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Reggae Nights in Bristol

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Bristol's Reggae & Dub Scene

Is Bristol the capital of reggae & dub in the UK?

With the return of the community led St Paul’s carnival (getting national coverage in the Guardian), Bristol has always had claim to be the capital of the Jamaican diaspora sound. Reggae and dub can be heard on the streets of St Paul’s and Stokes Croft, on the airwaves of Ujima and at venues like Cosies and community-centred nights at Kuumba Centre and the Malcolm X centre. While smoking bans and rapid gentrification have murdered the nightlife of London, Bristol has it’s own problems that are impacting the reggae and dub communities. The recent sale of the Rastafari Cultural centre poses a threat to the beating heart of this vibrant scene in Bristol.

While it's still possible to see reggae legends like Lee Perry and Horace Andy at Bristol's large venues (ie Colston Hall and the o2 Academy), live reggae in Bristol is fewer and farther between. Dub and 'soundsystem culture' on the other hand, are literally huge. For the big dub and roots soundclashes, keep an eye on whats on at the Trinity Centre in Bristol, most notably Unity in Dub who's guest soundsystems have included Irration Steppas and the mighty King Earthquake.

On a much smaller scale look at Cosies listings for their weekly roots and reggae night and check whats on at the Attic (attached to the Full Moon on Stokes Croft). Pure ragga, bashment or dancehall events in Bristol are pretty rare, instead a reggae room is a pretty common fixture at big nights at venues like Lakota.

The rapid growth of dubstep in Bristol has brought with it a rekindled interest in modern dub (aka digi-dub aka future dub) and has led to some unlikely dub bookings like Mad Professor at Shit the Bed in the Motion listings.

Buy tickets for reggae & dub events in Bristol

Our recent reggae & dub 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

“The Skabratts are a high-energy seven-piece band from London bringing the unmistakable sound of 1960s Jamaica to stages across the UK. Blending authentic ska, rocksteady and boss reggae, they deliver the timeless music of Studio One, Treasure Isle and Trojan Records with passion, style and respect for the genre's roots.”
From: The Skabratts

“SiM (Silence iz Mine) conquered their native Japan with a vibrant mix of nu-metal and postmodern hard rock, injected with hardcore attitude. Then the self-described “Reggae Punx” broke into the US scene with the no.1 smash, ’The Rumbling’. Now the alt-metal four-piece have set their eyes on the world! Their music conjures the melodic bombast and rhythmic punch of early 2000s heavy hitters like Korn, Linkin Park and Deftones, with precision blasts of chunky metalcore and the renegade spirit of classic reggae, and two-tone ska.”
From: SiM

“Expect virtuosic keys, heavyweight rhythms, deep improvisation and a journey through the rich musical currents that connect jazz, dub, soul and soundsystem culture. Revisiting Idiom alongside music from across their decade-long partnership, this is a rare chance to experience two artists whose friendship and creative connection continue to shape the sound of modern British music.”
From: Joe Armon-Jones & Maxwell Owin

“Joe Yorke, Bristol-based singer, songwriter and composer whose music draws from across the full spectrum of reggae culture, blending roots, rocksteady, dub and soul with post-punk, new wave and Northern Soul influences. Originally from the North West of England, Yorke first fell in love with music through punk, folk and reggae before immersing himself in Manchester’s soundsystem scene.”
From: Joe Yorke Album Launch

“PAPA NUI PAPA NUI are a 6 piece band from Oxford who always get the party started at Mr Wolf's when they play their mix of ska, reggae, blues, balkan, funk, highlife. No style of music will stop them from taking them where the music needs to go. With a line up of harmonica, guitar, bass, drums and a trumpet/trombone horn section, the whole band all sing creating a joyful sound. Using their catchy tunes to bring in the crowd the band always take their audience on an exciting adventure.”
From: Papa Nui + VONJ