SUIT YOURSELF MAGAZINE - ISSUE 32 by SUIT YOURSELF MAGAZINE

Congratulations are in Order! First, congrats for choosing Bristol; you might not have realised it yet but you’ve chosen to study in one hell of a good spot. There’s so much to love here but the fundamentals (gawf…) are that everybody is very laid back and friendly, the city’s got a real energy and Bristol knows how to throw an almighty party. Second, congrats for spotting this colourful little mag in the corner of that café – pub – club – bar - hairdressers – restaurant – venue – gallery…(delete as appropriate). Suit Yourself is a free, monthly, independent magazine for Bristol which explores, uncovers and celebrates everything that makes this city so god damn wonderful. Just for all you fresh-faced cheeksters piling into Bristol this autumn, this is our Student Issue. There’s just so much to talk about and welcome you to and so we’ve decided to make this a double-decker issue spanning two months! It’s been a hectic time compiling what we think is everything you new people need to know and here we bring you comprehensive guides to literally every aspect of student and Bristol life. As a very open, honest and collaborative mag, we’ve also got several very special guest writers in this issue to share their local knowledge and if all that wasn’t enough, we interviewed the odd Bristol celeb too to all help welcome everyone with open arms.

Flicking through our pages is an absolute treat and when you freshers out there are done, you’ll be licking your lips! If you’re a returning student, then welcome back – time for the partying to all begin again and at least this time round you’ve got some bloody good mates to hold back your hair. And for the Bristol old heads? See what you make of our guides and tips, who knows, you might even learn or hear about something new too! Either way you’ll be smiling intently a wide, knowing grin. As always, the fabulous sections waiting to enlighten you are: Educate Yourself – think about learning the city Involve Yourself – think green, act keen Treat Yourself – think time for the credit card Hurt Yourself – think getting active Spoil Yourself – think indulgence Enjoy Yourself – think about getting out there Prepare Yourself – think about shakin’ that ass So get involved! Read away and don’t forget to check out this month’s video podcast, our listings service and our constantly updated blog, all found at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/

Separate listings can be found under all the separate section header pages.

3/ Congratulations are in order

27/ Educate Yourself

6/ Bristol - An Introduction

49/ Involve Yourself

11/ The Student Scavenger Hunt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10 points per promiscuous act

61/ Treat Yourself

14/ Bristol Festival is here to round of the summer in style

89/ Spoil Yourself

17/ Wise words from Bristol legend; Justin Lee Collins 20/ Crash! Bang! Boom! Captain Bristol! 23/ A graduate fondly remembers their cone stealing days 87/ Wise words from Bristolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adopted son; Isambard Kingdom Brunel

75/ Hurt Yourself 99/ Enjoy Yourself 125/ Prepare Yourself For those of you pretending to work, you can also read the magazine online at www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk 5

BRISTOL

An Introduction 6

Grab a shirt sleeve and join me on an expedition of inner city discovery. Before we cut loose, are you dressed for this journey? I don’t want you excluded from a ‘Can’t Miss’ drum and bass night because your tee-shirt is mouthing the wrong slogan. But relax for now, I’ve got a street-sense SatNav strapped to my chest using electrical tape stolen from a wounded DJ - he slipped on a Reflex flyer and got sliced by his decks; very messy night. Pay attention and don’t go a-wandering. All aboard, we’re taking the bus. Get used to it, adapt, it’s a big city. The bus is like a friend you don’t really like but rely on to piggy-back your sorry carcass from A to B. Befriend the bus, learn the routes in and out of the city centre. Expose yourself to the X39 to Bath and the No.1 to Cribbs Causeway. You can’t go wrong with these buddies, plus they don’t get offended when you tell them they stink of piss.

First stop: “Congratulations on choosing to dwell in Bristol!” You’ve earned a VIP ticket, a laminated opportunity to open your mind, try new experiences and develop a sense of individuality. Rather here than some suicide inducing despair-hole: take two extremes – London and Staffordshire. Heed my words, London will gut you inside-out with its pretentious Hoxtonion “Buy this, buy that, you twat” nonsense and pigeons that Morse-code on your bedsit window at night: “Tappy-tap. Not cool enough buddy; your hair looks like Christmas and your tee-shirt’s shit”. On the flip-side, learning to live in a place like Staffordshire is an exercise in ignorance. You’ll cease reading the papers and ignore news of the outside world as the truth is finally revealed in a saline drip, drip of realisation that you’ve made the biggest lifestyle mistake since the introduction of polo necks to your wardrobe. Nothing to do but haunt the same Student Union bar, night in, night out, surrounded by the perplexed and waxy faces of the damned.

In contrast to the perpetually wired and the bleak, integration into Bristol doesn’t call for an on-the-spot Valium prescription. A happy medium is met immediately; go with the flow and you’ll notice the faces of our populace are relaxed and upbeat. If you’ve got something to say, ideas to expound and a little initiative, Bristol will greet you with open arms, pat you on the ass and point you in the direction of a party. Ding-Ding: “Cheers Drive!” We’ve hit the streets and cobbled alleys of the Bristol’s heart, so listen up: Avoid the obvious, ignore the queues and locate at a venue that feels positive, constructive, a place personal to you. Thankfully it’s more difficult to brood your days away than it is to meet new people and embrace new places when the city is jammed with bustling clubs, bars, cafés, restaurants, parks and pubs barking at your doorstep like a rabid dog. Investigate and weave your social web. You’ll be running with a pack of demented mates before

you know it, sniffing around the best spots in town and adding a funky baseline to our community of peace-loving lunatics. The variety of diversions on offer is too much to describe on a single tour and the answers aren’t all here. For reasons of good taste, I won’t be dishing out the numbers of the best call-girls in town; neither will I tell you how to ‘get wasted’ on the hop – it simply wouldn’t be right (check for cards in Cotham’s telephone boxes and follow the BMXs in St Pauls), just be content that in Bristol, you are thoroughly catered for, and if you’re a creative/a individual/an independent then all the better. You want fun? You got it. You want class? Go find it. It’s up for grabs and all you need is the motivation to get out of bed and cruise the streets. Got your head screwed on? Then grab Bristol by its tail and run yourself stupid in pursuit of unrivalled debauchery. Paul Lever

aircraft carrier – 200 points.

Construct a workable item of furniture out of empty beer cans, the more creative the better; TV stands and armchairs – 100 points. A life-sized

Drunkenly take home some traffic paraphernalia and leave it in your kitchen all year – 10 points per traffic cone. Unlimited.

Go streaking through a neighbouring hall of residence – 200 points.

Jump in the river after the Fresher’s Ball – 100 points.

registration. Unlimited.

At the Fresher’s Fair sign up to every Student Union society under the sun, none of which you have any intention of ever attending – 10 points per

points per pash.

Pull a randomer you can’t remember the name of the next morning – 20

which case – 70 points.

Nervously drink more cheap alcohol than you’ve ever consumed before and vom in front of your new flatmates – 30 points. Unless it’s the first night, in

!!!POINTS!!!

Week – it’s the SY Student Scavenger Hunt!! Woop! Woop!

This game is easy: divide into equal teams and try to collect as many points as possible by completing these tasks in pursuit of the ultimate Freshers’

Freshers’ Week Scavenger Hunt

The night before an exam – 80 points.

Set off the building’s fire alarm at 3am – 40 points.

Cry when your parents leave – 20 points. Go to the worst club in town and immediately wish you hadn’t – 30 points. Fuck a lecturer – 1000 points per lecturer. Max 5 lecturers. Leave the washing up until something resembling a monster from the Blue Lagoon threatens to take over your kitchen - 50 point per hideous smell commented on by an outsider. Recite; “Hi, where are you from? What are you studying?” to every new face you see then ignore the answer anyway – 5 points. Go to an overpriced, tacky, cheesy chain bar on your first night with your new flatmates – 50 points per awkward silence. Play drinking games in your grimey kitchen like ‘I Have Never’ – 30 points. A popular answer for Freshers is; “washed my sheets.” 5 points per new facebook add. 5 extra points per add if you awkwardly ignore them at the bar two weeks later. Eat spaghetti bolognese out of a tin and nearly cry because it is NOTHING like your mum used to make - 20 points. Get Freshers’ Flu on the way to contracting more colds in six months than are normal in a lifetime – 40 points per sniffle. Spend half your student loan on various props for elaborate fancy dress outfits – 30 points per false wig and plastic golf club. Make the best friends of your life – 250 points.

Bristol Festival So the time is finally here… It’s been nine months of meetings and organisation but Bristol Festival is here to pick up the reins where Ashton Court Festival left off. The new two day event will take place at the Waterfront Square, the Amphitheatre at the end of the Waterfront in front of the Lloyds TSB building and various other venues across Bristol on the weekend of the 20th and 21st of September 2008. SY has been keeping a close eye on this one and fingers crossed it’s going to be amazing. Expect performers, bands, musicians, DJ’s, dancers, artists and circus acts from across the South West coming together across 6 stages for a spectacular close to the summer. Some of the best DJs and bands we’ll be falling over ourselves to experience include: The Wraiths, Ruth Royall, Emily Breeze, Turbowolf, CCQ, Smerins Anti Social Club, First Degree Burns, Yes Sir Boss!!!, DJ Cheeba, DJ Derek, DJ Format, Pinch, Portmanteau and The Kelly Twins.

This year’s festival comes in two parts: “Brizzolfest” is the main event location based in the Amphitheatre and Waterfront Square. This is where the main festival buzz will be with stages, tents, workshops, art installations, crazy costumed walkabouts and a whole host of unexpected delights. Open 11am - 10pm both Sat and Sun. “Rave-on-Avon” is the club night programme and the ticket will gain you entry into 10 different night clubs on Saturday night (including Mr Wolf’s, Timbuk2, Croft, Native, Start The Bus, Tube, Blue Mountain, Warehouse and the Louisiana) so you can carry on until the early hours of the morning and experience the best of the regions electronic music scene from drum and bass and dubstep, to house and electro. Tickets are £18 for both days, both Brizzolfest and Raveon-Avon. Tickets are £11 for both days just for Brizzolfest. Tickets for kids are free!!! www.thebristolfestival.org

WORD FROM THE WISE

JUSTIN LEE COLLINS SY catches up with Bristol’s favourite, liveliest and hairiest son, Justin Lee Collins – host of The Saturday Night Project on da telly – to talk everything Brizzle! What are three things you love about Bristol? Well there’s an awful lot to love! I’ll give you a whole list of things and you can pick out three: First Bristol is a beautiful city; I love the architecture, we’re surrounded by stunning countryside and we’re close to the coast. It’s an incredibly friendly city, it’s officially the happiest city in Britain and it’s very laid back. It’s very, very easy to make friends here. It’s a very individual and independent city, we’re not trying to be anything else; Manchester has referred to itself as the London of the North but we don’t call ourselves the London of the South West.

It’s easy to get around; you don’t need a car cos you can walk everywhere, or cycle, or skate. Everything’s on your doorstep, everything you could possibly want: bars, pubs, restaurants, coffee shops – oh, and it’s more cosmopolitan than a lot of people realise! How do you view students as a part of the city? Oh well, they are an integral, essential part of Bristol city life because if it wasn’t for the student population, if it wasn’t for the popularity of our two universities, then that whole wonderful scene – the great coffee shops that spring up, the bars, restaurants, eateries, boutiques and funky shops – just would not be there, and that’s the truth. What are some of your favourite areas and landmarks of Bristol? Well, you’ve got Gloucester Road which is fantastic. We’ve got the longest Georgian crescent in Europe – Royal York in Clifton of course – and the largest Georgian square in Queen’s Square which is where I proposed to my wife. I just love that whole King Street area. We’ve got one of the most magnificent bridges in the world, the Suspension Bridge of course. I absolutely adore the Downs; I spent as much time up there in the summer as possible. Brandon Hill is great too and I love the

Harbourside: the Arnolfini side of the harbour is great, I love to sit outside there with a drink. I’ve got lots of favourite spots! What are your all-time top-five pubs in Bristol? I’ve got a few favourites! I love the White Lion pub by the Avon Gorge cos that’s just got the best terrace; it’s wonderful there on a summer’s day. I love the Clyde Arms in Redland cos that’s where I play my darts. There’s a big student population in Frenchay so the White Lion pub there, right on the common, that’s a great place to sit and have a drink. I like The Mall in Clifton Village, I go in there quite a bit for a drink. I frequent lots of places; a great spot to sit is just on the steps at Browns and watch the world go by. That’s probably one of the best places in the city. What advice would you give to a new student starting out in the city? You’ve got it all on your doorstep so get yourself out there; you’re gonna love it! Bristol’s my home, I’ve never lived anywhere else and I will never leave; I absolutely love it and there’s nowhere else in the world I would rather be. Good times. Matt Whittle

A Retrospect About Studenthood Looking back, I can now appreciate that university is the essence of liberation. Freed for the first time from any constraints of a family setting, the overprotective school you were chained to for years or the friends you’ve known since you were scamps, you are now free to do whatever you want, as you want, whenever! In this vein, first year becomes all about drink, drugs and sex sex sex. Do not go to lectures, do not write essays and fuck knowing your limits. Go out every night with the aim of getting lucky and if not, getting so hammered you don’t care. Tequila shots with salt and

lemon, strawpedos, then down a pint of the original wife-beater, Miss Stella Artois herself. Wander into St Pauls in the bleakest hours of night to buy interesting little plastic bags off shady men with thick Jamaican accents. When your new best mate’s long-term girlfriend comes up to visit, have a crack. Climb on top of buildings/statues/walls/trees/boats/anything, providing there’s a certain risk you might do yourself serious injury should you fall off. Stay up partying until you notice the soul-destroying grey light of dawn out the window. Stay up partying for longer anyway.

Second year and you might want to try concentrating on some aspect of the degree. The subject you are studying should by rights arouse your intellectual passion and fervour, but should you spend three years in your room reading or seeking work experience, you will have wasted everything that is simply there for the taking. Always remember that as much as university is about getting a degree, this is also your golden chance to enjoy yourself and to ascertain a firmer notion of your place in the world while you are still gloriously young, relatively responsibility-free and ostensibly loaded.

Discard any previously held prejudices, go out, meet new people and discover the world for yourself. If you have a secret love for something, seek out the club or society that caters for it and join it, whether it’s music, theatre or ultimate frisbee! Play sports however rusty you may be, get a DJ slot on the SU radio, do whatever. In the endless hours of eventual career work, you may seriously never have this much free time again so make the most of it! University is a discovery, a discovery of yourself and of others; a wildly experimental exploration delving through social norms and breaking down barriers. Some may see it as a daunting challenge but if you’re clever, you’ll grasp it with both hands open. Patrick Cash

EducateYourself Everything you need to know about everything if you’re going to get by in Bristol. To advertise in this section at a reduced rate please contact advertise@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/ 28/ Stomping The Streets – Full guide to all the areas of Bristol 38/ Ten top reasons to love Bristol’s top mag 41/ Some interesting facts about Bristol 43/ Some uninteresting facts about Bristol 44/ Bristol through the eyes of a poet 47/ Wise words from local character Adam Hart-Davis 27

Stomping The Streets Guide to the Areas of Bristol Natalie Burns, Anna Leon, Morgan Matthews, Matt Whittle

Welcome to a regular SY feature which we revel in calling Stomping The Streets. Each month we get on our walking shoes or bicycle clips and go out and explore the wonderful areas of Bristol, investigating what makes a certain spot so special. STS features can range from whole districts of the city, down to individual streets or just a bridge. There’s a whole lot to love! For our student issue, we’ve got an overview of everything you need to know about the various areas of Bristol. The city’s a damn large and interesting place so we’ve had to be pretty broad with the geographical paintbrush but once you’ve acclimatised yourself with these main areas, you too will be able to differentiate and understand the differences between Montpelier and St Werburghs, or Southville and Bedminster. For the time being however, thumb through this guide and go get stomping yourself!

The City Centre Blurt; “Centre please, Drive,” on a bus in Bristol and it covers quite a large area. Most regard ‘The Fountains’ (the limp aqueducts by the harbour that look like a bunch of old men pissing) as the real centre of the centre but around that, throughout all the cobbled streets, busy roads, pedestrian walkways and back-alleys there can be found all the leisure and entertainment hotspots you would expect from a modern city centre and each road comes with its own vibe.

The Waterfront houses some very arty and interesting places but also a lot of the weekend’s ‘Fosters and ﬁsts’ culture. Corn Street and Baldwin Street too are prime spots for public urination and kebab dodging with their chain bars but it’s the off-shooting streets around them and all those around Queen’s Square, notably King Street, which home some of the most interesting bars and clubs. Broadmead at the top of Corn Street is Bristol’s newest and largest chain shopping hub with more brands than you can shake a credit crunch at.

Park Street Connecting Clifton with the harbourside and centre, Park Street and the Triangle have a bit of everything and although the steep gradient might make you hate the day you moved here, you will still ﬁnd yourself walking up and down this independent and energetic street that literally never sleeps for anything and everything. Coffee all day long? Check. Interesting, cheap or fancy food? Check. Shopping for clothes, shoes, books, music, furniture, comics, vintage and everything else in between? Check. Bars, clubs and other alcohol doused establishments that play live music? Check. A place to wind down, have a stroll, enjoy the view? Check. Just off Park Street you will ﬁnd Brandon Hill, one of the most beautiful parks in the city.

Clifton/ Whiteladies Road Clifton is often referred to as living in its own bubble. It is unquestionably the most afﬂuent area of Bristol and though its picturesque streets lined with listed buildings manage to retain a village community vibe that’s nice to dip into and be part of, Clifton can be guilty of being very snooty. The area therefore carries equal heaps of respect and resentment from the rest of Bristol. Whiteladies Road is Clifton’s entertainment pulse, chock-a-block with high end bars and restaurants and if you brave the hill all the way North you will come out onto the Downs, the largest and most glorious park in Bristol – a hive of activity on a warm day.

Redland/Cotham

Stoke Bishop

Sandwiched in between the eccentric Gloucester Road and the prestigious Whiteladies Road are the beautiful residential areas of Redland and Cotham. The leafy streets are very popular with families as well as students after their initial years in halls because there are so close to both these bustling Bristol roads (off which they take a hearty dollop of inﬂuence) and are just behind the majority of the Bristol University buildings. Some streets like Chandos Road and the top of St Michael’s Hill feel like those of a small, rural village highstreet with locals cycling past waving in on the bakers and grocers but the student population ensures that at night these roads and boozers are bustling.

Far off in the distance, on the other side of the Downs sits Stoke Bishop; a predominantly residential area that is completely forgettable except that it houses the majority of Bristol Uni ﬁrst year students with most of the Uni’s halls located there amongst dramatic trees and empty roads. In Stoke Bishop you will ﬁnd the Halls of Badock, Churchill, Durdham, Hiatt Baker, University and Wills and with all these students, I wish I could tell you the area was more exciting. Just be content you are about 20 minutes walk from the top of Whiteladies Road and the start of several very long and very messy bar crawls.

Gloucester Road This is how the world used to do highstreets; a bustling, energetic, colourful, friendly street alive with independent cafés, bakeries, butchers, grocers and irrefutably several of the best shops, pubs and bars in Bristol. In fact Glossy Road is the longest single stretch of independent outlets anywhere in Europe - there’s nothing you cannot buy along its historic pavements. Although ofﬁcially, the road only begins at the Arches, most will blanket Cheltenham Road and even Stokes Croft under the name too because Gloucester Road is more of a mind-set than it is a street marking. For those that revel in the independent vibe and creative edge, Gloucester Road is a dream come true.

Many move into the area, attracted by the open, liberal mind-set and it will be several years before they can drag themselves away from the community. All the areas in and around Gloucester Road then are alive with people and creatives, and houses in Bishopston and St Andrews are some of the most sought after in the city. Trees line the busy road, alive with buses, cars, pedestrians and cyclists and I challenge anyone not to enjoy indulging in a spot of people watching, outside on the street in one of Gloucester Road’s numerous café culture sittings – just keep your eyes peeled for some local celebs like Shaun and Jason, Sapphire, the George Lucas Twins or Running Man!

Montpelier/ St Werburghs If you are an artist or poet in Bristol, then you live in Montpelier/St Werburghs. These are the seriously cool, bohemian areas of Bristol, complete with ‘hippy’ rainbow coloured murals around every corner and heaps of community festivals. There’s an abundance of thrift, affordable antiques and second-hand shops and a very strong and proud community vibe so that when you walk into one of their excellent local boozers, everyone knows your name and you recognise every face.

Stokes Croft This renowned area of Bristol just outside Broadmead is the main route from the city centre to North Bristol and so millions travel along its historic streets every year. Why then is the area so run down and neglected you may ask? With 22% of the ground floor properties currently derelict, it seems Bristol has forgotten about Stokes Croft. Stokes Croft has got all the homeless hostels, the brothels, religious centres and lots of socio-economic problems but out of this mixing pot, if you scratch under the surface you will see that the area is one of the most vibrant and exciting areas of Bristol and one that almost defines the city. Because of this neglect, Stokes Croft has been left to develop on its own and now within it’s streets you will find a plethora of artists, a thriving alternative music scene, the largest independent cinema in the UK and thanks to ‘The People’s Republic of Stokes Croft’, an ever-changing visual environment with vibrant street art absolutely everywhere you look. 35

Easton/ Fishponds/ Stapleton

Southville/ Bedminster/ Totterdown

The best way to describe these areas’ and their residents (and I’m sure they wont mind!) is a little rough around the edges but with a heart of gold. Fishponds is home to the UWE St Matthias and Glenside campuses with accompanying halls and though not many students’ ﬁrst choice of where to live, the area does have enough bars, pubs and shops to keep it interesting.

It’s easy to be a student in Bristol and forget that anything south of the river even exists but open your eyes and take a stroll over a bridge, its really rather nice!

Easton is again, a little rough a ready but is one of the most accepting communities in the city, where people of all creeds, colours, nationalities, religions and sexualities live happily side by side. At its heart, St Marks Road is a beautifully colourful place, home some great pubs, restaurants and the best ethnic food shops, the only place you are likely to ﬁnd that obscure spice for those more daring recipes.

Totterdown is another arts stronghold and has much the same vibe as Montpelier, especially now the Paintworks is in full ﬂow and Southville is going through a bit of a re-invention, quickly heading in that fantastic direction too. North Street hosts a vibrant community, fuelled by local, independent strongholds like the Tobacco Factory and…long before Deco, Banco and Tinto, there was simply…the Lounge – a cosy den of food and booze where it’s very easy to loose an evening.

Ten Reasons to Love Suit Yourself Magazine was born out of pure

musings on everything from local festivals to

need; the need for an independent magazine,

recycling, skate parks to poetry, local markets

a voice for all those young at heart, those

to theatre and from restaurants to graffiti art

interested in music, fashion, adventure, art

across Bristol.

and their environment. A magazine which investigates, uncovers and promotes the arts in

We are owned by no-one and so answer to

all its forms throughout Bristol.

no-one but ourselves. We are not faceless, corporate sluts stuck in suits behind desks

We are FREE and can be found in over a

but are proud to be independent; we are just

thousand pubs, clubs, restaurants, bars, shops,

people who live, breathe and adore Bristol! We

cafĂŠs, venues, hairdressers, galleries and

have a list of contributors spanning hundreds

everything in-between in Bristol.

of faces across the city, making us by far the magazine with the widest voice and therefore

We thrill in discovering new, exciting things

the one worth listening to.

about Bristol and our only desire is to share our love of this fantabulous city with you. Cultural

We are printed on 100% recycled paper and

diversity and integration is the name of the

each mag is born with a burning desire to be

game and we make it our mission to bring you

re-re-recycled again. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t disappoint it.

If you’re unfortunate enough not to get your

When you are finished reading your thrilling

hands on a physical copy of the mag, you can

copy of Suit Yourself, the smokers out there

read a virtual copy online on our website.

will notice our pages make excellent roach

Whilst there you can browse through extended

paper! Turn to page 133 for some roach-tastic

articles, competitions, our constantly updated

times and make your jazz-cigarette the belle of

SY blog and discover our fantastic listings

the smokers’ ball.

service for the city – www.BristolListings.co.uk - you’ll never have an excuse for an empty

We are an incredibly open and approachable

diary again!

magazine and welcome with open arms anyone who loves Bristol too and would like to join

Handily, we fit right in your pocket so you can

our family and contribute in any way they

take the mag anywhere! Inside Tip: our size

can. If you’re a writer, reviewer, illustrator,

and style make SY a very good toilet read.

photographer, poet, musician, graphic designer, fashion designer, shop owner, movie-maker or

Every issue we also put out an amazing video

just want to help promote and distribute the

magazine, going in-depth into some of the

mag then get in contact! There are 4 ‘i’s in

articles covered in that month’s pages.

initiative so it’s up to you but get in touch: we’d love to hear from you!

Interesting Facts about Bristol As conversation rapidly dries up with your brand new flatmates, why not dip into these fantastic facts about Bristol? Could ignite something! Well, they are pretty mind blowing… Bristol is officially the smiliest city in the UK. Psychologists randomly smiled at thousands of people in the streets in cities all over the county and Bristol is where the highest number smiled back; conclusively proving we live in the happiest place in the UK! Gloucester Road hosts along its never-ending pavements the longest stretch of independent shops to be found anywhere in Europe. The dog made infamous on the HMV logo was actually called Nipper (named so because he always tried to bite visitors on the leg) and lived with a local artist in Clifton. All that remains of Nipper is a wee statue above a doorway on Park Row and the little matter of his portrait above the doorways of thousands of overpriced CD outlets across the world.

Bristol Harbour Festival is thought to be the largest free, city-based festival anywhere in Europe, attracting around 200,000 people a year. The former largest free, city-based festival in Europe was Ashton Court Festival, also hosted in Bristol! Fishponds favourite Vicky Pollard, star of Little Britain, was inspired by a local youngster Matt Lucas and David Walliams interviewed in Broadmead as part of a university project into social fuckwits who can’t, like, talk proper. Don’t give me evils! An NME Student Survey of recent years proved pretty conclusively that Bristol is fucking A, especially if you’re a student. Our little city was voted by thousands of readers as the best city for clubs, having the ‘fittest’ girls and the best place for social life. Why would you want to live anywhere else?

Uninteresting Facts about Bristol And if that didn’t work then you can endure the long, inevitable, awkward silences by reading these utterly uninteresting facts about Bristol.

Carrying on the literary theme, Harry Potter was based on a boy that J K Rowling met in Bristol as a child.

According to the National Audit Office, Bristol is the least anti-social place in England. Boy, that really is uninteresting!

The Theatre Royal Bristol (now the Bristol Old Vic) is the oldest continuously working theatre anywhere in Britain, staging productions since 1766. Well…ahem…until it shut down last year.

The world’s first test-tube baby was Bristolian. Cheers drive!

A Reader’s Digest Survey in 2007 voted Bristol as Britain’s Funniest City!!! Whatever that means.

Not sure how official this is but I’m sure I read somewhere that there is more greenery per person in Bristol than any other city in the UK.

Laughing gas was discovered in Hotwells, Bristol. Read into this correlation what you will.

Local folk-lore has it that writer Daniel Defoe met and grilled castaway Alexander Selkirk in The Llandoger Trow, a pub on King Street, and later published the novel Robinson Crusoe based on his story. It is also said that Robert Louis Stevenson boozed there and based the Admiral Benbow Ale House in his book, Treasure Island, on the pub. And if that wasn’t enough, Edward Teach of Redcliffe, better known as Blackbeard the Pirate, had a tab there which he would pay in exotic treasure! Gaahhhrr!

Another survey in 2007 voted Bristol as Britain’s Most Honest City as well as the city with the largest number of layabouts with nothing better to do that fill out meaningless online surveys. Why would you want to live anywhere else?

This is what I saw in town that day A poem for Bristol The warm breeze eases my pedalling, along the harbour side I fly…Such a magnificent great ship! Hiding tales of love and despair and death and hope, all history made stagnant in its own view…Flags flapping, warm-cool breeze, sun high, a small boy walks with his grandfather, cheeky smile, sweetness, wise warming laugh protects. I see her gaze lingering on a handsome man; brown, wavy soft curls, bright eyes, T-shirt and scruffy jeans...She turns her head...and casts a smile his way… 44

Ahhh! Beautiful captivating lady, cropped leggings, plimsolls dancing, long braids bouncing, to her own rhythm and friend’s laughs as she drops her purse amongst distinguished cigarette ends which remember brief owners. Ears covered, muffling a deafening siren; the traffic’s intrusive snarl reminds me of my surroundings as my eyes wander at those enjoying afternoon beers on the Barge’s sunny top. Bright new architecture, all curves and colours, contrast against the bricks, those old sedentary witnesses of slaves and merchants and the rich and sick...

Refreshing open space, interesting, giant moon resting strong amongst restaurants, mothers and prams and family melodies, the interesting young, with studs and ribbons and lace and leather, black and red stripes in jagged hair, poker straight, screaming; “Don’t stare, but why aren’t you?!” And then sudden exposure in the central hubbub of noise and busyness as people mingle and twist and turn, staring at you, staring ahead, mind’s on their place to go...Lanes veer off, one leads to the market, one to the rooms of indulgence and one to the green with boys playing on wheels...At the top of the hill, girls wrapped

in scarves and soft khol liner, hide behind shaggy fringes and black sun glasses like saucers, with floral petticoats, whispering secrets and desires and talk of books... Suited men, stilettoed women, chatter business with aftershave and red lipstick rush past un-noticing and un-noticed. Further in, the other way, a man staggers past as another rests his drooping head, chattering to himself, whilst banging a box in the drizzle...A girl plays her flute and a young couple argue as I watch the pigeons peck at nothing. This is what I saw that day. Fran Hardy

WORD FROM THE WISE ADAM HART-DAVIES Bristol’s favourite TV historian (well, joint favourite with Baldrick) Doctor Adam Hart-Davis is a great lover of Bristol, its theatre and its cycling facilities. Renowned throughout BS1 to BS19 as the presenter of What The Romans Did For Us and Tomorrow’s World, we caught up the blue-blooded, white haired eccentric to ask these three taxing questions on your behalf: What are three things you love about Bristol? I love the fact that Bristol is a real city with all the facilities you could want, that it’s small enough to go everywhere by bike and that Bristol is full of fabulous history. What are your all-time, top-five things to do in Bristol with a free afternoon/evening? 1. Go walking or cycling or flying a kite on the Downs. 2. Go down to the waterfront and Millennium Square and enjoy all the facilities there.

3. Go across the Suspension Bridge, call in at the Botanic Garden and walk in Leigh Woods. 4. Go to one of the theatres in the centre. 5. Cycle along the Bristol-Bath Railway Path. What advice would you give to a new student starting out in the city? Try to do something different every day.

Involve yourself Information and musings on the important things in life. The environment, local issues, social responsibility, organic farming, charities and other community issues To advertise in this section at a reduced rate please contact advertise@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/ 48/ Guide to Green Bristol 52/ Getting from a - b 54/Loose Fit - The very first carbon neutral shop 56/An Introduction to Graffiti and Street Art in Bristol 47

Just how green is the city of Bristol? Well for starters we have 450 parks and green spaces totalling over 1300 hectares, with loads of events hosted in them. Green spaces are one of the city’s most valued features and millions visit them every year. No other city in England has as much green space. There’s plenty of green space just outside the city boundaries within easy reach, like Ashton Court Estate, and one of the most refreshing things about Bristol is being able to see that countryside from all over the city, including when you’re right in the centre. As in many parts of the country though, green spaces are constantly threatened by development. Bristol is a very popular place to live and its population is forecast to rise by over 30% by 2031, exerting very significant social and environmental pressure at a time when we need to cut it. Bristol City Council has agreed a strategy to sell oﬀ of 2.4% of the city’s green space as demand for thousands of new houses the possibility of the ringroad around South Bristol grows. The future of these 48

green spaces is a key, ongoing issue and one we must keep fighting for. Bristol is also relatively green as a city as it gained its first Green Councillor, Charlie Bolton, in Southville, a few years ago. ‘About time’ many would say, given the large number of organisations promoting respect and care for the environment that have for years been Bristol based. Brilliant organisations like the CREATE Centre, City Farms, Transition Bristol, Farmers Market, Slow Food Market, local food advocates like the Better Food Company, Community Recycling Network and City Car Club. Another fantastic example is the BBC Natural History Unit in Clifton, a key organisation behind June’s Festival of Nature and October’s Wildscreen Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious international wildlife and environmental film festival. The unit is responsible for world class environmental television like Blue Planet and Planet Earth, both playing a huge part in raising green awareness.

Sustrans, the country’s leading sustainable transport charity, again based in Bristol, has been closely involved in some of the most discussed and controversial local issues this year. Bristol City Council had planned to build a bus rapid transit route on the Bristol to Bath Railway Path, the UK’s most popular cycle path, until a 10,000 signature petition and a motion to the council from Green Councillor, Charlie Bolton, helped to cause a rethink. Going ahead with the plan might well have messed up the council’s bid to become the UK’s first ‘Cycling City’, which was ultimately successful in June. The council will now have tens of millions to spend, wisely one hopes, on cycling schemes in Bristol. Sustrans and other local greens, such as those at the Bristol Cycling Campaign or Bristol Friends of the Earth will continue activity on cycling but also on Bristol’s many other transport problems. One of the major ways in which Bristol can improve its green credentials further is by improving public transport (bus and train firm Firstbus are hardly fondly regarded locally!). Partly 49

as a result, Bristol’s air quality and noise levels can be poor at times and the city’s contribution to climate change needs to be cut by a factor of ten over the coming decades to approach sustainable levels. One small success of late is the rail service improvements on the Severn Beach line – it’s now a quick, eﬃcient way to get around certain parts of the city, such as from Montpelier or Stapleton Road to Clifton. There is also ongoing scrutiny of how green Bristol actually is in a relative and absolute sense, for example whether or not it decides to mass incinerate much of its waste. The Bristol Partnership, the council working together with businesses, voluntary and community groups, has ambitions for the city to become a green capital; “A low carbon city with balanced and sustainable communities enjoying a high quality of life.”

Organic Food Festival, The Soil Association is no doubt pleased to see objective seven; ‘healthier, locally produced food’, but the tension between these green objectives and The Bristol Partnership’s other ambitions are great, in particular its economic thinking, which is still based on economic growth and a consumer society when environmental resources are finite. Bristol’s major current development is the huge new shopping area Cabot Circus. Green economics guru EF Schumacher, whose work is celebrated here every October at the Schumacher Lectures is probably turning in his grave. Glenn Vowles Read Glenn’s regular green issues blog at: http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com

The eleven green objectives set out by the The Bristol Partnership are commendable; Bristol based organic food charity and a leading light behind the September’s 51

The city is teaming with them but cars take the back seat in Bristol; parking is war and a London style congestion charge might be on its way but nonetheless, A to B in Bristol is easy. Walking: Bristol is rare in having all you could want in easy distance and walking from one side of the city to another can be done eﬀectively in less than an hour. Cycling: Two wheels have just got a great big thumbs up from the government when it named Bristol the first ‘Cycling City’; it will receive the bulk of funding intended to make England’s cities more bike friendly. Hoorah! On the cards are an on-street rental service and many new cycle lanes. Buses: A FirstBus student all-day pass will set you back £3 and if you travel at rush hour it will take you all-day. Useful routes for Bristol Uni students are the 8/8a and 9/9a which will take you from Temple Meads and the centre to Clifton, going through the University of Bristol precinct. The 41 and 43 connect the centre with the Stoke Bishop complex during the day and the N7 and N8 do the same in the wee hours.

For UWE, the subsidised U-Link includes three services: The U1 connects UWE Frenchay with the shops of Gloucester Road and Broadmead before continuing to Temple Meads and UWE Bower Ashton (the U2 does the same route but terminates at Broadmead). The U3 takes in Fishponds and Stapleton Road before it heads into Broadmead. If you miss the U-Link, the 70 will get you to those Frenchay lectures and the 73 goes most of the way. The N61 night service runs once an hour in the small hours between the city centre and UWE Frenchay. Trains: Local trains are a great way to get around; cheap, eﬃcient if a little limited. They run from Temple Meads through to Severn Beach/Avonmouth, conveniently stopping at Gloucester and Whiteladies Road. Ferry: The Bristol Ferry Boat Co. runs a cheap and scenic commuter service between Temple Meads and the city centre and all the way down the harbour. Taxis: Only one thing to remember: look for the registration tag on a taxi BEFORE getting in. Bristol Uni students can use their student card as a deposit in Swift Line taxis when they find themselves stranded and cashless.

Useful numbers are: Bristol City Taxis - 01179232526 Bristol and Avon Taxis - 01179420000 Yellow Cab Co. - 01179231515 Skipping Town? Coaches: MegaBus goes to Wales and London from the city centre (just outside Colston Hall) while National Express goes direct to London with very cheap ‘Funfare’ tickets. The bus station is just behind Broadmead. Trains: Temple Meads is the major station with regular trains to London, the North, Wales and the rest of the South West. Bristol Parkway is nearly as convenient. Planes: From Bristol Airport you can get to North America, North Africa and almost anywhere in Europe. The Bristol International Flyer bus service runs between Temple Meads and the airport via the bus station. Nick Easton

rafters with stylish surf clothes and boards, Loose Fit is now branching out into the arts realm by hosting regular exhibitions from local artists and opening up the doors to brand new design concepts.

Loose fit is a little bit of Cornwall served up in the streets of Bristol, a veritable safe haven in our bustling busy city. Loose Fit is a place where you can escape and reconnect with the effortless cool of a purer form of life, a form of life where environmental concerns are of paramount importance, a place where the whimsical preoccupation for a better life is encouraged, and a place where, at the very least, you can buy the most incredibly cool t shirts from the worlds first carbon neutral surf shop. ‘Inspired by surfing and the natural environment, Loose-Fit supply the highest quality surfboards whilst maintaining and promoting the utmost ethical and environmental best practices’. It is extraordinarily refreshing to find a shop with such strong ethics, one which practices what it preaches, one which doesn’t stop at being a shop packed to the

Each t shirt made at Loose Fit is pretty unique, only a controlled amount of each design are produced and several different coloured options are available to ensure you get exactly the item you want. In fact all the printing is done upstairs in the shop ensuring the very best care and attention is paid to each and every item. We challenge you to go home empty handed but even if you don’t find anything you want, Want t shirts for your team? simply take in your own design and Loose Fit will set to work sorting it out for you it really is that simple, put your feet up, kick back on their sofa and pass time with these incredibly friendly, ethical young people simply trying to make the world a better place. 138 Whiteladies Road Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RS  tel: 0117 973 1255 www.loose-fit.co.uk

An Introduction to Graffiti and Street Art in Bristol So, here you are in Bristol then, home of the infamous Banksy, and you probably fancy seeing a bit of work by the city’s most notorious son. Well, sorry to disappoint, but he moved to London years ago and apart from a piece at the bottom of Park Street and another opposite the BRI, along with a few scattered and faded stencils here and there, there’s not a lot left of him here. But that really doesn’t matter. Banksy didn’t happen in a vacuum, and the city’s stuffed full of graffiti and street art by tons of other artists, some of whom you may even prefer. Many artists have come and gone in Bristol over the years. It all started off with people like 3D (yes, the white guy out of Massive Attack), Inkie, 56

and Nick Walker back in the 80’s. They were influenced by graf scenes in New York and they in turn influenced a generation of artists like Banksy here in the 90’s. A decade on and now they have influenced the new crop of artists and writers you will see high and low across Bristol. Graffiti art is now more popular than ever and Bristol harbours an amazingly fertile, energetic and inventive scene, a scene which has seen a small city in the Westcountry gain world wide recognition. As well as 3D, Inkie and Nick Walker, lot of Bristol’s reputation has long been based around the internationally famous TCF (Twentieth Century Frescoes) crew, featuring greats such as Paris, Dicy, Xenz, Eco, Ziml, Feek, Seza, Acer, Aji and K148. The Junction 3 roundabout of the M32 is never a bad place to hunt for TCF walls and you can see a big new Paris piece down by the Nova Scotia Pub in Cumberland Basin, whilst a Xenz telephone line covered in beautiful birds is hidden away at the bottom of Ninetree Hill.

Other people to watch out for include the members of the What? Collective, Richt, Sums, Sainty and 45RPM (you’ll see his big colourful owls around the Gloucester Road especially). Also going right along Stokes Croft and Gloucester Road, you can see the former Clockwork nightclub and the Golden Lion pub, both completely covered in huge works by the likes of 3Dom, Magic and Voyder. A few places which bring all of this work together are Dean Lane skate park in Bedminster, painted and repainted by all sorts of names almost weekly and ‘The People’s Republic of Stokes Croft’ project has ensured that that area is now always covered in pieces by street artists from Bristol and beyond. Check out the long hoardings on Jamaica Street particularly which are repainted every month. Also worth checking out is Weapon of Choice, a live painting night organised once a month by

well known graf artist Cheba down at Mr Wolf ’s where two or three artists collaborate to paint a large piece accompanied by live acts and DJs. Ultimately though, there’s more graffiti and street art in Bristol than one article could ever cover and this one’s barely scratched the surface. There’s more on the blog we run about Bristol graffiti and street art, but the best thing to do is get yourself out there, take some photos and learn more about it from exploring the city. If you do fancy photographing or writing about it yourself then get in touch, because we’re always looking for new writers and photographers for the blog as well. Happy hunting! Ronnie Jotun Read Bristol Graffiti, the daily blog on Bristol street art at: http://bristolgraffiti.wordpress.com

Green People

The Mexican Hammock Company

Ecology Building Society

0117 9425353 Hammocks brought from ethical cooperatives on a fairtrade basis. Mail Order only.

0845 674 5566 Mutual building society ethical savings accounts, energy efficient housing. Support renovation.

Riverside Garden Centre

Restore

0800 0375796 email info@riversidegardens.com Co-operative garden centre. Organic peat and free composts.

0117 9231970 Quality Restored Furniture 6 Filwood Broadway, Bristol, BS4 1JN

CafĂŠ Kino

Trees for Cities

0117 9249200 3 Ninetree Hill, just off Stokes Croft. Gourmet coffee menu and organic products.

The planting event on Wednesday 13th February 2008. If you would like to volunteer to help on the day, then please contact Emma at emma.burley@treesforcities.org or 020 7820 4427

Bio Power

Carbon Calculators

01286 830312 info@bio-power.co.uk Bio power fuel made from renewal materials used instead of fossil fuels.

01823 430852 Check your carbon output and take action to offset it. www.co2balance.com

To submit information for this section please email to: involve@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Treat yourself Information and musings on the beautiful, sexy and scrumptious things in life. Fashion, beauty, health and style To advertise in this section at a reduced rate please contact advertise@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/ 60/ Restyle yourself for a tenner 63/ We examine the five types of university student 64/ SYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comprehensive guide to everything shopping in Bristol. Consume 70/ Doodle yourself a tee free-shirt

The SY Tenner Fashion Challenge Who said money can’t buy you style? Well they were right. Being a savvy and stylish student living on a shoestring doesn’t mean you have to look any less fabulous. To prove just how easy fashion on a budget can be, Suit Yourself invited three Bristolians to take the £10 style challenge… The Rules: 1. Spend no more than £10 on the bulk of the outfit 2. You can accessorise with items you already own 3. The outfit must be something you would wear out in public 4. Be stylish! Meera Joshi: 19, undergraduate: psychology, media. Meera wears: Dress - £10 - Primark, shoes & belt - model’s own. Style influences: 1960s. Favourite shops: H&M, BS8 and Make. What’s your tip for shopping on a budget? Buy black because you can always accessorise. How would you describe Bristol style? Random.

Frankie Wallington: 23, CRM Executive. Frankie wears: T-shirt - Primark - £3, leggings - Primark - £2, dress Peacocks - £4, bag & shoes - model’s own. Style influences: Agnes Deyn, Amy Winehouse (pre-meltdown). Favourite shops: eBay for vintage finds, Top Shop, Primark, Picton Street in Montpelier for quirky one-off pieces. What’s your tip for shopping on a budget in Bristol? Stick to a budget and buy an entire outfit or build around one key piece. How would you describe Bristol style? Eclectic. Verity Gough Photos: Heidi Gough

John Doak: 25, philosophy graduate. John wears: T-shirt - St Peter’s Hospice, Cotham Hill - 50p, shorts Oxfam - £6 (originally Gap for £25), cap - charity shop - 25p, glasses - car boot sale - £1, trainers - model’s own. Style influences: Will Oldham, Neil Young, Americana. Favourite shops: Charity shops on Cotham Hill, Repsycho, H&M. What’s your tip for shopping on a budget? Be persistent, check back regularly in charity shops for new stock, use independent shops, they are cheaper and you meet nicer people! How would you describe Bristol style? Relaxed, creative, diverse, anything goes.

138 Whiteladies Rd Bristol, BS8 2RS, United Kingdom +44 117 973 1255

There are five different gross stereotypes of student… Which are you?

The Indie Forget Top of the Pops, it’s all about Topshop; but with jeans so immensely tight, it sometimes seems as if there just wasn’t enough fabric to go around. The Indie’s world revolves around three ideals: smart yet scruffy; arrogant yet amiable; and memorising the NME Cool List. Don’t you dare tell them you like the bands they’ve got tiny badges of though because nobody’s supposed to have ever heard of them! They’re indie for fuck’s sake!

The Rah Jack Wills has to be the single most ridiculously mindless fashion in the world. It’s incredibly easy to feel sorry for these people, but buying something with a made up price tag for a style that resembles Harry Potter on parade cannot be easy. It’s ill advised to cross one before their daily caffeine hit though or you will feel the full wrath of the Ugg boot!

The Book Soldier Deeply engrossing themselves into their academic attributes is a common course of action for this sensible-night knights, albeit with a pen rather than

a sword. Here we have somebody who thinks beauty comes in the form of a complex algorithm which will one day solve the mystery of which combination of cords and woolly jumper to wear.

The Raver Look for anything shiny or luminous and you will find them immediately but speaking to a Raver is a lot more difficult. Firstly there’s the inevitability of total intoxication, the mandatory 100kW sound system and trying to decipher the faux-urban dialect is also a challenge. Try writing some of these translations down: ‘Bare’ = A lot of. ‘Brass’ = Not good. ‘Sick/ Jokes’ = Brilliant. Act like you’re out of a Guy Ritchie film and you’re already half way there.

The Chugger Up for anything so long as it involves a cheeky pint and then a handful of strawpedos. To be accepted as a Chugger you’ve got one task alone - prove your masculinity at all costs! The challenge is to pull the equivalent number of girls as you have downed pints. Don’t get confused though, to the Chugger, girls are a lot less interesting than beer, discard them as you would that kebab you’ve just chundered in. Richard Entwistle

Face it, you’re a student which means one thing - for the next three years you are going to be skint. But just because you don’t have two brass pennies to rub together doesn’t mean you have to skimp on style. So for those fashionistas new to the city that never sleeps and drinks rather a lot of cider, here’s your fast guide to fashion, Bristol-stylee: Broadmead The home of the high street brand, Broadmead is currently undergoing a mega makeover and thank your lucky stars you have arrived on the eve of its almighty unveiling. With more shops that you can shake a stick at, the new centre will have a Selfridges as well as the usual high street names like Debenhams and Top Shop. And check out The Galleries for chavvy-cheap shops full of regulation tat. Cribbs Causeway If you have wheels or fancy a really long bus journey, then head up to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. It has heaps of high street shops but can be packed out at the weekend. Park Street Home to the indie shop, Park Street plays host to some of the best in the South West - well the monstrous walk up the hill has to be worth something!

The Clothing Federation - A diverse range of unisex clothing that is both punky and perky. They have an

amazing sale rail where you can snap a retro-twist bargain and great for accessories.

West World - Mainly men’s fashions but a women’s department underneath that’s great for brand-hungry clubbers.

Uncle Sam’s - Americana at its best - and cheapest. Sunglasses, caps, jeans, tees, you name it, they stock it. Second-hand clothes virgins can pop their cherries here.

Shark Bite - Filled to bursting with skate and surf fashion and accessories, Shark Bite is a must-stop shop for street-wear fans.

BS8 - A virtual emporium of alternative fashion stores for men and women all housed under one roof. From punky pieces to genuine vintage, BS8 has always been a firm supporter of the independent label and stocks local designers too.

The Triangle

Motel - Ah lovely Motel, full of unusual, vintage and retroinspired pieces from up and coming labels. A bit on the pricy side, but any fashion-savvy student worth their salt will find something pleasing to the eye here. Shrinking Violet - Rock-a-Billy, fifties, punk, Goth and Emo rolled into one, Shrinking Violet is best entered wearing shades. The Bristol Guild - Don’t be put oﬀ by the Harrods-esque air about this place, The Guild is perfect for present shopping. While it looks expensive, there are some great bargains to be found, plus it has a cute garden café and a gallery for culture vultures. Cooshti - Rummage through the rails for Diesel, Chloe, Adidas and other such label names but be prepared to pawn your granny’s wedding ring to pay for them!

Home to Fresh and Wild, the most amazing organic supermarket in the world and the gateway to Clifton, The Triangle is a kind of throughway to Whiteladies Road and Clifton Village, but there are still a few corking shops to stop at on your way. All Saints - Ok, it’s a bit pricey, but when they have a sale, there are some fab bargains to be had. Sells both men and women’s clothing with attitude. Joy - Beautiful and original male and female clothing, accessories, shoes and other quirky bits and bobs besides. There is a real mix here and the prices reflect this. Clifton Arcade If you fancy a bit of a diﬀerent shopping experience, you should definitely check out the Clifton Arcade. Take a spot of lunch in the cool but quirky Primrose Café before heading inside to peruse the shops which are a mix of arty boutiques, kitsche interior shops and quirky fashion.

Otomi - From exquisite silver jewellery to authentic textiles, owners Louise Dark and Alex Orozco Luquin source the finest Mexican oﬀerings, bringing a much needed splash of colour to the streets of Clifton.

Billie-Jean Clothes - Fun, freaky and funky clothing with a home-spun feel, a favourite of the fashion students who can pick up textiles by the metre.

Grace and Mabel - Expensive but exquisite fashion and accessories to blow the student loan on, plus they are the only stockists of E. Coudray perfume from Paris - if you smile sweetly, they might give you a free sample!

Beast - Having grown up and flown the nest that was St. Nicholas’s Market, Beast now has a big, shiny shop all of its own. Here it continues to poke gentle fun at Bristolians with its unusual logo t-shirts. A great spot for getting unusual pieces of Bristol-inspired fashion.

Gloucester Road

Oﬀ The Beaten Track

This area is more directed towards the alternative fashionista with super cute clothes and accessories from Pink Lemons and an array of cheap yet chic attire from Make, the Gloucester Road has some fine oﬀerings for the fashion-savvy student.

A few little gems worth wandering oﬀ for… La Freak Boutique, Picton St, Montpelier - More second-hand clothes, bags, shoes and accessories to be found in this haven and an absolute must-stop shop for the vintage fancier. Worth the walk as you can also munch a pasty from Herbert’s bakery on the way home.

Repsycho - Retro clothing may not be to everybody’s taste, but if you fancy looking like a 20’s flapper or embracing the coming season’s seventies trend with gusto, then look no further than Repsycho. From old fur coats to funky eighties jumpsuits, this shop is jam-packed with authentic retro paraphernalia and a jeans section to die for. Plus, downstairs is vinyl heaven while upstairs houses retro and kitsch furniture to kit out your digs in style.

Fig.1, St. Lukes Road, Totterdown - Ethical gift and homeware shop that is definitely worth checking out for totally unique pressies to impress - and you get a clean conscience to boot.

Bristol Markets St Nicholas’ Market, Corn Street: Monday - Saturday The Corn Exchange at St Nick’s Market is the last word in alternative style and boasts a textile emporium, lots of quirky vintage and retro clothing stalls, an amazing Moroccan cafe and best of all, it is where the magnificent Bristol t-shirt shop, Beast started life. There is also a farmers’ market every Wednesday, a gifts and crafts market every Friday and Saturday and a monthly Slow Food Market. Phew! Tobacco Factory Market, Raleigh Road, Southville: Sundays A Sunday market held in the car park of the Tobacco Factory is aimed squarely at the eco posse. There is also a good selection of arty-crafty bits and bobs made by local organic types and it’s a great spot to people watch over a cappuccino. Eastville Market, Eastgate Rd, St Werberghs: Friday & Sunday From textile and toothpaste, this is a funny old market that doesn’t quite have an identity but it’s great for fashion students after supercheap fabric. It’s also right next to Ikea! Southmead Market, Southmead Hospital: Saturdays Bristol’s answer to Albert Square, this is the place to pick up dodgy DVDs and music galore, and of course, the obligatory ‘ten lighters for a pound.’ Verity Gough Photos: Heidi Gough

Suit Yourself Magazine Creation Station We all know how much you lovely people of Bristol like to draw, doodle and design, sketch, scribble and squiggle and so here’s your chance! The page opposite is your official, designated creation station for you to illustrate and imagine to your heart’s content. It’s literally a blank canvas; perhaps create a T-shirt design? Or design a front cover for the magazine? Maybe sketch the faces and places of Bristol? Anything goes. If you’re proud of your creation then send it over to us at SY Towers and the best doodles every month will get showcased on our website for the world to see! If we really like it we could even use 70

your design as a magazine front cover or put it on a T-shirt! You lucky people might even receive the odd prize back to say thanks! It’s an unrestricted, organic competition and we’re completely open to anything and everything you’ve got. Let’s see what you’re made of Bristol! Post any designs along with your name and contact details to: Suit Yourself Magazine – Creation Station 17 Eastwood Road Brislington Bristol BS4 4RN

Beautiful People Bishopston Trading Company

Naff Clothing

0117 9245598 Clothes designed in Bristol. Supporting K V Kuppam village in S India.

0117 9737458 13 Cotham Road info@naffclothing.co.uk Fabulous retro shop with added fancy dress

Born 0117 9420818 Gloucester Rd. Natural, organic and fair trade products in family owned shop.

Billie Jean Clothing

Fushia Hairdressers

Bambabeads

0117 9426586 Cotham Rd south, Kingsdown. 25% discount for students and nurses. Great prices, wonderful service.

0117 9249959 A massive collection of beads from around the world. We run classes also, just give us a call. www.bambabeads.com

Beauty Queen Cosmetics

Beast

0117 9523322 229 - 231 Stapleton Road Whole and retail specialising in afro and euro cosmetics. Open every day.

0117 9428200 224 Cheltenham Rd Bristolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous Gert famous T-Shirts.

0117 9445353 208 Cheltenham Road Colourful range of retro clothes. High quality clothes.

Repsyco: Vintage and Retro 85 Gloucester Road. Clothes, Accessories, Furniture and Kitsch.

To submit information for this section please email to: treat@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Hurt yourself Information and musings on the cool things in life, skating, surfing, baggy pants and die hard sports bods To advertise in this section at a reduced rate please contact advertise@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/ 74/ An introduction to the best ways to Hurt Yourself in Bristol 82/ Sports. Sports. Sports. I love sports. 85/ Mr Brunel himself donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you know

For the last three years, in a bid to counteract my (initial) year of debauchery and total disregard for mind and body (when I was an Art Foundation student at UWE), I have been desperately trying to ‘Hurt’ myself (ie. get active) in a variety of ways in and around Bristol. I think I’ve finally made up for some of my wicked ways and hope the next few paragraphs will oﬀer a flavour of some of the action and adventure available in Bristol and will excite you into doing something a little more hardcore than nursing a hangover on your weekends! Mountain Biking: If you scan your eyes over an open A-Z of Bristol, you should be pleased to notice a lot of contour lines and a wealth of green spaces, a few of which are big enough to make you feel that you are no longer in one for the country’s major cities and that can be explored by bike. The Blaise Castle Estate (Henbury), Oldbury Court Estate (Frenchay) and Ashton Court Estate (south Bristol) are great for picnicking, a spot of frisbee, walking/running, tree climbing and general frolicking...but if like me, you find yourself craving the odd bout of excitement/ adrenaline kick, head to Aston Court.

The Timberland Trail, a (flat) single track course, runs through the main woods of the park and is used in various predominant biking races held in the city; nothing too treacherous, just a lot of tree roots to negotiate and a few man made hits. Ashton Court is only a 15 minute ride from Park Street so it’s a close, more challenging alternative to a ride along the Bristol-Pill path (save the hair of the dog until later). If you’re an intermediate-expert BMXer or mountain biker then you’re in for a treat up at Still Woods (Provedence Lane, oﬀ the B3128, above Long Ashton), which is a man-made (short, steep and sweet) down-hill park with a range of obstacles and jumps for varying competencies. This park is fun and can hurt bad as we found out on our first visit, arriving to some poor guy being stretchered out of the wood to a waiting ambulance. Fifty Acre Wood (not to be confused with 100 Acre wood where Piglet and Tigger hang out), is another (flat) single track loop whose sharp twists and turns try and catch you out as you weave your way at speed through narrow, often gravelled tracks. So if like Winnie, you’ve eaten too much honey, this is a good place to burn oﬀ one too many gluttonous nights out! This place is slightly further out of town but easily accessed by bike through Ashton Court, so if you’re up to the challenge you could combine them both; I have tried and tested said duo hung-over, a combination I would not necessarily advocate!

My favourite spot to ride off a hangover however is in Leigh Woods, which stretch up to the Suspension Bridge on the south side. Accessed by bike from the Bristol-Pill path, you’ll have to push your bike up the majority of the way I’m afraid, but will be sufficiently rewarded by the profusion of trails that will whirl you through the trees, down dips and over natural and manmade hits, ruining your sense of direction before spitting you out at one of the many other ends, ready to enjoy a speedy downhill descent back to the river! There is nothing particularly knarly about the tracks in these woods but there are a few more technical options for the descent, one of which threw me over the handlebars! COME ON!!! Skating/BMXing: If skating is something you felt best to leave behind with your pubescent hormones then perhaps it’s time to take a hold of that kindred spirit and start rolling again as there are loads of places to get your stoke on around Bristol which attract the older shredder as much as the young! The 70s bowl, spines, ramps (and vert ramp) and flat rails up at St Georges Park provides amusement to long-boarders (like me), short boarders and BMXers alike; this place is big, has a nice vibe and is well worth the effort visiting.

‘The Deaner’ (in the Dame Emily Park, next to the swimming pool) in Bedminster, is a sloping park whose recent, growing popularity with BMXers is matching that of the skaters; its slight downhill gradient makes it pretty unique and will challenge your speed checking skills! Despite local eﬀorts made, it is in desperate need of a revamp but has a large burmed ramp, a selection of ramps, a platform and flat rail to ride and is the nearest park to the centre so is a fun alternative to a boozy lunch in town?! The park up at the Hengrove Leisure Park is much more modern, is lit up until 10pm, and has two small but deep bowls (with coping), a sloping rail and a large ramp area which allows you cruise around and keep your flow going. If mini ramps happen to rock your world, you may want to visit the far quieter and under-rated skate park in the Withywood suburbia on the outskirts of town. The large metal, double mini ramp has great transition and there are several other ramps, a flat box and flat rail to play on here too... Surfing: In addition to the Universities’ surf clubs, the local members of the Bristol Surf Club will make you wish you’d never left your

board back at your folks place collecting dust. These guys are a laid back bunch, meet every Thursday evening at The Pump House (Hotwells Road) and welcome new members to join them and share in the delights of the sea and lifts to the surf on the weekend. Climbing: More often than not, thanks to the blessed latitude of our Queen’s country, if rock is what does it for you, you’ll probably find yourself making your way to the suburb of St Werburghs and heading straight for the church...No, not just to pray for sun, but to climb into the rafters, as this is where our city’s indoor climbing wall hides! The cost of a visit is £5.50 and climbing harnesses, shoes and belaying devices can be hired. And if the sun is shining...? The Bristol Gorge, holding up the Suspension Bridge, has a large bouldering area, sport and traditional climbing. So get the hell out there! Get active, indulge in the challenge and learn a new skill. Just try not to hurt yourself...too much! Fran Hardy Check out Fran’s regular Hurt Yourself blog as part of the SY blog at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Welcome to the West Country, home to combine harvesters, cider and chivalry. Of course, there is much more than this to our beloved city but combine the three and you may begin to appreciate the fine art of Bristolian sporting heritage. Not for the faint hearted, Bristol is notorious for being a merciless away fixture. Steeped in torrential rain, strong winds and a home crowd that if you could understand, you would wish you hadn’t. So, as the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them! Endearing West Country custodians are more than accommodating to the outsider and will happily drink with anyone who wears their colours and shrieks “Stone him!” every time the opposition winger touches the ball. Ruggers: Guinness Premiership team Bristol Rugby play at The Memorial Stadium on Filton Avenue where student tickets are available from as little as £12. The Cornish pasties are to die for and two pint cups mean you don’t have to miss a second of the action.

Footers: The Robins (Bristol City) fly the football flag for the city at present, scaling the heights of The Championship. Last season, a single goal prevented them from giving the city a top-flight football team as they lost to Hull City in the Play-Oﬀ Final. Student tickets are available from £10. League One Bristol Rovers share The Memorial ground with Bristol Rugby at present, although there are plans for a new stadium on the site in Summer 2009. Rovers reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup last season and after some indiﬀerent results will be looking for revenge over fierce rivals Swindon Town.

Rowers: Bristol has a strong rowing tradition and the Varsity Boat Race is one of the Harbourside’s many calendar highlights. Alongside the estuary also runs the infamous River Avon Trail, beautiful for a walk, run or cycle.

Crickers: The County Ground, home to Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is located in Ashley Down, just oﬀ Gloucester Road. The ground that once hosted W. G. Grace, Courtney Walsh and Jack Russell is also often on the international circuit so keep an eye out for when Eng-er-land are in town.

Bristol City Council boasts three leisure centres and five sports centres that all oﬀer heavily reduced student membership fees and great, modern facilities. Both the universities too have their own very decent gyms.

Runners: The Bristol Half-Marathon runs every year in September and is a great day out for all. The course that stretches out to Shirehampton along the never-ending Portway is remarkably flat considering how undulating Bristol can be.

But if none of this takes your fancy, you can always hop over to Gloucestershire for a good old bit of cheese rolling. Arrrgh! Tom Pountney

WORD FROM THE WISE ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL Although not Bristolian himself, while you are in the city, you will hear a hell of a lot about Mr. Brunel, the renowned and revolutionary engineer, workaholic and semi-officially the 2nd Greatest Briton! Ever! We popped along to his statue in Temple Quay to pose him a few questions about his favourite city: What are your all-time top-five landmarks in Bristol? 1. In 1833 I was appointed chief engineer of the Great Western Railway to oversee the construction of a line from London to Bristol. I needed two suitably dramatic stations at either end and so I designed Paddington and Temple Meads. It’s a pretty spectacular entrance to Bristol if I don’t say so myself! 2. My SS Great Britain was the largest vessel the world had ever seen when she was launched in 1843. She was an ocean-going ship carrying over 700 passengers to New York and now stands proud and restored in Bristol’s dry dock on the harbour. 3. Original one of my warehouses, you can now go to the Severnshed to enjoy posh food and booze right under the roof I designed.

4. Bristol’s Floating Harbour with its system of lock gates was constructed in the 13th century to keep the river levels constant but in 1848 it was in desperate need of improvements so Bristol City Council hired me and I did a gert lush job. 5. Best of all though, has to be my first love, my darling; the world renowned Clifton Suspension Bridge. At 700ft she was the longest bridge in the world and though I didn’t quite last to see her finished, she stands proud as a fitting memorial to me and my thanks to this wonderful city. What advice would you give to a new student starting out in the city? First thing you should do is walk the Brunel Mile; it’s a pedestrian route from Temple Meads to the SS GB taking in the harbour, some fantastic views of Bristol and lots of panels and statues about me me me!

Exciting People Pembury Cycles

First Flight

0117 9428282 10 – 12 Gloucester Road Sites across Bristol www.pemburycycles.co.uk

0117 9731073 Small local company offering a great service with 17years experience.

Bristol Kite Store

0117 3770613 285 Gloucester Road Highly creative designs for tattoos and piercing 100% clean and excellent aftercare.

0117 9745010 39a Cotham Hill All kite products available alongside mountain bikes and juggling

50:50 Bristol 16 Park Row 0117 9147783 The coolest skate products and wear in Bristol and we’ve been here for 10 years!

Ballooning Network Ltd 0117 9471050 Vauxhall House Coronation Rd, Southville Flights from £99. Champagne flights available.

Holey Skin

The RaceWay 0800 3766111 Avonmouth All groups catered for, large indoor facility. Organisers go free.

Hamburger Hill PaintBall 0800 9803980. Any size group. 7 days, up to 200 people.

To submit information for this section please email to: hurt@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Spoil yourself Information and musings on the decadent, glorious, special and splendid things in life To advertise in this section at a reduced rate please contact advertise@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/ 88/ So you like art? 92/ Grubs up people!

Ok, so it’s not 1900s Paris and yes, unlike Berlin, artsy people are not the majority of its inhabitants but Bristol is a city where art is alive, is produced, exhibited, discussed and taught so whatever your taste and fancy, you will find your spot in the Bristol art world. Galleries and Museums Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery: Over-shadowed (literally!) by Wills Tower, it’s traditional, teeny bit old-fashioned but with exhibits ranging from temporary art exhibitions to ancient Egyptian pieces, it’s always worth a visit. Arnolfini - Film, music, live art, exhibitions, discussions, dance – everything the contemporary art scene has to oﬀer in one of the leading European galleries. Arnolfini on the waterfront also has the best art bookshop in the city.

The Architecture Centre - A small but interesting centre next to Arnolfini exhibiting and promoting architectural design and innovations about the environment we live in. Centrespace - Small exhibition centre close to St. Nicholas’ market. Check it out for the Bristol Art show 08 in September. Here - A Stokes Croft venue hosting up-and-coming artists as well as a wide range of local music groups and a great, great shop. Innocent - Calling themselves; “Bristol’s local, contemporary fine art specialists,” they are obviously less edgy and more refined and very, very Clifton Village but interesting nonetheless. The Bristol Art Trail - Not a gallery in itself, but a massive event happening each year in many galleries and other spaces,

exhibiting work by local artists. The best way to introduce yourself to the city’s talents. Studio Spaces Spike Island - Aﬀordable artist studios, residency programmes and contemporary art exhibitions in two gallery spaces. SNAP - Seven Bristol artists set up this center on Lower Park Row, aiming to expand, exhibit and organize courses and workshops. Have a look at the work produced in their printmaking studio in their brand new gallery. Paintworks - The true Bristol art space, a district in Totterdown being developed to host artists and their works in a cultural community, with more than 20 already living and working there.

Schools/Courses Bristol Drawing School: Based in the aforementioned Paintworks land of artistic delight, this school oﬀers workshops and courses of varying length, to all levels and ages. UWE Short Courses - The school of Creative Arts of UWE oﬀers a wide range of short courses – Saturdays, evenings, summer, Easter; there’s no excuse not to go and release some artistic juices.

Whether starting a course or unleashing your talents in the privacy of your room, Bristol Fine Art on Park Row or Art @ Bristol on Gloucester Road are very good places for materials. Finally, for those who enjoy the art world atmosphere but only visit galleries and museums for the gift shop, don’t forget to visit the Watershed, the Folk House and the Arnolfini café, making sure to look suitably alternative and air-headed. Anna Leon

ArtOﬃcial - A University of Bristol student society, holding drawing sessions and workshops. Most importantly: free materials and regular models for life drawing sessions. Cherry Art Center - Course oﬀerings, gallery and the intriguingsounding “Arty Parties” (check before you wear your fancy artsy scarf and go). Folk House - Park Street classic value, with a huge list of courses ranging from life drawing to singing for beginners and Spanish conversation groups. Student prices.

So uni life has begun. You’ve settled in. Your own space. Your own rules. Then you get the call: they’re coming to pay you visit! They say they’ve “forgotten what you look like already” but you know that’s just code for a parental raid. No worries. A swift clean-up, pop the kettle on, small-talk over a cup of tea; “yes, I’m doing my work… yes I’m using protection…” Whatever. Get rid of them and get pissed with your mates, right? WRONG. They don’t see you often anymore, they want to spend some time with you, go out for a meal or something. Well, if they want to ‘spend’ then let them. Here’s your chance to go to that restaurant you could never quite justify on your student loan. This is why parents’ cards are gold. So, exactly where are you going to indulge your culinary fantasies? Let us give you a whistlestop tour of some of the restaurants you might not have to pay for… Bell’s Diner, Montpelier Lurking unexpectedly on a corner in a restored grocery shop you’ll find Bell’s Diner, the epitome of fine dining. Proprietor and head-chef, Chris Wickes, has mastered a distinctive style of haute cuisine, drawing influence from the adventurous gastronomic forays of chefs such as Heston Blumenthal.

There’s no denying that Bell’s Diner is right at the top end in its price tag but when every forkful is a taste sensation with a combination of flavours and ingredients you’d think was impossible, you’ll quickly realise what you… erm aren’t paying for. Obento, Baldwin Street With next to no competition in upmarket Japanese cuisine, it would be little surprise for Obento to be average. Indeed with communal, bench-style seating, there’s nothing visual to delineate it from the likes of Wagamama… except the food. Put simply, you won’t find better, fresher sushi in Bristol. All of the staples we’ve come to love in Japanese food are there and a few more to boot. Obento boxes a host of house specialities and it makes for a must to the connoisseur of Eastern delights. Bordeaux Quay, Waterfront Bordeaux Quay on the quayside, a onetime goods shed, houses an entire culinary ecosystem. The cookery school on the top floor trains the Ramseys of the future, while the elegant restaurant below serves excellently cooked contemporary provincial European cuisine and the brasserie on the ground floor serves up lighter, more wallet-friendly fare. There you can admire the harbour views through a huge glass frontage, that is, if you can draw your attention away from the hubbub of the combined bar, brasserie, bakery and deli counter.

Glass Boat, Welshback If you’re a true gourmet and elegant haute cuisine is what floats your boat (sorry!) then this is a good place to start. Berthed on the Welshback, the Glass Boat’s visage is… well it’s pretty much a glass boat. This lovingly restored goods barge makes for an intimate and picturesque dining experience. Café Maitreya, St Marks Road A vegetarian/vegan restaurant so damned good even the most hardened carnivore will be gagging to come back time and time again, you simply do not need meat in your diet with food this incredible! The staﬀ and warm and incredibly friendly, the setting bohemian and relaxing, a veritable home from home! The chef aims to use organic and even wild ingredients wherever possible. In fact, the restaurant has made such an impression that it was voted the UK’s top vegetarian restaurant both in 2004 and 2005 by the Vegetarian Society of Britain. Best of the Rest: Marco’s, Baldwin Street The Firehouse Rotisserie, Anchor Square Bosphorus, Baldwin Street Fishworks, Blackboy Hill Hotel Du Vin, Narrow Lewins Mead Ed Williams

Glamorous People Conrad at Jamesons

Kitchens

0117 9276565 30 – 32 Upper Maudlin Street. Traditional wonderful food.

0117 9739614 167 Whiteladies Road Superior kitchen utensils and craft

Fresh and Wild

Creme and Chrome

0117 9105930 Clifton Pavilion 85 Queens Road Bristol’s premier organic supermarket.

Amazing Retro Furniture and fabulous gifts St Nic’s Market Market Glass Arcade

SNAP Gallery 0117 3763564 Unique, beautiful artwork by a great cooperative 20 - 21 Lower Park Row

0117 9739570 33 Regent St, Clifton. Ranges of limited manufacture clothing, perfect for any occasion

Rosebud Florists

Allure Fashions

0117 9241460 184 Gloucester Rd Flowers for all occasions and beautiful gifts.

0117 9743882 17 Regent St, Clifton. Beautifully crafted clothing, perfect for glamorous occasions.

The Boutique

To submit information for this section please email to: spoil@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Enjoy yourself Information and musings on the fun, musical, visual and entertaining things in life To advertise in this section at a reduced rate please contact advertise@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/

96/ Gigging is just so much frigging fun 99/ Wise words from local hipsters Roxy’s Wardrobe 101/ Mayfest co-producers bend the pen to share their tips on theatre in Bristol 102/ Local filmmaker, Geoffrey Taylor, reveals all about Bristol’s cinema scene 106/ Where to dance hard and fast in Bristol 110/ Where good for a giggle? 112/ Jazz yes? The coolest cats are revealed 114/ Drum and Bass. Drum and Bristol. 117/ Here’s a pointer towards Bristol’s gay quarter 95

The Bristol gigging scene is a bustling one. You may not have heard of many of our local bands or venues outside the BS postcode but boy, if you like live music, in Bristol you’re in for a treat! Upcoming Gigs There is constant sea of posters and flyers around the city so keep your eyes peeled. Or if t’internet’s your thang, www.bristollistings.co.uk is fab. Tickets Bristol Ticket Shop in the Galleries is a cathedral to live music in Bristol. Its walls are plastered with listings, posters and flyers, it’s the cheapest option for purchasing tickets and it has the mandatory uber-cool scenesters you wish you were behind the counter. Venues There are far too many fantastic music venues in Bristol to list them all here so let’s just mention a handful of our favourites. The Thekla, The Mud Dock - This is ‘the boat club’ everyone talks about. It houses some of the most memorable gigs and interesting bands. The Louisiana, Wapping Road - This tiny room above a pub

has seen every artist of the past 20 years on its teeny stage before they were famous. Live music doesn’t get more any more intimate.

Roxy’s Wardrobe – Always provide a great night out.

The Croft, Stokes Croft - Always showcases great Bristol talent.

Kid Carpet - A long time Bristol favourite, the Capret Kid has to be seen to be believed.

The Golden Lion, Gloucester Road - Fantastic fun and is fast becoming a wonderful live music pub with infamous status. Just remember it’s more about who you go to see and who you’re with that makes a gig. Bands They might not have broken out onto the national scene but the local bands in Bristol are good enough to rival those of any other city on these shores. Fortune Drive – These home grown rock and rollers are one of the biggest names in Bristol at the moment. Medallist – Exceptionally danceable electro-rock with the dirtiest basslines this side of Chippenham. The Hit-Ups - If it’s a night of hip-hop, funk and crazy dancing you’re after, just look UP.

Babel - Bumblowingly brilliant dirty, skiﬄe-folk.

Discover your new favourite bands by just checking out gigs from acts you have never heard of; it can open your world up to new styles and new friends. And never be afraid to show your appreciation to the artists; they value your opinions and loyalty more than you will ever know. Hangouts As an indie fresher, you will inevitably be suckered into Ramshackle on Fridays and Propaganda on Wednesdays but once you’ve tired of these whore-houses, Thekla always put on a mean indie-rock club night (especially Thursdays, whatever they’ve decided to call the night this week), Saturdays at The Croft are pretty hard to beat and there always loads of other good indie nights going on at places like the Hatchett, Start The Bus and Native. Again, just keep your eyes peeling for those posters. Stu Freeman

Big Up Big Jeff One can’t talk about gigs in Bristol and not mention a certain local character who goes by the name of Big Jeff. If it’s a gig worth going to, Big Jeff will be there, any night, any venue, frontrow-centre, dancing frantically (more often than not topless) and sweatily waving his giant blonde afro along to anything with a beat. Described as a human metronome, Big Jeff reportedly goes to eight gigs a week and has become somewhat of a local celebrity. A self confessed live music addict, Bristol is fiercely proud of Big Jeff, even more so because when dancing he’s not smashed off his face on drink or drugs, he’s just there for the love of the music man! Even if the band you’re watching don’t turn out to be all that good, Big Jeff will provide a fab night of entertainment by inciting everyone around him to dance no matter what. Don’t be surprised too if the band drag him up onstage to dance with them or even hand him an instrument or two. As long as Bristol has Big Jeff we will be the envy of any other city on the live music circuit. If you’re going to start checking out live music in Bristol, you will quickly become familiar with this man. Matt Whittle Photo: Kane Rich

One of the most exciting new bands coming out of Bristol at the moment, SY catches up with Roxy’s Wardrobe to ask them a few question’s about Bristol! What are 3 things you love about Bristol? The nightlife definitely; you can go out on the same night every week and yet have a different type of music each time. The live music scene is so diverse in this city that everyone’s taste is so easily catered for no matter how random. We love Pizza Palace next to the Hippodrome on a Friday night after Ramshackle or Reflex; gotta be done!

What are your all-time top-five music venues in Bristol? The Louisiana – It’s a very intimate place to play a gig which creates a good atmosphere. Thekla – Great place to play and see live gigs. The Croft – good sized venue and always up for a good night. The Academy – aah home of Ramshackle the Friday indie-fest. Also has some amazing acts performing at both the main stage and the Academy 2 upstairs. The Fleece – some quality bands have been showcased here. What advice would you give to a new student starting out in the city? Best advice we have is simple – try everything Bristol has to offer! It’s a great place to discover new music, new food and new mates especially when you’re at university so make the most of it and don’t be a stranger at our gigs. ;)

101

Mayfest, Bristol’s annual festival of new and alternative theatre from local to international artists is a major highlight in the city’s performance calendar. Kate Yedigaroff and Matthew Austin are the festival’s co-producers and few have their ﬁngers more on the Bristol theatre pulse than this pairing. SY racks their brains to bring you the comprehensive guide to the city’s performance art: Companies: The home-grown theatre and performance scene in Bristol is in rude health, bursting as it is with talent, creativity and invention. Companies worth checking out include: Gonzo Moose, Publick Transport, Lost Spectacles, Precarious, Kettle of Fish, Search Party, Action Hero, The Special Guests, Duncan Speakman, Paper Aeroplane, Peoples in Pieces, Polar Produce, The Wonder Club, Ed Rapley, Tom Marshman, Tom Wainwright, Fairground Theatre, Desperate Men, Bodies in Flight, Tinned Fingers, Show of Strength, Plain Clothes, South West Actors Network, Residence…the list goes on. It’s all inspiring stuff and won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

102

Bristol also boasts a rich community of puppetry and visual theatre makers including Green Ginger, Pickled Image, Stuff and Nonsense and Full Beam Visual Theatre to name but a fantastic few.

Alma Tavern, Alma Vale Road - A wee pub theatre in Clifton, home to Theatre West’s impressive autumn season as well as a year round programme of other gems.

Venues: Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road – One of the busiest and most varied performance programmes around – comedy, puppetry, opera, Shakespeare, new writing and music all get a look in, and of course in Spring the Factory plays host to a chunk of the Mayfest programme.

Bristol Old Vic, King Street – One of the country’s most beautiful theatres, BOV is going through some difﬁcult times and is currently hibernating but there’s an impressive refurbishment on the cards though and plans to start producing work again in the near future.

Arnolfini, Harbourside – A live performance programme to die for, attracting some of the biggest names in the Live Art world. Arnolfini also produces the fab Inbetween Time Festival. The Cube, Stokes Croft - Great films, polish beer, some bloody good parties and the superb experimental performance showcase ‘You and Your Work’. This is a hidden gem run by volunteers.

Circomedia, Portland Sqaure – This stunning converted church is home to Circomedia, the local circus school. Kneehigh pitched up here recently and we also use it as a venue for Mayfest. Wickham Theatre, Park Row - Bristol Uni’s theatre has a sparse but excellent public programme from some of the country’s most exciting alternative theatre companies.

103

Artspace Lifespace, Bridewell Island - Currently occupying a vast, sprawling former police station slap bang in the centre of town, Artspace Lifespace, an enterprising collective of artists, circus performers, carpenters and musicians, have an impressive record of doing up ramshackle old buildings and putting on some remarkable cross artform events.

In a landscape that is short on ﬁt-for-purpose buildings but with a glut of talent, things happen anywhere and everywhere. Bristol’s independent theatre scene has a reputation for grass roots activity; pubs hold open mic nights, bookshops host small performances, clubs have jumble sales and the streets are the stage. Keep your eyes peeled, your ears to the ground and enjoy.

Hangouts: Renatos, King Steet - The walls and ceiling of this Italian run bar and restaurant are covered with posters from Bristol Old Vic shows and photos of famous actors who have trod the boards. For some light refreshments, this is a Bristol institution.

Kate and Matthew Photos: Richard Anderson

Some other nice places for a pre- or post-show are Star and Garter, Watershed, Oppo, Start the Bus and Arnolﬁni Café-Bar. There simply isn’t room to mention everything, but go and explore these creative hang outs too: Spike Island, Plan 9, Polish Club, County Sports Club, Folk House, Mivart Street Studios, the Scout Hut, Paintworks, Bloom and Curll and Venn Festival’s performance off-shoot - Venn Art.

105

Geoffrey Taylor is a young, freelance director and is a face for the future, with many of his films having picked up several awards including two at Encounters Festival 2007. A UWE graduate now based in Bristol, after recently completing ‘Breathe’, a UK Film Council digital short, Geoffrey is currently trying to pitch documentary and music video ideas while he writes his next drama. Here Geoffrey takes the SY reigns to share his knowledge of everything film in Bristol: Cinemas Watershed, Waterfront - Tries to screen films that you wouldn’t be able to find in your average Odeon. It has a lively and friendly bar which I seem to hold many meetings and socialise in. It’s also a real hub for Bristol media events. Cube, Princess Row - This is a real independent cinema. It is a cooperative just slightly out of the centre in a really art based area of Stokes Croft. I really like the vibe and the diversity of events that happen here from music, art and film; just check the website as sooo much stuff happens here. Orpheus Cinema, Northumbria Drive - A lovely old cinema that is definitely worth checking out.

106

Cinema de Lux, Cabot Circus - There’s several multi-screens scattered around Bristol but this is probably the biggest and best, hosting all the films you’ll see advertised on the side of the buses. Events Bluescreen, Last Weds of the Month @ Cube: This is one of my favourite film events, where local filmmakers whatever their experience come together and screens their films and get feedback. It’s a really friendly atmosphere, full of open minded individuals. Often the Cube’s very own orchestra play live to some of the films! Cineformation, Monthly @ Watershed - A Bafta funded event for filmmakers, media professionals and film fanatics to meet, show work, exchange ideas and collaborate. I’ve seen Mike Leigh talk at this event in the past and thought in was thoroughly interesting.

but also for the public who wouldn’t get the chance to see short films in this capacity. Secret Cinema, Secret Locations at Secret Times! - This national film event also now visits Bristol. If you sign up on the internet and you will get emailed and invited on the day to a local city farm, disused building or theatre and you won’t know what classic movie you’re there to watch until the film screens. Sometimes there are even secret quests! It’s a great night out and you meet interesting people…(if you like the film that is!!) Whatever your film tastes or desires, you’re guaranteed to find something you will enjoy in Bristol, but if I have any advice it would be to look beyond your multi-screen complexes to the really interesting places that screen the sort of exciting cinema which thrives in Bristol. There’s always so much going on and I regularly find myself at the Watershed and Cube watching a huge range of films from all over the world.

Encounters Short Film Festival, November @ Watershed and Arnolfini - Bristol has a great history and enthusiasm for short films and every year hosts this, one of the country’s biggest and best short film festivals, screening the latest local and international film and animation talent. It’s great for filmmakers

107

108

There is always one city that has an impact on the way you go out and listen to music. In Bristol, most people comment on the non confinement of music scenes and this statement is reflective of the diverse music culture the city has always had a firm grip over. Whether you lived through the history of drum and bass, raved to happy hardcore in the early 90’s or are now witnessing the mass of talented club nights flooding Bristol’s clubs, you’re in for a treat. Venues What’s great about Bristol is the lack of commercial chain clubs. The city centre, of course, is full up with dance around your handbag while your feet stick to the floor type bars and yes, we’ve got an Oceana, but the independent club scene is a testament to the independent vibe our city – no-one goes to the chain clubs so they don’t last long when they do try and elbow their way in. Bristolians love the intimate and the independent.

Some of the very best venues worth falling out of at 5am are: Dojos, Thekla, Native, Start The Bus, Timbuk 2, Tube, Lakota, Warehouse, The Cooler, The Croft, Syndicate, Platform 1 Motion… Club Nights Fantastic new club nights are popping up everywhere and anywhere across Bristol all the time. Some names to look out for on the toilet door posters who really know how to throw a party are Byte, Blast, Monkey! Knife! Fight!, Penguin Dance, I Feel Space, Best Before:, Just Jack, UFO… What other city is bursting with so much creativity and musical passion that the amount of club nights seems to exceed the days of the week? For a full week guide to the regular club nights of Bristol, turn to page 166. Carlie Dragone

109

Bristol is a bloody hilarious city. Just check some of our rib-tickling credentials; home grown talents include Stephen Merchant, Tony Robinson, Justin Lee Collins, John Cleese and Bill Bailey, the city has educated some of the cream of the crop in terms of current British comedians like Simon Pegg, Marcus Brigstocke and Little Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Matt Lucas and David Walliams, and we are the proud home of everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite plasticine pairing, the Oscar winning Wallace and Gromit of Aardman Animations. Venues If you want to laugh cider out your nose with some live comedy in Bristol, drag your funny bones along to:

The Hen and Chicken, Southville – A rooster infested boozer with a comedy club upstairs which hosts most Comedy Box nights – Bristol’s biggest independent comedy promoter.

Thunderbolt, Totterdown – A deliciously local pub with which hosts its Comedy Rocket night on occasional Wednesdays. £3 entry so more money for ale.

Over the years the Hen has seen behind the mic Peter Kay, Mitch Benn, Al Murray - The Pub Landlord, Dara O’Briain and Frankie Boyle.

Tobacco Factory, Southville – The theatre space upstairs turns into a stand-up venue most Sundays for some great names on the comedy circuit. Also hosts the ‘Edinburgh or Bust’ week of comedy the week before Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Jongleurs, Baldwin Street – The Bristol branch of the chain club Jongleurs – half late night bar/half comedy club. Oppo, Park Street – The uber-cool bar which newly hosts a comedy night every Sunday. It’s uber-cheap too at £2 for students and has hosted the likes of Russell Howard, Jon Richardson and Richard Herring already.

Colston Hall, Colston Street – The gargantuan venue hosts all the huge names in its classic hall. In recent years the masses have laughed along to the likes of Ben Elton, Lee Evans, Paul Merton and Jimmy Carr. Jester’s Comedy Club, Stokes Croft – A fantastic independent comedy venue, Jesters recently popped over the road to it’s new home in the spectacular Magic Box. Always worth a giggle.

111

Bristol’s jazz scene is one of the SouthWest’s most precious untapped resources (second only to ancient cider recipes), you know it’s happening when former James Brown saxophonist Pee-Wee Ellis is a local player. Here’s the hot list of the coolest cats in town. Venues Old Duke, King Street: Known mainly for traditional, New Orleans inspired jazz, this is one of the best pubs in Bristol and sets the bar high with fantastic live jazz every night of the week. Guaranteed to please. Mr Wolf’s, St Stephens Street: Supreme atmosphere and more hip local bands and DJs than you can throw a trumpet at.

Tantric Jazz, St Nicholas Street: Dedicated to jazz of all styles, this snug, little café is packed with live jazz seven days a week. Grrrrreat! Golden Lion, Gloucester Road: The Old Duke’s uber-cool little sister, expect plenty of jazz as well as all other music tastes to be danced to vigorously every night. Colston Hall, Colston Street: The biggest music venue in town and where the jazz legends will occasionally make an appearance. Epi Bar, Bristol Student Union: Monday nights host JazzFunkSoul society with an open-mic/jam and established artist appearances. Cheap beer plus free entry. Nnnnice! Coronation Tap, Sion Place, Clifton: This fab, tiny little cider house is a great place to watch live jazz.

Bands Hélélé – One of the funkier resident bands at the Old Duke. CCQ – Very talented and equally inventive mix of jazz and D&B. Eden Height – Bristol based but tour the country, a mix of diﬀerent styles all perfectly orchestrated. Hornstars – Synonymous with a big band (there’s about 20 players) and therefore big venues, they come out at night playing most university balls. Smerins Anti-Social Club – It’s impossible not to dance to this upbeat jazz/ska/funk ensemble. Phil King – A regular face on the circuit solo or with his full band, soulful Phil is a must see. Top Shelf Jazz – Classic 20’s jazz stylings, fez hats and all. The Severn Jazzmen – Residents for 40 years, these all in red hipsters and the oldest of old hands at the Old Duke. Richard Entwistle

Attic, Stokes Croft: Bursting with jazz, latin, reggae, retro… you name it.

113

Bristol and Bass go hand in hand. A background so diverse but deeply urban, a little dingy yet incessantly upbeat can only belong to one of two things; drum and bass or Bristol, although how about both! The arrival into popular culture has not been an overnight phenomenon but the genre has continued to prove itself with people like High Contrast and Goldie breaking down every barrier along the way. It’s perhaps its dedication towards defiance that gives drum and bass an edge over other musical styles like trance and house, which can be far more synthesized. You know it would be rude to rave. Bristol’s just lost two of its best D&B clubs in Stokes Croft but don’t worry, there’s plenty more still happening and Clockwork will be back in time…(pun, unfortunately, intended). Venues Native, oﬀ Corn Street – If Carlsberg did drum and bass venues… The most popular and hectic outlet of drum and bass in Bristol, Native invites you to RUN every Tuesday with big drops from DJ Hype to Shy FX.

114

Dojo Lounge, Park Row – A little more petite than other clubs but all is made up for once you’re inside and DJs like Andy C are hitting it harder than

Colonel Mustard with the candlestick. Beans On Toast is a regular night featuring the likes of LTJ Bukem. Thekla, The Grove – An array of nights are hosted here including Beans On Toast, Hospitality (Hospital Records) and various launch parties including Andy C’s Nightlife albums. For a boat, Thekla always has a titanic crowd bouncing off the luminous metal walls, world-famous and a mini world in itself! Timbuk2, off Corn Street – More underground than others but always raving hard and with the potential to take the crown of the drum and bass scene. At the moment you’ll find smaller acts like Craggz And Parallel Forces in one of the numerous rooms. Blue Mountain, Stokes Croft – As the name suggests, this is an enormous clubbing environment where more serious drum and bass addicts thrive off the power from colossal sound systems. It’s fair to say that Blue Mountain is by no means picturesque but the atmosphere makes up for the views.

Academy, Frogmore Street - This bass fortress is the hub of Bristol’s mammoth drum and bass nights. With legendary promoters One Nation and Overload regularly staging nights, you’re guaranteed to witness heavyweights like DJ Friction and Mampi Swift throwing down the freshest dubplates behind the wheels of steel. Local Heroes Roni Size – In the red corner, all the way from St Andrews, leader of Mercury prize winning band Reprazent and all round DnB mogul, all rise for Roni! TC – In the blue corner, straight out of St Pauls, critically acclaimed and ready to throw 12” in your face, Tommy Boy! Blackout – Bristol favourites Blackout create their music from live instruments; real drums, bass, guitar, sax and synthesizers preferring not to use any drum loops or sequencers and are therefore ACE live. In the words of Stevie Hyper D; “Junglists are you ready!”

Motion, St Phillips – Somewhat oﬀ the beaten track, this skate park cum three room raving extravaganza is always putting on massive nights. Teaming up with an array of local promoters you can guarantee that everyone will be there and you’ll instantly forget you’re on a half-pipe!

For a full week guide to the regular club nights of Bristol, turn to page 166. Richard Entwistle

115

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BRISTOL IF YOU’RE INTO… LGBT Let’s be honest, Bristol’s gay scene is hardly going to put Brighton out of business any time soon. With just two clubs and a handful of bars it is comparatively sparse for a city of its size; however, rather than seeing this as Bristol being less gay friendly than other cities, it is more a testament to the city’s easy, cosmopolitan charm ensuring that the gay population, particularly in the younger generations, feels just as at ease in traditional clubs and pubs as in specifically gay-orientated venues. Idiosyncratic but recognisable touches like local eccentric transvestite ‘Sapphire’ on Gloucester Road and ‘Sandra The Vicious Tongued Lesbian’ of Old Market add to the city’s polymorphous culture in ways one wouldn’t find in cities with more commercial gay district such as Manchester or Bournemouth. But if you are seeking to meet other gay people, or you’re looking for a night out a bit diﬀerent from the average, then the appropriate outlets, whilst not numerous, are still very much in presence. Clubs: Flamingos, Old Market: Bristol’s newest gay orientated venue is also the biggest currently in the South West, and has provided,

despite the name, an injection of edgy credibility amongst the overblown camp and pomp of other venues. Push/Burn nights attract a younger, trendier set for a house tinted mix from actual DJs. Queen Shilling, Frogmore St.: This is one of the oldest gay venues in Bristol and unashamedly camp with it, so good for cheese pop and ‘classics’. Worth a visit on Thursday Student Nights, if only to see the permanently bored drag queen, Ruby, conducting her lackadaisical game of Shag Tag. Bars: The Pineapple, Frogmore St: Well known venue with karaoke and quiz nights that can be entertaining. The Griﬃn, Colston St: Lead by a biker-ish clientele, risk this place if you dare. Bar Prague, Old Market: Small but modern and attracts a funseeking, young crowd. The Old Market Tavern, Old Market: Catering for the more mature gentleman, but can get busy on nights ominously coined as ‘Come to Daddy’. The Stag & Hounds, Old Market: Not strictly an out-and-out gay pub, but ran by a male couple, and gay-friendly.

117

Prepare yourself

Armed and dangerous, ready for action, we bring you the safety of knowing what’s going on in this cool city To advertise in this section at a reduced rate please contact advertise@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contents/ 120/ Auntie Harper answers your burning questions 121/ Wise words from the SY’s editor 123/ Mystic Ginger plots your path to joy with this month’s horoscopes 125/ Roach that mother 130/ SY’s comprehensive guide to the bars, pubs and cafés of Bristol 151/ Cinema Listings 154/ Art Listings 156/ Comedy Listings 157/ Theatre Listings 158/ Club Listings 163/ Music Listings 119

Auntie Harper

He’ll diss you to your face

How do I make friends when I am new at Uni, I am scared!!! – John St Mawes If you are living in halls then for most people you won’t have a problem. However, I lived above a guy in my first year who had such a bad body body odour problem I could smell it through the floor. Absolutely vile! How can I survive food wise at uni, I cant cook, I am crap with money so I can’t eat out all the time and not sure what food supplies to buy in? – Katy Manchester I lived with a guy at uni who quite literally lived on one loaf of bread a week. I wouldn’t recommend it, but malnutrition is pretty cheap nowadays. Do you ever see a poor anorexic? (Please!!! don’t anyone take me seriously!)

120

Where are the best student nights to pull at? – Trev St George Sorry my student days are over a long time ago, so can’t really point you in the right direction. Anyway, shouldn’t you be on holiday at the moment? Piss off home like the rest of your freeloader mates

What are your top tips to survive the credit crunch? – Christine Keynsham Stay in, spend no money and spend the winter eating cream crackers..... Must dash, have faggots in the oven!

WORD FROM THE WISE THE EDITOR Editor of the divine Suit Yourself Magazine, Matt Whittle BA is a graduate of UWE (You What!!) himself. He escaped from the sleepy hillsides of Devonshire nearly 5 years ago to study…ahem…geography and fell in love with Brizzle! When not checking spelling mistakes, Matt can be found cycling up hills that are far too steep and waving his arms around at gigs that are far too loud. What are three things you love about Bristol? Bristol’s just the perfect size: it’s small enough that you can get you’re head around it, get to know all the good areas, good shops, good bars while there’s enough that you’ll never get bored. Drivers may still grumble but Bristol is very cycle friendly and fiercely proud of it. Being a country boy at heart, living in this city never gets me down because no matter where you are in Bristol, you can easily see the countryside on the horizon, reminding you that this concrete doesn’t go on forever.

What are your all-time top-five pubs in Bristol? 1. Gosh, well long time favourite has to be the King William/ King Billy/King Willy on the cobbled King Street – just a proper old man boozer with no brands in sight. 2. The Golden Lion on Glossy Road has great music on every night and the best atmosphere anywhere in the city. 3. Got to mention the Corry Tap in the dark recesses of Clifton; a student’s dream and nightmare all rolled into one murky, half-pint plastic cup. 4. Down on the harbourside, The Cottage Inn has the best view to enjoy pint under from its front patio right on the river. 5. The Prince of Wales on Gloucester Road is another top watering hole - POW for now? What advice would you give to a new student starting out in the city? Don’t be afraid to break from your comfort zone and explore. Bristol has everything you could ever possibly want or desire, you just have to look for it!

121

Horoscopes by Mystic Ginger Libra - This month Jupiter rules, so eating cake should still be enjoyable, but Mars descending indicates that fruit cakes should be avoided. It’s the raisins. Scorpio - This month you will fetch me a latte. Your lucky disinfectant flavour: lemon fresh. Sagittarius - As Saturn comes into your chart this month, you may experience some weather outside. Try going into buildings to avoid it if it becomes troublesome. Capricorn - Light years away, two unbelievably massive planets have each moved according to the gravitational pull of the other. This indicates that blue-eyed romance begins with J. Aquarius - you will find a kindred spirit in the liquor cabinet. Your lucky elephant: pink. Pisces - With Pisces rising in Neptune, this is a lucky month for those Piceans who are actually fish. A great time for spawning and algae gathering.

Aries - This month is like a Ferris Wheel. You start on a low, but gradually things are looking up until you stop on the top, and you know you should admire the view but you really need a wee. Taurus - This month is like a Catherine Wheel. You feel like you are going around in circles and then you get stuck and just spurt out one end, and no one can fix you because of the fireworks code. Gemini - This month, the more you drink, the more attractive and witty you become. Your lucky dinosaur: Brontosaurus, obviously. Cancer - This month, denial goes a long way. Or does it? No, it doesn’t. Your lucky sanitary towel: medium, with wings. Leo - Someone will say something to you this month that will at first seem confusing – don’t worry, you just misheard them. It is all perfectly ordinary. Virgo - This month is just one of those days. At least, some of them are. The other ones aren’t. Your lucky dead thing: dehydrated worm.

. :=-14-4)

<-9 < 0 1; ? 1< 0 -:< ),>

41>- 8)16<16/ 018 078 ,=*;<-8 5: ?74.; ->-:A ;-+76, <=-;,)A 7. <0- 576<0 á¸¬ -6<:A 764A >):17=; ->-6<; ):7=6, <0- +1<A <0 ;< ;-8<-5*-: *:1;<74 .-;<1>)4 4773 .7: <0- ?7+ 47/7

):<1;<; ;7 .): 16+4=,-"

1631- 5: 2)/7 473-A +0-7 .4@ ;-B) ;73-: +016) 513- -873 5: :13; 574): +0-*) 613144 )6,A +7=6+14 ,A4)6 ;0184-A 47:-6B7 /=5*7 7)<0 :85 )?3?):, ;-8:

.:-- +47<016/ /1>-)?)A; .:75 <0-=:*)6;078 +7 =3

ROACH ME!

SY’s ultimate guide to the pubs, bars, cafés and clubs of Bristol

Commercial Rooms - A Wetherspoon’s. A good Wetherspoon’s.

City Centre

The Crown - A rock/punk pub with a younger crowd and scarily cheap food. – The Cavern Club down stairs is legendary!

All Bar One – Posh bar to ‘do lunch’ and chat about the Stock Market

The Hatchet - Bristol’s oldest pub; beautiful building, worth seeing just for that. A cheap drinks-rock-alterna pub, it’s open till 2am on the weekends and does free barbeque for all punters on Thursdays.

Academy - Indie heaven, with a parade of black skinny jeans, black fringes and Topshop ensembles. One of the major gigs venues in Bristol and hosts Ramshackle, the most popular student indie night. Bibas – Swanky posh bar by the Hole in the Wall, jazz hands tastic

Mother’s Ruin - A kind of Goth-vintage-cocktail bar. Does that make sense? Mr Wolf’s - Small, intimate live music venue that stays open late and does the most delicious spicy noodles.

Bierkeller - Frequented by the goths and punks who wouldn’t be seen dead at Ramshackle, The Bierkeller’s weekly rock night ‘Phuct’ on a Friday is not for the faint hearted.

Native - Literally a couple of doors down from Timbuk2 this place has a similar scene but slightly smaller and more intimate.

The Bunch of Grapes – Great pub hidden away behind the Hippodrome

O’Neils – Just like every other O’Neils; Irish style and good for sport.

130

Panache - Always busy, loads of student nights! B Side - Phat drum and bass nights, wicked pre bar to get you going! Reflex - There are Reflexes everywhere and the hardly enlightening atmosphere, middle-aged clientele and 80s cheese tunes sounds like a recipe for horror… but it’s actually all rather enjoyable.

Syndicate - Acclaimed by some as Bristol’s ‘superclub’, this club has a long way to go to prove itself, it however, caters aptly for the R’n’B enthusiast, and has recently acquired one of Bristol’s biggest indie nights in Propaganda. Tantric Jazz - Odd odd odd little place, boasting an inexplicable mix of jazz music and tapas dishes and definitely aimed more at the middle-aged crowd.

Shamus O’Donnell – Fantastic, proper Irish bar where the black stuff even come out the taps.

Timbuk2 - Pay your money at the door and descend down a shady stairwell into an amazing cave-like club of the best drum’n’bass, breakbeat and dubstep around, frequented by the trendy set.

Slug and Lettuce - Cheap drink deals when you produce a copy of Suit Yourself at the bar!

Vodka Revolution - Good outside patio and big fat jugs of vodka-based cocktails.

Soho – Quality little club buried deep underground. Good mix of music nights. Start The Bus - Huge, trendy, electrostyle bar. Nicer than it sounds.

Walkabout – Well it’s another Walkabout, but one of the best atmospheres for those big games on the big screen.

The Rummer – The ultimate in posh boozing.

The Stone House – Jongleur’s Comedy Club upstairs, overpriced, rowdy affair downstairs. 131

Waterfront Arnolfini Café Bar - A huge art gallery/performance space, there are often interesting things to see here for cheap or free. The café/bar is a little bit overpriced but it is right on the water and in the summer it is one of the best drinking-outside spots we have. Bordeaux Quay - More upmarket than its neighbours, the best thing about this restaurant/bar/cookery school is the tiny bakery tucked away inside. Fetch yourself a pastry to eat by the river. BSB – Trendy in the week, train-wreck on the weekends Llyods - A meat market. Good place for a hen night. Oceana – The biggest and most hideous club in Bristol, and pretty much everywhere else. The Pitcher and Piano - Just along from Lloyds and almost identical to it, if you are doing a football-songs, collar-up night, you may as well stagger between the two.

Red Room – Funky bar space available to hire. The River – Perfect for a chilled cocktail and a nipple by the harbour – sorry – nibble by the harbour. The Waterfront Pub – Nice enough pub but muchos expensive due to Jury’s Hotel right next door. Watershed - A posh-ish bar upstairs and an ace independent cinema.

Kings Street The Apple - A bar on a boat, The Apple sells the most staggering array of ciders and does a cracking roast dinner of a Sunday. Another good place to sit out in warm weather. King William - Lovely, big pub with a warm atmosphere and very reasonably priced drinks, four big pool tables upstairs as well; see if you can find the one on permanent free-play before they fix it!

133

Llandoger Trow – This fantastic old school boozer is steeped in history, you feel like Blackbeard yourself when squeezing through its awkward, wonky door.

Thekla - Recommended by just about anyone in Bristol, The Thekla is the boat that’s been turned into a nightclub and is quite simply not to be missed.

Louisiana - Just across the bridge from the Arnolfini/ Thekla, The Louisiana is a highly enjoyable pub with live music upstairs ranging from unsigned local artists to much bigger national acts.

Warehouse – Tiny little club tucked away behind Queen’s Square has an equal mix of awful and fantastic nights.

The Mud Dock – Fantastic grub and views upstairs, fabulous bike shop downstairs.

Park Street All In One - Distinctly missable.

The Old Duke - A really brilliant live music venue. Mostly folk and jazz based stuff, it gets so loud in there that you can easily listen and sit outside at the picnic tables on the cobbled street. QC’s Style Lounge - Cheap drinks when you show the bar staff that you are an SY reader! Renatos – Always packed, this bar/restaurant is all about the theatre, darling, and it’s walls are plastered with various black and white photos of famous, wrinkly faces. Sublime - A cocktail bar amongst all these Olde English pubs, it is actually really nice and chilled out in there.

Antix - If you’ve accidentally started drinking on a lazy Tuesday afternoon, gone out on the lash and suddenly turned around at 3am to find everything else closed, Antix will still be open, doubtless with one or two past-it old harridans still getting ‘down and dirty’ on the dance floor. Bar Ha! Ha! - Looks nice on the surface, but full of pretentious twats; only really good to use for the toilet if you’re drinking cider on Berkeley Square during a sunny afternoon. Berkeley - It looks like an old man’s pub, but whether it is for food, laid-back daytime laughs or pre-club drinking, it is constantly full of students. 135

Bristol Ram - Cosy bar, with a pub-ish atmosphere in the tables in the back, very often hosting local music ensembles and acoustic nights.

fabulous cocktails at amazing student offers, and then, and only then, feel ready to leave Park Street for a proper night out.

The Cooler – Feels like a gas chamber once you’re in there but a fab, friendly atmosphere.

Illusions – A magic bar on the Triangle, where you can watch someone’s back, while they watch someone’s back, while they watch some live magic tricks! You can buy beer in 5ft ‘wards’ though which is very empowering.

Dojo’s - small club venue on Park Row, very popular with students on weeknights with a good funk-house soundtrack. The Elbow Rooms - Friendly bar with two floors, good drinks, an interesting soundtrack and pool tournaments.

Joe Public’s - Only opened a couple of years ago but already attracting a devoted crowd due to a hugely varied musical range (from drum’n’bass to acoustic) and arresting touches such as seating made from aeroplanes.

The Folk House - An easily bypassed doorway but risk the sinister alleyway and be pleasantly surprised by a large spacious seating area and a consistently varied selection of local music.

La Roca - cheap drinks, mainstream music, a steady but not exclusive inflow of students – your basics for a night out, right on the Triangle, literally next door to Hunger Hatch.

Goldbrick House – One for a posh tipple. Somewhat beyond the student’s reach.

Lizard Lounge - you queue for ages to get into a small underground space of general drunkedness, flirting with everyone you will not want to remember the next morning – but don’t ignore it, you will have quite a lot of trouble calling yourself a student in Bristol if you haven’t visited ‘Lounge’.

Greenhouse - You shall go here on every bar crawl before clubbing. You shall go in fancy dress. You shall try

136

Mbargo - A ram packed trendy wine bar, which the young professionals who are not very young and not very professional seem to have taken to heart, loads of sports nights, always busy, always bound to pull! – has very cheap drinks.

Tube - Intriguing, edgy little club, playing an eclectic mix of music, which you will probably return to again.

OPPO - Oppo is a beautifully relaxed place to enjoy either a coffee and a bite to eat during the day, or nurse away some drinks in the evenings, complete with a live music set on Saturdays, live poetry Thursdays and comedy on Sundays.

The Woods - Situated in a Victorian building and courtyard terrace, The Woods can be an entirely agreeable place to wile away the hours.

The Park – A very, very cool little bar on the Triangle. Too little to be honest, there’s only 5 seat in the whole bloody room! Park Row - This place has just opened and so currently offering deals; it has struggled in its ‘Bar 64’ incarnation ever since it closed down as ‘The Prince of Thieves’ (quite possibly the best pub in Bristol, RIP).

Versa - A vast pool/sports bar/club, open late but never seems to be anyone in it, but nice enough all the same.

The White Harte - Scream pub, so student-orientated; mixed-indie music, good selection of cheap drinks and food - enjoyable enough for pre-clubbing boozing. Yia Mass - Greek inspiration (its name means “cheers” in greek) in a bar with interesting drinks and international music. Zero Degrees – A bit of a bare, cold atmosphere inside its metallic hold but some spectacular views from the balcony and a great selection of beers brewed onsite.

Po Na Na – a beautiful Oriental style décor (they serve shishas!), good drinks, non-trashed socialising and dancing to a mix of mainly mainstream but not predictable music. 137

Whiteladies Road Alibi - Another average bar on Whiteladies Road, absolutely nothing to make it stand out of the crowd. Bar Humbug - Small, with an even smaller patio but good music, cocktails and food. One for chilled out, relaxed nights in a friendly environment. The Black Bear - Stylish, pleasant bar with comfortable furnishings, a great place to start off a pub crawl down Whiteladies or to enjoy an early evening beer after relaxing on the Downs all afternoon. Blackboy Inn – Great local boozer that’s not really as racist as it sounds.

Henry Africa’s Hothouse - A huge variety of cocktails which you will have to wait a while to get since the barmen insisting on spending 5 mins spinning bottles and glasses for every drink. Highbury Vaults - Beautiful old pub just up the road from The White Bear, and excellent large beer garden, particularly good for those who appreciate their real ale. The Penny Farthing - Odd pub; seems to be happy with its regular clientele despite being situated in the middle of Whiteladies. God knows what it’s going to do when they kick the bucket which – by the look of them – is presumably quite soon. The Ranch - When busy its great, definitely not to be missed on the way down to town

Deco Lounge – Tucked away on Cotham Hill, part of the Lounge family so a great place to spend a relaxing evening.

Roo Bar - The first stop on every self-respecting bar crawl starting from Stoke Bishop, this Australian-style bar has everything: from board games to screens to watch every match.

Haus Bar - You have to be in the money to appreciate fully the delights of this exquisite little underground cocktail bar that is only accessible by ringing the doorbell, but if you are in the money there’s not much better.

Sloanes - It would be so easy to be devastatingly horrid about poor, pitiful Sloanes but let’s just say it’s one of the only places on Whiteladies Road that you’re going to get a decent priced drink. 139

Tequila Max - Annoyingly can’t make up its mind whether it wants to be a bar or a restaurant but can prove to be quite fun all the same; look out for the Tequila girls at the weekends. The Vittoria – An ancient little, local boozer that has outlived all the surrounding competition. White Bear - Up St Michael’s Hill from the City Centre but well worth the walk, nice atmosphere and reasonably priced drinks, situated in Kingsdown, a popular student digs area. Platform 1 - Packed venue, good looking people! Bit of a winner really!

Clifton Alma Tavern - Not hugely different from many other Clifton ‘real ale’ pubs though it does have its own tiny pub theatre which can provide for an interesting alternative evening’s entertainment. Amoeba – Laid back café bar with great music and a chilled out vibe

Anson Rooms – The music venue hall of the Bristol Uni SU building is best avoided. Channings – A busy bar in a hotel lobby but great, fun atmosphere if a little steep on prices. The Clifton - Used to be tonnes more fun before the ‘TWB’ refurbishment, but looks nice and dandy inside now, despite having opted for a little too much brothelesque gloom. Clifton Wine Bar – She’ll be very impressed if you take her here for a date. Coronation Tap - Everyone knows the Corrie Tap, mainly because of the 8% cider sold only in half pints, but go early on a Friday night because the ridiculously small bar space inside gets filled up fast. Eldon House – Fun little local to catch your breath as you face the hills it’d got on all sides. The Hop House – Great pub, difficult quiz!! The Landsdown – Great boozer in Clifton, even better grub! 141

The Mall - You’re not exactly going to find bargain drinks prices here, but you’re paying for a more than satisfying beverage in one of the nicest pubs in Bristol. The Royal Oak - Definitely worth a visit, good food and warm atmosphere provided by the extremely friendly and pretty barmaids. The White Lion – Very expensive but worth the treat for the jaw-dropping views down the Avon Gorge and of the Suspension Bridge.

Hotwells Adam & Eve – A little, local boozer that is just brill. The Cottage Inn – Actually over the river on Spike Island, this pub is right on the river and has fantastic food to rival the fantastic views. The Grain Barge (Bristol Beer Factory) - Ambitious attempt to mix trendy wine bar, real ale enthusiasts and yet another ‘bar-that’s-a-boat’ novelty factor; kind of works. 142

Hope & Anchor - Very nice old-fashioned pub with good food and beer garden; you’ll probably bump into one or two of the eccentric teachers from the school up the road during term-time though. Mardyke - Eccentric pub that’s always thriving outside on sunny days (especially if City are playing), and extremely cheap drinks for an independent. The Pineapple - New management lets suck it and see. Pump House – Very cool inside and one of the best places to enjoy an outside pint right next to the harbour.

Stokes Croft Blue Mountain – Legendary D&B club that might not be pretty but is guaranteed to be a good night. Café Kino – Super arty café to chill in before braving Nine Tree Hill. Chelsea Inn – Great boozer deep in St Pauls, watch out for the bar staff and their antics – egg and spoon race anyone?

Cosies – Cool little venue just off Portland Square with a fabulous reggae night on Sundays.

One30 – A little smarter than the usual Stokes Croft bar but nice for a quiet drink.

The Croft - If you’re in an unsigned indie band with no real prospects you’ll probably have a gig at The Croft soon; one or two gems hidden amongst the rough though. Great bar atmosphere.

Pipe and Slippers – A cosy pub that’s not nearly as cool as it would like to be but always busy and always fun.

Full Moon and Attic - Quaint marketing technique of having two connected pubs having a connected name, but at the same time entirely pointless, The Full Moon has recently been refurbished though.

Gloucester Road

Hare on the Hill – Great ‘real ale’ boozer with a real local atmosphere and the odd gig. Jester’s Magic Box – Jester’s mark 2, new and improved. The Junction – The Junction’s myspace loving describes itself as “serving Bristol’s weirdos since 2004”

Tao Bar – A very relaxed affair with some great live music and DJs.

Anchor – A clean, bright and spacious pub offering a beer garden both out front and at the back. The drinks are reasonable and there’s a good quiz on Sunday night. Bishops - Recently refurbished, this large pub serves some fairly good, cheap food and drinks. Bishops regularly shows sports and has an upstairs room with a large screen available for hire, or for whoever gets there first!

Kuvuka – Super cool and super chilled café in the heart of Stokes Croft.

143

Blue Lagoon – A café by day and bar by night. Events vary from week to week, including bands, karaoke and charity fund raising events. The venue is quite small but cosy, with a heated patio out front. Does a great smoothie! The Bristol Flyer - A cosy and fashionable boozer, kitted out with eclectic and ramshackle furniture and strings of pretty lights. The food is good and there is a large selection of (expensive) wines and lagers from around the world, as well as a very nice beer garden. Café Delight – A fabulous, colourful little café, perfect for a slap up after a late night. Beware screaming toddlers though, Saturday morning this is the realm of the under 4s. Cat & Wheel - Predominantly a local pub, the Cat is not an obvious student choice, but it is in fact very student friendly. There is a pool table, a dartboard and a fair size beer garden out back. The Foresters Arms - Basically your typical local pub, it hasn’t been decorated in a good few years but the atmosphere is friendly and the staff are welcoming.

The Golden Lion - Managed by the same team as The Old Duke, The Lion hosts live bands and DJ’s throughout the week. Drinks are reasonable and the vibe is typically sympathetic to those with dreadlocks and rocky/retro/ drum and bass tendencies! Halo - Does some lovely food, especially the Sunday Roast, Halo is a lovely place to go for a glass of wine. It has a small but perfectly formed beer garden out back and hosts a diverse array of events, from poetry readings to salsa classes. Hobgoblin - There is a small beer garden out back, and a pool table inside and serves its namesake ale. Hush Hush - A very small but very funky little venue! Open until 2am on weekends, it’s a sort of crossover between a bar and a club complete with small dance floor and DJ booth playing mainly retro/funk tunes. Inn on the Green – Good, standard pub with cheap food and drink and, as the name suggests, is right next to a sprawling park!

145

The Old Fox - Ever popular with bikers and usually blaring out Metallica or something similar, a no nonsense spit and sawdust type boozer. The Prince of Wales - A lovely pub with a beautifully graffiti covered frontage and very pleasant beer garden out back. The food is good and reasonably priced, as are the drinks. It’s a student friendly pub and the atmosphere is very sociable. The Prom - A very music oriented bar, serving good food in the day and hosting bands from 9pm throughout the week, acoustic session on Sunday and a music quiz on Tuesdays. The atmosphere is really friendly and there is also a covered beer garden at the front.

Tinto Lounge – Another Lounge, another great spot for good quality food and drink in a cozy bar. The Wellington – The realm of the real ale lover and host to the odd live gig.

Southville, Bedminster &Ashton

The Rising Sun – Part of the Scream pub chain and aimed mainly at students. Very cheap food and drinks, pool tables, ‘It Boxes’ and a quiz on Sunday to keep you entertained.

The Albert Inn – Good music, crazy pub, yellow, yellow, yellow

Robin Hood’s Retreat – Definitely for those up-market, middle-aged Gloucester Roaders.

Bar BS3 – Proper ole boozer with a skittle alley and everything!

The Sportsman – You like sports? You’ll love the Sportsy on Neville Road – The £6 pizzas are a must, even if it does mean ordering off one of the brutal barmaids.

Fiddlers – Technically in Bedminster, this live music venue is as old as the hills and a great spot to catch some frantic folk. 147

Bar Salt – Decent pub, Bedminster side of East street

Hen and Chicken - Rooster infested boozer with an upstairs comedy club, looking its best following its latest re-incarnation. Plenty of choice when it comes to tipples and pizzas. The Lounge - Lair of the Yummy Mummy by day, go in the evening and sample something delicious or take part in the epic weekly quiz if you’ve got two hours and your dignity to spare. Alternatively, prop yourself up in a cosy window seat and drink too much foreign beer. Spotted Cow - Grab a pint of deceptively wholesome tasting, violently strong cider and head outside to the amazing garden. Spacious, green and with plenty of seating it’s the perfect place to wile away a sunny afternoon. Weekends are busy with various DJs supplying the mooosic (sorry). Tobacco Factory - This red brick beauty has an ace little theatre upstairs and a bar downstairs perfect for stuffing your face with tapas whilst wilting into the leather sofas or bean bags. Live music on Sundays or stop off during the week for DJ’s or just to talk about the art, man.

148

Best of the Rest Bar Celona – Good grub on the Kingswood side of town, Spanish influence The Black Swan – Stapleton Road, Easton – Grimey pub that hosts legendary D&B nights out the back. Bocabar – Paintworks, Totterdown – this new bar is the place to be seen at the moment. The Cadbury – Richmond Road, Montpelier – consistently voted one of the very best pubs in Bristol. Great beer garden, The City Farm Café – St Werburghs – Fantastically original concept and great local, organic food. The Fleece and Firkin – Off Victoria Street, Over Bristol Bridge - Famous across the South West for its astonishing variety of musical acts, The Fleece is undoubtedly one of the best venues in Bristol to appreciate live music.

The Horseshoe – Really friendly pub in Downend, great music

And don’t worry if you can’t find any of the wonderfull venues listed here just pop online to our brand spanking new venue map at BristolListings.co.uk

Kensington Arms – Stanley Road, Redland – The Kenny has recently re-invented itself to cater for the poshos of Redland and it does it very well. The Sugar Loaf – St Marks Road, Easton – Classic Bristol boozer. Are you local? Thunderbolt – Bath Road, Totterdown – One to watch, this pub gets better every sip. Area 81 - The best rock venue in Bristol, proper dingy downstairs where only true rockers come out to play - this place quite literally ‘rocks Bristol’ Trinity Centre – Old Market – Long time favourite on the Bristol scene, great venue for gigs, markets and even the odd club night still (if they’re allowed).

Natalie Burns, Pat Cash, Anna Freeman, Anna Leon, Morgan Matthews, Matt Whittle

149

Top Picks for the Cinema… BristolListings.co.uk

Fri 19th - Tue 30th Sep – Watershed - Linha de Passe Twelve years after co-directing Foreign Land, Salles and Thomas return to update their portrait of urban Brazil. Using a mainly non-professional cast and a deeply realist style, Linha de Passe evocatively depicts the reality of growing up poor in São Paulo, one of the toughest, most chaotic cities in the world. Aided by a strong screenplay and a relentless pace to create a growing sense of tension, the film traces the fortunes and misfortunes of four fatherless brothers as they try to break their preordained future of poverty and hardship by whatever means possible, looking to employment, football, sex, drugs and gangs for a way out. Sun 28th Sept – Cube – Bill Douglas Trilogy Drawn from Douglas’ own experiences of growing up in the outskirts of Edinburgh in the 1940s, the Trilogy’s austere imagery and sparse yet precise use of sound are akin to cinematic poetry – dense passages of burning intensity punctuated by moments of stillness and reflection. The films won him both critical acclaim and international recognition, and yet despite making such a major contribution to British cinema, Douglas was largely ignored by the industry and made only one more film before his untimely death in 1990. Tonight we are proud to pay tribute to this highly personal and individual talent by presenting a rare 35mm screening of the full Trilogy.

Fri 3rd, Tues 7th & Weds 8th Oct – Cube – Man On Wire Acclaimed documentary of the astonishing feat of Philippe Petite. The ﬁlm is told by Petit and uses beautiful archive footage of the background that lead to his legendary tightrope walk between New York City’s World Trade Centre twin towers (1350 feet up without any harness or permission!).

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

151

SAT 4th Oct - 2pm-2am – Cube – Shocktoberfest SHOCK!toberfest,THE uncut horror-euro-sleaze-a-thon is back for it’s 2nd year. Join us for twelve blood drenched hours of cannibalism, emetophilia and talking dogs. Six films will be shown from 2pm straight through to 2am with a musical interlude provided by the awesome and inimitable Goblin tribute band, Il Goblini. Soup, pizza and strong coffee will be served all day. The line up so far includes the granddaddy of found footage, faux documentaries Cannibal Holocaust, the jaw-droppingly gruelling August Underground, Marian Dora’s study of Armin Meiwes Cannibal and Steve Cuden’s hilarious Lucky. More twisted delights will be announced as soon as confirmed… but be prepared for some Italo classics and vestal shenanigans. Mon 6th Oct – Cube – The Strange Death of David Kelly The official verdict of Dr Kelly’s tragic death is suicide - but is this true? Why were so many deals about the death so different form other suicide cases? If it was not suicide, then what happened? What were the ‘dark forces’ referred to in Dr Kelly’s cryptic emails? Bristol Indymedia is pleased to present a talk by Norman Baker MP, author of the acclaimed book ‘The Strange Death of David Kelly’ who will be talking about his research and answering questions on the subject. Sun 12th Oct – Watershed – The Straight Story The ultimate chilled road movie The Straight Story tells the tale of one man, his lawnmower and their epic journey across America’s mid-west. Sheffield-based electronic musicians Animat have developed a new soundtrack to the film which they perform live using a mixture of their own brand of dubby downtempo and an eclectic selection of tracks from their DJ archive. David Lynch has given his approval to the screenings and the soundtrack and Animat will be donating a percentage of profits from the performances to the David Lynch Foundation

152

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

Top Picks for Art…

BristolListings.co.uk

Sat 13th Sept - Sun 9th Nov – Arnolfini - Mircea Cantor Mircea Cantor’s installations address the notions of displacement and co-existent worlds. Beyond the suspenseful and highly contrived encounter, Cantor discreetly evokes the uneasy confrontation of ideology, people and culture. Cantor will present a new installation at Arnolfini comprising a number of sculptural components elaborating on the theme of uncertainty. Sat 13th Sept - Sun 9th Nov – Arnolfini - On Purpose: Design Concepts On Purpose: Design Concepts looks at conceptual design practices, the emergence of ‘meta design’, and the question of who or what can define something as design. Sat 13th Sept – Sun 16th Nov - City Museum and Art Gallery – Voices African, and African Caribbean Art Sat 4th - Sun 19th Oct – Arnolfini - Sarah Cunliffe Performed by dancers Catherine Lee, Denise Rowe, Laura Street and Emma Wyke, Laura refers to the main character in the classic 1945 film Brief Encounter. The movements of the dancers draw on the gestures and physical tics of the character in the film. These movements interweave to create a syncopated rhythm across the video installation. Film and sound are edited by Chris Berridge incorporating the original Brief Encounter soundtrack and Regenmacher by Rodelius.

154

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

Sat 11th Oct – Sun 14th Dec - City Museum and Art Gallery - Society of Wood Engravers - 71st Annual Exhibition Tue 14th Oct - Mr Wolf’s – Weapon of Choice Legendary night, great artwork and great music Sun 26th Oct - Sun 9th Nov – Arnolfini - Monika Tichacek: Beautifully Twisted Live Art Weekender Arnolfini Live brings together artists who use performance, film and sculpture to explore dark landscapes of sexuality and desire. In this season artists use real natural environments against claustrophobic inner spaces. Using ideas stolen from fairy stories, fairgrounds, forests and Victoriana the artists reappraise the contemporary feminine in a series of shows, installations and residencies. Thur 23rd Oct – Sat 22nd Nov - David Simon Gallery - Quentin Williams Quentin Williams was born and has lived all his life in Bristol. He was trained in drawing and painting at the Royal West of England Academy. Not effectively diverted by any ‘ground-breaking’ isms, he has confirmed in the objective realist tradition. He draws and paints directly, or indirectly, from actuality in pencil, monochrome wash, oils and very occasionally gouache or watercolour. He has worked abroad and exhibited nationally and internationally.

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

155

Top Picks for Comedy… BristolListings.co.uk

Sat 11th Oct – Colston Hall - Jimmy Carr - £20 Jimmy Carr is not just a TV star. He’s won awards, released chart-topping DVDs (there’s a new one out this November), written a best-selling book and broken box ofﬁce records by performing to over 500,000 people in the last three years. He may be the hardest working man in comedy. But perhaps he wouldn’t have to be if he had a little bit more talent. This show is exactly the same as last year’s except every single word. It’s rude, crude and offensive but those aren’t the only reasons you’ll enjoy it. Fri 17th & 18th Oct – Colston Hall - Steve Coogan is Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters £32.50 The star of I’m Alan Partridge, Saxondale and creator of Paul and Pauline Calf will be appearing at Colston Hall on 17 and 18 October 2008. Steve Coogan is returning in a show featuring the characters that have made him a BAFTA award-winning comedy legend. His last live show played 200 performances and was seen by 350,000 people. Sun 19th Oct – The Hen and Chicken – Jim Jeffries - £15 IM JEFFRIES, the controversial Aussie stand-up, returns triumphant to Bristol with a brand new show, Hammered, at The Comedy Box. THIS SHOW IS NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED Mon 27th – Thu 30th Oct – Hippodrome – The Mighty Boosh - £25 NUFF SAID Fri 31st Oct and Sat 1st Nov – The Hen and Chicken – Rhod Gilbert - £12 “RHOD GILBERT’s always been a good stand up, often a great one. But this year he’s made an evolutionary leap that could propel him into comedy’s super-league.”

156

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

Top Picks for Theatre… BristolListings.co.uk

Sat 27th Sept – Circomedia – Spectrum An evening of some of the most successful experiments in mixing circus with theatre by professional artists who have trained at Circomedia. Performances range from mask theatre through to world-class circus acts and cross-overs between the two. Tue 30th Sept - 11th Oct – Alma Tavern - Shut Up - £8 Some people keep themselves apart. For most it’s a choice. Seventeen years ago Beth left the Exclusive Brethren and with it, all contact with her family. It’s been a long silence. Now her father stands at the door. Should she let the past come in? What does it sound like? What damage can it do? Mon 6th – Sat 11th Oct – Tobacco Factory – Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea - £12 1927’s multiple award winning show, cleverly combines live music, performance and storytelling with stunning ﬁlms and animation. An ingeniously dark and strangely beautiful blend of fractured fairytales and silent ﬁlm homage unfolds as 1927 takes… Thu 11th Oct – Hippodrome – Carmen £varied Ellen Kent & Amphitheatre Productions present a spectacular new autumn tour, bringing a touch of the Colosseum of Rome to our theatre following our premiere of Carmen in Leeds Castle, Kent in front of an audience of 6000 people.This new production will be directed by Ellen Kent with the amphitheatre set designed by London designer Will Bowen.

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

157

Monday

Tuesday

Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

9 Ball Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

Wednesday

Academy Bierkeller The Cooler Elbow Rooms

Mr Wolf’s

Every 2nd Tuesday – Weapon of Choice – Live graffiti. £3

Native

Run – Drum & Bass. £4/£5

Open Mic Night

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Ramshackle – The UK’s biggest alternative night out. £3/£5 Phuct – Punk, metal and rock to make your spine tingle. £3/£5

Ooompah – Boozy mayhem, pefect for Stag/Hen parties. £5.50

Every 1st and 3rd Thursday – Beat Surrender – Live bands and indie DJs. £4/£5

Espionage – Live bands and sixties funk and soul DJs. £4

Klub Kute – Classic and new indie. £4/£5

Crunchie – Party music. Free

By The Pool – Part music. Free

Alternate - Empathy, Byte, Tape, Monterpiece, The Blast. Techno, house, D&B.

Western Soul – Live bands and DJs.

Grass Roots – New and old reggae. Free

Oceana

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Monday Night Chill

Shipwrecked – Student Night

Poker League

Po Na Na

Fatpoppadaddys – Funk and indie classics. £2/£3

Queen Shilling

Treason – Bristol’s only gay alt/indie night. £2

Wednesday Wannabe – Karaoke. £2

Start The Bus Propaganda – Massive indie night. £3/£4

Syndicate Thekla

Gorilla Audio – Indie/pop. £2/£3

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Come Play – Themes, live acts.

Commercial RnB, Garage, Pop/Rock, Dance.

Over 21s.

UK Club Culture – Under 18s.

The Shisha Mashup – Musical mash but free shisha! £1/£3

Soul A-Go-Go – Funk and soul. £3/£4

Po Na Raa – Collars up, cocktails down. £6

Shagtag – Student night. £2/£4

Camp as Tits – Themed chart and dance. £3/£5

Alternate – Glow, Core, Sale, Switch. Dance and funky house.

Bat Cave – Alternative mash-up. Free

Alternate – Wriggle, What A Drag. Alternative.

Alternate – Beef, Juke2000. Alternative.

Voodoo – Dance and old school.

Death From Above – Indie, electro. Free/£3

Alternate – Fruity Antics, Shoestring, Hospitality, Play, Monkey! Knife! Fight!, Blow Pop. Liquid D&B and electro.

Socialism – Indie, electro, punk. Free/£5

Sunday Roasted – Dance and cheese. Free

Top Picks for Gigs…

BristolListings.co.uk

Wed 24th Sept – Louisiana – Roxy’s Wardrobe £4 adv. Local scamps Roxy’s Wardrobe bring their classic rock and roll vibes to one of Bristol’s best and most intimate venues at the Louisiana. Thu 25th Sept – Thekla - Cajun Dance Party - £9 adv. The indie-pop magniﬁcence of their debut album ﬂying high, Cajun Dance party bring a little bit of summer to the Old Profanity. Thu 25th Sept – Fleece – Medallist: Live EP Recording Show Medallist are a group of local electro-rockers that you will literally not be able to stop dancing to with basslines galore. This gig has some added spice as it’s going to be recorded for a live EP the band will later release. Thu 25th Sept – The Cooler - The Goodness - £4 adv. Local popsters The Goodness bring their sunshine indie to Park Street. Thu 25th Sept – Jesters Comedy Club – SHEELANAGIG Sheelanagig are a gang of Bristolians who revel in playing frantic world folk and gypsy jazz. They’ve been boning their eclectic sound since early 2005 and this special gig promises to raise the roof. Tue 30th Sept – The Croft - Turbowolf - £5 Very loud and very fast. Local punk rockers Turbowolf are a unique live experience.

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

163

Wed 1st Oct – Thekla - Hot Club De Paris - £7.50 adv. Cheeky Scouse lyrics on top of addictively flippant guitar and smothered in indie pop. Hot Club de Paris are just fab. Wed 1st Oct – Fleece – Cats In Paris £4 adv. Progressive electro-pop, Cats In Paris are “ones to watch”…you can quote me on that… Sat 4th Oct – Anson Rooms – The Hold Steady - £14 adv. This is the way American rock and roll should be; fun, smart and with more hooks than a butcher’s wardrobe. Mon 6th Oct - Academy - British Sea Power Very atmospheric rock.Very British.Very very good. Tue 7th Oct – Academy - Ting Tings He looks like the skinny one out of Massive Attack and she looks like Kylie’s half-sister and together the make up absolutely everyone’s favourite new band. Have. To. Dance! Thu 9th Oct - Louisiana – Sam Isaac - £6 adv. Acoustic storytelling from a big, cuddly ginger – Sam Isaac’s powerful, enrapturing voice is a real treat. Sat 11th Oct - Louisiana – Jeremy Warmsley £8 adv. One of the figure heads leading the new-folk revolution across these shores, Jeremy Warmsley’s second album puts him firmly on the map. Could this gig too be the time for ‘Welcome To Our TV Show’ on tour?

164

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

Mon 13th Oct – Academy – Foals Another of everyone’s favourite new band, the Foals sound like they make music from the future. Beats? Pop? Brill. Tue 14th Oct – Thekla – CSS - £12.50 adv. I’m tired of being sexy too but far from tired of dancing like a fruit-loop to this mash-up of Brazilian electro-pop. Fri 17th Oct – Academy - The Streets Mike Skinner is friggin’ ace. One of the most interesting and forward thinking musicians us Brits can boast. Wed 22nd Oct – St George’s – Beth Rowley Local diva Beth Rowley comes back to Bristol to play in the stunning St George’s in front of the fans who’ve loved her from the start. Thu 23rd Oct – Thekla – Metronomy - £8 adv. Frantic electro-indie-pop onboard the boat. Great name too. Thu 23rd Oct – Academy - Does It Offend You, Yeah? Daft Punk meets Death From Above 1979 in a dance off to the death, DIOY,Y? get better and better and better every manic gig. Thu 23rd Oct – Anson Rooms – Roots Manuva - £13.50 Roots Manuva’s got a new album to push and it serves up the perfect opportunity to see probably the most talked about and clearly the most talented of current British MCs.

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

165

Thu 23rd Oct – The Cooler - Johnny Flynn - £8.75 They don’t come much folkier than Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit and they don’t come much better either. Sat 25th Oct - Louisiana – Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds - £6 adv. Nosey punk-indie. Not nearly as unpleasant as the name suggests. Sun 26th Oct - Academy 2 - Team Waterpolo Very very very very summer pop. Team Waterpolo are bumblowingly good fun and another “one to watch”. Fri 31st Oct – Academy - Vampire Weekend Everyone’s favourite New York popsters, Vampire Weekend are slowly seducing ears around the world with the sort of intelligent indie everyone can enjoy.

166

FOR FULL LISTINGS TEXT BRISTOL 80010 - FOR LESS THAN A PACKET OF SPACE INVADERS

advertise with us

calling all writers, artists and photographers email info@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

or call 0117 370 2722 Editor: Matt Whittle matt@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk CEO: Faye Westrop faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Design & Illustrations: James Penfold Design & Illustrations: Louisa Christodoulou Distribution Manager: David Penfold Cover: Cheba

for those of you with the common sense to see suit yourself as a fantastic way to advertise your buiness all the information you need can be found online at www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk If you are after promotional editorial to be included to cover up - and - coming events please get in touch with me to arrange a meeting and specific price structures anyone wishing to contribute editorial and / or do a bit of freelancing for the ,magazine please contact me on 0117 370 2722 167