Sir Richard Bishop returns to Dublin on 26 September 2025 for a rare solo acoustic show at BelloBar, debuting music from his new album, Hillbilly Ragas. Known for his improvisational, genre-blending guitar style, the performance promises a unique, exploratory experience. With high demand and an intimate venue, tickets are expected to sell fast.
Summary: Key Points
- Sir Richard Bishop performs live at BelloBar in Dublin on 26 September 2025, shortly before releasing his new album Hillbilly Ragas.
- The concert will be an intimate, seated experience, showcasing his improvisational guitar style rooted in global influences and praised for its emotional depth.
- Tickets go on sale from 13 June 2025; due to the artist’s cult following and the venue’s limited capacity, demand will be high.
Sir Richard Bishop returns to Dublin with new album in tow
Known for his genre-defying guitar work, Sir Richard Bishop is set to bring his singular style to Dublin on Friday, 26 September 2025, with a solo acoustic performance at the BelloBar. The concert lands just ahead of the release of his upcoming album, Hillbilly Ragas, promising a night steeped in sonic wanderlust.
A founding member of the legendary experimental band Sun City Girls, Bishop has spent decades fusing influences from American primitivism, Indian ragas, flamenco and Middle Eastern traditions into a unique guitar language. Since going solo in the early 2000s, he has toured extensively across the globe, becoming a cult favourite among fans of outsider folk, avant-garde and improvisational music.
In every show, Bishop turns his guitar into something of a psychic compass: it zigzags between cultures, meanders through melodies, and sometimes, simply disappears into resonant silence. His live performances are often unplanned, driven by intuition rather than setlists. As he once told The Quietus, the freedom to wander musically is what keeps his art vital. "Composition is fine," he said, "but improvisation is survival."
Honestly, the last time we caught him live — it was a small venue in Berlin, a crowd of maybe fifty, dead silent — even the bartender waited to pour the drinks between songs. The dynamics of volume and space were so intense, it felt more like a séance than a concert. You walked out blinking, not entirely sure what just happened, but knowing it mattered.
With Hillbilly Ragas on the horizon, fans can expect a blend of Appalachian twang and modal explorations anchored in Bishop’s exploratory spirit. The LP's title hints at a hybrid approach, one that might splice mountain music with the drone-heavy textures he revisited in Tangier Sessions.
This rare Dublin appearance will mark his first show in the city since 2018, and given his cult following, the quiet BelloBar may be humming by the time the first note is struck.
Expect an intimate, seated affair where instrumental storytelling takes centre stage. More than just a showcase of technical skill, Bishop’s show at BelloBar offers a moment of musical discovery, one likely to reward the curious.
Next, we take a closer look at what makes the BelloBar a perfect setting for such a distinctive concert — and why tickets are bound to be in high demand.
Event Information
- Artist: Sir Richard Bishop
- City: Dublin
- Venue: BelloBar
- Event date: 26 September 2025
- Ticket sales opening: 13/06/2025
Categories and ticket prices
The pricing and categories of seats will be provided shortly.
