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

Flying the flag for proper dubstep these last 13 years, Foundation Audio are the Bristol DMZ heads’ go-to brand for unstoppable dread pressure. Flying in for the big buffday: pirate radio royalty N-Type, DJ Chefal and Youngsta will be giving the younguns an absolute schooling in golden eara dubs, testing RC1’s rumble pack to the absolute max. Hoods up heads down bassweight as it should be! Foundation Audio Powered by RC1 at Green Works.

Free entry (before 9:30)! So Carnival’s not not (not?) happening this year… at least one thing we’ll know for sure, there’ll be some St Paul’s heritage dubwise at The Canteen from Bristol’s Roots Ambassadors. Chewing Glass rig up the place with Ras Kama at the controls and Aqua Levi chanting down the mic as always. Unstoppable! Carnival Afterparty CGC Sound System Presents: NEGUS MELODY at The Canteen.

Resting on their much-deserved laurels after Marcellus Pittman tore some serious holes in Brewstory, Deep Street dial in a residents session with unstoppable b2b duo Jay L & Andy Mac exploring the sunshine dimensions of clublandia. Expect hard-dug cuts of soulful house, jazzed-out techno, string-laden diva disco and everything in between. Deep Street Summer Jam w/ Jay L & Andy Mac b2b all night at Strange Brew.

Sell out warning! He’d hate us for this, but Vlad is this generation’s definitive DJ’s DJ (RIP Andrew Weatherall). Conjuring dark, hypnotic and psychedelic journeys of pan-genre, wrong-BPM eclecticism with two decks and a mixer... you just gotta witness this master at work! Blanco’s pulling power is infinite here: you’re damn lucky to see the grand Salon wizard crammed into such a likkle room. Club Blanco w/ Vladimir Ivkovic & Chez de Milo at The Love Inn.

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What our editors say

“Music collector, DJ, producer, and Klasse Wrecks co-founder Mr. Ho makes his Public Affair debut. A cult figure in electronic music whose sets are as unpredictable as they are authoritative, moving freely through house, techno, breakbeat and electro with the instincts of a lifelong digger. Alongside Luca Lozano, his Klasse Wrecks imprint has quietly become one of the most coveted names in the game, and that same obsessive curation carries into every set he plays. Public Affair founder and resident Monika Taneska opens the night, setting the tone with her signature tripped-out techno. Deep, disorienting and exactly where the night needs to begin.”
From: Public Affair: Mr. Ho & Monika Taneska

“Known globally as the ‘Baron of Techno’, Dave Clarke brings his uncompromising sound and legendary intensity to Bristol. Expect a masterclass in his signature style; a fusion of dark techno and gritty electro perfectly suited to the intimate, smoke-filled confines of Moon Club. Support from TECHMEOUT.”
From: Dave Clarke

“Where deep rumbling dub basslines fuses with hypnotic techno grooves. A night of meditative dubtechno, experimental bass music and steppa selections right from the heart of stokes crofts. Strictly underground business. Powered by Grounded Soundsystem, a system felt just as much as it is heard. So come expecting rolling low end bass pressure forming the foundation to spacious echoes stretching deep into your ears. This session will be full immersion from start to finish. For Fans Of: Rhythm & Sound, Hiss Is Bliss, Federsen, Bluetrain, Another Channel, Frenk Dublin etc....”
From: Dubspace Echos 001

“On July 17th Crack returns to its hometown at the incredible new Sawmills for a special show featuring two generational electronic music icons. Fresh from announcing their collaborative album Exhale, and having forged a musical relationship behind the decks at very select events in the last few years, we are suer proud to be bringing Italian legend Donato Dozzy and hometown hero Batu together for a four hour back to back – their first in Bristol. A truly essential show for fans of both artist's signature styles, this is a musical relationship that takes in the techno adjacent spectrum to its fullest and will no doubt be a truly mind-bending sonic journey.”
From: Crack presents Donato Dozzy B2B Batu + Support

“Celebrate my birthday in style at The Queens Head pub with an electrifying day of disco, techno, and breakbeat. The soundtrack moves unapologetically between genres, blending timeless grooves with cutting-edge beats to keep the dancefloor alive. Expect a vibrant atmosphere, great drinks, and a crowd ready to move all night. Whether you're into funky rhythms or underground energy, this party promises an unforgettable mix of sounds and celebrations. Line up: The Ballbreaker Lean Allmighty Rubn Delarhythm More TBC”
From: Summer B-Day Party