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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 & Evil Usses at The Fleece (+Family Matinee) in Bristol Tickets
HENGE is a band of extra-terrestrials that bring with them the sacred sounds of Cosmic Dross – a musical form known in other parts of the un
Ecstatic Vision! in Bristol Tickets
Trance inducing raw heavy psych. Ecstatic Vision is Doug Zabolchech, Kevin Nickles, Michael Field Connor and Ricky Culp.
KAPUTT in Bristol Tickets
Gravy Train & BLG Promotions proudly present: KAPUTT + Guests
Mesadorm in Bristol Tickets
drawing on contemporary influences including Caribou, Grizzly Bear and Sylvan Esso as well as legendary female luminaries like Carole King,
Sheelanagig & Friends at Fiddlers in Bristol Tickets
Back for another Xmas extravaganza of Folk Mayhem Sheelanagig take this opportunity to invite a bunch of friends for an evening of foot stom
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.
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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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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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
TAU + Rotten Bliss + Ellen Southern + EDS in Bristol Tickets
Music for the single law of all occurrences FFO: Transcendental Psychedelia
REV REV REV (Fuzz Club) in Bristol Tickets
Gravy Train present: REV REV REV, plus guests.
Breakfast Records presents: BREAKFEST in Bristol Tickets
The biggest All-Day Breakfast yet.
Breakfast Records presents: BREAKFEST at Thekla in Bristol
The biggest All-Day Breakfast yet.
THE PEOPLE’S MANSION BALL at The Arts Mansion in Bristol
Transport yourself back to early 20th century to experience war-time era Ashton Court Mansion with jazz and swing
Raise the Bar presents: Stage Invasion at Arnolfini in Bristol
Enthralling performance and live talk on the history of UK spoken word, followed by a panel discussion with leading South West poets.
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.
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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James Chance Official’s vision of funk improvisation delivered with punk attack can hardly be rivaled. A leading figure of the downtown New York scene in the late 70s, with his groups Teenage Jesus & The Jerks (alongside Lydia Lunch) and with The Contortions, creating arguably the most essential punk-funk hybrid.
Don’t miss this extremely rare chance to see them in the UK at The Lanes on March 13th (courtesy of Lysergic Limes and BLG Promotions).
🎫 Tickets: hdfst.uk/E49976
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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
Paintworks Event Space
The Western Stars All-Dayer
Are you ready for a full day of energy packed rockabilly madness? This full-day event will SIX of Western Star's finest rockabilly acts!
The Fleece
Girl Ray
Alternative London three-piece return with pop fuelled stomper of a record
The Louisiana
Mikal Cronin
LA native / Ty Segall collaborator returns with new album 'Seeker' via Merge
Fiddlers
The Wrecking Ball - Psychobilly Extravaganza
This is your chance to catch three of the original 1980’s Psychobilly acts, who just so happen to be three of the greatest live acts in the
Thekla
(Sandy) Alex G
The cult icon makes his long awaited return to Bristol
The Cube
VANISHING TWIN
Gravy Train proudly present: Vanishing Twin, plus guests.
Fiddlers
Neo-Mania: A Night of Frantic Rockabilly
For fans of Neo-Rockabilly this is a chance to see NO LESS THAN FOUR of the absolute greatest the genre has to offer.
Christ Church Downend
Jackie Oates Band (support from Thom Ashworth)
The Jackie Oates Band present a special Christmas Concert for Downend Folk Club at Christ Church Downend
The Wardrobe Theatre
The Magic Lantern
The Magic Lantern is the musical moniker of British Australian musician Jamie Doe.
Crofters Rights
BLG / Wizzarding Promotions Presents: Kristof Hahn
BLG & Wizzarding Promotions Proudly Presents: Kristof Hahn (Swans) plus support
The Wardrobe Theatre
Katherine Priddy plus Steph Grace
Priddy’s original works are delivered with an emotional maturity, depth and a vulnerable tenderness that still carries a darker edge.
Exchange
Random Hand
skacore legends play Exchange
The Grain Barge
Chris Webb (full band) album launch
Chris Webb releases new album with full band
Rough Trade Bristol
Omni
Freshly signed to Sub Pop and prepping their third record, Omni return to Bristol!
Crofters Rights
Taboo/Healthy Junkies/PollyPikPocketz/Yur Mum
BLG Present: Tokyo Taboo/Healthy Junkies/PollyPikPocketz/Yur Mum at The Crofters Rights
Rough Trade Bristol
Art School Girlfriend
Signed to Paul Epworth's Wolftone, Polly Mackey brings Art School Girlfriend back to Bristol
The Grain Barge
Dana Gavanski
Toronto based songwriter / Full Time Hobby signee makes her first visit to Bristol
Basement 45
Space Jams: Tales From The Crypt (Limited Tickets)
A darksynthwave evening in the crypts of Bristol.. First of it's kind
The Old England Pub
Pretty Criminal and Quantock Road
Quantock Road & Pretty Criminal co-headline the Old E
The Lanes
London Astrobeat Orchestra: A West African Tribute
To Talking Heads & The Police + DJ Ru Robinson
Cafe Kino
Printhead: Pet Crow + Nervous Twitch + Mould
Derby based Post Punk Heavyweights
Exchange
Jay Som
Jay Som makes her Bristol debut following the release of sophomore effort 'Anak Ko'
St. James' Wine Vaults
RMT Music & Funnel Live present PENELOPE ISLES
RMT Music & Funnel Live proudly present PENELOPE ISLES (Bella Union) at St. James' Wine Vaults, Bath 22.11.19! Special guests TBA! DJs til 1
Hy Brasil Music Club
Beach Riot
FREE! Scuzzy alt rock / crunchy pop tunes/
The Wardrobe Theatre
Stick in The Wheel
Known for their fierce, raw delivery, this is culturally and politically switched-on Folk music
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.
