What's On in Bristol

Gig guide & event listings

Events in Bristol

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 Dare2 tickets here.

Bristol'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.

Fri 7th March
CHALK at Strange Brew
Wed 12th March
The Weather Station at The Fleece
Mon 31st March
THUS LOVE at Bristol Beacon
Sat 10th May
Dean Friedman at The Trinity Centre
— The Trinity Centre

Dean Friedman in Bristol Tickets

Tue 29th October
137 + Fantastic Stranger at Dareshack
Fri 14th March
Nieve Ella at The Trinity Centre
— The Trinity Centre

Nieve Ella in Bristol Tickets

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 truly 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 Bristol Beacon 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.

Tue 4th February
Kawala at The Trinity Centre
— The Trinity Centre

Kawala in Bristol Tickets

Thu 13th March
Nubiyan Twist at The Trinity Centre
— The Trinity Centre

Nubiyan Twist in Bristol Tickets

Sun 23rd February
THE BUOYS at Rough Trade Bristol
— Rough Trade Bristol

THE BUOYS in Bristol Tickets

Sat 29th March
Sungazer at The Trinity Centre
— The Trinity Centre

Sungazer in Bristol Tickets

Mon 9th December
Confessions Of A Traitor PLUS guests at Rough Trade Bristol
Sat 23rd November
Speaking in Tongues at Lost Horizon

What's On: Featured Bristol Events

Tickets for our event recommendations

Sell out warning! Sell out warning! Activist, comedian and radical troubadour Grace Petrie brings her unique brand of fist-in-the-air protest folk to the Trinity; examining social and political issues of austerity-ravaged modern Britain with Bragg-approved anthems of solidarity and solace. Big FFO: Frank Turner, Laura Jane Grace, Kirsty MacColl, Onsind, Mischief Brew. Grace Petrie at The Trinity Centre.

A Bristol blues gig of rare quality ft. powerful harmonica wails and impassioned vocals from one of the greatest to ever do it. Johnny Mars, aka the “Jimi Hendrix of the harmonica”, will be joined by the Craig Milverton jazz Quintet in the intimate environs of Cotham Parish Church. Essential night out FFO classic blues/ blues rock like: Magic Sam, BB King, Earl Hooker, Spencer Davis / Steve Winwood, Cream. BLUE YULE at Cotham Parish Church, Cotham Road, Cotham, Bristol, BS6 6DR.

Sell out warning! Darlings of chaos boogie Getdown Services are back on home soil for their first full band show on the road to almost certain infamy. If you know them, they need no introduction. If you don’t: picture two drunk dads spitting razor-sharp semi-nude social commentary to a screaming crowd. Getdown Services - Full Band Extravaganza at Strange Brew.

Bristol’s beloved gonzo-hardcore / absurdist-thrash underground icons steer HMS Disaster straight into Exchange for a night of Gong meets Crass meets Bad Taste punk pantomime. Herb Garden at Exchange.

Live music and gigs recommended by our music team

Sell out warning! The heaviest weekend of dub all year!? It’s THE annual TiD birthday roadblock and if we need to introduce you to Aba Shanti-i or Dubkasm at this point, you’ve been seriously neglecting life’s great Teachings. Inside’s a real treat for the heads, two overlooked titans of 90s steppas - Nomadix and Jonah Dan - rarely sighted on Sinai-sized rigs in Bristol waters. Prepare for righteous bass fulfilment. Teachings in Dub 17 at The Trinity Centre.

Sell out warning! The jazz gods have spoken, allotting us mortals in Bristol one final chance to reach true transcendence and achieve a love supreme. Get down on your knees - the greatest reedsman of the 21st century is about to lift the roof off St Mary Redcliffe. Praise be the Worms! SHABAKA in concert at St Mary Redcliffe.

You’ve seen 2 sounds clash, maybe 3, maybe 4, but 20!? Check this 3 room soundsystem insanity from Stomp Project, Hooney Tunes, Riggy Stardust, Korridor Kru and more unleashing hardtek, jungle, acid and rave subsoup across 3 rooms with 100% of profits going to families in Gaza. RIGS OUT FOR GAZA at The Boxing Gym.

Sell out warning! Torpor sit at the unearthly apex of post-metal, doom and sludge - seismic bass rumbles, melancholic ambience, bleak spoken word, crushing noise, monumental riffs moving at a glacial pace. This is music for watching planets implode. For fans of: Conan, Neurosis, Aerosol Jesus, Thou, Divide and Dissolve. TORPOR + HOST BODY + WARREN SCHOENBRIGHT at The Louisiana.

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

Fri 22nd November
Reggaeton Boat Party at Thekla
Thu 31st October
Lakota: Halloween Rave at Lakota
Tue 15th October
SHUTDOWN: SLIPZ at Lakota
Sat 23rd November
Anjunadeep Bristol at Motion
Fri 15th November
Loose Sound X Felt Soundsystem Trinity Meeting at The Trinity Centre
Thu 31st October
Shutdown: Halloween special at Lakota
Sat 12th October
See No Evil x Pianorama at Lakota
Fri 11th October
Wide Eyes Free Rave: Doktor at Lakota
Fri 8th November
Pangea ~ Soundsystem music from around the globe at The Trinity Centre
Fri 22nd November
Rupture 18th Birthday at The Trinity Centre
— The Trinity Centre

Rupture 18th Birthday Tickets

Fri 13th December
PTS ϟ Thekla Party at Thekla

Bristol Experimental Music

The Headfirst music guide originally emerged from Bristol's blossoming experimental scene and our humble beginnings were as a what's on guide for Bristol's weirdest and most unconventional events.