By Sophie Robinson, Third Year, Film and TV
Having been in Bristol for 2 years now, I feel as though I have a leg to stand on when I say there is a somewhat unspoken schedule of where you should go for a night out depending on the day of the week - unless I’m showing myself to be a creature of habit…
Importantly, this is not a complete and foolproof guide of how to spend your upcoming freshers week. I hope that those of you who are descending on Bristol for the first time have been caught up in some lovely holidays, or if you have lost a part of yourself to summer internships or part-time employment, that this is a reminder of your favourite nights out and a small showcase of what music is waiting for you.
Bristol is renowned for its vibrant and diverse music scene, but we’re all human, and sometimes the most human thing you can do is give in to the lure of The Triangle and enjoy a bit of cheesy pop (in a classy way, of course). The way I see it, anyway, is you’re probably going to end up in The Berkeley until close (01:00) and realise that you want to carry on the night, so why not get acquainted early with the likes of The Brass Pig, Daisy’s, Sixty-Six, and La Rocca?
Although it’s a lot to admit publicly, I’ve spent the most time at Brass Pig for their ‘Utopia Mondays’ event than any other day of the week. Here, you admire the décor (@overheardatu0b quotes on neon posters that you know are going to look phenomenal in your kitchen), spend your student finance on Jägerbombs from the shot girls, go head-to-head with your new flatmates in a game of Mario Kart upstairs, and take a dip in the infamous ball pit – all while being soundtracked by ‘Viva La Vida’ by Coldplay, and Sean Paul’s ‘Temperature.’ Keep an ear out for Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’, and then you know you’ve aced Brass Pig. It is up to you whether you want to step foot in the establishment again.
It must be said that as much as I paint a sour picture of BP, there is undeniably something about it that entices you back repeatedly until every night blurs into one. It doesn’t help that there is little variation in the playlist, but you might get lucky and they could honour your black screen, snapchat text request one night and you’ll feel on top of the world.
Triangle Tuesdays are a great way to spread the love and figure out a favourite without taking up too much time in your packed Freshers’ Week. With Brass Pig and Daisy’s playing cheesy pop day in, day out, perhaps you’d like to head over to Sixty-Six and indulge in a bit of funk/house/disco/pop for a change. But don’t fret, you’ll probably still hear Disclosure and Aluna George’s ‘White Noise.’
Alternatively, you can head into the city centre to Mr Wolf’s and enjoy an open-mic jam sesh from the Jazz Funk Soul Bristol student society. Get excited for a cover of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Valerie’ downstairs or brave the queue and have a boogie on the terrace upstairs to live vinyl mixes of ‘Never Too Much’ by Luther Vandross, ‘September’ by Earth, Wind & Fire, and ‘Play That Funky Music’ by Wild Cherry to name a few staples.
Thursday nights in Bristol are a contentious topic as you’ll quickly discover that there are two places to be that are worth your time. Whether I was going to Thekla or OMG became my biggest problem in first year and was a perfect lesson in compromise.
Once you’ve endured the long queue onto the Bristol landmark boat, Thekla, you can choose between the alternative/emo/rock tunes of My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and Linkin Park on ‘top deck,’ or head down to ‘bottom deck’ for the sound of indie classics, all supplied by Pressure.
As a bottom deck frequenter, at some point you are going to hear ‘My Number’ by Foals, Wet Leg’s ‘Chaise Longue,’ and more than likely Sombr’s ’12 to 12’ amongst loved Britpop classics and a sprinkling of The 1975 and Fontaines D.C. Don’t be surprised that once the clock strikes midnight and you’re belting out ‘Friday, I’m In Love’ by The Cure.
In contrast, OMG Thursdays provide the early 2000s pop classics. If you want Lady Gaga’s 2008 album ‘The Fame’ and Rihanna’s 2007 album ‘Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded’, you’ll want to make your way to the bottom of Park Street. When the music stops at roughly 01:00 for the iconic drag queen-run strip show for a chance to win a printer or air fryer, don’t be alarmed… the tunes will start up again shortly until 04:00.
Orin Carlin
La Rocca is a great choice if you want a bit of a say in what you’re listening to on the dance floor. Head to the back and speak to the man in the booth to write down your request on a post-it note. A word of advice: don’t be too extravagant with it – they still prefer the more pop-y kind of tunes, but they do love a bit of Jamiroquai!
Finally, if you have somehow made it to Saturday, you can relive Thekla Thursdays at The Fleece’s Propaganda night, or enjoy Thekla’s Pop Confessional. It is largely the same old pop anthems, but a particular treat is the Grease (1978) Medley.
Have fun, stay safe, and try not to lose your voice for the week one ice breakers!
Featured image: Epigram / Lucy Bevan
Where will you be heading this Freshers’ Week?
