Best Small Indie Music Venues in Bristol For Music Lovers
Bristol is one of the best spots in the entire UK for indie music lovers. With the thriving Bristol music scene, and a historic output of great bands, as well as being a staple on the indie music touring scene, it’s hard to go far wrong here.
With many Bristol music venues offering the latest in new and unique music, there is bound to be something for everyone. But which one’s right for you?
Of course, we all know the Bristol Beacon. It’s famous and legendary and attracts a wealth of iconic artists. But what about the unknown venues? What about Bristol’s astonishing underground music scene?
With so many Bristol music venues, it can be hard to figure out where to go for Bristol live music. If you want to further explore your local music scene, then I am here to help.
Here is my guide to the best small indie music venues in Bristol – for music lovers just like you!
Table of Contents
The Louisiana
The Louisiana is a 140-capacity venue with a history of booking the best indie artists before they hit the big time.
Run by a local Bristolian family, it has booked artists like Florence and the Machine, The National and Placebo before they became famous.
This is a top spot for artists to tour early on in their careers, as well as a must-play venue for local bands too.
The Louisiana does their best to showcase the bands with true talent, and there is a community feel here for band and audience alike.
The Fleece
The Fleece is the largest independent venue in Bristol, and one of the most iconic. This venue is famous for having booked some of the most famous names on the touring circuit throughout history, including Queens of the Stone Age, Amy Winehouse and Oasis.
Throughout the week they host alternative club nights and tribute acts, but there are regular live music nights too.
The venue showcases both up-and-coming acts, as well as icons from indie music and classic rock who wish to play at this iconic venue.
St Vincent At The Fleece
Check out this video of St Vincent at the Fleece so you can see just how cosy this venue is.
Thekla
Going to a gig at Thekla is truly a unique experience. It is on a boat moored at the docks in Bristol, meaning you get to party on the river.
Not only that, but it’s the top venue for booking the current brightest stars in indie music. To see the latest trendsetters of the underground Bristol music scene, this is the place to head to.
If you’re wondering about the Thekla Bristol capacity, then you’ll be pleased to know that it lies at 600 total, with 400 fitting in the main room and 200 fitting into the smaller room.
A top spot to see your favourite indie groups, and keep up to date on what’s happening within the industry, with an iconic and unique venue on top of that. What’s not to love!
Exchange
Exchange is a non-profit community action venue. This means that any money that goes into the organisation goes back into investing in the local music and entertainment scene.
They hold a great space for the music-loving community, especially with their lovely coffee shop attached.
This venue showcases a wide variety of music genres and events, with a focus on indie music, and has hosted bands such as The 1975, IDLES, and Haim, all before they were famous.
Head here for a high-quality experience from a venue that really cares about the local community and music scene.
Mr Wolfs
This family-run venue has a priority to champion the diverse music scene found in Bristol and the country as a whole. They book a variety of genres at this venue, including jazz, indie-pop, funk and rock’n’roll.
This is the top spot to head to if you fancy seeing something unique and a bit different to what you might usually find at indie music venues.
They also champion local musicians in the community by holding regular open mic and jam nights.
Head to this venue in order to broaden your horizons and expand your music tastes to the interesting, unique and exciting.
Crofters Rights
This venue specialises in three different things: music, beer and pizza. Already sounds good, right? This venue is a top spot for booking the latest bands doing interesting and creative things.
If you have varied tastes then this venue will be a great spot for you to head to. They book many different genres including, indie, folk, rock, metal, techno, house and more.
Delivering anything as long as it’s high quality, this is always a reliable and fun venue to head to. This is one of the coolest small indie music venues in Bristol.
SWX
This is one of the bigger venues on this list and is one of the leading indie venues in the entire South West. This venue hosts staples of the indie music genre.
It hosts both bands that are just starting to make real waves in the music scene, as well as iconic bands that have been on the circuit for years. If you have a favourite indie band, chances are they’re going to play here.
So, if you’re a fan of the indie music scene, especially the indie music festival scene, make sure to keep an eye on this venue.
Check Out Thee Oh Sees At SWX
Check out this video of Thee Oh Sees At The SWX. This iconic band are the kind of thing you could be seeing at this mid-size venue.
The Jam Jar
This venue is the kind of grassroots community project that reflects the true heart of Bristol concert venues. Once a derelict warehouse, The Jam Jar was taken to a full-blown venue through the results of crowdfunding, volunteers and years of hard work.
Now it exists as a central spot in Bristol for all kinds of grassroots projects, and a venue for unique and creative projects from all across the world.
If you want to involve yourself in a community action venue focused on creativity and benefitting the local arts scene at large then this is the spot for you.
Conclusion
That concluded my guide to the best small indie music venues in Bristol. As you can see, this city is a hub for indie, grassroots and unique music and entertainment, with tons to offer in regard to Bristol concert venues.
While there is plenty of hype for indie music venues in London, it is clear to see that Bristol is the true underground king for music lovers. This city is a dream come true for any music and you should definitely make sure to check it out.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you back here again soon.
Ta-ta for now! x
