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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.

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Our recent drum and bass recommendations

Sell out warning! The Dark Ages have returned to up the stakes of club revelry with fortune tellers, knife-juggling and jousting in an immersive pageant of medieval proportions. Expect Greensleeves trance edits and folkstep galore across 2 rooms for maximised merth. Bring your clown shoes and dress to jig. Knights Out at The Loco Klub.

Sell out warning! Hypnotic live/club showdown from Siraba with their spellbinding re-imagining of Malian blues and ancient Wassoulou folk into a dreamy afro-futuristic headtrip. With uncompromising DJ support from Inda Flo: rattling you with the bass-stomping percussive motherbeat til 4am. A club night of music from Africa and the diaspora, featuring the debut UK performance by afro-electronic innovators Siraba.

Three pillars of Bristol darkcore dnb / breakbeat junglism reassemble for Mackenzie’s 2nd Corn outing (making it a label please?) Clarity and Anina go head to head in a collision of OG Metalheadz grot and half-step UVB-76 / Ilian Tape futurism + Pessimist’s on a strictly 94-96 old skool flex. One for the heads who remember! Four locals converge for a night of dark jungle & techno mutations: Pessimist ('94-'96 set) Clarity b2b Anina & Mackenzie.

URF are here to disrupt the dancefloor. With a whole crew of resident DJs promising everything from hyperpop, dub and coldwave to jungle, hip-hop and IDM there’s something for everyone and it’s all in support of Bristol Anti-Fascists; a no-brainer. A Bristol Antifascist Fundraiser

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

“This Valentine's Day, Labrat Soundsystem are taking over Exeter's 50.7 Club for a fun-filled night of music. With a lineup of talented up and comers bringing you the finest in UK garage and jungle, and tickets only £5, what's not to love! For Valentine's day this year, we want to take an opportunity to spread some love through music and dancing. There will be a zero tolerance policy for any harassment, our events are a safe space for everyone. See you all soon! <3”
From: Labrat Soundsystem: The Heart Shaped Session