Where To Go Out Out In Bristol
BEST FOR: Dancing
The Love Inn
The Love Inn is all about good vibes, which makes sense seeing as it was set up by Team Love: the people behind big-hit festivals like Love Saves The Day, Love International, Forwards Festival, Waterworks and Silver Hayes at Glastonbury. Expect disco-inspired dance tracks, with a bit of house thrown in. Plus, it’s just had a major refurbishment, with more room on the dancefloor and a mega new sound system (Danley Audio, if you’re interested). Plus, Danny’s Burger Kitchen is on hand to fuel your night.
84 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY
Visit TheLoveInn.com
BEST FOR: An Intimate Feel
Basement 45
Basement 45 is a great little bunker which lends itself to heavier beats, but the music caters to all. The sound system is top-notch, and it has that cool subterranean, intimate feeling that is often lost in bigger clubs. Notable names that have graced the decks are Eats Everything, Horse Meat Disco, Joy Orbison and Disclosure. Obviously D&B is still on offer, but you can also expect to hear deep house, a little disco and broader dance music too.
8 Frogmore Street, BS1 5NA
Visit Basement45.co.uk
BEST FOR: The Experience
Thekla
Made famous by Skins and loved by locals, Thekla is a one-of-a-kind venue. This boat-turned-club is now a cultural institution and has seen the likes of home-grown Massive Attack and Portishead grace its stage. Nowadays, it caters to both the dance and indie crowds – with a pop confessional every Saturday if you’re in the mood for a guilty-pleasure night out.
The Grove, East Mud Dock, BS1 4RB
Visit TheklaBristol.co.uk
BEST FOR: A Street Party
Attic Bar & The Full Moon
Just five minutes from Bristol’s city centre in Stokes Croft is The Full Moon and Attic Bar. The two venues are joined, sharing an enormous bunting-laden courtyard which gives it a street party feel, especially in the summer. With room for 240 people, it’s also attached to a backpacking hostel. It regularly hosts rotating resident DJs, as well as semi-regular gigs with an impressive and eclectic music mix of ska, drum ‘n’ bass, hip hop and reggae. The spot is widely regarded as one of the best clubs in the country, so it’s well worth a visit.
1 North Street, BS1 3PR
Visit FMBristol.co.uk
BEST FOR: Reggae
Cosies
As the name suggests, there’s not much wiggle room when this bar hits capacity, and it's never a quiet night. Its specialties are reggae, dub and dancehall – with the Bristol Reggae Society hosting events and regular Reggae Sundays – but dance music and tech-house is often on the bill too. Entry is usually just a fiver.
34 Portland Square, BS2 8RG
Visit @CosiesBristol
BEST FOR: A Big Night Out
Lakota
Lakota is the vast three-room venue, connected by a cavern of connected rooms, that feels like a throwback to the 90s rave scene. The music matches the vibe, drawing in big names across techno, jungle and dance – with some psytrance thrown in as well. Don your bucket hat for the upcoming Ross From Friends event. That said, there is a more wholesome side to Lakota – the Lakota Gardens. Opened in lockdown, the outdoor space hosts vintage markets, day festivals, as well as comedy events.
6 Upper York Street, BS2 8QN
Visit Lakota.co.uk
BEST FOR: An All-Nighter
Motion
Motion is one of those venues that has gone down the factory-turned-superclub line, and it's up there with the best of them. Industrial, cool and massive, it can hold 2,500 attendees and draws in big-name DJs like Andy C and DJ EZ. Keep your eyes out for the upcoming BRAT rave. If that's not your bag, its sister venue Marble Factory regularly hosts up-and-coming and established indie and alternative bands.
74-78 Avon Street, BS2 0PX
Visit Motion-Bristol.com
BEST FOR: Charts & Cheese
SWX
As cool as Bristol’s underground music scene is, sometimes all you really need is a cheesy night out full of sing-a-longs. While its live music line-up is pretty varied – expect everything from indie to metal – its club nights are full of pop, hip hop and RnB. It's big on Freshers Week, and its student nights are always buzzing.
15 Nelson St, BS1 2JY
Visit SWXBristol.com
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