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Drone, Noise & Experimental

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Bristol's Drone/noise Scene

Bristol’s drone and noise rock scenes are some of the most awesome musical niches found in this city. Small packed-out gigs, captivated crowds and performers pushing the boundaries between music, white noise and sound art. While international names like Tim Hecker and the Haxan Cloak have made appearances in Bristol, it’s local label Howling Owl Records and promoters Cacophonous Sarcophagus who are leading the way here. Keep your eyes peeled for gigs at the Arnolfini gallery, The Cube cinema, The Exchange and small events spaces like the Scout Hut and Centre Space.

Intimate Drone/noise music in Bristol
The Bristol drone/noise scene, it’s not just the Bristol Hum like you’d think! Bristol drone and noise gigs can be some of the most intimate around, the crowd all huddled in silence in one of Bristol prestigious venues (like the newly rebranded Bristol Beacon). Although lacking big local names to rival international drone artists like William Basinski or Tim Hecker, there’s been a recent increase in ambient gigs, nights like Dark Alchemy and Lust Pattern have taken the beat out of music but still made it droney and noisey, and just very Bristol.

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Our recent drone/noise recommendations

Get into the long line to join pôt-pot’s eerie motorik dream: a breathing harmonium drone rock nebula, rolling forward in rhythmic lockstep through walls of garage-psych guitar fuzz and sardonic vocal haze. It’s a 21st century Nuggets-worthy parade FFO: Neu!, Spacemen 3, Ulrika Spacek, Stuck, Good Flying Birds. pôt-pot at The Louisiana.

Art Ensemble of Old Market assemble! 8 of our finest jazzers throw the kitchen sink at you with many arms a-skronking across two totally improvised and unrepeatable sets, tugging at the very edges of that thing we call music. Pizza Express this ain’t, so you best like your jazz freer than free. 8tet Clarkson / Grigg / Helson / Hill / Kelly / Langford /Skerman / Sneddon at Exchange.

Harsh’n’hooky hardcore noise punx rocketing outta Norway with a fist full of glitter and more than a lil nod to their raw black metal fjords. Daufødt are fierce as hell and they aren’t gonna take it anymore! Topping a mighty pissed off billing with like-minded local scuzz attack from Peacelily, Get Fucked and TvWife, this’ll be essential abrasion FFO: Gel, Couch Slut, DFA 1979, Man Is The Bastard. Daufødt w/ Peacelily, TvWife, Get Fucked at Cafe Kino.

Sink into soft and unhurried sounds at the Crypt of St John on the Wall. John Haycock weaves kora into delicate live tapestries with Daniel Bridgwood-Hill’s guitar and violin, while Sade Arellano performs low-lit medieval chanson and Nahda dives into a curated selection of Lebanese folk music. BYOP (Bring Your Own Pillow)! ~ and not or & resonance ~ 'what remains' by john haycock at Crypt Of St John On The Wall.

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What our editors say

“Gotobeat presents Deep Forest £30 Adv 7pm doors The Deep Forest story began in the early 90’s in the North of France with the intention of mixing ethnic music with their own electronic and jazz sounds. The Deep Forest live set of today is versatile, as likely to dip into high tempo electronic music or jazz for audiences to dance to as it is to be ambient and relaxing whilst always retaining that classic Deep Forest sound.”
From: Deep Forest

“Vice versa + Feral Decay presents SMOTE (UK) For those who dream to wash within the sonic unearthings of primal incantations, this is for you. His most recent record, songs from the Free House embarks on a mediative heaviness, steeped in folk drone ambience. Drone is alive, and ritual (and magick) is afoot. F.F.O: Bong, OM, Swans. SCATHING GOD aka 'Say, God + Scathing' (BRISTOL) A improv collaboration between two of Bristol's heavy and depressed ensembles. On the cusp of esoteric. Loud and emotional. Gut wrenching, in a nice way. F.F.O. The body, one leg one eye, Sunn O))). + Special guest (TBA) Golden lion (Gloucester rd) £12 ADV / £15 OTD”
From: SMOTE + special guests

“MOUNTAINSCAPE Instrumental post-metal Blending elements of post-rock, black metal, doom, sludge and ambient, MOUNTAINSCAPE meld dreamlike shoegaze with earth-shattering heaviness, unexpected twists and film score grandeur. A band on the rise, last year they notably played PORTALS festival and supported DVNE and NIGHT VERSES.”
From: Urzah

“Perry Frank, Sardinian electronic composer and Ambient -drone solo artiste On tour,and back in Bristol again,and dropping in on Camembert Promos for another round of spellbinding,dream soundscapes, guitar and electronics, maybe 50 minutes, maybe possible guest Thanks to the wonderful Black City Records for being the hosts extraordinaire”
From: Ambient In-Store with Perry Frank

“They released their debut EP Ode To A in 2023, earning it a spot on The Thin Air’s “Best of 2023” list. "Ode To A succeeds not just in the artistic practice of the avant-garde, but as piece of an engaging, genuinely psychedelic experimental drone rock” – Stevie Lennox, The Thin Air. In April 2024, they released their second EP “GOING INSANE” on cult Porto based label Socorro, with a limited vinyl run via Ireland’s beloved Blowtorch Records, receiving much critical acclaim.”
From: pôt-pot