Student Bands: a fresher's guide

By Florence Grimes, Second Year Sociology

Practising all alone in your room doesn’t have the same appeal now that there’s a whole world out there to explore, so how will you keep your passion for playing alive, while cultivating your exciting new social life? Join a band I say!

If the prospect of bandmates who will inevitably become your best friends, the applause you will conjure, and that post-gig rush don’t appeal to you, I bet that open mic free pint will. Stick with me as I guide you through the best spots to rehearse, play, and find your bandmates in Bristol.

Finding your bandmates

The most convenient place to find your bandmates is in your accommodation, so you can pester them with all your ideas 24/7. Start by asking around your flat and others nearby for potential partners in crime that could make up a band. If that approach brings you no luck, make some flyers and stick them up around your accommodation or in the Student Union’s practice rooms.

Another place you can look is the abundance of music-related societies within the University. From rock to rap to folk, or even big band, there’s something out there for everyone. If you’re partial to something with a little more soul, have a look at the Jazz Funk Soul society, they do regular jams at Mr Wolfs on a Tuesday night, and they get the dancefloor moving!

Epigram spoke to Gig Society's events manager Oskar to shed some light on the opportunities their society provides for new bands. The society has experienced soaring success facilitated by the new committee’s rebrand and dedication, fostering a wonderful following of music lovers.

Oskar stressed to Epigram that finding the right people to play with is essential: ‘It’s really important you gel... it makes it so much easier to work creatively together’. The society’s weekly socials at The Apple are a great place to look, with a plethora of musicians spanning many genres attending; the conversation is great and so are the collaborative opportunities.

With multiple bands already formed from the socials, Oskar commented that Gig Society is a ‘Petri dish for musical collaboration’. Head down to The Apple on Monday nights from 7-11pm to check out the atmosphere for yourself!

Where to rehearse

After you’ve found your bandmates, you’ll need somewhere to rehearse. Considering the typical student budget, you can save your money for Spoons by practising in the free rooms provided by the university. If you live in North Village, check out the practice rooms in Wills, Durdham, and Badock: the equipment is possibly shabby but the rooms are nearby and often available!

If it’s just a piano that you’re after, the dining hall at Hiatt Baker has a charming grand piano waiting just for you. Lastly, if the Student Union is closer to you, check out the SU booking site, and book a practice room in the Richmond building.

If you’re ready and willing to splash the cash, Dockside Studios boasts both a great location in the centre of the city, and great affordable pricing. Once you’ve selected your band base, organise a time to practise regularly and polish those tunes. Of course, you can’t start playing without a band name, so this should be next on your priority list.

Where to play

Now that you have a of couple tunes and a name under your belt, debuting at an open mic is a fun way to start performing without too much pressure. Open mics in Bristol are plentiful and host loads of great live music. Tell some friends to come down and support your band to witness the unfolding of your musical journey.

Some great open mic venues include Mr Wolfs, The Gallimaufry, and The Grain Barge; you can check out a more comprehensive list of open mics here. Once you’ve built up your confidence, approaching venues such as The Louisiana, The Fleece, and The Lanes for supporting slots is a great next step.

Gig Society offers several great resources and opportunities for new and upcoming bands. There is a spreadsheet accessible via their WhatsApp group where events manager Oskar said you can add your details: what you play, contact info, and artists you like. This means you can advertise yourself to existing bands, or even search for bandmates of your own.

In terms of performing opportunities, the society has just launched ‘GigSoc Presents’, which is a monthly gig hosted by Gig Society designed to ‘Showcase the best student and non-student bands’. Their events gather great support from the society (with the last event being sold out) and are a wonderful platform to connect artists and audiences.

You can apply to play through this link, all genres are welcome and Oskar added that if you do get chosen to play one of their monthly gigs, original songs are preferred and sets generally last 20-30 minutes per act.

Gig Society's President, Lucie, furthere emphasised when speaking to Epigram that ‘The genres we employ to perform at our gigs know no bounds! As a general rule – if you make music, we want to hear it’.

In terms of long term goals, end of year events like Winestock and Constitution Ball always book live music as entertainment throughout the night, so get in touch with JCR presidents about opportunities to play in the summer.

Now that you’re fully rehearsed, named, and equipped to burst onto Bristol’s lively music scene, it’s time to take your first steps towards joining legends such as Blur, Radiohead, and Pink Floyd as another great band that met at university.

I wish you the best of luck. Go forth, have fun, and play great music!