Rock Gigs in Bristol

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Bristol's Rock Scene

With so many artists jumping ship in favour of more fashionable genre name, it's always amazing to see how much falls under the 'rock' umbrella. Classic rock venues in Bristol include The O2 Academy and The Fleece.

Have Idles put Bristol rock music back on the map?

Idles have put Bristol rock music back on everyone’s mind, but they’re just one of the talented Bristol rock bands who have the nation’s attention. While more retro rock gigs like Let’s Rock Bristol festival and rock and metal cover bands at the Fleece and Beerkeller (RIP), make Bristol’s rock scene look 80s focused, the List of current bands in Bristol is long. Bands like Heavy Lungs, Stolen Body record their own brand of psychedelic rock (including the popular yearl Bristol Psych Fest). For those who love to rock: Bristol’s live music scene salutes you.

Buy tickets for rock events in Bristol

Our recent rock recommendations

Sell out warning! Kill your idols to make way for the grand Japanoise architect and arch-mystic of live ritual mayhem. Anything we say about EYE will become irrelevant by the time he takes stage to unleash a glitching punk glyph hinting at the future of all sound. If you know, you know, but you still won’t know….until you go. SHFTD & Strange Brew present a batshit night of experimentalism for the last gig of 2024. Featuring one of the most pioneering experimental artists of all time - ∈Y∋ - founder of Japanese noise band Boredoms & Hanatarash, performing with AV artist C.O.L.O. Supported by BUFFEE (Spinny Nights), MXLX, Ekstasis + Bruno & the Outrageous Methods of Presentation. Buckle up.

Cellar Door’s latest extra spooky audiovisual showcase is an absolute glut of London/Brighton/Bristol talent, with a 5 band bill and 28 members between them (someone buy the sound engineer a beer) - headed up by fidgety weirdo art rock/power pop from Green Man Rising faves The Orchestra (For Now). FFO: Black Country New Road, black midi, Jackie O Motherfucker. HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

Trance-inducing DIY Yemeni troubadour music, skittering and grooving along on junkyard instruments fashioned by carpenter and bandleader Eyal El Wahab. El Khat twists traditional melodies into trash-heaps of psychedelic, funky wonderment FFO: Gaye Su Akyol, Habibi Funk, Altin Gün, Acid Arab, The Scorpios. El Khat + Bad Bangs + Broadsheets

Sunglasses After Dark rip through 10 hours of trashbeat psychosis and diseased garage punk with 7 killer live acts, 8 DJs + market stalls selling animal print-appropriate attire. Our highlights? Palooka 5’s organ octane surf rock (all the way from sunny Taunton) and the Crystal Teardrops’ drop-out psych-folk burners. No-brainer FFO: the Cramps, the B-52's, Dead Moon, Nuggets, acid. Celebrating all things fuzzy w/ 7 bands, 8+ DJs, local artists, vintage clothing, vinyl + high end food stall!

What our editors say

“Light The Cannons are a four-piece alternative rock band from across Europe, based in Hamburg, Germany. Channeling diverse lyrical themes through an equally colourful musical palette, Light The Cannons deliver catchy songs with anthemic choruses, all filtered through a healthy dose of dark humour and pop sensibilities.”
From: Light The Cannons

“On their 2022 release, the German/Austrian music producer (Mother's Cake, Noah Fürbringer,...) and live musician Raphaël Neikes showcases his ability to seamlessly blend psychedelic rock, alternative rock, psych pop, grunge, and indie rock with his band.”
From: SPIRAL DRIVE