George Ezra returns to the small Bristol bar where he launched his career

He may now be more used to performing in some of the world’s biggest arenas, but chart-topping singer-songwriter George Ezra has returned to the small Bristol bar where it all started for him.

Ezra moved to Bristol in 2011 as a student and he studied songwriting at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute in the city.

During that time, he performed at The Gallimaufry on Gloucester Road, and it was this venue he chose to revisit during the filming of his new documentary End to End.

The documentary, which is currently showing in cinemas across the globe, shows the singer famous for hits like Shotgun and Budapest walking the length of the country, stopping off at various locations that have some meaning to him.

James Koch, owner of The Gallimaufry, said he was surprised and pleased that Ezra decided to retrace his footsteps by filming part of the documentary at his bar, which still has the original gig posters from when Ezra performed in 2013 and 2014.

James says: “He came in with a big production crew and recorded a track and it was touching to know that he very much feels it all began for him at the Gallimaufry.

“He had two three-date residencies here in 2013 and 2014, each one with a bill of three performers, including Bristol singer Beth Rowley.

“George didn’t always play the headline set but by the sixth show, the clamour to see him had grown so big that it was clear bigger venues were calling.

“I still remember him as a raw bluesman. Over the years his sound has evolved but his friendly, humble and hard-working nature has remained the same.”

James says it was just like old times meeting superstar Ezra again and the singer was genuinely pleased to be back.

“It was all very familiar, really like nothing had changed in the past eight years or so - he even has the same manager.

“He’s very down to earth and wanted to know how the Galli was going and he was very pleased to see his posters still on the wall. We sat down when he’d finished filming and had a couple of pints like old times!”