Indie Gigs in Bristol

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Bristol's Indie Scene

Bristol has a decent spread of indie venues for both big names (keep your eye on the O2 Academy listings) and local up-and-coming indie bands. Perhaps the most important mid-sized indie venue is The Louisiana whose "played-here-before-they-were-really-famous" list boasts Bloc Party, Kings of Leon, Fleet Foxes and Muse.

What’s become of Indie music? For many of a certain generation the early 2000s were the peak of indie music here in Bristol and in the UK as a whole. Not to be confused with the association of independent music (although indie does stand for ‘independent music’) indie came out of the 80s DIY scene and peaked in the 00s mainstream with acts like the Strokes and the Libertines. So where is indie now? Now indie in Bristol might just amount to clubnights like Ramshackle, and we have the decline of grassroots music venues to blame maybe. So while independent music might always be around, the genre formerly known as indie might be dead!

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Our recent indie recommendations

British folk iconoclast Chris Wood graces the candlelit hush of John Wesley’s New Room. His everyday epics sketch sharp-edged portraits of England’s many overlooked lives, from empty nests to minor league football teams to tragedies of industrial decay. Acute compassion ballads FFO: Martin Carthy, Karine Polwart, Billy Bragg, Richard Dawson. Chris Wood at John Wesley’s New Room.

Sell out warning! Granny’s Attic craft a mischievous folk playground, weaving original tunes into centuries-old reels and laments with effortless virtuosity. Crisp melodies, playful textures, and infectious energy celebrate the living, breathing pulse of the folk tradition. Joyous foot-stomping magic FFO: Jack Rutter, Eliza Carthy, Salt House. Granny's Attic - Greenbank Folk Club at St Anne's Church, Eastville.

Sell out warning! Kiss Facility unites Sega Bodega’s prodigious production alchemy with Mayah Alkhateri’s gossamer Arabic vocals, all refracted through a prism of shoegaze longing and soaring avant-pop emotivity. Prepare to be utterly transfixed by the ultimate creative power couple in an absolute no-brainer FFO: Erika de Casier, Eartheater, Nadah El Shazly Kiss Facility at Strange Brew.

Marauding Norsemen Agabas charge into town wielding their self-coined ‘deathjazz’: a pummeling uptempo rawk engine with a thrash gallop, horn blasts strafing through the noise, and shredding throat growls atop a storm of riffs and rhythms. A cataclysmic ruin ritual FFO: Kvelertak, Imperial Triumphant, Slipknot, Converge. AGABAS at Exchange.

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What our editors say

“Having fun is a form of art, and Ciao Lucifer have mastered it like no other. This Amsterdam duo wears the label 'feel-good band' with pride. Since their high school days these two friends have made music, and since a few years as Ciao Lucifer: the indie pop project in which they tackle life's hardships with cheerful music. Their danceable, sunny tunes exist for one purpose only: to escape bleak reality, and dance away your demons. A kind of exorcism ritual, but with more kazoo.”
From: Ciao Lucifer

“Rowena Wise is a Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter whose work balances beauty and mess with rare emotional precision, drawing from 60s folk storytelling while grounded in indie rock, garage pop and alt-folk. Raised in Margaret River, Western Australia, by a luthier father and a Chicago-born folk musician mother, Wise moved to Melbourne at 18 to forge her own path.”
From: ROWENA WISE

“As the former frontman of the indie rock band Wild Beasts, his solo work features a more intimate, downtempo, and alternative singer-songwriter style, defined by his distinct operatic countertenor vocal delivery.”
From: Hayden Thorpe

“Hey Pixies’ spot-on renditions and high-energy performances have made waves (of mutilation), leading to sold-out shows and festival appearances across the UK and Ireland. Expect to be mesmerized by indie anthems like “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” “Here Comes Your Man,” “Debaser,” and “Where Is My Mind?” With over 40 songs in their setlist, surprises are guaranteed. More than a tribute, Hey Pixies celebrate the legacy of indie rock legends with passion and precision.”
From: Hey Pixies

“Oliver Thomas is an indie rock singer from Bristol, returning with his debut solo single/ E.P, ‘Hopeless’. After spending years performing live around the world, Oliver is beginning a new chapter as a solo artist. Blending heartfelt lyrics with raw guitar-driven melodies and a modern indie rock edge, his music explores themes of hope, resilience, and human connection. With ‘Hopeless’ marking the start of this new era, Oliver is excited to bring his honest, energetic performances to audiences across the UK, beginning at The Louisiana in Bristol.”
From: Oliver Thomas + Southline + Tommy and the mariners