washington, D.C. – Songbird
01-09 Carrboro, NC – Arts Center
01-10 Atlanta, GA – Aisle 5
01-12 Austin, TX – 29th Street Ballroom
01-14 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
01-15 San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
01-16 Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
01-18 San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
01-19 Arcata, CA – The Miniplex
01-21 Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
01-22 Seattle, WA – Baba Yaga
01-23 Vancouver, British Columbia – Fox Cabaret
01-27 Minneapolis, MN – 7th St Entry
01-29 Columbus, OH – Rumba Cafe
01-30 Detroit, MI – Moondog Cafe
01-31 Toronto, Ontario – Longboat Hall
02-02 Montreal, Quebec – La Sala Rossa
02-03 Boston, MA – Deep Cuts
02-04 Kingston, NY – Tubby’s
02-05 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
02-06 Brooklyn, NY – Pioneer Works
