Clubs
So. You’ve moved into your room and met your next-door neighbour. You’ve been to the union to buy some posters, a pot plant and several pints, and to join some societies you’ll never go anywhere near again. That loan cheque is burning a hole in your pocket. What next? If the answer is ‘Hit the town!’ - and it should be - let us be among the first to congratulate you on your choice of home for the next three years and beyond. We’d follow that by telling you all about the downright stupendous club scene that Bristol and Bath has to offer, but you probably know all about it already.
You’re likely to be aware, for example, that when it comes to the latest global dance music phenomenon, dubstep, we’re second to none. The exploits of envelope-pushing producers like Pinch, Joker, Peverelist and Appleblim have emphatically seen to that. Equally, you may well have heard that we like our drum & bass round these parts, as ably demonstrated by everyone from local d&b godfather Roni Size and Kosheen to The Insiders and current first family D-Style (including TC, Jakes and D-Minds). There’s also the Ibiza-slaying antics of house/techno duo Deepgroove, whose recent discography reads like a who’s who of the world’s finest 4/4 record labels. You could also be au fait with reggae pensioner DJ Derek (whose appetite for festivals remains undiminished even though he’s collected his bus pass), Ninja Tune’s local representative Cheeba, or block party funkateers Parker and Mr Benn. All those, and we haven’t even mentioned the ongoing influence of ‘Bristol Sound’ monoliths Massive Attack and Portishead.
Many of the clubnights themselves are known well outside this parish, too. Internationally renowned brands like Bugged Out! and Hospitality have both seen fit to establish Bristol outposts (The Big Chill have gone as far as to open a whole venue all to themselves – their first year-round venture outside London). The UK’s biggest indie night Propaganda – now rocking out in seven different cities and counting – was started right here in the South West by Oasis’s record selector of choice DJ Dan. The charmingly named Shit the Bed can justifiably lay claim to being one of the country’s best nights out, while few parties have shown the longevity of evergreen knees-ups like BlowPop. Bath institution Metripolis, meanwhile, is regularly recognised as among the finest house/techno shindigs this land has to offer (and, in the process, making a rising star and Radio 1 favourite out of resident DJ Tom Maddicott).
But whether you’ve heard of all or any of these is academic, really - so far we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s a vibrant, colourful, endlessly creative and downright ace place to go out and have more fun than is strictly good for you. Bowl while you boogie over at The Lanes, or lose yourself in the UV psytrance wonderland that is Tribe of Frog. Eat jerk chicken straight from the barbecue at Dojo Lounge, or leap around in a half-pipe at Motion. Play musical bingo at Start the Bus, then dance on the table with drag queens at Flamingos. Eschew the obvious floor-fillers with nights devoted to 50s jump blues or 80s electro-funk. Take your pick between an evening of strictly vintage seven-inch records or nothing but laptop-thrashing live squeaks and bleeps.
Whatever wild and wonderful things you’re into, you’ll find somewhere to do them here. The painstakingly compiled guide to the clubs of Bristol and Bath that follows is precision engineered to give you a friendly shove in the right direction.
Bath
Back to Mine
Bladud Buildings. Tel: 01225 425677. Web: www.backtomineclub.co.uk • Stylish, intimate club with a gamut running from cabaret to poker to, of course, music. Local DMC champ Asian Hawk’s scratch sessions are a regular highlight.
Bath Tap
St James’s Parade. Tel: 01225 404344 • Friendly gay pub with DJs and dancefloor downstairs.
Blue Rooms
George St. Tel: 01225 470040. Web: www.bluerooms.net • Upmarket venue with prices to match, although for many its sophisticated ambience is worth paying for. Music policy: unchallenging, crowd-pleasing.
Celsius
1-3 South Parade Bath. Tel: 01225 312800. Web: www.celsiusicebar.co.uk • New venue, with an ice bar (yes, as in a bar made from ice!) and a new nightclub too. Formerly known as Qube.
Club XL
Walcot St. Tel: 01225 464241. Web: www.clubxl.co.uk • Two floors and a pool bar of chart anthems, cheese and pop hits. Monday is student night.
Mandalyns
Fountain Buildings, Lansdown Rd. Tel: 01225 425403. Web: www.mandalyns.com • A Uni of Bath LGBT fave, especially on Thursday’s karaoke night. At weekends DJs play cheese and dance classics.
Moles
George St. Tel: 01225 404445. Web: www.moles.co.uk • We love Moles, and you will too. Annie Mac’s favourite place to DJ is 4/4 session Metripolis. For wall-to-wall guilty pleasures head for Tuesday’s Big Cheese.
Po Na Na
North Parade. Tel: 01225 424952. Web: www.ponana.com • Indie and rock midweek, predictable party tunes at weekends and occasional big-name jocks. Monday’s Downtown is the official Bath Uni Students’ Union night out.
Second Bridge
Kingston Rd. Tel: 01225 465002. Web: www.secondbridge.co.uk • Two rooms of music, and plenty for those who don’t mind paying for a bit of special treatment. Wednesday’s Club Mojito brings a little Latin America to Bath; Saturdays are over-21 except by prior arrangement.
Weir Lounge
Spring Gardens Rd. Tel: 01225 447187 • Delightful setting under Pulteney Bridge makes this a popular choice any day of the week. For r&b and glam urban grooves make a beeline for Saturday’s Lush.
Bristol
Basement 45
Frogmore St. Tel: 0117 929 3554. Web: www.basement45.co.uk • Formerly Mandrake, now revitalised by the good folks behind Bijou. If you enjoy house and techno with a smattering of dubstep, you’re onto a good thing here.
Bierkeller
All Saints St. Tel: 0117 926 8514. Web: www.bristolbierkeller.co.uk • Fridays and Saturdays are ruled by heavy metal and lederhosen – an unlikely combination that sums up this long-running alternative venue to a tee.
Big Chill Bar
Small St. Tel: 0117 930 4217. Web: www.bigchill.net • Due to open early October, The Big Chill’s first year-round venture outside London will stick closely to the festival’s ethos of good-time drinking, dancing and eating. Due to include its own veg patch
Bijou
Whiteladies Rd. Tel: 07770 940930 • That rare beast, a Clifton venue with a late licence. ‘Roomy’ isn’t the word here, but entry is usually free. For house fans in particular, the music punches above its weight.
Black Swan
Stapleton Rd. Tel: 0117 939 3334 • Off the beaten track but worth the trek if the harder end of drum & bass, dubstep and reggae float your boat. Its real USP is the bonfire-equipped garden.
Buddha Lounge
Nelson St. Tel: 07799 588999. Web: www.buddhaloungebristol.com • Ostentatious top-floor lounge bar playing r&b and smooth grooves on the weekend.
Cavern Club
All Saints Lane. Tel: 0117 934 9996 • Below the Crown pub, a suitably stark venue for the (largely) goth and industrial nights that call it home.
Clockwork
Stokes Croft. Web: www.clockworkclub.co.uk • One of the big guns a couple of years back, but under new management it’s gone somewhat off the radar. But, with the right promoter and line-up, can still host quite some party.
Cooler
Park St. Tel: 0117 945 0999. Web: www.clubcooler.com • Well thought-out space where indie rules the roost: at flagship Saturday night Kute it’s like britpop never died. A good eye for bands on the up, too.
Cosies
Portland Square. Tel: 0117 942 4110. Web: www.cosies.co.uk • Subterranean watering hole that morphs into an intimate little club as the evening wears on. Reggae, dubstep and drum & bass are king. Watch out for Ruffnek Diskotek’s monthly Bristol Bassmusic sessions
The Croft
Stokes Croft. Tel: 0117 903 0796. Web: www.the-croft.com • Versatile venue offering everything from homegrown hip-hop to balls-out rock’n’roll. Main room is small but, when heaving, atmospherically intimate.
Dojo Lounge
Park Row. Tel: 0117 925 1177. Web: www.dojolounge.com • Insomniac’s haunt that’s just celebrated its 10th year and is more popular than ever thanks to nights like Bugged Out! and Intrigue. Fantastic outdoor smoking terrace complete with barbecue for summer nights.
Elbow Room
Park St. Tel: 0117 930 0242. Web: www.theelbowroom.co.uk/bristol • Eight years young and not a single penny of door tax to date. Proper pool tables, enviably stocked bar, rug-cutting tunes every night of the week. Grass Roots brings a little reggae sunshine to Park Street every Sunday
Flamingos
West St. Tel: 0117 955 9269. Web: www.flamingosbristol.com • The South West’s biggest gay venue, boasting multiple rooms of straight-friendly LGBT fun. Saturday’s self-explanatory Big Night Out mixes up commercial and underground sounds with a hugely popular ‘drink the bar dry’ offer.
Full Moon/Attic
Stokes Croft. Tel: 0117 924 5007. Web: www.fmbristol.co.uk • Adjacent late-licensed bars where you can dance to reggae, rumba and all points in between.
The Hatchet
Frogmore St. Tel: 0117 929 4118. Web: www.thehatchet.co.uk • Unassuming little function room transforms into chic club for boutique retro nights Gimme Shelter! and Bang. For warm-up drinks (and classic guitar soundtrack), you’ll find one of Bristol’s oldest pubs downstairs.
Java
Park St. Tel: 0117 930 4561. Web: www.javabristol.com • Eye-catchingly ostentatious lounge bar with light-up dancefloor and gemstones in the bar. Members policy, but guest entry is easily arranged.
Joe Public’s
Queens Ave. Tel: 0117 973 1249. Web: www.joepublics.com • Idiosyncratic surroundings and a little bit of everything from electro and r&b on the decks. Handily placed for Bristol Uni. Electra is the midweek night to watch
LAB
Broad St. Tel: 0117 922 6456. Web: www.myspace.com/labclubbristol • As in ‘Live at Bristol’, although DJs far outweigh bands on a busy schedule of everything from garage to funk. Some refreshingly bonkers decor.
Lakota
Upper York St. Tel: 0117 942 6208. Web: www.lakota.co.uk • Reports of Lakota’s demise have been greatly overstated – nice to know this recession’s been good for something. Bristol’s most infamous club and still the place to be when it’s full to the brim. Gigantic smoking yard is the perfect respite from pummelling drum & bass and techno.
The Lanes
Nelson St. Tel: 0117 325 1979. Web: www.thelanesbristol.co.uk • As much bowlarama and diner as club, much like London sister venue Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes. Fifties sounds rule the roost, both live and on wax.
Luna
Richmond Terrace, Clifton. Tel: 0117 973 0986. Web: www.lunaclifton.co.uk • Late-night bar with a remit of funk, soul, jazz and regular live guests. Run by Bristol stalwart Bobby Speed.
Metropolis
Cheltenham Rd. Tel: 0117 9248087. Web: www.myspace.com/metropolisbristol • Opening in September in the grand old building that was until recently Jesters Comedy Club. Live music, comedy, cabaret, occasional clubnights – including a monthly retro session from the inimitable Andy Smith.
Motion
Avon St, St Philips. Tel: 0117 922 1262. Web: www.motionbristol.com • Almighty riverside warehouse voted into DJmag’s top 100 clubs in the world. Outside terrace custom-built for summer; skate-park-by-day interior hosts some of the biggest raves around.
Mr Wolf’s
St Stephens St. Tel: 0117 927 3221. Web: www.mrwolfs.com • Wonderfully idiosyncratic music and noodle bar where the fun often doesn’t stop until 6am. Whether in relaxed or raucous mode, it’s one of the friendliest places around.
O2 Academy
Frogmore St. Tel: 0117 927 9227. Web: www.o2academybristol.co.uk • Bristol’s biggest night-time space. In between touring bands find huge clubnights like Friday alternative institution Ramshackle and various drum & bass/dubstep rave-ups with jaw-droppingly lengthy line-ups. Second room Academy2 is big enough to put many entire clubs to shame
Oceana
Canons Rd. Tel: 0117 942 3166. Web: www.oceanaclubs.com • Many-roomed club complex with sister venues all over the country. A midweek hit with many students, although the more discerning may want to give it a miss.
Panache
All Saints St. Tel: 0845 241 7185. Web: www.panachebars.com • Thousand-capacity city-centre nightspot with a populist touch. Monday’s Life is a longstanding student favourite.
The Park
Triangle West, Clifton. Tel: 0117 940 6101. Web: www.theparkbristol.com • Still king of the Triangle after all these years. The dancefloor may be understated but the funky breaks and soulful grooves certainly aren’t. Lays claim to the title of Bristol’s best cocktail stop
Platform 1
Whiteladies Rd, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 4388. Web: www.platform1club.com • End point for many a Whiteladies pub-crawl. Iconic NY decor, regular drinks promos, weekend diet of funky house and r&b.
Po Na Na
Queens Rd. Tel: 0117 904 4445. Web: www.ponana.com • Cosy souk-style bar/club with outdoor courtyard. Student-centric line-up includes Tuesday night institution Fat Poppadaddys.
Queenshilling
Frogmore St. Tel: 0117 926 4342. Web: www.queenshilling.com • Camp it up at this inventive, inclusive gay bar. Thursday’s Shagtag is the student night that leaves little to the imagination.
The River
Canons Rd. Tel: 0117 930 0498. Web: www.theriverbristol.com • Nice locale, relaxed atmosphere and a back bar it’ll take you all year to work through. DJs and bands play unobtrusive funk at weekends.
Space 72
Old Market St. Tel: 0117 922 0774. Web: www.space72.co.uk • Strictly for the hardcore all-night ravers in its previous incarnation as Castro’s. Now largely a live venue, but occasionally relives the bad old days with techno and d&b until lunchtime.
Start the Bus
Baldwin St. Tel: 0117 930 4370. Web: www.startthebus.tv • Ostensibly pub not club but keeps pace thanks to a razor-sharp music policy. Like London sister bar the Lock Tavern, a particular favourite of the multiple-haircutted trendy crowd. Unleash your inner crossdresser at What a Drag
Syndicate
Nelson St. Tel: 0117 945 0325. Web: www.thesyndicate.org • Self-proclaimed superclub that pulls in the big names: from Paul Oakenfold to, er, Danny Dyer, barely a commercial dance stone is left unturned. Wednesdays are all about indie phenomenon Propaganda.
Thekla
The Grove. Tel: 0117 929 2658. Web: www.myspace.com/theklabristol • The funkiest boat around and deservedly a Bristol institution. Fine food by day, wide array of big-name bands and DJs by night. BlowPop on monthly Fridays is Bristol’s longest-running clubnight
Timbuk2
Small St. Tel: 0117 945 8459. Web: www.tb2.co.uk • Subterranean rave pit full of twists and turns that’s benefited hugely from passionate management. Fans of underground 4/4 should check for Switch, first Saturday of the month.
Trinity Centre
Trinity Rd, St Philips. Tel: 0117 935 1200. Web: www.myspace.com/trinitybristol • This striking former church sticks mainly to live bands these days, but was a legendary dance music venue back in the 90s and has been known to relive its heyday.
Tube
Unity St. Tel: 0117 930 4429. Web: www.tubebar.co.uk • Teeny little underground ‘micro-club’ that’s owned by Massive Attack and run by BlowPop. Just as good as that patronage would suggest, reverberating to dubstep and much more besides until the wee small hours.
The Tunnels
Temple Meads. Tel: 0117 929 9008. Web: www.thetunnelsbristol.co.uk • Exciting new 360-capacity venue housed in two former railway arches. Due to open in October, with a broad music policy promised.
Versa
Queens Rd • Or, by the time you read this, something else entirely. As we go to press this roomy former pool hall is in the process of getting a makeover (and new name) ahead of a September relaunch.
Warehouse
Prince St. Tel: 0117 927 9279. Web: www.warehouse-club.co.uk • Excellent if underused venue of many layers. Alternative gay night Wonky plays indie and electro to a massive monthly audience of all sorts of persuasions.
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