The Canteen
Seriously popular Bristol venue with free gigs every night.
Thankfully surviving lockdown, the Canteen is still a centre point of the Stokes Croft live music scene: 5 nights a week of the best free* music on the most vibrant street in Bristol (*£5 entry fee after 9:30pm Fri & Sat)
Since it's launch in 2009 The Canteen (part of the Hamilton House Arts Space) has become seriously popular, so much so that it's fair to expect queues on both Friday and Saturday nights. The Canteen is a multifunctional meeting space, it is neither predominantly a restaurant nor a music venue, however arguably succeeds in both of these roles.
With regards to gigs at the Canteen you can find some of Bristol's best bands and entry is always free (see our free live music in Bristol page for more).
The atmosphere (gig wise) can depend on whats on at The Canteen in Bristol, bearing in mind that many patrons will not be there specifically for the live music. That said the quality of musicians booked by the Canteen is seriously high so be sure to check the listings.
Since it's launch in 2009 The Canteen (part of the Hamilton House Arts Space) has become seriously popular, so much so that it's fair to expect queues on both Friday and Saturday nights. The Canteen is a multifunctional meeting space, it is neither predominantly a restaurant nor a music venue, however arguably succeeds in both of these roles.
With regards to gigs at the Canteen you can find some of Bristol's best bands and entry is always free (see our free live music in Bristol page for more).
The atmosphere (gig wise) can depend on whats on at The Canteen in Bristol, bearing in mind that many patrons will not be there specifically for the live music. That said the quality of musicians booked by the Canteen is seriously high so be sure to check the listings.
What's On At The Canteen
— The Canteen
acid jazz
contemporary jazz
lo-fi
psych
jazz
Get a feel for The Canteen
Our recent recommendations for The Canteen
Free entry! Magnetic Bristolian mega-fusion of warm analogue jazz, funk, soul, and psych– basically a mid-week Canteen-goer’s dream. Dr. Chonk & The Nature Injection’s gently trippy, retro-tinted grooves fall somewhere between languid late-night loungefest and a sun-kissed jam session FFO: Azymuth, El Michels Affair, Magic in Threes, Ill Considered.
Dr. Chonk & The Nature Injection at The Canteen.
Free entry! Step inside the haunted house of West Country blues that is Ma Plaine’s Great Decline. Their moody Waits-channelling Americana slithers and swings with bone-rattling skiffle rhythms and a big dollop of proggy oddness. Sinister, spellbinding!
Ma Polaine's Great Decline at The Canteen.
Chewing Glass sure know how to pick ‘em! Continuing a deadly run of some of the heftiest dub and dread steppas Stokes Croft seen in about a decade with Austria’s mighty Dubbing Sun. He’ll be wrecking the subs with Kolee nicing up the mic in a huge 140-fortified session FFO: DMZ, Ishan Sound, Radikal Guru, the Bug etc.
DUBBING SUN, Stokes Croft Sub Sessions at The Canteen.
Free entry! Feverishly noisy glitch pop at Canteen. Local instrumental experimentalists Socks & Ballerinas are a two-person kaleidoscope of fractured beats, lush loops, and improvisational swerves. Captivating and chaotic FFO: Matmos, Autechre, Tortoise.
Bristol-based instrumental live looping duo making weird sounds and wacky rhythms
Sell out warning! Chewing Glass top a righteous year ploughing the extremes of soundsystem culture and bassbin metal with Deep Medi’s not-so-secret weapon, Kaiju. Rumbling Stokes Croft to the core a mere 50m from its Subloaded mecca with their Distance / DMZ / Bug-grade no-frills 140 bassweight. Hold onto your hoods, hair, and even your eyebrows, this will be…..HEAVY.
One of Deep Medi's biggest and best pieces of sound system artillery comes to level Canteen for Stokes Croft Sub Sessions NYE Special