“Bristol is an anomaly. It sits as this valley of its own merit that seems not to care much about the rest of this island’s acceptance but works towards carving its own history, sometimes to its own wanky discomfort, but mostly to the result of a magnificent dishevelled rumble of cacophonous joy. The people are mostly welcoming and hard working, most with a drinking problem. The key, here, is that all are welcome.
“The ‘scene’, here, is not much of an insular scene, there is more of a scattered frenzy of people working towards their own fancies and equally bringing in their own crowds. Bristol has come into its own recently with The Crack magazine, Howling Owl, Team Love, Thorny, Jacknife Design, The Know, Simple Things, Young Echo, Tap The Feed and shit loads more creating something fucking magical. Below are some venues and bands that feel good at the moment and most certainly help Bristol be what it be.”
PLACES
The Old England
My boy Diego is doing that DIY shit for the love of it, and it’s inspiring. Go there for some exciting back-to-basics gigs and seriously passionate mess.
Exchange
A venue that came from the ashes of The Croft. It is a beast in medium sized venues that should never die.
The Louisiana
A home from home, where the family history has been to champion new music and feed the fuckers with shit hot pasta. The best live sound in the world too.
The Stag and Hounds
Relentless in bringing new music for cheap. They have a savage hard working promoter that results in a fuck tonne of decent gigs.
The Surrey Vaults
A grotto of forward-thinking art and music with cheap drinks and plenty scuzz.
Friendly Records/ Rise
True independent record shops that house new music sold by new musicians for the people, by the people, yadda yadda…
The Cube Microplex
An unsung venue, pushing the independents; from drag shows to ambient noise to arthouse cinema.
BANDS
Spectres
Beautiful pricks, Horrible noise, Beautiful noise, Horrible pricks.
Scarlet Rascal
They make my teeth itch when they play live. Well crafted tank songs.
Lice
Cantankerous fuckers.
IDLES’ debut album ‘Brutalism’ is out now.