Bristol in Stereo // Holly Herndon by Bristol In Stereo

Bristol in Stereo: 1

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Fri 3rd May • 6.30pm

Thur 20th Jun

Wed 23rd Oct

Fat White Family

Taking Back Sunday

Heels Of Hell

Sun 5th May

Sun 30th Jun

Thur 24th Oct

Peter Doherty

The Selecter

Mon 6th May • SOLD OUT

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Dermot Kennedy

Wed 3rd Jul

Charles Esten

Fri 10th May • 6.30pm

Better Oblivion Community Center Wed 22nd May

Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul

Nahko and Medicine for the People Sun 28th Jul

River Town - Lucinda Williams Mon 19th Aug • SOLD OUT

Thur 23rd May

Skunk Anansie

Kamasi Washington

Fri 6th Sep • 6.30pm

Sat 25th May

Guns 2 Roses

Dot To Dot Festival ft. Crystal Fighters, Jordan Rakei, Swim Deep, The Night Cafe, Dream Wife, The Orielles

Sun 8th Sep • 6pm

Tue 28th May • 6.30pm • Rescheduled date

Fri 13th Sep • 6.30pm

Jason & The Scorchers / Dan Baird & Homemade Sin / The Kentucky Headhunters

The Game

Pearl Jam UK

Wed 29th May

Thur 10th Oct

Maren Morris

Black Star Riders

Fri 31st May • 6.30pm

Fri 11th Oct • 6.30pm

Cash

The Rasmus

Sat 1st Jun • SOLD OUT

Mon 14th Oct

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

Fri 18th Oct • 6pm

The Divine Comedy

Fri 7th Jun • 6.30pm

Roachford

BA1 Records Showcase

Mon 21st Oct

Sat 8th Jun

Hot Chip

The Wedding Present - Bizarro Tour

Tue 22nd Oct

Gary Numan

Fri 25th Oct • 6.30pm

Fri 1st Nov • 6.30pm

The Smyths Fri 8th Nov

Snarky Puppy Sat 16th Nov • 10pm

Festival Of The Dead Tue 19th Nov

Yungblud Fri 22nd Nov • 6.30pm

The Macc Lads Sat 23rd Nov

Happy Mondays Greatest Hits Tour Tue 26th Nov • SOLD OUT

Lewis Capaldi Thur 28th Nov

Electric Six Sat 7th Dec

Aldous Harding Mon 9th Dec • 6pm

Dan Reed Network / Gun / FM Wed 18th Nov

Shed Seven Fri 20th Dec • 6.30pm

Alabama 3 ...A Celebration of Coldharbour Lane

O2 Academy Bristol ticketmaster.co.uk

Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 5NA • Doors 7pm unless stated Venue box office opening hours: Mon - Sat 12pm - 4pm

ticketmaster.co.uk • seetickets.com • gigantic.com

o2academybristol.co.uk

May • 2019

05 |05 |19

PETER DOHERTY - O2 ACADEMY BRISTOL -

28 |05 |19

15 |05 |19

16 |05 |19

SOAK

CLUB KURU

- THE FLEECE -

- THEKLA -

- CROFTERS RIGHTS -

ROBERT FORSTER

02 |06 |19

06 |06|19

17 |05 |19

11 |06 |19

THE HEAVY

METHYL ETHEL

KATE NASH

HATCHIE

- TRINITY CENTRE -

- THE EXCHANGE -

-THE FLEECE-

- THE LOUISIANA -

26 |06 |19

TOM MISCH + YUSEFF DAYES - HARBOURSIDE -

04 |07 |19

27 |06 |19

THE CAT EMPIRE + IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE - HARBOURSIDE-

26 |07 |19

29 |06 |19

30 |06 |19

ELBOW + VILLAGERS

CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA

- HARBOURSIDE -

14 |08 |19

16|10 |19

HANDS OFF GRETEL

ADULT MOM

THE BLACK SEEDS

OLDEN YOLK

-THE LOUISIANA -

-CROFTERS RIGHTS-

-THE FLEECE-

- THE LOUISIANA -

T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E F R O M

SEETICKETS.COM - GIGANTIC.COM - ALTTICKETS.COM DICE.FM - TICKETMASTER.CO.UK - BRISTOLTICKETSHOP.CO.UK Bristol in Stereo: 3

welcome

Holly Herndon Cover Story Page 20

It nearly killed us, but here is BiS’ 2019 festival guide – our longest and most detailed one yet. There’s so much on offer this year, especially in and around Bristol, that we’ve frankly never been more proud of our powerful little music scene. Cast your eye over the best of the summer calendar, whether in the Southwest, the wider UK or mainland Europe. On our cover this month is the evergroundbreaking Holly Herndon. She explains all about teaching A.I. to sing for her latest effort, PROTO, a.k.a. why she is smarter and more relentlessly creative than all of us losers put together. Elsewhere, Jamila Woods chats to our New Music Editor, Kezia Cochrane about her album, LEGACY! LEGACY!, an ode to some of history’s most inspirational people of colour. She opens up about her writing process and what her own legacy might be. All this plus listings for Bristol’s best venues, May’s hottest releases, brand new artists for your radar, guests, comment and more.

Loki Lillistone Editor-in-Chief

STAFF ON REPEAT

the music we can’t stop listening to this month

Loki: Aldous Harding - Fixture Picture Jon: Smallest Horse - The Race Up The Stairs Beth: Kouslin feat. Logan - Bad Kezia: Rosalía, J Balvin – Con Altura ft. El Guincho ALDOUS HARDING

Lor: Drahla – Pyramid Estate Bristol in Stereo: 5

book

0117 203 4040 colstonhall.org

Colston Hall loudly and proudly presents great shows in venues across Bristol Thu 2 May

Wed 8 May

Thu 6 Jun

Martin & Eliza Carthy

Flamingods

Dale Watson & His Lone Stars

The Station Thu 2 May

Exchange

Sun 12 May

Ruston Kelly

Ishmael Ensemble

The Crofter’s Rights

Fri 3 May

Hy-Brasil Music Club

Carla Morrison

Tue 14 May

Fri 3 May

The Cube

Sister Nancy and Legal Shot

Thu 30 May

Rough Trade Bristol

The Station

Fiddlers

Fri 3 May

Bristol Got Soul

Colston Hall Foyer Sat 4 May

Grant Lee Phillips + Josh Rouse Fiddlers

Wed 8 May

Alexandra Streliski

Colston Hall Foyer

Mon 13 May

The Nude Party

Kaia Kater

Shakey Graves

Fiddlers

Fri 31 May

The Allergies (feat. Andy Cooper) - Live Colston Hall Foyer Sat 1 Jun

Yola

Exchange

Thu 13 Jun – Sun 28 Jul

River Town

Various Venues Thu 13 Jun

Robert Vincent + Ethan Johns with Black Eyed Dogs

Fiddlers

Sat 15 Jun

Irish Mythen

The Folk House Thu 20 Jun

The Mavericks

Bath Forum

Mon 24 Jun

Sam Morrow + William Crighton

The Louisiana

Fiddlers

Tue 25 Jun

Mon 3 Jun

Jerron ‘Blind Boy’ Paxton

Imperial Wax

Rough Trade Bristol

The Winston Theatre

contents INTERVIEWS 14

WHAT’S ON

JAMILA WOODS 46

FULL LISTINGS

HOLLY HERNDON

FEATURES 10

NEW SOUNDS

FESTIVAL GUIDE 59

IN BRISTOL

THOUGHTS

REVIEWS 40

RELEASES

Editor-in-Chief: Loki Lillistone loki@instereomag.com New Music Editor Kezia Cochrane

Deputy / Live Editor Jon Kean

Local Release Editor Lor Nov

News Editor Loki Lillistone

Online Editor Beth Sheldrick

Sales loki@instereomag.com

Photography: Holly Herndon photography by Mathew Parri Thomas (mathewparrithomas.com) Contributors: Rhys Buchanan, Kezia Cochrane, Thomas Hannan, Jon Kean, Charlotte Krol, Emma Madden, Nick Mee, George O’Brien, Stephanie Phillips, Kelly Ronaldson, Gemma Samways, Harriet Taylor, Albert Testani, Lee Wakefield, Madeline Welch, Danny Wright bristolinstereo.com

@bristolinstereo

Bristol in Stereo: 7

Bristol in Stereo: 9

TOP TEN: New Sounds Noname – Song 32 Jamila Woods – EARTHA Amber Mark – Mixer Aldous Harding – Fixture Picture Anz – But At Least We Have This Zamilska – Hollow Kedr Livanskiy – Sky Kisses TR/ST – Colossal Martha – Sight For Sore Eyes Peggy Gou – Starry Night GET MORE NEW MUSIC FROM KEZIA COCHRANE EVERY MONDAY AT BRISTOLINSTEREO.COM

new sounds Kezia Cochrane BABii If the name BABii sounds familiar then you might already have come across the Margatebased artist and producer as a frequent collaborator with Iglooghost. On her own musical terms, BABii, the moniker of Daisy Warne, crafts swirling, kaleidoscopic electronica that posesses an innate, capacity to mesmerise and envelope you in transcendental swathes of sound. Warne’s ethereal, velvety vocals float delicately atop crystalline beats, looped harmonies, and sparse instrumentals, culminating in some striking, sonic magic. Live, this clear, careful consideration of

each element within her tracks becomes even more tangibly evident. Although BABii only has two singles out so far, namely ‘Phantom’ and ‘Seizure’ – both of which are accompanied by visually-alluring videos – she’s rapidly garnering acclaim, and rightly so. There’s something about BABii’s particular blend of pared-down electro-pop that leaves a lingering impression, and having toured with the aforementioned Iglooghost and recently played SXSW, she’s certainly on her way. Featuring on this year’s Great Escape line-up, and undoubtedly more to come for this festival season, BABii is definitely one to watch, and I don’t say that lightly. LISTEN TO: Phantom @babiibabiibabiibabii

@ babii.mp3

Rosehip Teahouse Abounding in dulcet, emotive harmonies and glistening guitar riffs, Rosehip Teahouse craft a sound exactly as enchanting and endearing as the name might suggest. Beginning as the solo project of Faye Rogers and her bittersweet DIY bedroom pop, the full band formed a little later, and have recently released their first single, ‘Same Sky’, as a four-piece. Based in Cardiff, they’re no strangers to Bristol, having played at Eat Up, amongst other shows. With a particular capacity for crafting graceful, tender melodies that purvey a warmth and vulnerability in the songwriting, Rosehip Teahouse’s songs offer a certain soothing reassurance. LISTEN TO: Courage /annalisauk

@annalisauk Bristol in Stereo: 11

Bristol in Stereo: 13

interview

Jamila Woods words: Kezia Cochrane photography: Bradley Murray

here’s a particular serene selfassurance that Jamila Woods exudes, both in her music and when I speak to her. Even amidst a busy US tour, and on the cusp of her second LP LEGACY! LEGACY! being released, the Chicago-based musician, poet, activist and teacher purveys a grounded presence, a quality that is tangible throughout her music. “My mum, she’s a spiritual healer and a writer and also a doctor. She would always teach me that energy is very connectable,” Woods details. “And she’d be like ‘when you walk into a room imagine white light around yourself, imagine there’s a shield between you and things that might come your way that seem negative and present challenges’. That was what I was thinking of with that line, that being my weaponry,” she expresses of the line on ‘ZORA’ where Woods sings “My energy is my weaponry / I tenderly fill my enemies with white light.” Explaining further the inspiration for this track, Woods articulates, “Zora [NealeHurston] has this line in her essay where she said, ‘I do not weep at the world – I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife’. And that line, she’s saying I’d rather be sharpening my tool than being preoccupied on the people who are trying to oppress me. So for me, I was thinking ‘what are my tools’”.

Each song on LEGACY! LEGACY! takes its name from pertinent, inspirational artists and activists within black history, including James Baldwin, Eartha Kitt, and Basquiat, to mention a few. With these tracks, Woods offers poetic, meditative testaments to the influence these figures have had on her, whilst weaving her own personal narratives into this. “The tracks are named after people but are very much autobiographical songs,” Woods emphasises. “I’m singing about my own experiences almost like self-portraits, through the lenses of the different people and what I’ve learnt from them.” Woods’ lyrics are poetic works in themselves, crafted with astute linguistic potency and precision. Melded with the glistening, soulful melodies that saunter through the record, this verbal and aural harmony is steeped in vivid, emotive poeticism. “Each song was different in terms of which came first, the lyrics or the track,” Woods explains. “Slot-A was one of the main producers and oftentimes he just played me a bunch of tracks that he had and then some of those I wrote after hearing the track, like ‘MILES’, ‘MUDDY’, ‘GIOVANNI’, ‘ZORA’, ‘SONIA’. But then there are a few that I had in mind from the title of the song, and then we worked together to kind of build the sounds of the track around the lyrics and around the ideas.” While the issues and ideas that Woods explores on this record feel vital and pertinent in the context of the current political climate, she states “I don’t really resonate with the idea that something is important now more than ever. It’s more just like I wanna feel free to follow where my inspirations lead me.” There is however a certain relevant urgency conveyed within the title LEGACY! LEGACY!, both in terms of the record and in a wider context. “The title comes from Margaret Burroughs’ poem and I happened to see a print of the title when I was working on the songs. My friend has a print at his house that has the words ‘Legacy Legacy’and I was

interview

“I’d been thinking a lot about the question of what will I add to that conversation…”

London in Stereo: 15

interview

“I don’t really resonate with the idea that something is important now more than ever…”

just struck by that”. The Burroughs poem in question highlights contributions of luminary African-Americans and in the title asks What Will Your Legacy Be? “I’d been thinking a lot about the question of what will I add to that conversation or what am I adding to that legacy?” There are two versions of ‘BETTY’ that bookend the record, with the closing one being a house remix, “an important shout out” for Woods tying in with her Chicago

roots. On this song she richly intones, “I am not your typical girl, throw away that picture in your head”, and it feels an undeniably apt, poised declaration of an artist firmly laying the foundations of her own legacy, which will certainly only continue to grow. Jamila Woods releases LEGACY! LEGACY! May 10th via Jagjaguwar / Closed Sessions. @jamilawoods

@jamilawoodsofficial

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cover story

Holly Herndon words: Gemma Samways photography: Mathew Parri Thomas

“I could capture your voice, and then I could make it speak whatever I wanted it to speak. So what does that mean for the sovereignty of your personhood?” ven from the amount of words that you’ve emitted in this conversation, I could create a voice model of your voice,” Holly Herndon explains calmly from across the hotel room, a mischievous glint appearing in her ice-blue eyes. “I could capture your voice, and then I could make it speak whatever I wanted it to speak. So what does that mean for the sovereignty of your personhood?” Just ten minutes into our meeting and I’m seriously contemplating the moral implications of A.I., not to mention the practicalities of never uttering another word aloud ever again. If the aforementioned scenario sounds ludicrously dystopian, it’s chastening to realise that these are the capabilities and very real ethical concerns - of the technologies that Herndon has dedicated the best part of a decade to exploring.

In the process of completing her PHD at Stanford, the Tennessee-raised, San Francisco-based sound artist has produced three LPs that, in part, document her research. First came 2012’s RVNG INTL-released Movement, a feast of laptop-based experimentation that first established Herndon’s fascination with vocal manipulation. Platform followed in 2015 on 4AD, developing those ideas further both practically and thematically via experimentation in the field of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and what subsequently proved to be - an eerily prophetic critique on surveillance culture. These themes continue to underpin latest LP, PROTO, which structurally is Herndon’s boldest experiment yet. At the heart of the record is an “A.I. baby” named Spawn, which Herndon and her partner Mathew Dryhurst built from “a souped-up gaming PC running some machine-learning algorithms.” Spawn works by mimicking sounds from the specific training sets she’s exposed to by Herndon, Dryhurst and their collaborator Jules Le Place, be it recordings of individual voices or choirs, or any other sound design. The end result is what Herndon describes as “an ensemble member who can interpret and perform,” drawing on very specific data sources. “Most machine-learning systems are drawing on a vast pool of data,” Herndon explains of the difference. “So when Facebook and Google are doing machinelearning, they’re hoovering up all this freely available information that we’re constantly giving them, and then creating models on these oceans of data. London in Stereo: 21

cover story We wanted to hone in and make the human labour really visible - which is something often made opaque by more corporate A.I. structures - to see if [the music] had a different aesthetic quality to it. “And the reason we used the child metaphor is that we wanted to think about it with the gravity and weight of raising a child; seeing ourselves as involved in that process and having a voice in it. Because this nascent intelligence doesn’t have context beyond what we’re feeding her, kind of like a child being raised by a parent or a community.” Spawn appears throughout PROTO, interwoven with - and often indistinguishable from - the array of human voices that Herndon assembled at her second working base in Berlin. On the sublime, synthdriven symphony ‘Eternal’, there’s an angelic quality to the intricately-layered vocals. On Jlin-collaboration ‘Godmother’, Spawn’s garbled, guttural performance is borderline nightmarish. Herndon laughs when I mention that Dryhurst described the latter effect as “ugly”. “At first I was a little embarrassed, because it’s kind of like Spawn is beatboxing. I trained her on speech - reading 10-minute scripts and also singing phrases to bring in different timbral variety. Of course it makes logical sense that, when presented with percussion music, she would combine those things to sound like beatboxing. But ugly’s the wrong word. Maybe more rough, and honest, rather than this sci-fi, glitzy sheen. And that’s one of the reasons why we wanted to use sound as material specifically: to show that this is what audio sounds like from a neural network.” As Herndon explains, this raw quality is at odds with the dominant narrative in A.I. music. “Most people take music, abstract that into a score that has pitch and rhythm material in the form of MIDI data, then train

the A.I. on that so that the A.I. can create infinite works in the style of that canon. So we’ll see a lot of generic, Hans Zimmer-like film scores being created, a lot of muzak, a lot of passive listening music. Certainly, the economic incentive is there for people to take a more conservative approach.

“Somebody has to take a risk and come up with something new in order for music to progress, otherwise we’re stuck in the now forever.” “This is really problematic for many reasons. Firstly, you’re drawing on a shared musical canon and recreating something that’s being monetised for the benefit of one person. And second, when we are using the existing canon as training sets it gets us in a recursive loop aesthetically. Somebody has to take a risk and come up with something new in order for music to progress, otherwise we’re stuck in the now forever.” Taking inspiration from the musique concrète movement, Herndon’s creative interests lie in sculpting sound to create new aesthetics entirely. “What can music reproduced by an inhuman intelligence reveal about the structure of the sound itself?,” she gushes excitedly. And yet for all her and her collaborators’ enthusiasm for the project, Herndon readily acknowledges the ethical issues and potential pitfalls in the future of A.I. development. “Certainly there’s room to be critical, because we don’t have a great history of shared resources,” she laughs wryly. “I mean, look at the way the

London in Stereo: 23

cover story

“...look at the way the Internet’s gone. We were just like, ‘Information wants to be free!’ and now we’re in a giant shopping mall, and advertising logic is dominating my interpersonal relationships. That’s fucked up!” Internet’s gone. We were just like, ‘Information wants to be free!’ and now we’re in a giant shopping mall, and advertising logic is dominating my interpersonal relationships. That’s fucked up! And so I think we should not fuck it up this time, you know? “I don’t wanna be hyperbolic, but I do think it’s fundamentally groundbreaking technology that we have. And it’s still early enough that we can make some decisions as a community as to where we stand on it and how we can use it in a way that’s symbiotic and beneficial to everyone. If we can encode our values and ethics into the protocol layer from the get-go, then maybe we can foresee some damage down the line. I mean, I think you have to have some optimism if you want to feel agency in the world, otherwise you’re giving up

and allowing someone else to determine the future.” With PROTO, Herndon has begun defining this future undaunted, assembling a likeminded team of “nerds” to assist her. And of all the mental somersaults required to create this third album, which aspect does Herndon cite as the most challenging? “The humans,” she laughs without hesitation. “They all have their own lives, their own schedules, their own ideas… They’re complicated.” Holly Herndon releases PROTO May 10th, via 4AD. LIVE: Barbican Centre, London, October 16th FESTIVALS: Sonar, Spain. Manchester International Festival 2019 @hollyherndon

@hollyherndonmusic

Bristol in Stereo: 25

FESTIVAL SEASON 2019

Green Man

Since founding this magazine in 2012, we’ve seen the local festival scene explode far beyond what we once imagined possible. This year, in true Bristol style, we’re met with a plethora of summer parties as diverse as the city itself. Southwest institutions like End of The Road and Dot-to-Dot are back, each checking off much of your 2019 to-see lists nicely. Farmfest returns from a year off, with a line-up that says they’re sorry they ever left us. The lovely folks at Barn on the Farm celebrate their 10th birthday, and do so by punching above their boutique festival weight and doing us all proud once more. A few things have changed, mind. Bristol Craft Beer Festival and The Downs have both moved to the summer, adding to our nowdizzying calendar, while Pride moves up to

the Downs site too. The ever-growing Bristol Psych Fest is under a new banner: Astral Festival. All this, plus choice new additions like Bristol’s Booze Cruise – an offshoot from the legendary Hamburg event – and Triptych, stepping it up from last year to a proud first spot in our guide. Summer in Bristol is loud, intimate, danceable, messy and moving all at once, and we’ve never been more proud of where we live. Read on to plan the best part of the year.

Bristol in Stereo: 27

BRISTOL & SOUTHWEST

E N D O F T H E R OA D

AUG 29TH-SEP 1ST

Don’t miss: Serpentwithfeet, Courtney Barnett, Black Midi, Mitski.

The word ‘idyllic’ gets thrown around on the festival circuit, doesn’t it? End of The Road, however, with its dappled sun breaking through the woodlands and, well, actual peacocks, personifies this well. Situated just over an hour outside of Bristol, it’s a Southwest gem that seems to get better with age. This year, there are so many of In Stereo’s favourite acts on the bill to tell you about that hand-eye coordination is starting to suffer. Unique wordsmiths like Courtney Barnett or Sleaford Mods will engage; the sublime beauty of Serpentwithfeet or Beirut will transport you several planes of existence upwards; and stalwarts like Spiritualized, Jarvis Cocker or Wire will steep you in the richness of British music history. Elsewhere, Mitski, Black Midi, Goat Girl, Sasami, Jessica Pratt, The Beths and countless more lead the charge of new music’s most adored breakthroughs from the last couple of years. The vibe is earthy, but fearless, with offerings that sit well for a sunny weekend, but hold a depth that stays with you all year round. Perhaps this is the reason End of The Road has sold out on every instalment since 2008…

D OT-TO - D OT

M AY 2 5 T H

Don’t miss: Dream Wife, Crystal Fighters, Wasuremono, Swimming Girls Sometimes a festival becomes more than a festival – it becomes a friend. This title, reserved for the few, is one earned by Dot-to-Dot through years of supporting new music, bringing Bristol’s venues to life and filling people like us with a sense of pure spring wonder.

GREEN MAN

AUG 15-18TH

Don’t Miss: Sharon Van Etten, Aldous Harding, Father John Misty, Big Thief, IDLES, Gwenno Our closest 20k+ festival, Green Man is one of the best-curated out there, marrying the buzz of a larger event with a cavalcade of the artists who matter. This year’s line-up – and its ability to tick-off team BiS’ collective to-see list – is something to behold and wellworth combing in full.

2019 will see the festival nod its head to the decade-long contributions of Crystal Fighters, by welcoming them as headliners. The smooth Jordan Rakei also heads up the bill, with Dream Wife, whose wry, feminist punk is impossible to ignore, not far behind. We at BiS are set to present not one, but two stages this year, as we take over both floors of The Louisiana. Expect touring acts upstairs, and ten of our favourite local artists in the bar. Line-up out soon. But what really makes D2D special? The acts you didn’t plan to see. Brandnew favourite bands, sent your way with a touch of festival magic.

The fest boasts non-corporate, ethical vibes, and we’d have to agree. In addition to the music, there’s a leftfield programme of literature, arts, comedy and even science on offer during the day. We also wouldn’t pass up their offer to ‘Hug a Chicken’ at some point over the weekend, if only as a reminder that we’re from the West Country. Not only is South Wales’ gorgeous Brecon Beacons a mere hour from Bristol, but some legend has done us all the favour of filling it to the brim with our favourite bands. Shut up and take my money. Bristol in Stereo: 29

THE DOWNS

AUG 31ST

Don’t miss: Loyle Carner, IDLES, Lauryn Hill, Nightmares on Wax Okay, we’re just going to come out and say it: this is the best Downs lineup to date. Hitting tons of genres and with previous BiS cover acts like Loyle Carner and IDLES sitting proudly among the headliners, we’re excited – and there’s still heaps TBA. The Downs may have come out strong when joining our summer calendar a couple of years back, but now they’re really hitting their stride, straddling ‘city fest’ and ‘field-based fun’ perfectly.

C R A F T B E E R F E S T I VA L

JUN 7-8TH

Don’t miss: Flava D, Jamz Supernova, Saffron Records DJs, 40 independent brewers Beer and music. Recently moved to the summer, Bristol Craft Beer Festival kicks ass in both arenas. This year’s sounds lean on a keenly-curated line-up of all-female DJs, headed up by Flava D. First announced on International Women’s Day, the fest is intent on highlighting quality acts that may have been overlooked – an event after our own hearts. The ticket includes the beers; repeat, the ticket includes the beers.

BOOZE CRUISE

M AY 2 4 - 2 6 T H

Don’t miss: Apologies, I Have None, Cultdreams, Mobina Galore Team Booze Cruise are all about rivertown partying, both on and by the water. An offshoot of the successful Hamburg event, this is their first UK helping, and what better place than Bristol? Line-ups will be split across Exchange, The Stag & Hounds and a boat, the details of which are soon TBA. A new summer home for punk that fills Deadpunk’s big shoes well.

Cultdreams

LOV E S AV E S T H E DAY

M AY 2 5 - 2 6 T H

Don’t miss: Jimothy Lacoste, Little Simz, Slowthai, Elder Island

B R I S TO L P R I D E

This is honestly our favourite Love Saves line-up to date, striking the balance between student-friendly blowout and high-quality underground artists well. There are no less than three of our recent cover acts – Little Simz, Flohio and Bristol’s own Elder Island – set to play, plus plenty of ‘our ones to watch’ for 2019 too. Old standbys like Bonobo, Lily Allen and Chase & Status round off the upper section of the bill neatly. Bristol’s ever-popular park party just upped their game for the best year yet.

JUL 13TH

Don’t miss: Melanie C, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sonique (yes, really) It’s excitement overload this year, as Bristol Pride both hits its 10th anniversary and moves to The Downs. This means that the festival has not only doubled its previous capacity, but the new site also opens up a fresh world of field-based fun, with new stages and areas on the way. Pride Day will feature a formidable live line-up, but don’t forget that the full Pride celebrations run from July 1st, all the way to the 14th!

T R I P T YC H

JUN 8TH

Don’t miss: Hey Colossus, Pet Shimmers, Poisonous Birds, USA Nails, MXLX

MXLX

In its second instalment, but making its first appearance in our guide, Gravy Train presents the dark and intriguing Triptych. It’s a slew of forward-thinking guitar music, from the sludge-y psych of Hey Colossus, to the quirky art-nerdery of Pet Shimmers and the math-indebted boundary-pushing of Poisonous Birds. 25+ acts, a strong Bristol leaning and a serious step up from their already-impressive inaugural year. Bristol in Stereo: 31

FRI.10.MAY.19 FRI.10.MAY.19

WED.05.JUN.19 WED.05.JUN.19

SAT.12.OCT.19 SAT.12.OCT.19

SAT.12.OCT.19 SAT.12.OCT.19 SUN.12.MAY.19 SUN.12.MAY.19

FRI.07.JUN.19 FRI.07.JUN.19

MON.28.OCT.19 MON.28.OCT.19 MON.20.MAY.19 MON.20.MAY.19

MON.10.JUN.19 MON.10.JUN.19

MON.04.NOV.19 MON.04.NOV.19 WED.22.MAY.19 WED.22.MAY.19

TUE.02.JUL.19 TUE.02.JUL.19

WED.06.NOV19 WED.06.NOV19 FRI.24.MAY.19 FRI.24.MAY.19 TUE.23.JUL.19 TUE.23.JUL.19

FRI.15.NOV.19 FRI.15.NOV.19 SAT.28.SEP.19 SAT.28.SEP.19

SAT.25.MAY.19 SAT.25.MAY.19 FRI.11.OCT.19 FRI.11.OCT.19

THEKLA

LIVE LISTINGS

The Grove East Mud Dock Bristol BS1 4RB theklabristol.co.uk | thekla.club F L theklabristol | I X theklabris alttickets.com • gigantic.com • bristolticketshop.co.uk

SOLD OUT

THURSDAY 2ND MAY

BUILT TO SPILL THURSDAY 2ND - SUNDAY 5TH MAY

THEKLA 35

A WEEKEND OF LIVE AND CLUB EVENTS CELEBRATING THEKLA’S 35TH YEAR AS A VENUE. #THEKLA35 TUESDAY 7TH MAY

JOEY LANDRETH WENESDAY 8TH MAY

KIEFER THURSDAY 9TH MAY

OH MY GOD! IT’S THE CHURCH FRIDAY 10TH MAY

CAN’T SWIM SUNDAY 12TH MAY

SAMANTHA FISH MONDAY 13TH MAY

WHEATUS WEDNESDAY 15TH MAY

DAVE HAUSE AND THE MERMAID THURSDAY 16TH MAY

SOAK FRIDAY 17TH MAY

SECRET AFFAIR SOLD OUT

SATURDAY 18TH MAY

J MASCIS TUESDAY 21ST MAY

CHILDREN OF ZEUS

WENESDAY 22ND MAY

THE JULIANA HATFIELD THREE THURSDAY 23RD MAY

SONS OF THE EAST FRIDAY 24TH MAY

GONG SATURDAY 25TH MAY

DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL SUNDAY 26TH MAY

GIO SPANO

MONDAY 27TH MAY

LIGHTS TUESDAY 28TH MAY

PETER PERRETT WEDNESDAY 29TH MAY

BRY

THURSDAY 30TH MAY

SWINGROWERS MONDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER

JOE NICHOLS FRIDAY 4TH OCTOBER

PIERCE BROTHERS WEDNESDAY 9TH OCTOBER

KOVIC

SATURDAY 26TH OCTOBER

CASSIA MONDAY 28TH OCTOBER

LITTLE SIMZ SATURDAY 2ND NOVEMBER

SOLD OUT

COCO AND THE Bristol in Stereo: 33 BUTTERFIELDS

FA R M F E S T

JUL 26-28TH

Don’t miss: James Holden, Cousin Kula, Morcheeba, Scalping Having no Farmfest last year felt like someone stealing Christmas. But in the summer. And they had already told us they were taking a year off. Forget this analogy – they’re back! 2019 sees the triumphant return of a decade-strong local treasure, complete with a huge and diverse line-up. Some of our favourite forward-thinking Bristol bands get in on the action too, with the likes of Scalping, LICE and even Waldo’s Gift (of Galli fame), who rework Aphex Twin. If you can imagine such a thing.

N A S S F E S T I VA L

JUL 11-14TH

Don’t miss: Loyle Carner, Giggs, Rudimental, IAMDDB NASS is the UK’s biggest celebration of music, street art, skate and BMX – and it’s just outside Bristol. Headliners for 2019 include the legendary Giggs, stratospheric drum’n’bass act, Rudimental, and OGs, Cypress Hill. On the extreme sport side, expect pro and open competitions, along with access to a custombuilt pro skatepark. Meanwhile, a mix of local and international street artists will give the whole place a good seeing to.

A S T R A L F E S T I VA L

JUL 6TH

Don’t miss: Thurston Moore, Bo Ningen, The Naturals, Grey Area DJs There’s something inimitable about an event built organically out of someone’s personal passion. That’s the story here. Starting out as a pub-floor all-dayer and growing over the years into a highprofile event, Bristol Psych Fest returns for 2019 as Astral Fest. Transcending the psych label, this is its most inclusive year yet – but don’t fret, spacey guitar-work still abounds. Geddit, fret?

Thurston Moore

B A R N O N T H E FA R M

JUL 4-7TH

Don’t miss: Maggie Rogers, Maverick Sabre, Grace Carter, Swim Deep Celebrating a decade at it this year, we’re darn proud of the barn. Ten years ago, a nineteen-year-old uni student had a literal dream about running a music festival with his mates that was made a reality. Year two saw a young Ed Sheeran headline his first fest; later, the guys won Best Independent Festival at the AIM Awards. The Southwest success story continues this year, with a special birthday and an extensive line-up topped by Maggie Rogers, Lewis Capaldi, Maverick Sabre and more. Party hats on.

BEST OF STILL TBA Simple Things Forward-thinking music line-ups after our own heart, curated with help from our friends at Crack Magazine. simplethingsfestival.co.uk

Tokyo World A huge annual party for bass music, held in Eastville Park and marking the end of the summer season. tokyoworld.org

Harbour Festival

Simple Things

Free summer fest around the open spaces and music venues of the harbour. Louisiana and Thekla always a highlight. bristolharbourfestival.co.uk

St Paul’s Carnival A community celebration of Caribbean and soundsystem culture, which returned last year after a significant break. stpaulscarnival.net

St Pauls Bristol in Stereo: 35

BEST OF THE UK T H E G R E AT E S C A P E

M AY 9 - 1 1 T H

Don’t miss: Kwengface, Black Midi, Elder Island, Chaouche Probably the biggest parading of nascent acts on British soil, attempting to load the full line-up online shatters any sub-par internet connection. Highlights so far include the delivering-well-on-their-hype Black Midi and queen of our 2019 ones to watch, Flohio, along with many more from our list. Bristol is storming TGE this year, with Elder Island, Chaouche, Kayla Painter, Scalping, Swimming Girls and Wasuremono all playing. In Stereo stage TBA.

ALL POINTS EAST

M AY 2 4 T H -J U N 2 N D

Don’t miss: Christine and the Queens, James Blake, Metronomy, Mac DeMarco, Bon Iver Christine & The Queens

Virtually every inch of this festival is populated by must-see acts. One night you’re wavily watching The Chemical Brothers supported by Primal Scream. Another, Christine and the Queens with James Blake and Metronomy in tow, before Bon Iver and Mac DeMarco close the year in a bittersweet haze. And looking down the bill, it’s all gold. They’re kind of cheating by having two weekends, but this could be one of the best fest line-ups of all time.

L AT I T U D E

JUL 18TH-21ST

Don’t miss: Marina, Loyle Carner, Sigrid, MØ, Let’s Eat Grandma. Latitude is a ‘big festival’ that consistently leads in both meaningful line-ups and friendly vibes. This year is an alt-pop paradise, with a seeminglyendless list of greats on the bill. Marina (of prior Diamonds fame), MØ, Aurora, Sigrid, Let’s Eat Grandma and CHVRCHES are all currently packing their suncream, with a wealth of diverse acts further down the bill.

Marina

F I E L D DAY

JUN 7-8TH

Don’t miss: Jorja Smith, Skepta, Death Grips, Flohio, HAAi, Kelly Lee Owens

LO S T V I L L AG E

AUG 22ND-25TH

Don’t miss: Bicep, Slowthai, Superorganism, Richie Hawtin, Peggy Gou

For years, field-based fun in the thick of London has been ruled by one fest: Field Day. With a new home this year, it’s more important than ever that we show them our love and gratitude. Yet again, they offer the acts that new music nerds like us are falling over ourselves to see, with highlights including Jorja Smith, Flohio, HAAi and Charlotte Adigéry. And once you’re a few drinks deep, Modeselektor, Jungle, Todd Terje and pop music’s dad, Diplo, have you covered for party vibes.

The organisers knew what they were doing when naming their festival Lost Village. It’s an event far beyond a straight-up festival, rather an immersive, narrative experience complete with a large cast of actors and stages with names like the Abandoned Chapel or Lake of Tranquility. Line-up-wise, it’s electronically-leaning, with Bicep, Maribou State and Richie Hawtin all up top. Superorganism, Slowthai and The Orielles further down show there’s plenty more on offer.

ELECTRIC FIELDS

JUL 4-6TH

Don’t miss: Metronomy, Our Girl, Nadine Shah, Iceage, Sleaford Mods There are many reasons to go to Scotland. Whisky. Natural beauty. Sipping whisky while overlooking natural beauty. Electric Fields allows for this, set in the stunning grounds of Drumlanrig Castle. A strong line-up effort; lots of leftfield festival staples and nascent faves. Our Girl had one of our 2018 albums of the year, previous cover stars Metronomy and Nadine Shah are always spellbinding, and Sleaford Mods are, well, Sleaford Mods. Bristol in Stereo: 37

BEST OF EUROPE M E LT F E S T I VA L

JUL 19TH-21ST

Don’t miss: Four Tet, Helena Hauff, Jorja Smith, Ider, OSHUN Melt Festival is situated in Ferropolis, just outside of Berlin. Sorry, where? Standing on a lake peninsula, this ‘city of iron’ houses an outdoor museum for all kinds of decaying, outmoded machinery. As with anything within earshot of the German capital, the bill has a strong electronic vein, with Four Tet, Modeselektor and Helena Hauff all standing out. Bon Iver, Jorja Smith and A$AP Rocky break things up nicely. A forward-thinking line-up in a defiantlybackwards setting.

Photo: Stephan Flad SÓNAR

JUL 18-20TH

Don’t miss: Holly Herndon, Four Tet, DJ Koze, Daphni, HAAi, Peggy Gou There’s been so much good music on the Iberian peninsula these last few years, and Sónar is a key piece of that puzzle, having just celebrated its 25th year. Their futuristic EDMheavy line-ups make Sónar something of a Mecca, with this year no exception. Our current cover star Holly Herndon is of course a top pick, with DJ Koze, Daphni (Caribou) and Ross From Friends all highly recommended.

DIMENSIONS

AUG 28TH-SEP 1ST

Don’t miss: Jeff Mills, Nina Kraviz, Helena Hauff, Anderson .Paak, Batu Billed as The Last Dance, this will be Dimensions’ final party at Fort Punta Christo after ten huge years on the site. So, if you’re yet to experience the world’s best DJs performing around a literal nineteenth century Croatian fortress, 2019 is your last shot. This year sees Detroit techno pioneer, Jeff Mills headline. Bristol’s own legend, Batu, is also on the bill.

LO W L A N D S

AUG 16-18TH

Don’t miss: Tame Impala, The National, Billie Eilish, New Order, Anderson .Paak

ØYA F E S T I VA L

AUG 6-10TH

Don’t miss: The Cure, Robyn, Erykah Badu, Tirzah, Sigrid, Mitski There are so many must-see acts on this line-up, that it kind of sneaks up on you. If pop music’s fairy godmother, Robyn, and sarcastic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The Cure, aren’t enough for you, then how about Blood Orange, Big Thief, or Mitski? Or Bristol’s own IDLES? It’s like every self-respecting music mag just threw up on the poster. If you’ve been hearing how cool Norway is for ages, but have been (o)slow on the uptake, Øya 2019 is the perfect excuse.

Off to The Netherlands we go, for music, camping and you-know-what. The aptly-named Lowlands Festival plays out 40 miles east of The Dam, which is what cool people seem to call Amsterdam. As usual, 2019 sees an eclectic line-up of big names from all manner of genres and eras. Billy Eilish and Anderson .Paak capture the zeitgeist well, with Tame Impala and The National leading the leftfield heavyweights, as New Order and Giorgio Moroder fill the legend slots nicely. Dam good booking.

LA ROUTE DU ROCK

AUG 14-17TH

Don’t miss: Tame Impala, Metronomy, Black Midi, much more TBA

TAME IMPALA

Before Grand Bretagne, there was regular Bretagne – and that’s exactly where you’ll find La Route du Rock. At it since the early 90s, they’ve earned a reputation as choice tastemakers, having given some of alternative music’s biggest names their first international festival appearances. Like all Bretons, they’re rather proud of themselves – and looking at the 2019 lineup so far, they deserve to remain smug. Bristol in Stereo: 39

SLOWTHAI NOTHING GREAT ABOUT BRITAIN May 17th Method Records

A near-fautless array of early singles, a prominent place on our (and everyone else’s) 2019 tips list, live shows that bristle with visceral energy, those billboards for the album campaign... slowthai seems to be able to do no wrong right now. So Danny Wright got Robin Murray and Hassan Anderson together to find out if his debut LP lives up to those weighty expectations. When do you think you first heard slowthai, and what did you make of him? Robin: Probably the I WISH I KNEW EP in 2017. He seemed really disruptive right from the start - it was UK rap but completely punk in spirit. Hassan: It was a while back. I felt like I was hearing a more grime-influenced Jamie T. He seems to have grown really quickly. Have you been surprised? Robin: To an extent I am, yeah. There's huge variation in his sound, and it doesn't fit in easy categories. Hassan: Yeah, everyone seems to know about him and be into it. Robin: But he's so urgent and intense in his approach, everything he does cuts through. Hassan: Totally agree with that. It’s a very varied sound. But his distinctive and biting flow laces the whole thing together.

So, the big question is, what do you make of the album? Robin: I think it's superb. It’s jarring, immediate, claustrophobic. It’s just this belch of creativity that doesn't make sense but kind of falls together perfectly. Hassan: For me it’s not breaking any new ground but it is definitely a confident addition to UK hip hop and his flow has you hanging on his every word. You hear a ton of influences in there without it feeling derivative, too. How would you describe the sound? Is it something different from the EPs? Hassan: It’s varied and hard to call it one thing to be honest. One minute it’s bassdriven Scroobius Pip-style delivery, the next you can hear Dizzee Rascal-style flow and the next it’s venomous and exaggerated like Jamie T.

Robin: He definitely adds something to the singles. It’s all over the place really - punk to really brittle, almost grimy beats. It's an obvious comparison but it reminded me of listening to The Streets for the first time… Hassan: Yeah the opening beat is very Streets. I would say that The Streets’ voice is much more distinctive though. Robin: I think it has the same rawness that Original Pirate Material had for sure. But I definitely feel slowthai is in his own lane. Do you feel, with the title and subject matter, that he's capturing something about the UK right now? Robin: I think a lot of what he says on the record - about class, mental health etc - is timeless, but it does feel definitively 2019. Hassan: It summarises neatly a sentiment I think a lot of young people are feeling right now. His voice is very vicious and personal yet I feel it could be the mouthpiece for a very wide array of listeners. Robin: Yeah, I think his honesty makes it a very now experience. Hassan: The title is very punk sounding too. In a time when rap is very rarely explicitly political, it’s something that makes you stop and take notice. Robin: I wouldn't say that, though - Dave's record is political, JME met with Corbyn. I think there's a context that makes this record very right for 2019. Hassan: Dave and JME are exceptions to the rule though - I think rap is very rarely that explicitly political. And what about best tracks/best lines? Hassan: “In short, I’m not a mop you can drag cross the floor” made me laugh. I think ‘Doorman’ is one of my return listens. Robin: ‘Gorgeous’, ‘Grow Up’ and ‘Missing’ for me. I think it's a record people will listen to in a thousand different ways. What do you make of the Skepta collab? Robin: It’s a good name for slowthai to get for sure. There’s only two features on here, though - pretty defiant for a debut.

Have you guys seen him live? Robin: I have not! But I’d really like to - I imagine the chaos of the live show is when the chaos of the record probably seems most direct. I'd better get my skates on before he's playing massive venues. And the next tour costs 99p, so there's always that. Hassan: Me neither but I saw him in a boxing ring in London, on people’s stories though, and it seemed like the perfect setting for his style of rap. Live we’ve seen him chanting "When I say fuck, you say Theresa.” Is it too easy to say this is a state of the nation kind of album? Robin: It does feel like that at times but stuff like 'Peace Of Mind' is really personal. Hassan: It’s almost impossible not to be engaged in politics at the moment because the UK is in crisis and democracy seems to be failing so to have someone who can channel that and make it into banging music is something that maybe immediately makes slowthai’s music an emblem for the nation even if he doesn’t intend it to be at times. Thanks guys. Robin: Nothing Great About Britain but plenty great about this convo amirite?! (Please don’t put that in). (Too late - Ed) FESTIVALS: Liverpool Sound City. Primavera Sound, Spain. Lovebox. Melt!, Germany. OFF, Poland. Øya, Norway. Boomtown. Reading & Leeds. @slowthai

@nospacenocaps Bristol in Stereo: 41 Bristol in Stereo: 41

MAC DEMARCO HERE COMES THE COWBOY Mac's Record Label May 10th

THE NATIONAL I AM EASY TO FIND 4AD May 17th There’s a slow-burning, blue-flame energy to The National. Combining the best bits of Smiths-y melancholia, traditional dad rock, alt-rock cynicism, and straight-up art. Their success was both surprising and inevitable. Their eighth album comfortably meets and exceeds the breadth of their past decade’s aural sublimity. Tracks such as ‘The Pull Of You’ and ‘So Far So Fast’ are utterly breathtaking journeys, as Berninger’s characteristically soothing baritone retreats slightly into the mix, complimenting the addition of prominent guest vocalists and choral arrangements. This sixty-minute sensation is further indebted to the Dessner and Devendorf brothers’ calm handling of strings and percussion, which reframe past sorrows in a strange new light. Head to any record retailer, and their discography now dryly beckons: I Am Easy To Find. Harriet Taylor

Everybody's favourite lovesick scoundrel is back, and he’s sticking to the plan. With Here Comes The Cowboy DeMarco saunters through the saloon doors and serenades us with a bluesy collection of railroad ditties and mournful ballads. Lead single 'Nobody' swaps DeMarco's trademark slider for a saturnine horn, parping under pizzicato chords. His razor-sharp witticisms burn as his jaunty vocals belie his true meaning with lines such as “Hop on a plane, fly out to Spain, you can die alone,” interspersed amongst songs like 'Choo Choo', which apparently mean nothing. An air of sarcasm hangs over the whole record, and if I'm honest, I was hoping for something a lot more radical. Best listened to in the haze of lonely summer evenings. Madeleine Wrench

CATE LE BON REWARD

Mexican Summer May 24th Cate Le Bon possesses that rarest of gifts; a specific sound instantly recognisable as hers, but one pliable enough to take her anywhere. On Reward, the fifth in a series of increasingly impressive records, she uses it to visit her most mesmerising musical territory yet. A rock record only in the broadest of terms, Le Bon is wilfully experimental across Reward, but always in control. Her music is playful and delicate, highly intellectual without snobbery. Consistently, it’s a joy, from the peculiar beauty of the brass-laden ‘Miami’ opener through the effortless pining of ‘Daylight Matters’ to the closing staccato lament of ‘Meet the Man’. At once a comforting and curious listen, Reward is an excellent album from an artist finally getting the recognition she deserves. Thomas Hannan

VAMPIRE WEEKEND FATHER OF THE BRIDE Columbia Records May 3rd

After six years away Vampire Weekend are back. In those intervening years they’ve lost a founding member and songwriter (Rostam), signed a major-label deal, and developed a worrying penchant for wearing socks and sandals and, it seems, making double albums. So here is Father of The Bride (sadly not a Steve Martin concept album), finely treading its sandalled feet along the line between corny and cool. For a band constantly criticised for being overly arch, they’ve always sounded joyfully unpretentious. And so it remains. ’Harmony Hall’ mixes a 90s baggy vibe and wonderfully uncool piano groove to make maybe the single of the year. There’s also a song knowingly called ‘Unbearably White’ (insert side-eye emoji). This is a looser, warmer sound than before and gloriously unfashionable touchstones are everywhere. Sometimes that works, like on opener ‘Hold You Now’ which mixes a campfire strum with Danielle Haim and a choral sample from the Hans Zimmer Thin Red Line score, and ‘We Belong Together’ and ‘This Life’ (co-written by Mark Ronson) where Ezra sounds more like Paul Simon than he ever has before. But songs like ‘Sunflower’ show prog should never come back into fashion and it seems to drag in the final stretch. The result is a fantastically all over the place 18 song record that could have been a brilliant 12 track one. Watch out, we’ll all be wearing sandals soon. Danny Wright

EZRA KOENIG (photo: Monika Mogi)

DRAHLA

USELESS COORDINATES Captured Tracks May 3rd Drahla grabbed a handful of studio days between tour dates and festival slots between January and August 2018 to record Useless Coordinates. The title reflects the band’s transience during that time. As for the feel of their debut album, ‘hectic’ doesn’t even do it justice. By the time you get to ‘Stimulus For Living’ on track four, you’re already suitably stimulated to stay awake for a good 48 hours. Tracks like ‘Pyramid Estate’ and ‘React/Revolt’ showcase the new addition of Chris Duffin’s crotchety sax, shouldering into Rob Riggs’ impatient bass, Luciel Brown’s shredded beats, all thumped in return by Mike Ainsley’s percussive assault and battery. It sounds like the ultimate musical mosh pit. The album finishes with ‘Invisible Sex’. You can’t say you saw that coming. Jon Kean Bristol in Stereo: 43 Bristol in Stereo: 43

HUSH MOZEY

PRETTY LITTLE SEANCE Self-Release May 10th There’s nothing quiet about Hush Mozey. Their trademark inky-souled grunge turns a new head on their latest EP Pretty Little Seance - their loudest, and darkest, excursion yet. Made up of choral chamber chants and the sombre plucking of guitars, the band’s sound falls under their self-identified sound of ‘drowzy rock and roll’ - a flavour of indie they’ve made very much their own. Their saturnine style makes for a busy night out - the thematic motif of the EP’s startling opener, ‘Staying Up’ feels like they’re waxing lyrical about a vampiric eternity. Their deadly obsession rings true throughout the six tracks - their music and words being a union that encapsulates all the dreamy uncertainty of youth, even if it turns out to be a nightmare. Georgia Marsh

STANLÆY

THE HUMAN PROJECT Self-Release May 28th Stanlæy is as Icelandic as you can be, without coming from anywhere near Iceland (unless you’re talking about the frozen food emporium in Southmead). If you’ve been to the actual land of fire and ice, you’ll hear every elemental glimmer of its glaciers and every billowing of its geothermal fumeroles. Think of a hybrid of Björk and Joanna Newsom, running on magma. That said, never mind your speakers, it’s possible that Stanlæy has emerged through your wardrobe, from Narnia. On opener, ‘The Moon’ it sounds like the trees are singing to us, with Mr Tumnus the Fawn on sax. A hang drum consistently enchants. Elsewhere, she collects mountains and talks to the universe. The Human Project sounds about as metaphysical as worldly sound gets. Jon Kean

BLACK FLIES THE BREAK Self-Release May 5th There are over 2,200 named species of black flies in the world, and whilst the Bristol-based band, Black Flies’ debut EP, The Break, doesn’t have quite that many songs, they masterfully replicate such variety across their five offerings, maintaining sonic cohesion throughout. Opener ‘01’ establishes the group’s fundamental resolve - a jangling instrumental piece with moody allure. ‘L’appel Du Vide’ is scattered with bellicose beats, forging an irresistible eeriness, accentuated by vocalist Joshua Milton’s raspy tones. ‘Kaleidoscopic’ appears as an untameable beast, contrasted with the more methodical, crescendoing ‘Breathe’, the band’s finest work. The EP is rounded off with ‘Motions’, a track which possesses a subtle yet impactful restraint representative of the impressive clarity and precision rife throughout the group’s creativity. Will Perkins

KEDR LIVANSKIY YOUR NEED 2MR May 3rd Kedr Livanskiy’s second album, Your Need announces its arrival with the piercing synths of its title track. It’s a fiercely confident opening statement, at odds with a recording process that, by her own admission, felt uninspired for long periods and ultimately came to fruition in a matter of weeks. Perhaps it shows in the record’s frantic feel, skittering from one electronic touchstone to the next, yet never feeling predictable. Levanskiy is not paying homage, she’s simply setting out a new blueprint for us to embrace, examine and worship. And there’s a lot to enjoy here, from the pummelling breakbeat of ‘Ivan Kupala (New Day)’ to the delicate keys that lend ‘Your Need (Deep Mix)’ a gorgeous sense of weightlessness. Uncompromising, this is club music on Kedr Kivanskiy’s terms. Lee Wakefield

CHARLY BLISS YOUNG ENOUGH Lucky Number May 10th

FAYE WEBSTER

ATLANTA MILLIONAIRES CLUB Secretly Canadian May 24th “I should get out more,” Webster repeatedly utters throughout the opening track of Atlanta Millionaires Club. It’s a statement that belies the wonderful diversity of inspiration the artist draws from. The prominence of pedal steel – the stunning, slowwalking ‘Hurts Me Too’ and ‘What Used To Be’ – point to country, there’s brooding soul in ‘Jonny’ (also home to one of the album’s best lyrics: “...my dog is my best friend and he doesn’t even know what my name is.”), funk in ‘Come To Atlanta’, while ‘Flowers’, with its gentle swaggering, rap-clad hue wouldn’t feel out of place on an FKA twigs record. Webster paints a picture of vulnerability while tongue appears gently in cheek and there’s a knowing wink in delivery. Millionaire or not, Webster’s club is one we should all look to join. George O’Brien

Met with collective critical praise for their 2017 debut, Guppy, Charly Bliss return with a sophomore effort that's more considered and introspective, but only fractionally less pop-punk and bombastic. Eva Hendricks' distinctive, highpitched range accentuates the juxtaposition between the squeaks and shimmers with jawbreaker-like lyrics, where each catchy, sugar-laced layer gets closer to a centre that's confused and searching for answers. The groove and bright pop synths of 'Chat Room' and the emotional weight of the title track paint the picture of growth and evolution of Charly Bliss' sound on Young Enough into something unique rather than novel. All the depth and changes aside, this record is fun and it's exciting to know there is more to come from them. Albert Testani Bristol in Stereo: 4545 Bristol in Stereo:

FULL LIVE LISTINGS NIGHTBUS PRESENTS: FULL TILT COLLECTIVE + ARGLE BARGLE £3/£4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

Full Listings

THE JAMESTOWN BROTHERS FREE / 11.00PM / NO. 1 HARBOURSIDE KID INK £25ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY TEETH OF THE SEA £9.90 / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

ADAM AND THE HELLCATS + ALIEN STASHTIN + FOOCHAPIG + AMY FROM THE WOODS £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT SUNDAY 28TH APRIL WILLIAM TYLER £13.62INC BF / 8.00PM / BRISTOL FOLK HOUSE HOT CLUB SWING JAZZ / JACK CALLAOWAYS BAND / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE JAMES DORMAN FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN M2TM HEAT £5ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE FORTH & BACK HIP HOP JAM FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

MONDAY 29TH APRIL BEN BADOO FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN FRESCHARD WITH STANLEY BRINKS / 8.00PM / THE ELMERS ARMS NAFE SMALLZ £12ADV / 7.00PM / EXCHANGE UNDER THE APPLE TREE FT WILDWOOD KIN £16ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE OPEN MIC: HOSTED BY MIKE DENNIS FREE / 8.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY MARTHAGUNN £8ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA SONGSMITH FREE / 8.00PM / MR WOLFS TUESDAY 30TH APRIL OPEN MIC / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE SAILING STONES FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN CAPTAIN JAMAICA & THE MELLOTONES FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY TEN FÉ £8ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

LONELY TOURIST + HELEN MCCOOKERYBOOK + THE TALL BOY + JONNY KINKAID + THE 12HR FOUNDATION / / THE GOLDEN GUINEA

JAZZ FUNK SOUL SOCIETY £3 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

JJ GATSBY FREE / 4.00PM / THE GOLDEN LION

THE MYSTERINES / 7:00PM / ROUGH TRADE

ANTE-INFERNO + CRIMSON THRONE + DEAD END + CEREMONY + PROCREATION £7 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR £13/£17ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE

JS ONDARA £11ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

WEDNESDAY 1ST MAY

TOM WALKER £17.50ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY BILLIE MARTEN FREE / 5:00PM / ROUGH TRADE

FRINGE JAZZ CLOUDMAKERS / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE LIVE MUSIC TO BE CONFIRMED FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

FULL LIVE LISTINGS HI5GHOST - SOUND SURGERY MASTERCLASS £5INC BF / 7.00PM / COLSTON HALL BEE BEE SEA FREE / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS THE PHYSICS HOUSE BAND + POISONOUS BIRDS + LUO £7.50ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE OTOBOKE BEAVER + SAY SUE ME £12.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE WALDO’S GIFT TRIO FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY SNUFF LANE & BLG: ELECTRIC CITIZEN + VODUN + BLACKWATER + HOLYLIGHT £10ADV / 7.30PM / THE LANES RETIREE £11ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA GIN JAM: OPEN STAGE NIGHT FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS SWEET LIME + POTTERY CLUB + DRIFTED £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT THURSDAY 2ND MAY TAMARA LIVE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE THE PLAY FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN CELESTIAL TOUCH + GRANO SALIS / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS CABBAGE £12ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

MARTIN & ELIZA CARTHY £16.95INC BF / 7.30PM / THE STATION BUILT TO SPILL / 7.00PM / THEKLA JOHN OTWAY AND WILD WILLY BARRETT £15ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT FRIDAY 3RD MAY LIVE MUSIC WITH LEE FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE WILL EDMUNDS BAND FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN BRISTOL GOT SOUL FREE / 6.30PM / COLSTON HALL FOYER BODY HARVEST + SEPREVATION + CASKET FEEDER + INFECTED DEAD + HUMAN MYCOSIS £8ADV / 6.30PM / EXCHANGE ANGELIC UPSTARTS £15ADV / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE MONOLITHIAN + GREENHORN + GRIEF RITUAL £4 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON 1% OF ONE PRESENTS: DEATH BY UNGA BUNGA FREE / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL DONUT RECORDS: SPANG SISTERS + SLEXANDER SUN + ROBERTA PIA FREE / 7.00PM / THE LANES SIMONE FELICE £20ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

SNAZZBACK FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

THIS FEELING BRISTOL: LATENIGHT HONEYMOON £5 / 7.30PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN

INCARDINE COVEN + MISS KILL + I DIGRESS £3 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

PHIL COOPER / LG BRETON + GEORGE WILDING £6ADV / 7.00PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN

MAISIE PETERS £9ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

JAPANESE TELEVISION + THE PROHIBITION £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

STEW MAC £15 / 7.00PM / MR WOLFS

RAILWAY SLEEPERS FREE / 11.00PM / NO. 1 HARBOURSIDE

ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE £10.90 / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE Bristol in Stereo: 47

FULL LIVE LISTINGS FAT WHITE FAMILY £17.50ADV / 6.30PM / O2 ACADEMY

BLURT + EYE BROW + DUSTMEN £9ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

JUNIORE £8.80 / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

LOYLE CARNER £20ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE

CARLA MORRISON £16.35INC BF / 8.00PM / THE STATION

SUNDAY 5TH MAY

TERRORVISION £22.50ADV / 6.00PM / SWX

JAZZ RENDEZ-VOUS FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

KALA CHNG + PARIAH + CHINCHILLA + GINS £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

PARUSKI FREE / 4.00PM / THE CANTEEN

SATURDAY 4TH MAY HANGOVER CLUB FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE DAKAR AUDIO CLUB FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN THOUGHT FORMS £5ADV / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS BRUTUS + CASSELS £10ADV / 7.00PM / EXCHANGE GRANT LEE PHILLIPS + JOSH ROUSE £21.80INC BF / 8.00PM / FIDDLERS OAS-IS SOLD OUT / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE GETS WORSE + ATOMCK + THIS ENDS HERE + HUMAN CULL £8ADV / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON DEPARTMENT S: TWISTED WHEEL + SUPPORT £10ADV / 9.00PM / THE LANES BREAKFAST PRESENTS: MERMAIDENS + SWALLOW CAVE + SLAGHEAP £4 / 7.30PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN COLLETTE THE DOTS + SUPPORT £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS PATTERN PUSHER FREE / 11.00PM / NO. 1 HARBOURSIDE THE UNDERTONES + NEVILLE STAPLE BAND £25ADV / 6.30PM / SWX

NOODS: FRANCO FRANCO + EP/64 £4ADV / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS CASA VOYAGER £8ADV / 11.00PM / EXCHANGE 2 RUDE + THE JAM DRC £14ADV / 3.00PM / THE FLEECE THE JAZZ REGGAE SESSIONS ('TIL 1AM) FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY CONNIE CONSTANCE £10ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA WHITE TRASH, DROOGS AND GUNDERSON FREE / 8.00PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN MR CHUBBS GASTRIC BAND £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS PETER DOHERTY £27.50ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY SCOTT HUTCHISON TRIBUTE FREE / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE VIC GODARD AND THE SUBWAY SECT + SEAN MCCLUSKY + ROB MARCHE + JOHNNY BRITTON AND CHRIS BOSTOCK + THE BIG HOWEVER + THE CORMARANTS £10ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT WMF FREE / 8.00PM / TOBACCO FACTORY BEN OSBORN ALBUM LAUNCH / 8.00PM / THE WARDROBE THEATRE MONDAY 6TH MAY CANTEEN JAZZ SESSION FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

FULL LIVE LISTINGS WALDO’S GIFT £5ADV / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

THE HOPKINS HAMMOND TRIO FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

LANCO £15ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

ALE ANDRA STRELISKI £13.08INC BF / 8.00PM / COLSTON HALL FOYER

OPEN MIC: HOSTED BY MIKE DENNIS FREE / 8.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY SONGSMITH FREE / 8.00PM / MR WOLFS

FLAMINGODS £10ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

DERMOT KENNEDY £15ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY

ODDISEE £15ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

PREGOBLIN 9ADV / 6:30PM / ROUGH TRADE JOHNNY LLOYD ALBUM AND TICKET / 1:00PM / ROUGH TRADE LEGENDS OF REGGAE £24.50ADV / 6.30PM / SWX

WALDO’S GIFT RE ORK: EEZER THE BLUE ALBUM’ FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY LOWLY £TBC / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL GIANT ROOKS £8ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

TUESDAY 7TH MAY

THIS FEELING PRESENTS: PLANET + THE ESTE ANS + THE MALARKEY / 7.30PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN

OPEN MIC / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

GIN JAM: OPEN STAGE NIGHT FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

THE ROOKERIES FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN 1%: HAND HABITS £8ADV / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS CASEY + GATHERERS + ACRES £12ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE LE IS CREA EN S DHARMA BLUES FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY OPEN MIC FREE / 8.00PM / GRAIN BARGE

I ES £5.50 / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE COLURFUL TREATMENT + KEEP IT SHORT + CASSA AND THE NO AS + THE NE AMERICAN £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT THURSDAY 9TH MAY LI E MUSIC TBA FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

JAZZ FUNK SOUL SOCIETY FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

ROMAN JASMINE FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

LUCID O 4ADV / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

THE PICTUREBOOKS £10ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

THE ILDHEARTS £25ADV / 7.00PM / SWX

CASSADEE POPE £18ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

WEDNESDAY 8TH MAY FRINGE JAZZ ITH ART THEMEN / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

IT’S PEACHY: ANCHORSONG / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

SNAZZBACK PRESENTS: IPERTIME FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY UARTET Bristol in Stereo: 49

FULL LIVE LISTINGS WARRIOR POPE + ORGANCHRIST + BROKEN LUNGS / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON HOTWAX PRESENTS: BDRMM FREE / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL

BRASS JUNKIES FREE / 11.00PM / NO. 1 HARBOURSIDE BETTER OBLIVION COMMUNITY CENTER £22.50ADV / 6.30PM / O2 ACADEMY

LIVE MUSIC £3 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

RUM BUFFALO £4.50ADV / 10.00PM / OLD MARKET ASSEMBLY

TIA GOSTELOW 13.25 / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

CUT CAPERS £15ADV / 6.30PM / SWX

PHIL 'SWILL' ODGERS (THE MEN THEY COULDNT HANG) & BOBBY VALENTINO (THE BLUEBELLS) £9ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

THE CIRCLES + THE Q £6ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

MAYK PRESENTS: NUALA HONAN + SPECIAL GUESTS £12ADV / 8.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE

SATURDAY 11TH MAY MARK FEVEN FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

FRIDAY 10TH MAY

DOG DAISIES + JOHN MYRTLE + SNAILS £7 / 7.30PM / CAFÉ KINO

DAN MILTON FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

RAISE THE DISCO FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

FRANCES PYLONS EP RELEASE £5 / 7.00PM / CAFÉ KINO

MUTANT THOUGHTS £5.50ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

NEENBOO FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

COWTOWN + LUCY GOOCH + GHUM £6ADV / 8.00PM / EXCHANGE

THE RUPEES + INDIE BUDDIE + BUZZ MUSIC £8ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

HI ON MAIDEN £12ADV / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE

SPANISH LOVE SONGS + PKEW! PKEW! PKEW! + TOODLES & THE HECTIC PITY + GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY £12ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

AFTER THE ABDUCTION + ASHEN CROWN £5 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON BLG: TALLIES + SUPPORT FREE / 7.00PM / THE LANES

RETRO ELECTRO £13ADV / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE

NIGHTBUS PRESENTS: JIMI NEEDLES & THE COSMIC ORCHESTRA £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

FURY + DAKESIS + PALLAS ATHENA + TITANOMACHY / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

SOUL INGREDIENTS FREE / 11.00PM / NO. 1 HARBOURSIDE

1% OF ONE PRESENTS: PEARL CHARLES FREE / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL

CABARET CRUISE PRESENTS SURPRISE SURPRISE £5 / 10.00PM / OLD MARKET ASSEMBLY

ASHESTOANGELS £8 / 7.30PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN COSMIC NINJA + TURNER + STEVIE & THE MASQUERADES £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

LEWSBERG £5ADV / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE DESIIGNER £19.50ADV / 6.30PM / SWX

FULL LIVE LISTINGS THE FUNK TRAIN LAUNCH PARTY: KING BEE / 7.30PM / ZED ALLEY SUNDAY 12TH MAY THE WEEDS FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE DIAMOND FAMILY ARCHIVE FREE / 4.00PM / THE CANTEEN RUSTON KELLY + KATIE PRUITT £10ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

MATTHEW AND THE ATLAS £12.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE OPEN MIC: HOSTED BY MIKE DENNIS FREE / 8.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY THE NUDE PARTY £TBC / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL JAMES YORKSTON £13ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA SONGSMITH FREE / 8.00PM / MR WOLFS

FLOR £10ADV / 7.00PM / EXCHANGE

DO NOTHING + GORK + SPANG SISTERS + BENJAMIN SPIKE SAUNDERS £4ADV / 7.30PM / ROUGH TRADE

SWERVEDRIVER £16ADV / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE

SAM FENDER SOLD OUT / 7.00PM / SWX

THE PHANTOM ENSEMBLE FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

TUESDAY 14TH MAY

ABYSMAL TORMENT (MALTA) + ATONEMENT + EMBODIMENT + SLOB £8ADV / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

OPEN MIC / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

WAXSLAX PRESENTS: KAL MARKS + MODERN RITUALS FREE / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL STONEFIELD / 7.30PM / THE LANES BURST RADIO OPEN MIC FREE / 7.00PM / MR WOLFS PRIESTS £9.90 / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE SAMANTHA FISH / 7.30PM / THEKLA LEO JAMES FREE / 8.00PM / TOBACCO FACTORY MONDAY 13TH MAY DECYPHERS HIP HOP SESSION FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN FUNNEL LIVE: MELIN MELYN + THE GOLDEN DREGS + MARINE + PICTURES OF BELGRADE £3ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

LEO JAMES FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN KAIA KATER £15INC B / 8.00PM / THE CUBE WEAKENED FRIENDS + Â¡AY CARMELA! + SÃ˜FT £8ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE PHIL KING FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY OPEN MIC FREE / 8.00PM / GRAIN BARGE GRAVY TRAIN & BLG: SPECTRUM £13ADV / 8.00PM / THE LANES JAZZ FUNK SOUL SOCIETY FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS KRS ONE £15ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE WEDNESDAY 15TH MAY FRINGE JAZZ: SIMON AND TOM GARDNER SEXTET / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE Bristol in Stereo: 51

FULL LIVE LISTINGS LEWIS CLARK TRIO FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

MARIA SOMERVILLE £8ADV / 8:00PM / ROUGH TRADE

PAGAN £7.50ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

ORANGE SKIES + PARKA + THE VENEER £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

ROBERT FORSTER & BAND £17.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH AND THE RE OLUTIONARY MINDS £15ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE

WALDO’S GIFT PRESENTS: RUN LOGAN RUN FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

FRIDAY 17TH MAY

TALOS £TBC / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL

LI E MUSIC ITH LEE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

GIN JAM: OPEN STAGE NIGHT FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

PEANUT SHUFFLE CLUB FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

DRIFTWOOD + BADLAKE HILL + HOLOCIDE £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

CLUB KURU £8ADV / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

ALFA MIST £13ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE

UK SUBS + NECK £15ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

THURSDAY 16TH MAY

THE BETHS SOLD OUT / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE

HONEYSUCKLE BROTHERS FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

MY SILENT WAKE + ACARASH + ATORC £5 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

MAMADOU CISSOKO TRIO FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

THE BACK ROOM FREE / 10.00PM / HY BRASIL

BODY TYPE £8ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

LIVE NATION & SJM CONCERTS PRESENTS: THE MURDER CAPITAL £TBC / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL

ELEPHANT SESSIONS £12.50ADV / 7.00PM / EXCHANGE STEREO MCS £16ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE GLOBAL GROOVE EXPERIMENT: JAPAN FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

PRETTIEST EYES FREE / 7.00PM / THE LANES GEORGIA £9ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA BRISTOL SESSIONS HOUSE BAND £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

KAMINO + THREE DEAD + HATE SYSTEM + THE LONELY GOATS FREE / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

THE HUCKLEBUCK FREE / 11.00PM / NO. 1 HARBOURSIDE

ARTS2LIFE FREE / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL

LI E MUSIC TBA / / OLD MARKET ASSEMBLY

W H LUNG £10ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

SECRET AFFAIR / 7.00PM / THEKLA

DR. DAYS JUNCTION + MINKE £3 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

THE SILVERSTONES + THE FUZZ £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

HALES

FULL LIVE LISTINGS ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION TBA / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE SATURDAY 18TH MAY STATION 2 STATION / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE GIVEN TO LIVE FUNDRAISER FT. THE 45'S FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN M2TM SEMI FINALS £TBC / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE REVIVAL (ABBA TRIBUTE) £13.50ADV / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE LINE OF FIRE + HAND OF DOOM FREE / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON OUI LA DISCO FREE / 9.00PM / HY BRASIL DEPT S: LUNA ROSA + SUPPORT £3ADV / 9.00PM / THE LANES BUCK & EVANS £12ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA BRUNCH + BORTS £4 / 7.30PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN

DAMNATIO MEMORIAE & BLG: XENO & OAKLANDER + VOID VISION £10ADV / 8.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS KAMAKAZE £8.50ADV / 7.00PM / EXCHANGE THE LEISURE SOCIETY £13.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE MORE SOUP! FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY GRAVY TRAIN & BLG: CROCODILES £10ADV / 8.00PM / THE LANES PHIL KING FREE / 8.00PM / TOBACCO FACTORY MARTIN SIMPSON £18.50INC BF / 8.00PM / THE WARDROBE THEATRE MONDAY 20TH MAY CANTEEN LATIN SESSION FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN YES WE MYSTIC £9ADV / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

HALLOUMINATI + SUPPORT £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

EMBERS OF EDEN + WRECKAGE OF SOCIETY + LIQUID STATE £7ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

LIVE MUSIC TBA FREE / 11.00PM / NO. 1 HARBOURSIDE

OPEN MIC: HOSTED BY MIKE DENNIS FREE / 8.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

NU WAVE: A QUEERLESQUE NIGHT / 10.00PM / OLD MARKET ASSEMBLY

JAM NIGHT FREE / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL

RAKETKANON £9.35 / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

KIKAGAKU MOYO £13ADV / 7.00PM / THE LANES

TOO MANY ZOOZ £18.50ADV / 6.30PM / SWX

SONGSMITH FREE / 8.00PM / MR WOLFS

CRAZY P £18ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE

BEAK> £15ADV / 7.00PM / SWX

SUNDAY 19TH MAY

TUESDAY 21ST MAY

STEVE PAYNE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

OPEN MIC / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

GUNNER & SMITH FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

HODMADODDERY FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN Bristol in Stereo: 53

FULL LIVE LISTINGS COMMON SPIT / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

THURSDAY 23RD MAY

GAIKA £10ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

AFTRENOON JAZZ AND HIP HOP / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

OPEN MIKE EAGLE £16.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

SKUTCH MANOS FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

SEEDLING SESSIONS W/ CEITIDH MAC & JOE ELEMENT FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

BLG: KING CHAMPION SOUNDS £7ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

OPEN MIC FREE / 8.00PM / GRAIN BARGE

CHARITY SHOW + COUPLES + FAMILY JOOLS £FREEENTRY / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

CAAMP £10ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

HOMESHAKE / / FIDDLERS

JAZZ FUNK SOUL SOCIETY FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

PLAIN WHITE TS £16.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

MICHAEL CHAPMAN / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

SNAZZBACK PRESENTS: SUNDOWNS JAZZ SOCIETY FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

WEDNESDAY 22ND MAY FRINGE JAZZ: TACKE QUARET / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE ORLATA FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN BLG: BRUSHY ONE STRING + DUBI DOLCEK £10ADV / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS STEVE LAMACQ £15ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

LAZURUS MUSIC PRESENTS: CHAPTER & VERSE £TBC / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL ERRATIC BATTING: MILDLIFE £8ADV / 8.00PM / THE LANES THE RECKS + THE HIGH POINTS £3 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS KAMASI WASHINGTON £28.50ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY

WALDO’S GIFT AND PYJAEN FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

THE BACKHANG JAGS + LEATHERS + MONOCLE £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

BLG & WP: HIBUSHIBIRE / 7.00PM / THE LANES

ALDOUS HARDING £12ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE

GIN JAM: OPEN STAGE NIGHT FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

FRIDAY 24TH MAY

LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL £36.50ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY

WILL BLAKE FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

THE JULIANNA HATFIELD THREE / 7.00PM / THEKLA THE FLATONES + WE USED TO SEE THE SKY £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

BRASS JUNKIES FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN DF: ADMIRAL SIR CLOUDSELEY SHOVELL + SUPPORT £8ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

FULL LIVE LISTINGS

BRISTOL’S BOOZE CRUISE

DOT-TO-DOT FESTIVAL: CRYSTAL FIGHTERS, JORDAN RAKEI, SWIM DEEP, THE NIGHT CAFE, DREAM WIFE, THE ORIELLES, LAUREN AQUILINA, HEAVY LUNGS, SWIMMING GIRLS, WASUREMONO, VIAGRA BOYS, 404, ALEX LAHEY, ANGIE MACMAHON, BESS ATWELL, BESSIE TURNER, CROWS, DANCING ON TABLES, DYLAN, FATHERSON + MORE VARIOUS VENUES / £14ADV Bristol in Stereo: 55

FULL LIVE LISTINGS SONGSMITH FREE / 8.00PM / MR WOLFS

WALDO’S GIFT OPEN COLLABORATION FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

HONEYBLOOD ALBUM AND TICKET / 5:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

DAMNATIO MEMORIAE & BLG: TAMARYM + COLD SHOWERS £6ADV / 7.30PM / THE LANES

TUESDAY 28TH MAY

SPINN £8ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

OPEN MIC / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE

GIN JAM: OPEN STAGE NIGHT FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

ALI GEORGE & TOM ALLEN FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

MAREN MORRIS £27.50ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY

GRAVY TRAIN: TRUDY AND THE ROMANCE £9ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

THURSDAY 30TH MAY

NECKS + FUCK AUTHORITY £18ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

PRINZ GRIZZLEY FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

OZOMATLI & CHALI 2NA £15ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

NOODS: ZIETGIEST FREEDOM ENERGY / 7.00PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

CAPTAIN JAMAICA & THE MELLOTONES FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY

FIR FOR AN AUTOPSY + VENOM PRISON + VULVODYNIA + JUSTICE FOR THE DAMNED £12ADV / 6.30PM / EXCHANGE

OPEN MIC FREE / 8.00PM / GRAIN BARGE CHRIS COHEN £7.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA JAZZ FUNK SOUL SOCIETY FREE / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS THE HEAVY £20ADV / 7.00PM / TRINITY CENTRE WEDNESDAY 29TH MAY FRINGE JAZZ / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE LEN ARULIAH JAZZ QUARTET FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN THE SOUND CUPBOARD DONATION / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS GARETH SAGER + PETE JUDGE (GET THE BLESSING) £6ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE THE MARIACHIS £13.50ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

SHAKEY GRAVES £17.35INC BF / 8.00PM / FIDDLERS IDK HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME SOLD OUT / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE SNAZZBACK: OPEN STAGE FREE / 9.00PM / THE GALLIMAUFRY MICROWAVE PWYW / 7.30PM / THE MOTHERS RUIN IMAGINE THAT PRESENTS: CREAM WITH A K + ALEXANDER SUN £3 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS HANG MASSIVE £13.50ADV / 7.00PM / SWX DROOGS £4ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT FRIDAY 31ST MAY CELESTINES TRIO FREE / / THE BRISTOL FRINGE DANCE CAMP BAND 34 FREE / 9.30PM / THE CANTEEN

FULL LIVE LISTINGS THE ALLERGIES (FEAT. ANDY COOPER) £13.08INC BF / 8.00PM / COLSTON HALL FOYER DON'T FLOP £10/12.50/15/17.50/20 / 7.00PM / EXCHANGE HOLLOW CROWN £5ADV / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE WITCH TRIPPER £5 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

DEPARTMENT S: THE STRAWBERRIES £3ADV / 9.00PM / THE LANES WONK UNIT £10ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA DAMIAN MARLEY £38ADV / 7.00PM / O2 ACADEMY SUNDAY 2ND JUNE

AUDIOPHILES FREE / 7.30PM / HY BRASIL

THE BATH FESTIVAL: VAN MORRISON + MORE / / BATH RECREATION GROUND

FRANK & BEANS £5ADV / 7.30PM / THE LOUISIANA

METHYL ETHEL £8ADV / 7.00PM / EXCHANGE

PSYCADELEPHANT + LEISURE TANK £3 / £4 / 9.00PM / MR WOLFS

ARIWO £12ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE

CASH £13ADV / 6.30PM / O2 ACADEMY

WARCRAB + SINNERS SERMON £5 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

STILL CORNERS £12ADV / 7:30PM / ROUGH TRADE

MONDAY 3RD JUNE

THE TEN POUND SUIT BAND £12ADV / 6.30PM / SWX

GRAVY TRAIN & 1%: GUERILLA TOSS £8ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

AN EVENING WITH ALAN MCGEE (OASIS/CREATION RECORDS) + MISS KILL £16ADV / 7.30PM / THE THUNDERBOLT

LOTUS EATER + MODERN ERROR + RXPTORS + BEARPIT £7ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

SATURDAY 1ST JUNE

LONDON ASTROBEAT ORCHESTRA / 8.00PM / THE LANES

THE BATH FESTIVAL: CLEAN BANDIT + MABEL + RALEIGH RITCHIE + MORE / / BATH RECREATION GROUND

TUESDAY 4TH JUNE

ALTERNATIVE TV + FLUX CAPACITORS + OTALGIA £9ADV / 7.30PM / CROFTERS RIGHTS

OFF THE RECORD COMEDY NIGHT + LUKE HONNORATY + STU GOLDSMITH £15ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

M2TM SEMI FINALS £TBC / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

WEDNESDAY 5TH JUNE

YOLA £15.26INC BF / 8.30PM / FIDDLERS

DUBKASM - SOUND SURGERY MASTERCLASS £5INC BF / 7.00PM / COLSTON HALL

SEX PISTOLS EXPERIENCE + ED TUDOR POLE £12ADV / 7.00PM / THE FLEECE

MR B THE GENTLEMAN RHYMER £13ADV / 7.30PM / EXCHANGE

BULL-RIFF STAMPEDE + SEREGON + BANGOVER £5 / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON

EMMY THE GREAT £15ADV / 7.30PM / THE FLEECE DARKCELL (AUSTRALIA) + POISON CROW £10ADV / 7.00PM / THE GRYPHON Bristol in Stereo: 57

in Bristol

with

Owain Jones @ Thekla / Dot-to-Dot

When did you move to Bristol?

And your least favourite?

I moved to Bristol nearly eight years ago, in September 2011.

First Bus and walking up Park Street every day to get home.

Who’s your top Bristol artist at the moment?

Any top venues?

There are far too many to list here but I love Scalping; their Crofters show recently was amazing. I’ve not really seen much else like it, they get better every time I see them. Memory Of Elephants - they’ve just released their debut album. No Violet are always great. Joe Probert’s new stuff is really cool. The new Sugar Horse EP is brutal and I’m really looking forward to the new St. Pierre Snake Invasion record. I could go on for days.

Obviously, Thekla. Otherwise The Louisiana is brilliant, I think everyone says that though. I really like The Crofters Rights, Lorenzo their engineer is a hero and always makes it sound great. To be fair there aren’t many that I don’t like; we’re a bit spoilt for choice in Bristol.

What are your go-to places to eat / drink? Dangun on St. Nicholas Street (where Bagel Boy used to be) is one of my favourites. It’s kind of hidden away, so I don’t think many people realise it’s there, but it’s totally worth a visit and not too expensive either. When you’re done eating, you can just stroll down the road to The Mother’s Ruin for a drink.

What do you have planned to celebrate Thekla’s 35th Birthday? We’ve got a weekend of live and club events across the first Bank Holiday weekend in May, with loads of artists playing, including Steve Lamacq, Roni Size, October Drift, Soeur, Laid Blak, Dr Meaker, Lone and Pangeaea. Plus, Moor Beer have brewed us a beer to celebrate the weekend called the Old Profanity, after the name of the venue from when it opened back in 1984.

What’s your favourite thing about the city? The fact that you can walk to pretty much wherever you want to go and the wide range of music in the city, whether that’s from people who live here or touring bands.

For more information on Thekla’s weekend of 35th birthday celebrations, see: theklabristol.co.uk/ thekla-35 Bristol in Stereo: 59

Behind Every Musician

@WeAreTheMU

ert.indd 1

10/05/2

thoughts.

Nurturing Young Creatives Matt Bentley, Music Production Course Manager Access Creative College You often hear that the creative industries are growing faster than any other sector. On top of that, Bristol is fast becoming one of the key creative hubs outside of London, with many firms planning to relocate here – if they haven’t already. Now more than ever, we should be thinking about young people in our city.

Nurturing creativity of course helps develop the skills needed to innovate and succeed in uncertain economic times, but it also increases a person’s wellbeing, creating a sense of meaning at a time when young people are increasingly struggling and feeling the impact of a more technological, 2017 11:10 yet arguably less connected world. This is the reason I studied a music production course at the age of twenty. I found my sense of purpose, and through working as a producer and music freelancer, developed skills such as resilience, entrepreneurship and problem-solving. Now, as Course Manager of Music Production at Access Creative College in Bristol, I’m committed to developing these skills in the learners I teach. With the tools of today, it’s increasingly possible to carve an innovative, creative and entrepreneurial career. Amid the ongoing arts cuts in mainstream education, it’s encourag-

ing that Access is investing by setting up its new campus in central Bristol. Over the past five years, I’ve seen a dramatic increase in the amount of young people with anxiety and depression, and in turn the huge positive impact of enabling these young people to explore their creative talents. It gives them meaning, motivation, the skills to succeed in their lives and to contribute to society in a positive way. Some of the young people are almost unrecognisable at the end of their journey with us and are able to achieve things they never imagined they could. Bristol alumni of the college included Kreed, Woz, Sly One and many more; evidence of young people being successful doing creative work that they find fulfilling. Our mission statement is to “develop the next generation of creatives through innovative, practical, employment-led training.” I’m delighted that with the new city centre location, amazing facilities, increased capacity and a wider curriculum that includes Games, Media and Events Production alongside Music technology and Music Performance, we’ll be able to help more young people than ever achieve their creative potential, connecting them with and contributing to a creative and prosperous Bristol.

Access Creative College offers a range of courses to get young people started in the creative industries. More info: accesscreative.ac.uk Bristol in Stereo: 61

The Gallimaufry

Waldo’s Gift

Out of this world musicianship combines Hip-hop, Math, Jazz, Groove & Electronica

1 May ~ Waldo’s Gift Trio

Alun Elliott-Williams - Guitar, Harry Stoneham - Bass, James Vine - Drums

8 May ~ Waldo’s Gift Rework: Weezer ‘The Blue Album’

The eponymous debut studio LP by Rivers Cuomo fronted LA rock band

15 May ~ Waldo’s Gift Presents: Run Logan Run

A head on collision of pounding tribal drums and screaming guttural saxophone

22 May ~ Waldo’s Gift and Pyjaen

A double-header featuring the return of this London based band, with a common link in improvised music/the jazz tradition and a vision of pushing music forward in new directions

29 May ~ Waldo’s Gift: Open Collaboration

Waldo’s Gift open the stage to musicians who wish to join them in the spirit of improvisation and the free flow of ideas

thegallimaufry.co.uk

YOUR

MUSIC CAREER STARTS HERE

INDUSTRY LEADING

DEGREE & DIPLOMA COURSES GUITAR • BASS • DRUMS • VOCALS • SONGWRITING MUSIC PRODUCTION • MUSIC JOURNALISM MUSIC BUSINESS • EVENT MANAGEMENT EXPERT TUTORS STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES UNRIVALLED CONNECTIONS TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY EUROPE’S MOST CONNECTED MUSIC COLLEGE

BIMM.CO.UK Bristol in Stereo: 63

END OF THE ROAD 29 Aug - 1 Sept

Larmer Tree Gardens Dorset

“A truly special musical celebration” ★★★★★ The Guardian

BEIRUT / METRONOMY / MICHAEL KIWANUKA / SPIRITUALIZED / COURTNEY BARNETT / JARVIS COCKER ( ) / SLEAFORD MODS / LOW / DEERHUNTER / INTRODUCING JARV IS

PARQUET COURTS / MITSKI / CATE LE BON / BA XTER DURY / DANIEL AVERY / WIRE / CASS MCCOMBS / BEAK> / GOAT GIRL / SERPENTWITHFEET / NUBYA GARCIA / LET’S EAT GR ANDMA / JESSIC A PR AT T / ATA K AK / Y VES TUMOR / STEVE GUNN / KIK AGAKU MOYO / BC C AMPLIGHT / MOSES BOYD / BL ACK MIDI / KELLY LEE OWENS / KERO KERO BONITO / FONTAINES D.C . / GEORGIA / TUNNG / BCUC / KOKOKO! / T YLER CHILDERS / LONNIE HOLLEY / WILLIAM T YLER / NÉRIJA / STELL A DONNELLY / JADE BIRD / THE BETHS / & MANY MORE

Secret shows, ar t, comedy, cinema, literature, karaoke, late night dance floors, family friendly ac tivities, award-winning food and real ale.

endoftheroadfestival.com