Bristol Dubstep

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Bristol's Dubstep Scene

You can’t spell Dubstep without Bristol

While the first word in Dubstep’s history might be DMZ, the second is surely Bristol. London is the birthplace but the Bristol dubstep sound must be its most iconic regional variant. Bristol acts like Pinch and Vex’d were instrumental in the early days as well as RSD // Rob Smith from Smith & Mighty who straddle Bristol’s trip-hop lineage and its dubstep future. Although this is cruelly left out of the Wiki page on dubstep - Bristol continued to play a huge part, defining an iconic sound sometimes known as ‘purple wow’ or wonky that included Joker, Gemmy, Jakes, Guido and Julio Bashmore through nights like Subloaded. While many of these artists are making house or other club music, their place in Bristol dubstep (and electronic music) history is secured.

What we said in 2015...
Presently dubstep in Bristol enjoys such stellar success that the only thorn in the genre's side is it's quantity. With such a saturated market it only becomes harder to find genuine talent amongst the endless bandwagon of tag alongs. Fortunately for Bristol, the boundaries are being pushed rather than retrodden and Bristol's own dubstep has gained international recognition.

Local talent has been the springboard for Bristol to become second only to London in the depth and range of the offerings of the sound. Joker, Gemmy, Pinch, RSD, Peverelist, Hyetal, Appleblim and Guido are but a few of Bristol's most prevalent exports, while arguably the city's most successful dubstep nights (Dubloaded and Applepips) are products of Bristol's own talent (Pinch and Appleblim) respectively.

The accessibility of dubstep's sound has seen it eclipse drum and bass in its hold over nightclubs and dubstep luminaries such as Skream, Benga and Plastician are regulars in the Bristol. Like drum and bass, the big acts are found at the huge, multi genre raves in Lakota and Motion (aka In:motion) while Bristol houses a mix of dedicated dubstep nights that operate in the mid-sized venues such as Thekla, Dojos, Basement 45 and The Croft.

Promoters such as Crazylegs have sought to expose the UK Funky side of dubstep, bringing artists like Joy Orbison, Deadboy and Roska to the masses. Subloaded at The Croft is another reliable source for forward-thinking dubstep.

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Our recent dubstep recommendations

Beatrice M has been tearing up the club scene for a hot minute, serving up trancey techno and deep, psychedelic textures. Their sound fuses old-school bass weight with sharp, modern production, hitting hard on any system. Joining them: Nante’s Soa420 gliding through dubbed-out halftime explorations. DUBSTEPPERS UNITE

Oblig is a bona fide legend of London’s grime, dubstep and garage scene. Strap in for peak-time, heavyweight riddims, paired with AliA’s new-school dubstep and two rifling b2b sets loaded with pummelling soundsystem grooves. Think Riz La Teef, Neffa T, Grandmixxer & Manga Saint Hilare… huge! Journey deep into the thrumming edges of bass, techno and beyond as Seasoning bring their off kilter antics back to The Island.

Unmissable UK debut from the Malian vocalist and balafon star! PCHA takes traditional West African instrumentation and blends it with melodic afrobeats, rap and pop; performing alongside virtuosic percussionist Seydou Kienou + plenty of amapiano, percussive club, baile funk and bass heat from Inda Flo. Africa musicans x underground club DJs, live percussion, and the uk debut of Mali’s rising Afrobeats & balafon star Pcha

Sell out warning! Putting pure joy front and centre on the dancefloor, Marcia Carr weaves gospel, jazz, Afro-house, disco and broken beat into a vibrant sonic tapestry brimming with upbeat grooves. She plays the next in the Analogue Lounge series, injecting us with some much needed warmth for this Thursday night all-vinyl club sesh. A true legend in the scene, it’s an honour to have Marcia Carr joining us this month!

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Crowd at a dubstep night in Bristol 2025

What our editors say

“Her sound navigates across dubstep, 2-step, broken/UK techno, broken beat, UK bass, dub, reggae and beyond, not limited by genre, but united by feel. Every selection is chosen to resonate, uplift and connect.”
From: Mia Koden + friends

“For this debut at Lost Horizon, two giants of the scene, Joker and Sir Spyro, go back-to-back for an extended 3-hour set, joined by the legendary Killa P on mic duties. Expect heavyweight bass, grime classics, and deep dubstep cuts in a night built for true sound system heads.”
From: LUNA PRESENTS JOKER B2B SIR SPYRO FT KILLA P EXTENDED 3 HOUR SET

“A true Rathouse staple, and our former neighbours, Get Weird return to our basement to ring in the New Year. Expect a resident showcase spanning UKG, Breaks, 140 + more, with a stacked roster of local talent at the helm. Full lineup dropping soon.”
From: Get Weird: NYE at The Rathouse

“Electronic future-dub duo OMEGA NEBULA are a force. Their music takes the most powerful elements of dub reggae and dubstep and rolls them into uplifting, emotionally weighted anthems with a unique sonic identity. Taking influence from the UK sound system scene, dub clubs and bass driven subcultures, their huge sound is heart shaking, their message profound, and their energy invigorating.”
From: NYE AT ASHTON COURT MANSION ft DR MEAKER & OMEGA NEBULA

“NMAML are all about putting the spotlight on the femme and non-binary talent Bristol has to offer. Expect House, 140, Garage and Dubstep grooves from some of the most exciting up-and-comers in the scene.”
From: No More All Male Lineups: Amz, Gunk, Haze + MegAM