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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

Sell out warning! Free entry / PWYC! Mascara at the ready for the huge homecoming finale of Witch Hook’s first headline tour - spot the label execs at the back! Some of the most thrilling young darlings on the scene, their all-conquering surrealistic grunge gothica is simply unstoppable FFO: Viet Cong / Preoccupations, The Horrors, Placebo. WITCH HOOK + XNDXGO + HONEYGLOW at The Lanes.

Mega sell out warning! Campsite folkies extraordinaire, Fire In The Mountain bring their impeccable pastoral vibe to Sawmills for a one-off gathering with sibling powerhouses Johnny & Lillie Flynn. Taking time out from the silver screen to serenade you with acoustic balladry, they’ll be joined by a host of live acts, family-friendly frolicking and a ceilidh or two. Fire in the Mill at Sawmills.

Sell out warning! Not jazz nor rock nor film music, fans just call it ‘Necks music’: that spine-tingling unwinding of instrumental textures and improvised magic. A once in a lifetime gig for those who’ve never witnessed; for those that have, you can never see the same set twice... The Necks at Strange Brew.

Sell out warning! Ritual psych, widescreen folk horror and mystical, droning doom - Smote are gonna clear new pagan pathways of heaviness in the megalithic corridors of your mind. With Scathing God and The New Bristol Shakers freshly freed from the Avon dungeons for a first time sacrifice, this is an aural bog burial FFO: Earth, Darkher, Grails, torching The Wicker Man. SMOTE + special guests at The Golden Lion.