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Free Gigs in Bristol

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Bristol's Free Gigs Scene

Where to find free music in Bristol Free music's pretty easy to find in Bristol. Whilst most gigs outside of the big venues are usually only a few quid, it's always nice to see some bands for free or a couple of pounds in a bucket (if they're good!) For guaranteed free music with your pint, go to a venue which has a free entry policy.

The Old Duke, The Canteen and The Golden Lion (except fridays) should probably be your first port-of-call to check out Coronation Tap are also very reliable and popular for free gigs. Luckily free gigs can happen anywhere, this means you can keep things interesting and not get bored of rotating the same Bristol venues. Free live music can crop up anywhere from the Grain Barge and Lousianna to Colston Hall and even St Georges.

The economy of free gigs. Can it survive Covid?

Good news: gigs in Bristol are more likely to be free than anywhere else! General ticket prices seem to be more common between free and £5; the £20+ bracket is a rare one compared to the capital’s high-end arts and theatre gigs. Bristol’s pandemic response has opened up some extra local music funding. Will free gigs disappear with the added financial pressures of covid? Indoor gigs may soon be possible, but how many of them will remain free and accessible?

Free outdoor gigs and festivals in Bristol

From mid June to the beginning of September Bristol Council and independent organisations put on some great free music events. Best of all there's something different almost every weekend and they don't cost any money! Significant large events include St Werbergh's Fair, The Harbourside Festival and St Pauls Carnival. In addition there are some great smaller, open air gigs with free entry to be found in places like Queens Square, Stokes Croft and Castle Park.

Buy tickets for free gigs events in Bristol

Our recent free gigs recommendations

A sweet double dose of Isle of Eigg cult microlabel Lost Map: the carnivalesque psych-folk of seven-member Cornish collective Blind Yeo promises to carry the Jar to new cosmic heights, bolstered by gloopy electro-indie-pop from label founder Pictish Trail. Fans of Tunng, The Beta Band, Melin Melyn, Jane Weaver et al – jump on it. Blind Yeo + Pictish Trail at The Jam Jar.

What happens when nine free-jazzheads get their hands on an ensemble's worth of gamelan goodies? Nist-Nah erupts in dizzying, metallic swarms of controlled chaos conducted by master polymath percussionist Will Guthrie, elevating you to a sonic nirvana only achieved by fearless adepts of Steve Reich, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, La Monte Young and The Necks. Will Guthrie & Ensemble Nist-Nah , Laura Phillips at Strange Brew.

Spectral, drone-damaged guitar works from one of the underappreciated masters of post-everything ambient. Rafael Toral’s place alongside O’Rourke, Fennesz and Ambarchi is assured, now he’s floating on tonal clouds with a 40 year retrospective of his sweeping six-string experiments in infinity. Rafael Toral + Jo Johnson at Strange Brew.

A Stokes Croft triple-hitter of underground fire! Holy Popes channel post-garage punk into animalistic distortion and visceral noise; Vile Imbeciles gurgle experimental high-guitar hell with rhythmic jank; and Repo Man collapse rock into shards of sax, ping-ponging bass lines and plunking riffs. Relentless FFO: The Fall, The Stooges, The Birthday Party. HOLY POPES + VILE IMBECILES + REPO MAN at Cafe Kino.