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Bristol's Drum & Bass Events

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Bristol's Drum And Bass Scene

Is Stokes Croft a drum and bass Mecca?

Drum and bass in Bristol needs no bigger homes than Lakota and Blue Mountain. Both on the same street in Stokes Croft - they’ve continued Bristol’s drum n bass lineage from DJ Krust and Roni Size through to Intrigue Music and the more experimental UVB76 crew. Bristol’s place in the history of drum n bass is assured. Figureheads like DJ Die draw the line between the jungle and drum n bass scenes, jungle is key in Bristol - a city with so much Caribbean heritage, roots reggae’s influence on drum n bass comes through the language of jungle. But with both Lakota and Blue Mountain closing their doors soon to developers, is Bristol in a drum n bass crisis?

Drum and bass in Bristol encapsulates the genre in the wider world. Big venues play host to big acts with nights such as Bedlam, One Nation and Shit the Bed offering International stars including Pendulum, Chase and Status, Andy C and Noisia on a regular basis. In addition to this, alternative venues like the Dojo Lounge, Basement 45 and the Black Swan foster the rarefied sounds of dnb's many sub genres offering the city a unique depth to its plethora of drum and bass music. New years eve in Bristol clubs sees the city's venues rammed to the brim with all of the drum and bass's big players djing somewhere in Bristol.

Agro, Dissident and Mongrel offer dnb of a techy, dark variety while the bastion of the deeper sound, Intrigue, continues to push artists such as Marcus Intalex, Calibre and Fabio. Torque, straddling the line between dark and deep is a drum and bass monthly of significant recognition, hosting label nights and affiliated artists from Club Autonomic to Critical and Shogun Audio.

With drum and bass such a popular genre in Bristol, most clubs present dnb of some description at least once per month. Basement 45 has emerged as a consistent venue, with Torque, Abstraction and Nine Tree all on regular rotation at the club. Dojos plays host to the aforementioned Intrigue while Lab is home to Signal which runs as a bi-monthly event.

Of the larger venues Motion has a throng of events that are less frequent but larger in scale. Although many of these nights are multi-genre affairs, Run and Shit The Bed routinely promote dnb artists as their headline acts.

Lakota is another important dnb venue, housing Concrete Beat, Agro and since September 2010, Bedlam. Hospitality's residency at the Thekla ensures dnb is consistent fixture on the ship, while the rave-ready Black Swan is the spearhead for the harder jungle-tek sounds of the dnb genre.

Buy tickets for drum and bass events in Bristol

Our recent drum and bass recommendations

The Baile do Futuro parties have been a delirious 2024 highlight and they’re bringing us one more heater to close out the year. This time hosting DJ SoundPreta - whose impeccably curated selections traverse Brazilian funk, trap, grime, R&B and Miami bass - alongside Isa Castelari’s blend of UK club sounds with baile funk + a mighty return from Lisbon’s Bieu s2. LFG! Baile do Futuro is back at the Exchange for one last booty-shaking workout in 2024

Not one, but two OG UK dance music pioneers aboard for PTS’ next mega club voyage. Rave royalty rocking the boat with the First Lady of Metalheadz aka DJ Storm + melodic IDM veteran µ-Ziq (the evil mastermind behind Planet Mu). Plus two of the finest internet-spawned electronic world-builders: ethereal and metallic-pop daredevil BABii and kinetic-club innovator Oli XL. Let’s gooo. PTS on a boat with a massive lineup

Sell out warning! Soft Butch returns for an adventurous deep dive into butchness and no-phone dancefloor somatics. Opening with an optional group meditation before founder and resident DJ LEXX unleashes the dancehall / dnb / afrobeat heat with Refuge Worldwide’s embodied bass expert AfroOankali. A night celebrating butchness, for all women, Non Binary and Trans people to dance freely together.

YES WE DO…..and who better to serve you a Wednesday night amen platter than Jigsore’s raggatek soundbwoy Humb + Anna Prank in total tearout mode. Jungle - Jungle - Jungle

What our editors say

“We welcome ATRIP to Clock Factory Bristol, a German-Polish DJ and producer based in South London, crafts emotive electronic music rooted in the city's diverse club culture. Raised in London, he's deeply entrenched in its vibrant music scene, drawing inspiration from genres like garage, jungle, bassline, and dubstep. His debut mixtape, "TANZPARTEI," released in May 2023, showcases his evolution since the launch of the ATRIP project in early '22. With support from notable artists like Disclosure, salute, and DJ Seinfeld, ATRIP is poised for an exciting journey in the music world.”
From: ATRIP + More

“It doesn’t stop there - in Room 2 we are throwing a Subliminal and friends room from all the crews and friends we have worked with over the years. Plating everything from 4×4 to techno to jungle to drum and bass and back again. You don't want to miss this.”
From: Subliminal Audio 13th Birthday: Evolution Chamber

“Prepare for the ultimate clash of drum and bass giants as AC13 and REAPER unite for Alpha Omega, a groundbreaking new show that redefines the boundaries of bass music. This is where UK DnB meets US DnB, and two titans collide to deliver a relentless, high-energy experience like no other.”
From: AC13 & REAPER Present: Alpha Omega

“Subsonic are launching with a bang this February, bringing you the best in up-and-coming DNB DJs powered by The Crown's upgraded soundsystem! But here's the catch - ITS FREE! Gone are the days where you have to spend a small mortgage just to hear great drum and bass, when you can come to The Crown on the 18th of February and hear it all for free!”
From: Subsonic Events Launch

“Sully is renowned for his forward-thinking approach to UK bass and masterful fusion of jungle and garage. Joining him on the night is Tommy Holohan, bringing his relentless, high-energy techno sounds, as well as Nikki Nair, whose eclectic grooves blend bass, breakbeat, and electro. A prominent figure within the scene and electronic music innovator Fracture also features on the line up, alongside rising talents Jay Carder and Chinese Daughter.”
From: Sully Curates w/ Sully, Tommy Holohan, Nikki Nair