What's On / Bristol Gigs / experimental music

Bristol's Experimental Music Listings

upcoming gig

Bristol's Experimental Music Scene

It’s Bristol’s dance music that has earnt Bristol’s music scene international recognition, but the city’s playful experimentation between musicianship, electronics and sound art that is starting to gain the most traction. It's with a sigh of relief that we bid farewell to loop-pedal-powered hippies of the past and embrace the patch bays, compressors and modular synths of the future. All Bristol’s experimental music events are listed on this page.

Buy tickets for experimental music events in Bristol

What our editors say

“Donald WG Lindsay is best known as the creator of the Lindsay System three-octave keyless chanter for the Scottish smallpipes, as played by him on the critically acclaimed album History of Sleep, recorded in collaboration with Glasgow experimental legend Richard Youngs. Donald is a former convenor of the Lowland and Border Pipers Society, with which he has a long association. Although a traditional singer since his teens, Donald has rarely ventured onto the stage as a vocalist, although he has recorded sporadically. In late 2020, he received airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music from Iggy Pop, who described his music as:”
From: Donald WG Lindsay & Alasdair Roberts

“Has had various members since forming in 1981 but Bonjo I has been a constant feature. Most of the actual music in the early days was written by Adrian Sherwood and the band was basically a vehicle for his more experimental side for the then fledgling On-U Sound label.”
From: AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE PLUS GUESTS

“The band were born on the evening of 2nd January 2018 after what can only be described as an experimental and revelatory improvised session together. Kavus Torabi, Michael York and Steve Davis have fused Modular Synthesisers with conventional and traditional instruments to create a weird and joyous celebration of all that is good about left eld psychedelic music.”
From: The Utopia Strong

“Expect an evening of genre-fluid performance where deep spiritual transformation meets boundless energy. With their debut album in the making at Berlin's Brewery Studios, this is a chance to witness an emerging force in experimental jazz.”
From: Sera Kalo's eX.II

“Her third album “Sunwise”, to be released in June this year, includes guests on uilleann pipes and organ, as well as Canadian composer Colin Stetson (saxophone) and her father Aonghas Phàdraig (spoken word) and brother Eòsaph (vocals). Extending the fearless, experimental ethos of her lauded 2023 album "Carry Them With Us,” Brìghde Chaimbeul's new music continues to push the boundaries and expectations of both experimental and traditional sonics.”
From: Brighde Chaimbeul