The Thunderbolt
Small gig venue in Totterdown.
The Thunderbolt is an independent music & arts venue on the Bath Road, Totterdown. The intimate venue is a restored Grade 2 listed former 1830's tollhouse with a large, rear garden.
The Thunderbolt's music policy is broad and includes indie, folk, punk, country, roots, rock and ska. Local bands like Yes Rebels, John Vistic Experience, Archimedes, Phantom Limb, Annette Berlin, The Liftmen, Empty Pools, First Degree Burns, Ruckus Collective amongst many others have played gigs at the Thunderbolt.
The Thunderbolt has become established as a "circuit venue" on the live music scene, with previous touring bands including:
Nationally John Parish (PJ Harvey), Ian Mclagan (Faces/Small Faces), Hugh Cornwell, Miles Hunt, Will Self, Howe Gelb, John Cooper Clarke, Howard Marks, Jerry Dammers, Carleen Carter, Louisiana Red, Wilko Johnson, Wayne Hussey, The Pretty Things, Justin Sullivan, Jim Bob (Carter USM), The Christians, DJ Don Letts, Roy Bailey, Wreckless Eric, John Power (Cast/The La's), John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett, Zoot Money, Justin Townes Earle, Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), John Hegley, Dr Feelgood, Blue Aeroplanes, Jim Bob (Carter USM) & Chris Difford.
The Thunderbolt's music policy is broad and includes indie, folk, punk, country, roots, rock and ska. Local bands like Yes Rebels, John Vistic Experience, Archimedes, Phantom Limb, Annette Berlin, The Liftmen, Empty Pools, First Degree Burns, Ruckus Collective amongst many others have played gigs at the Thunderbolt.
The Thunderbolt has become established as a "circuit venue" on the live music scene, with previous touring bands including:
Nationally John Parish (PJ Harvey), Ian Mclagan (Faces/Small Faces), Hugh Cornwell, Miles Hunt, Will Self, Howe Gelb, John Cooper Clarke, Howard Marks, Jerry Dammers, Carleen Carter, Louisiana Red, Wilko Johnson, Wayne Hussey, The Pretty Things, Justin Sullivan, Jim Bob (Carter USM), The Christians, DJ Don Letts, Roy Bailey, Wreckless Eric, John Power (Cast/The La's), John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett, Zoot Money, Justin Townes Earle, Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), John Hegley, Dr Feelgood, Blue Aeroplanes, Jim Bob (Carter USM) & Chris Difford.
What's On At The Thunderbolt
— The Thunderbolt
indie rock
indie folk
experimental rock
garage rock
rock-and-roll
— The Thunderbolt
blues-rock
— The Thunderbolt
metal
alternative metal
progressive metal
— The Thunderbolt
doom metal
— The Thunderbolt
alternative rock
grunge
Get a feel for The Thunderbolt
Our recent recommendations for The Thunderbolt
Beaker are back! Reunited after 25 years in tribute to late bassist Kim Parsons, the cult indie rock quartet were a fixture of Oxford’s DIY scene in the 90s – their hefty, hooky, harmony-laced sound still hits. Big find FFO: The Raincoats, The Breeders, Life Without Buildings, Bas Jan.
BEAKER // The Freakshow// Sac Religion at The Thunderbolt.
Locals Pilot Whale Research apply cinematic grandeur and improvisational eclecticism to drizzly folk melodies and expansive, lyric-driven songwriting. Lush, conversational compositions with sing-song melodies and pastoral textures FFO: Iron & Wine, Fleet Foxes, José González, Calexico, Fence Collective.
PILOT WHALE RESEARCH // DAY FLYING MOTH // THE GREAT UNFURLING
Three-pronged DIY pile-up helmed by the hefty doom/riot grrl/nu-metal collision of politipunk upstarts Hissy Fist, alongside local post-punk muscle from Limited Ltd and Dyke Mother's emerging experimental grunge. Biggun FFO: Witch Fever, Dream Nails, Couch Slut, Gouge Away, Cold Meat, Helms Alee.
HISSY FIST // LIMITED LTD // DYKE MOTHER
Calling all degenerates! Assemble for a boozy garage/punk/psychobilly day fest with melodic power punk upstarts Los Pepes, high-octane punk-n-rollers Crooked Little Sons, The Loyal Cheaters’s glammed-up turbo blitz + 8 hours of snotty action FFO: Cheap Trick, The Hives, The Hellacopters, The Bronx, Dead Boys, The Runaways.
Punk all dayer with live bands from the afternoon!
Mainstream recognition always eluded Man, but the cult Welsh psych-proggers’ 57 year marathon of frazzled pub-rock jams have made them an unparalleled cosmic Celtic institution. The most significant thing to come out of Merthyr since the Industrial Revolution? Essential history FFO: Quicksilver Messenger Service, Groundhogs, Hawkwind, Wishbone Ash, Nektar.
MAN - WELSH ROCK LEGENDS + CULT OF THE VELVET RATLLESNAKE