What's On in Bristol
Gig guide & event listingsBristol's local and trusted what's on guide.
Events in Bristol
Headfirst is Bristol's leading gig guide with a freshly launched online ticket shop. We work directly with the city's promoters to provide the most up-to-date guide what's on in Bristol you'll find. The events calendar includes all events happening in Bristol tonight and for the forthcoming weekend. If you're a musician, band member or club night organiser be sure to add your event to the Headfirst Bristol calendar.
Made famous by the legendary Lakota, Bristol's warehouse events are the keystone to the city's clubbing culture. These no-frills venues are the place to see Bristol's house and techno at it's best. If you need addmission to forthcoming warehouse parties, you can buy Blue Mountain tickets here.
Made famous by the legendary Lakota, Bristol's warehouse events are the keystone to the city's clubbing culture. These no-frills venues are the place to see Bristol's house and techno at it's best. If you need addmission to forthcoming warehouse parties, you can buy Blue Mountain tickets here.
Gig Tickets
Bristol has always had it's fair share of what's on resources. While paper-based listings magazines like Venue and forums like Hijack Bristol favoured certain musical niches, Headfirst was Bristol's first truely comprehensive what's on resource. Our listings not only go far into the future (click on a date in the calendar) but also provide some great last minute resources. If you're planning a night out at short notice please see our list of live music tonight and events listings for this weekend.
Venues like Colston Hall and Thekla usually get most of the attention when Bristol's gigs are discussed online. Headfirst aims to put the focus on Bristols smaller live music venues. Here, you can buy tickets for concerts at Bristol's Louisiana and Exchange or browse our entire Bristol gig list.
Venues like Colston Hall and Thekla usually get most of the attention when Bristol's gigs are discussed online. Headfirst aims to put the focus on Bristols smaller live music venues. Here, you can buy tickets for concerts at Bristol's Louisiana and Exchange or browse our entire Bristol gig list.
Gig Of The Week
What's On: Featured Bristol Events
Birthed out of the OG punk explosion, this year sees The Ex celebrate 40 years of perpetual innovation and progression. Beacons of Dutch creative curiosity, their career has led them through unexpected collaborations with the likes of Shellac, Han Bennink, Belgian comedian Kamagurka Art, as well as establishing a rich musical Exchange in Ethiopia.
Join their ever growing legacy at Exchange on Saturday with local noisemakers Iceman Furniss Quartet and Slagheap - a fine sonic tribute put together by Gravy Train.
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/E54674
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Jangling kosmische and discordant acid wobblers are cornerstones of the Ivan Smagghe sound. Like Andrew Weatherall and Vladimir Ivkovic, Smagghe DJs with a post-punk aesthetic - where melding sleazy German new-wave with the Arabic instrumentation of Muslimgauze might just be a regular occurrence.
Also Known As and Nebula invite him to Lakota - Bristol for a cosmic crossover with Mix Nights' em williams and RUF DUG's oddball selections of wiggly jungle and deep balearic. .
🎫 Tickets for Wednesday 25th: hdfst.uk/E56752
![Morse: Leif [Whities] tickets](https://static.headfirstbristol.co.uk/images/events/565/e56587_i68630_s3.jpg)
Name me another DJ who can play slammers b2b with Ben UFO and drop 2019's dreamiest LP of ambient polyrhythms and cavernous textures on Whities? That's Leif for you though - busy building a cultish following with the heads every year at Freero; and being the deep Welsh house hero we desperately need in between Mood Hut releases.
Morse Audio reel him in to The Crofters Rights for their second party alongside residents Butterfly Effect and Milad.
🎫 Tickets for Tuesday: hdfst.uk/E56587
For our money, this is the best pianist to emerge this century (sorry Nils Frahm). Lubomyr Melnyk's wildfire introduction to a new audiences via neo-classical saviours Erased Tapes is only testament the staggering beauty of his playing. Somehow breathing in the stark minimalism of Philip Glass and Terry Riley but with a maximalist virtuoso approach - he has an immediate and universal appeal that (like Satie) transcends any kind of academic trappings of classical music.
'The Prophet of Piano' plays at our best and most relaxed concert hall St George's Bristol.
🎫 Tickets for Thursday: hdfst.uk/E57830
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What does the future of Bristol's cultural spaces look like? With FUTUR VILLE Summit, Artspace Lifespace host a weekend of discussion, performance and workshops to mobilize and self-organise against insensitive urban development and negative cultural policies.
Ashton Court Estate (now part 'repurposed' as Arts Mansion) is a fitting setting to shape these alternative horizons with speakers from Trinity Centre, UWE Bristol Urban Planning, Visual Arts South West, Kiki Bristol as well as friendly developers and members of the local cabinet. Shake off any excessive thinking at the immersive theatrical afterparty hosted by Alfresco Disco and Minirigs.
🎫 Tickets (talks): hdfst.uk/E56936
🎫 Tickets (afterparty): hdfst.uk/E56935
After a near-religious Teachings in Dub session last year, vanguards of that Leeds sound Iration Steppas Official return triumphant to Trinity Centre to rattle bones and minds with the heaviest subs to come outta the 90s.
Macky Banton's on the mic this time, he'll be calling for Indica Dubs all night in a huge clash in the original fashion (as the eye-popping poster graphics suggests). The London based system will have their work cut out, whoever wins - the crowd decides.
🎫 Final Release Tickets: hdfst.uk/E57223
Prepare to Make Breakcore Gay Again as Erektronica gathers some of the most ridiculous names in rave, from Pants and Socks to DJ Sucks to TOecUTTER all under one roof. Think Bang Face heights of hedonism without the bleakness of Pontins.
For their biggest party to date they're teaming up with Lemtek to take over The Loco Klub for a suitably weird hardcore party in The Tunnels. More highlights include Salander’s no-holds-bared melodic breakcore and SLIME TIME's interactive neon Slugtopia, along with sets from the Erektronica Allstar founders.
🎫 Tickets for Saturday: hdfst.uk/E57017
Starting this week Bristol will transform itself into Circus City through a daring programme of forward-thinking performances fusing circus, theatre, cinema and performance art. As this year's shows begin to sell out, we recommend exploring the full festival programme (over 40 breath-taking events) while you can: bristolcircuscity.com/whats-on/
Here's our picks of the acrobatic delights:
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CONTRA BY LAURA MURPHY
Scenes of nudity combine with aerial acrobatics and live art (a world first?) for a whole new species of solo-cabaret performance.
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/E55941
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BALANTINE SCALE
A distinguished world premiere of Finnish physical innovation and breathtaking musical scores from Jäntti&Venna - see it in St Philips before it hits Helsinki!
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/ballan
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THIS TIME
Ockham's Razor draw on a cast of performers spanning three generations to explore the vulnerabilities that come with age and aging - this is visual theatre at it's most emotional.
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/this-time-by-ockham-s-razor
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LITTLE LAVRAK
Family friendly gymnastic adventures in an oversized kitchen (with the promise of free cookies too) Little Lavrak, is this the ultimate half term treat?
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/reach---little-lavrak
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BROMANCE
International accolades abound for this modern tale of masculine friendship told through a unique combination of parkour, Cyr wheel, banquine and b-boying!
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/bromance-by-barely-methodical-troupe
Arnolfini, Trinity Centre, Circomedia and 1532 Performing Arts Centre, The Wardrobe Theatre
Buy Bristol Gig Tickets
Headfirst is the most objective Bristol gig guide on the internet. With no editorial to write, bands to interview or advertisers to please, we can focus on creating the best music listings & ticket shop this side of the Avon. From Bristol University’s music graduates playing a concert at St Georges Hall to an intimate gig at The Louisiana - we believe these events are what make Bristol special.
Bristol Nightlife & Nightclubs
Electronic music produced in Bristol has a knack of rewriting the rules and penetrating the international club scene. From Tectonic to Apple Pips to Eats Everything & Arkist - Headfirst has seen Bristol’s music scene grow and evolve since our humble beginnings in 2008.
Now Headfirst is working with Bristol’s best dance music promoters and providing a secure place to buy tickets for Bristol club nights. While Motion may catch most of the attention, Headfirst is the place to buy tickets for all Bristol's clubnights and maybe even the next Alfresco Disco party. Over the coming months we'll be adding buy tickets buttons to many of our what's on listings.
From Headfirst's Ticket Shop
Bristol Gig Venues
Nightclubs & Warehouses
Upcoming Events
From cyborg fembots to sensory Twin Peaks experiences, enrich yourself with this month's unique arts happenings.
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1. Cables + Cameras
Platforming films from emerging BAME filmmakers for Black History Month, Cables&Cameras bring films from the Birmingham Backin project to The Cube Microplex.
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2. Uncanny Valley Girl
Prepare to be confronted by the intersection of femininity and technology encompassed in the fembot motif as Uncanny Valley Girl delves into a world of darkly humorous, dystopian explorations as part of Arnolfini’s Still I Rise programme.
🎫 Tickets for October 25th: hdfst.uk/E57023
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3. TBC Editions Launch
Making a hugely welcome return, The Brunswick Club community takes over Dawkins Ales to celebrate their new TBC EDITIONS label with an eclectic selection of sonic and audiovisual experimentations from Viridian Ensemble, Copper Sounds, COIMS and more.
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4. Cinebra: A Brief History of Horror
A unique comedy horror narrative that traces the history of horror classic and tropes in cinema through the medium of musical comedy. A multimedia frenzy of gore, haunted amulets and the most popular girl in college.
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5. Fairytales for Grownups
Inspired by the Día de Los Muertos, The Crick Crack Club hosts an evening of storytelling revelling in ritual and narratives between life and death.
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6. Between Two Worlds: Welcome to Twin Peaks
Step into the unsettling, surreal world where the owls are not what they seem as The Cube hosts a truly immersive Lynchian affair, featuring a special performance from the mercurial Sarahsson.
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7. AMRA (Imran Perretta and Paul Purgas)
A collaborative audiovisual performance, with experimental electronics and analogue media, addressing South Asian identity; presented alongside Imran Perretta’s solo exhibiton at Spike Island and in partnership with Qu Junktions.
How can you summarise what the Autonomic podcasts did to 00s bass music? After forever widening the parameters of dnb with DBridge, Instra:Mental are back, reunited by the release of the Timelines LP (their first in 8 years). Junglists, downtempo geeks and post-dubstep techno heads lay down your weapons, this Tuff Life session in The Loco Klub tunnels will unite us all.
A huge recommendation for fans of Andy Stott, Actress and Djrum - Boddika and Kid Drama will join Bristol native and Timedance favourite Laksa for widescreen UK bass music at its finest.
🎫 Tickets for November 8th: hdfst.uk/E56867
Razor sharp post-punk meets 90s EDM and 80s synths to create the infectious electronica of Sink Ya Teeth. Hailing from Norwich, the duo brings their dance infused synth-pop to Zed Alley on Thursday for another genre-bending Punka.
Combining drag performance and punk, and championing inclusive, diverse line-ups, Punka has hosted the likes of The Menstrual Cramps, DREAM NAILS, and MISS KILL. Joining Sink Ya Teeth, Masquerades bring their atmospheric 80s infused synth and upcoming Bristol pop duo MAUWE complete the bill with Delirium, founder of the excellent Slaughterhaus Bristol, hosting the night.
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/E55795
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With their latest mixtape featuring an anthemic send for landlords we can all get behind, BAAST deliver a searing fusion of jungle breaks, dub beats, quickfire vocals and gender-f***ery. The duo brings their high-octane dynamism and oscillating sound to The Old England after a searing performance at Bristol Pride this summer.
Hosted by Snog x Spinny Nights, prepare for a vibrant, eclectic night as industrial drag-pop provocateur Lynks Afrikka takes the stage with Chikaya bringing her transcendental, cosmic trap to complete the line-up.
🎫 Tickets for Wednesday: hdfst.uk/E58303
Nestled away just off Stokes Croft, The Old England has become a spiritual home for many within the Bristol DIY scene. Regularly hosting everything from doom-metal to post-everything 'clubnight' Illegal Data.
Go to these events:
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1. BEACH RIOT
Free entry 1% of One show from Brighton fuzzy-indie rockers with Bristol surf punx Ratbags and newcomers BLACK FLIES completing the bill.
🎫 Tickets for November 20th: hdfst.uk/E54840
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2. Euphonic Rhythms w/ Kelman Duran, Jabu
Young Echo's Jabu perform new material, featuring local poetry legend PMS Casualty and slo-dembow sensation Kelman Duran and Ecstatic Recordings’ Serpente (aka Ondness). Prepare to get lost in mesmerising swathes of otherworldly, meditative electronic oscillations.
🎫 Tickets for November 21st: hdfst.uk/E57840
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3. Livia Rita: Kissing Futures
Described as “Bjork on 3 tabs of LSD”, effervescent sonic and visual sorcerer Livia Rita brings her synth-fuelled utopian visions to the Old E. Expect an immersive performance, featuring Rita’s wearable creations and collaborations with Bristol-based artists and activists.
🎫 Tickets for November 22nd: hdfst.uk/E57906
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4. Death Hags, AGATA, Wendy Miasma
Emotive dream-pop projected through a grainy, lo-fi lense courtesy of Death Hags, alongside Agata's striking, atmospheric compositions and a rare performance from the enigmatic Wendy Miasma.
🎫 Tickets for December 15th: hdfst.uk/E58047"
Recognised as one of DJing's last true stylists, Vladimir Ivkovic has ushered in a return of sludgy psychedelics, pitch-bending, downright weirdness and fun (do you remember fun?) to dancefloors. Part of the Salon des Amateurs dynasty of world-conquering DJs (along with Lena Willikens and TOLOUSE LOW TRAX) - expect everything from alien electro, dense murky acid and wrongspeed trance.
On Friday, Phonic Locker welcome Vlad to The Island for an extended set of no-genre eclecticism - resident Sower will bring his own bag of downtempo wobblers to set the tone on warmup duties.
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/E58552
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