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Free Gigs in Bristol

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Bristol's Free Gigs Scene

Where to find free music in Bristol Free music's pretty easy to find in Bristol. Whilst most gigs outside of the big venues are usually only a few quid, it's always nice to see some bands for free or a couple of pounds in a bucket (if they're good!) For guaranteed free music with your pint, go to a venue which has a free entry policy.

The Old Duke, The Canteen and The Golden Lion (except fridays) should probably be your first port-of-call to check out Coronation Tap are also very reliable and popular for free gigs. Luckily free gigs can happen anywhere, this means you can keep things interesting and not get bored of rotating the same Bristol venues. Free live music can crop up anywhere from the Grain Barge and Lousianna to Colston Hall and even St Georges.

The economy of free gigs. Can it survive Covid?

Good news: gigs in Bristol are more likely to be free than anywhere else! General ticket prices seem to be more common between free and £5; the £20+ bracket is a rare one compared to the capital’s high-end arts and theatre gigs. Bristol’s pandemic response has opened up some extra local music funding. Will free gigs disappear with the added financial pressures of covid? Indoor gigs may soon be possible, but how many of them will remain free and accessible?

Free outdoor gigs and festivals in Bristol

From mid June to the beginning of September Bristol Council and independent organisations put on some great free music events. Best of all there's something different almost every weekend and they don't cost any money! Significant large events include St Werbergh's Fair, The Harbourside Festival and St Pauls Carnival. In addition there are some great smaller, open air gigs with free entry to be found in places like Queens Square, Stokes Croft and Castle Park.

Buy tickets for free gigs events in Bristol

Our recent free gigs recommendations

A rare AF introspective / esoteric sesh in the hidden wonders of John Wesley’s New Room. SSP have been pulling out some of the most intriguing events in the ambient industrial complex; this one heads deep into the haze with ritualistic folk drone offerings from Mochy Daer, occult electro from L.I.E.S. noise-maker Ye Gods, and Rocheman’s graceful baroque-pop reveries. SSP12 w/ Mochyn Daer, Ye Gods, Rocheman, Shlinga & Revelry at John Wesley’s New Room.

4 years waiting to see Deafkids again, then they up the ante by grafting gnarled 808 electriks onto their already-insane mix of Afro-Brazilian poly-trip punk'n'grind. Enter the only samba noise gateway on Earth, with hella inspired supports from Stroom avant-pop darlings Sergeant and DJ Snuff's post-turntablist sound art. Brew of the year FFO: Nihiloxica, PETBRICK, Wolf Eyes, Silver Apples x Panda Bear. Unhinged triple bill for a Monday!! Strange Brew present the Brazilian duo known for their wild live performances, mixing the raw spirit of noise and punk with complex global rhythms and electronic experimentation. Japan's dj sniff is a bona fide mentalist turntablist combining DJing with sound collage and free improvisation (see it to believe it!) + Belgium's Sergeant (Stroom records) make music like editing an erratic film: cutting, splicing and reassembling post-punk, krautrock and pop twists

Weirdo Stroom-coded esoteric post-rock from Or Sobre Blau - music drenched in whimsical guitar playing and free-folk freakery, twisting between wild abandon and loose-limbed free-improv. Paired with Regina Collage & Cameron Smith's doomy slow-punk kraut-dub, this is oddball perfection! Terror Management Presents: Or Sobre Blau (Ubaldo + Kiran Leonard) + Stoop + Woolley Truscott duo @ Cafe Kino

Free entry / PWYC! Beautiful yet comfortably discordant post punk trio A Void will have you gently weeping in the pit while you reflect on how your ex-boyfriend wronged you making eyes at the cool lesbian who's about to punch your lights out. With local support from goth punks Witch Hook and Placebo-coded sweethearts The MEDZ, this is a big rec FFO: Ex-Vöid, Hole, Sasami's metal album, Grandmas House. A VOID live at The Lanes.