Bristol Techno Nights

upcoming clubnight

Bristol's Techno Scene

Techno is a big deal in Bristol, book the right names or build a strong enough reputation and you’re gonna need a seriously big club to keep everyone happy. And so Bristol has Motion, masterfully converted into a 1200+ capacity nightclub from derelict warehouse via a skatepark. If Motion is Bristol’s techno castle then there’s no denying Just Jack is king. Reigning for over a decade, Just Jack have enough programming muscle to pull names like Ricardo Villalobos and Omar S. If there’s a secret to the ultimate big-room techno experience, then Motion knows it.

On the other hand, if there’s a secret to healthy techno scene, then Bristol has totally nailed it. While tickets for Just Jack, Apex and Tribe of Frog may sell in their thousands, some of Bristol’s most forward thinking techno nights have capacities for just one or two hundred. The Prison Cells at The Island have become an unlikely home to some of the most adventurous dance music in Bristol. Promoters like Room 237 and Timedance are putting out challenging and thought-provoking line-ups with past guests including the likes of Surgeon, Untold, Asusu and Helena Hauff.

If techno had a spiritual home in Bristol, it would be Lakota. With 4 rooms, a back-to-basics yard and a pair of coroners courtrooms for larger events, Lakota is Bristol’s ultimate techno playground. The venue has found favour with pervasive promoters including the electro-techno focused Get Born and bass techno masters Wide Eyes.

Amongst the city’s resident house music djs, many of Bristol’s best techno djs regularly play Bristol’s smaller clubs and bars. Dojos, The Love Inn, The Doghouse and the Small Horse Inn to name a few.

Buy tickets for techno events in Bristol

Our recent techno recommendations

Black Rave Culture’s super trio of Amal, James Bangura & Nativesun bring hip-swinging Jersey club, jagged footwork and jackin’ ghetto-house heat to The Inn all the way from the US and fresh from setting booths ablaze across their UK/EU tear up. Essential whompin’ cross-genre club heat FFO: DJ Swisha, Ikonika, Kush Jones, Karen Nyame. Black Rave Culture at The Love Inn.

Wanna have your bones rattled and brain rewired by all the amen breaks you could ever dream of? For only fiver? Of course you do; Japanese psychedelic hardtekkers Savage States make a hugely welcome return after their pre-Balter blowout last year. This time joined by Merupo on the happy hardcore flex and Nymfro’s heavyweight jungle, tekno and bass stompers. SAVAGE STATES + Support at Basement 45.

Dubwise healing is assured in the first of many bold ventures for 1Relation at Pickle Factory. Offering a new home for community sound system action, Bristol’s finest new-skool operators invite Ras Addis to chant down babylon alongside Sista Ina in full lioness mode + Spiritual Rockers delivering steppas inna year 4000 style all the way from São Paulo. Righteous vibrations indeed! Roots Therapy #01 at The Pickle Factory.

Timedance darlings Bruce and Ploy are back for their third all-night b2b, bringing feel-good house and techno straight to the dancefloor. Ploy delivers dense, chest-rattling grooves while Bruce spins his signature oddball magic. Get ready for pure vibes from two pals just playing what they love, house-party stylee! Fly Life w Bruce + Ploy at Strange Brew.

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What our editors say

“Buckle up, Bristol. Headlining our next party is none other than Mollie Rush, the ultimate purveyor of euphoric, high-energy rave chaos. As the powerhouse founder of the iconic queer hardcore collective Soz Lad and the former frontwoman of digital-hardcore outfit Tokky Horror, Mollie has torn up stages from Glastonbury to Boomtown. Seamlessly blending a punk-rock ethos with heavy-hitting electronic production, her sets are a relentless, high-octane journey through rave, jungle, acid, and hard techno. [A-Z] ANOMALY KAISER B2B NEPTUNE MOLLIE RUSH RIGPIG B2B PROMISCUOUS PIGGY Last entry 00:30”
From: Notizz: Mollie Rush + Support

“RAVE IT UP // 6 YEARS // 140 + TEK + JUNGLE + DONK + MORE We’re celebrating over 6 years of throwing underground parties, and you’re all invited. Come join us at the crown for a night of proper multi-genre goodies – expect everything from 140 and 4x4 to jungle and techno. No messing around with this event! To say thanks, we’re giving away free tickets. [A-Z] CO-EN FIA MEG AM RIGÖUR STOYLEY Free entry - no ticket needed.”
From: 6 Years Of Rave It Up: Rigour, Meg AM, Stoyley, FIA + Co-En

“Do you want another one? Very excited to announce Bellingtier's event debut at the Red Lion, BS5, for a night of LIVE performances n top shelf DJs for ya Saturday night. Expect some live techno, jungle, scratching and everything in-between. Free entry as always Thanks to the Undo Cru for letting us cover their slot too, big shoes to fill!”
From: BellingTier presents... Lyn Diesel , Bob the Blender, Tom Tier & more

“BIG LIGHT OFF, DISCO BALL ON After 10+ years building up a considerable collection of fun party records, turning afterses inside out & lingering around all the best parties every god damned weekend, Rhys Lightning locks in to the Zoggs basement all night long to lay it on thick for the freaks, the lovers and the dancers Music including but by no means limited to: wonky italos cuts, discos sans frontiers, punky synthpop bangers, sleazoid new beat slammers, tongue in cheek techno... Dancefloor stickiness at maximum, get to know!! FFO: staying up (late!), good times (seriously!), music (in general!)”
From: Rhys Lightning's States Of Batter

“Depth Perception returns for their annual summer throwdown... Taking over the terrace at La Panza for a Sunday session of deep electronic exploration, we’ll be setting off into the realms of deep acid, house, electro, techno – moving through all the frequencies in between. Music on the day will be supplied by: Decentra Ordos Owain K Sprinkled DJs (Perenn & Bennie) As ever, entry will be FREE. Grab yourself an e-ticket (via Headfirst) to give us an idea of how many guests will be coming through.”
From: Depth Perception Summer Day Party