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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

Don’t miss this chance to catch a future jazz great in such an intimate setting! Ego Ella May’s ascent is already written in the stars, her soulful tenderness, lyrical prowess and honey-dipped vocal serenity have us spellbound. Hot on the heels of her timeless-classic-in-the-making new album, she’s weaving pure magic at The Jam Jar FFO: Erykah Badu, Yazmin Lacey, Ari Lennox, Solange. Ego Ella May at The Jam Jar.

Turn up, tune in, Gnod out! 20 years tall, it’s impossible to fully describe this immemorial megalith of psych-sludge collective unity. If their latest Chronicles of Gnowt is any indicator, we’re in for a scorched Earth offering of ritualistic, surrealistic drone metal, shot through with Swans-level, slo-mo Stooges brutalism. Pack your bags, cos there ain’t no doors on the other side! GNOD + VANISHING at Strange Brew.

Ritual pan-futurism busting outta the DAW and into the flesh; the only way the Auntie Flo omniverse could get any bigger was with an 8-piece band, shacking out broken souk-beat and highlife house via a host of global percussion and mother tongues. So here it is, total god-level outernational biz FFO: Brownswood, Soundway, Andrew Ashong, Shackleton, Villalobos. Auntie Flo + Moncaya at Strange Brew.

This is the new jazz vanguard! Bristol favs Commotion reconvene for a historical live session that’s being committed to record for all posterity. If you woop and clap loud enough, you might just make it on there too, while this jaw-dropping sextet (ft. Dinosaur trumpet wiz Laura Jurd) shapeshifts its way through Sun Ra, Ellington and Riaan Vosloo’s celebrated originals. Double bassist Riaan Vosloo leads 6 piece combo inspired by historic meetings 70s UK free jazz with exiled South African musicians due to apartheid