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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! Watching, hearing and feeling the greatest British jazzer of a generation climb creative peak after peak has been one of the true honours of 2020s existence. On Earth is something else from Shabaka; his fresh mastery of flutes flirts with raps, beats and a prodigal return to the sax. ‘Unmissable’ just doesn’t cut it – this is a supreme fusion of musical history and a tantalising map for what lies ahead. SHABAKA at Strange Brew.

A stack of local live talent lights up Loco Klub to round off Trans Pride 2026. Fuzz pedal four-piece Desperate sling scrappy country-grunge-pop bangers (and stage props) alongside fresh soul-heavy alt-rockers Princess Boyfriend and Florence Welch/Sigrid-channeling indie prodigies Kodachrome. Pure queer joy! Trans Pride Bristol 2026 - gig at Loco Klub.

Sell out warning! Outsider artist sans pareil, the world is a lot less magical for the loss of legendary freak folk troubadour Michael Hurley. A year on, a loving gathering of Cube kinfolk honours his life with Rozi Plain, Rachael Dadd, Herbal Tea + more performing their interpretations of Hurley treasures, alongside a selection of rare films and cartoon curiosities from the archives. Rest in power beautiful Snock! UNDER THE PROPOSAL TREE at The Cube.

Ben Vince returns to Bristol with his first solo release in five years, diving into club terrain with spiralling sax psychedelia and industrial-weight sub-bass. An esteemed noise-maker on the London improv circuit + arch-collaborator (Joy O, Holy Tongue, Astrid Sonne etc), he’s set to spellbind with his kinetic wormholes of looping, FX and tripped-out jazz mutations. HUGE. BEN VINCE + REGINA COLLAGE + INTEL MERCENARY + RINGTONES at The Old England Pub.