Punk Gigs in Bristol

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Bristol's Punk Scene

The longstanding, big-names in American punk have found home in many of Bristol’s large gig venues with The O2 Academy, The Fleece and Bristol Bierkeller catching the most footfall. The area around Old Market has undoubtedly built a renaissance of forward-thinking, British punk music. The Exchange and the Stag and Hounds are arguably leading the way with new, up and coming talent. Fans of the older punk scene can find tributes to bands like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols at The Tunnels, The Fleece and The Thunderbolt.

What is the link between punks and anarchism in bristol?

Bristol has a deep anarchist subculture with a local wing of the Anarchist Federation and world-famous bristol punk bands like the Pop Group. But what does an increase in local anarchist activity have to do with the Bristol punk scene? In truth, punks and anarchists might have had a closer link at the birth of the punk scene in 1977, but not all punks are anarchists and Vice versa. Many ‘punk’ looking people maybe be blamed for anarchists attacks in Bristol, but this is a media portrayal of the punk scene that is now almost 40 years out of date. Leave Bristol punks alone.

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Our recent punk recommendations

Top-shelf first-wave anarcho legends in the flesh! The crust’s crust will tell you Virus were the absolute bollocks; still running on fresh vitriol, they’ve saved their most vital polemics for the cursed 21st century. Disciples of The Mob, Flux and even Subdued should unpick some room on their patch jacket, and stick around for the Hermeticus projection archive + after-hours lessons from DJ Dub Punk. Virus, Hermeticus, DJ Dub Punk, DJ Inigo at Cafe Kino.

Rooted in the myths and memories of the English revival tradition, Betty Blight’s years in Argentinian post-punk and cumbia scenes also add a global flavour to her curious, wintry freak-folk ballads. She’s a bona fide original, in masterly company with fellow Bristol folk scene talents Jon Hunt, Dan Weltman and Georgina King. Betty Blight album launch with Dan Weltman, Jon Hunt and Georgina King at Cafe Kino.

A triple threat of gothic ferocity! Black Dahlia conjure bubbling, obsidian mascara-pop full of windswept vocals. Kelan pounds martial rhythms beneath sardonic, lupine growls + Shoun Shoun’s whip up a hardcore frenzy with their live wire intensity and slash-and-burn guitar work. Delirious nocturnal glamour FFO: Nine Inch Nails, Savages, Lykke Li, Chromatics. Black Dahlia + Kelan + Shoun Shoun at Cafe Kino.

Sell out warning! It’s gonna get slippery and sweaty up in The Croft as queer bass rabble-rouser and pastel de nata connoisseur Grove brings power and NRG for this intimate headline show. Sensual mutant dykehall, radical resistance anthems and industrial-jazz-punk moshing awaits. Grove at The Croft.

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What our editors say

“Downloaded are a high-energy tribute band celebrating Download Festival, with a setlist packed full of crowd favourite songs from the festival’s biggest acts. Downloaded cover everything from pop punk to nu-metal, from Green Day to Slipknot, and everything in between. Experience the rush of Download Festival without the tent and muddy fields Exchange has a small ramp entrance from the street.”
From: Downloaded - Download Festival Tribute

“never easy return to the UK & head into Europe for their first headline tour around their second album, 'I Still Care’. Bringing their biggest live show yet, they have spent the last year on the road making a name for themselves; high-energy sets which blend 2000s emo-inspired guitars, a combination of etheric & aggressive vocals, and hard-hitting drums. The Montreal band turns every show into a loud, cathartic release. This run sees them in their biggest rooms so far, with a production that pushes their raw dynamics & every cathartic moment up to a whole new level”
From: NEVER EASY

“After a successful first tour of the UK in 2022, the beloved Ohio based indie-emo quartet Remember Sports return in support of their new album The Refrigerator, their first album release since Like A Stone in 2021.”
From: Remember Sports

“Beigelord - bringing us a let of hypnotically good ambient farmyard emo to sit back, close your eyes and get lost in: https://beigelord.bandcamp.com/”
From: Sunday Afternooner w/ Lawi Anywar, Lou Moon/Pal/Perkie, Tremolo Ghosts..

“Formed from members of Bristol's avant-garde underbelly (Bingo Fury, Ex-Agent, Grandchild) at the start of 2023, Sunglasz Vendor’s sees devout experimentalists turn to embrace the eternal comforts of rock radio hooks, pensive emo, and Kerrang! teenage angst. The result is a daringly skittish attempt at nostalgia; a classic guitar/bass/drums trio where all the elements are grating up against each other, teetering on the edge between the Guitar Hero canon and free-form anarchy.”
From: D/RK HUMR with support from Sunglasz Vendor