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Bristol Gigs
Bristol Gigs
— All Bristol's Live MusicBuy tickets for Bristol's best gigs and live music.
Bristol’s best gigs
Every week, the Headfirst editors trawl through all of the live music listings on the website and pick the best gigs for you to go to. Our event selections range from classical music concerts at St George’s Hall to smaller, local musician’s gigs at The Canteen or the Exchange.
Check out this week’s Bristol gig selections over on the Headfirst Facebook page and don’t forget to like us for ticket alerts and announcements about interesting bands coming to Bristol.
Check out this week’s Bristol gig selections over on the Headfirst Facebook page and don’t forget to like us for ticket alerts and announcements about interesting bands coming to Bristol.
Tickets for Bristol gigs
In 2016, Headfirst Bristol launched an online ticket shop for live music events. Inspired by local cooperatives and community interest companies like the Bristol Cable and The Island, Headfirst provides an ethical and respectful place to buy tickets for gigs in Bristol. Our booking fees are low (usually 50p per ticket) and we strive to help support independent live music events as much as large concerts at venues like Colston Hall or Marble Factory.
Upcoming gigs in Bristol
Henge (Family Matinee & Evening Show) in Bristol Tickets
Psychedelic ravers HENGE return for an all day set of shows for all ages
Breakfest 2021 in Bristol Tickets
Bigger. Better. Breakfest.
MOTORAMA in Bristol Tickets
Presented by Damnatio Memoriae & BLG Promotions.
Levitation Room in Bristol Tickets
Bristol's L.A. psychedelic pop favourites Levitation Room are back!
The Devout -A Depeche Mode Tribute in Bristol Tickets
Depeche Mode Tribute
Live music venues in Bristol
Bristol’s gig venues play an essential and often overlooked role in the city’s music scene. A spectrum of venues provides a ladder for new bands and musical talent to ascend. DIY spaces like The Old England and The Surrey Vaults provide a testbed for the screaming synthesisers and and guitars that will undoubtedly become part of Bristol’s future. Check out Headfirst’s Bristol venues page to discover which kind of performances and concerts you can expect from each gig venue.
Celebrating the more obscure, dissenting sounds from our local scene, Gravy Train's Triptych day festival on Saturday boasts a formidable wealth of Bristol acts (as well as experimental royalty Justin K Broadrick, Hey Colossus and Mai Mai Mai to name just a few).
Our Avon highlights are the spectral, hypnotic soundscapes of Orryx; brooding darkwave courtesy of Fever 103o; oscillating, psychedelic techno from Rainbow Slicer and the eccentric decadence of a certain Lazarus Kane. And if you’ve not yet witnessed the sheer, unadulterated sensory onslaught of Bad Tracking or the abrasive industrial trap of Kinlaw & Franco Franco then prepare for a cathartic sonic onslaught as they play consecutively at The Elmer's Arms.
? Final Release Tickets: hdfst.uk/E50252
Hosted by Gravy Train, the inaugural Triptych saw the likes of AJA, E B U, and SCALPING deliver searing and triumphant sets. The festival returns with another exceptional line-up with enigmatic Italian noise artist Mai Mai Mai, vociferous alt-rock heavyweights Hey Colossus and hypnotic doom techno courtesy of Justin K Broadrick all to anticipate. Not to mention local off-kilter fuzz-pop legends Pet Shimmers and buoyant psych prodigies The Evil Usses; Triptych looks to cement a reputation as an imperative yearly happening for all experimental/noise fans great and small.
This heady mix of local and international acts is set to explode across Exchange, Stag and Hounds Public House, and The Elmer's Arms on Saturday June 8th
? Final Release Tickets: hdfst.uk/E50252
Harvey Sutherland and Tornado Wallace fans will have noticed the cosmic shift of Australian dance music in recent years, driven largely by Melbourne quartet Mildlife. Like Nu Guinea, London's Rhythm Section and Brownswood jazz revivalists, Mildlife's warm, psychedelic live soundscapes are bound by the inescapable pulse of house and disco, layered with vintage synth lines, fuzzy Hammond solos and wailing wahs that belie the strong influence of Lonnie Liston Smith, Alice Coltrane and The Alan Parsons Project.
As much for the jazz fiends as it is for Tame Impala and BADBADNOTGOOD listeners, Mildlife bring their expansive live show to The Lanes on Thursday, hosted by Erratic Batting.
? Tickets: hdfst.uk/E51256
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One of the leading lights of the contemporary psych-rock realm, Kikagaku Moyo / 幾何学模様 return to Bristol thanks to Astral Festival and The Grey Area.
After bursting onto the scene in 2013 with a string of free-flowing, sitar-led ragas akin to Newcastle dronestars BONG - Band UK or Taj Mahal Travellers, they’ve since refined and reigned in the jams. In place of improvisation, there’s a greater focus on songwriting and melody, with jazz licks inspired by placid, watery solos. They play The Lanes on Monday.
? Tickets: hdfst.uk/E51202
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Space Jams/ SCC: Tales From The Crypt 2 in Bristol Tickets
A bigger darksynthwave event in the crypts of Bristol, second of it's kind
POSTPONED! Chai Wallahs Presents: Amy True in Bristol Tickets
Chai Wallahs and Assembly Nights Present: Amy True
POSTPONED! Chai Wallahs Presents: Afla Sackey in Bristol Tickets
Chai Wallahs Presents: Afla Sackey & Afrik Bawantu
POSTPONED! Chai Wallahs Presents: Afla Sackey at The Old Market Assembly in Bristol
Chai Wallahs Presents: Afla Sackey & Afrik Bawantu
CHINA BEARS at The Lanes in Bristol
Free show presented by Gravy Train & BLG Promotions.
GoGo Penguin / European Tour at Motion in Bristol
“the Radiohead of British jazz” (Line of Best Fit)
Gigs in Bristol today
Most of Headfirst’s visitors come to discover new bands and live music in Bristol. We’re proud to be Bristol’s most complete gig listings resource, complete with a full breakdown of gigs in Bristol today and tour dates for the next six months. A sterling selection of open mic nights (particularly along Gloucester Road), provide ample midweek entertainment for would-be talent scouts.
Electrolyte is a multi-award-winning piece of gig theatre that will powerfully explore mental health for a contemporary audience at The Loco Klub. Written in spoken word poetry and underscored by original music, this explosive production is performed by six multi-instrumentalists who seamlessly integrate live music with expert storytelling.
? Tickets (7th May): hdfst.uk/E52029
? Tickets (8th May): hdfst.uk/E52032
? Tickets (9th May): hdfst.uk/E52033
Gravy Train invite London's Housewives to join them at The Crofters Rights on Saturday. The quintet are pushing post-punk forward into 21st century, injecting radiant electronics and manipulated saxophone (Ben Vince) into their monochromatic no-wave din.
Crucial for fans of Girl Band, Gang Of Four Official and Raime’s Albini-esque take on the hardcore continuum.
? Tickets: hdfst.uk/E50606
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Before Death Grips, before Ho99o9, before Clipping. there was dälek - and the years have only been good to them. Their abrasive and evolving fusion of noise, shoegaze and hip-hop tunneled into the harsher side of Definitive Jux Records peers like Cannibal Ox and NY's Wordsound crew (The Bug, Spectre, SENSATIONAL). While their hookups with avant-krautrockers Faust, Techno Animal and Kid606 secured them a home in 00s underground hearts.
They'll join a string of frankly huge bookings at The Lanes (Boy Harsher, James Chance Official, Etuk ubong.....). Gravy Train and BLG Promotions spoil us this time with support from Headfirst-approved mathy post-hardcore heroes SANS, MXLX and ANTA.
? Tickets: hdfst.uk/E50515
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RAKTA and DEAF KIDS return to Bristol after both playing separate killer shows last year. This time sharing a bill at Rough Trade Bristol highlighting their different approaches to fusing extreme metal and hardcore with psychedelia and rhythmic ritualism.
Crucial for fans of Gnod’s heaviest slabs or experimental punk/metal in general.
? Tickets: hdfst.uk/E49976
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TRENDING GIGS
The Loco Klub
Postponed | Emily Magpie LP Launch
Immersive gig in an indoor forest.
Jam Jar
Moulettes at The Jam Jar
Psychedelic Art Rock // Prog // Folk
Exchange
The Dears
Montreal based indie rockers return to Bristol
Exchange
Porridge Radio
Dana Margolin and co bring their debut LP 'Every Bad' to Bristol
The Old England Pub
Black Orchid Empire + Exist Immortal
Black Orchid Empire & Exist Immortal at The Old England, Bristol
Crofters Rights
IT & BLG: Alcuna Wilds, Slowski & AtticOmatic
Atmospheric Trip-Rock *NEW DATE*
Louisiana, The
Clock Opera
Rescheduled again - original tickets valid - the band CAN'T WAIT to play Bristol!
SWX
Nubiyan Twist
Nubiyan Twist play SWX Bristol on 18th September 2021.
The Fleece
METZ
“Metz colors outside the lines — obliterates them, really.” - New York Times
Cloak and Dagger
The Genius of David Bowie playing Scary Monsters
The Genius of David Bowie playing Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (40th anniversary show)
Crofters Rights
Agata Single Launch (New Date TBC)
Agata Single Launch at The Crofters Rights
Downend Folk Club @ Frenchay Village Hall
India Electric Co. + support TBC
India Electric Co. headline Downend Folk Club's April concert at Frenchay Village Hall
SWX
Viagra Boys
A bellowing, unstoppable force majeure of latter-day punk.
Exchange
LA Priest
Space-pop champion brings his latest Domino release to Bristol
Rough Trade Bristol
Space Jams/ SCC: Hotline Bristol
A retro wave evening in a record shop in Bristol
The Louisiana
DITZ / False Advertising
Hardcore punk and noise rock of the 80s and 90s,
Exchange
WP: Green Lung · Juniper Grave · Neuromatic
Surges with all the druggy riffs and spooky psychedelia you could ever want
The Fleece
Cabbage
punk-pop Goodness
Rough Trade Bristol
Shopping
Post-punk funkers Shopping return to Bristol
The Wardrobe Theatre
Rachel Baiman - Rescheduled
Well versed in a variety of fiddle traditions including Old-Time, Bluegrass, Scottish and Canadian styles, Rachel Baiman is a versatile and
Crofters Rights
BDRMM
Shoegaze / Dream Pop / Sonic Cathedral
Rough Trade Bristol
LIFE + Sleep Eaters at Rough Trade, Bristol
LIFE plus Sleep Eaters at Rough Trade, Bristol
St George's Bristol
Talisk Reschedulled
One of Scotland’s most popular folk groups to emerge in the last decade, Talisk return to Bristol in May 2020 - headlining the city’s stunni
The Forge, Bristol
Jake Xerxes Fussell
Durham, North Carolina's Jake Xerxes Fussell is one of the finest interpreters of old songs around.
Crofters Rights
The Hanging Stars
Beautifully crafted Cosmic Americana
Local bands and musicians
Local musicians are the lifeblood and new energy that constantly rejuvenates Bristol’s venues and performance spaces. Graduates from Bristol University’s Music course and BIMM provide regular injections of talent ranging from electronic music producers to classically trained pianists and orchestral musicians. Some of Bristol’s most successful bands are the first to point out that their inspiration comes from other local bands and gigs they’ve attended; with this in mind Headfirst is careful to include as much local talent as possible in it’s gig guide.
In addition to attending gigs you can also support Bristol’s musicians by buying their records from independent stores like Rise Records and Christmas Steps Records.
In addition to attending gigs you can also support Bristol’s musicians by buying their records from independent stores like Rise Records and Christmas Steps Records.
