Alternative Student Nights Out in Bristol

Particularly in the heady rush of first year, it’s easy to get caught up in the clubbing routine – same nights, same places. Lounge, Panache, Po-Na-Na, Syndicate, occasionally a daring jaunt to Oceana for those who like sweaty chavs in polo shirts. For many, a night out is synonymous with a night on Whiteladies. But Bristol has far more to offer than identikit clubs playing “dancefloor classics” (Flo Rida, My Sex Is On Fire and the Baywatch theme, in that order). Let’s not forget that this is the city that spawned Massive Attack, Tricky and Portishead, to name but a few. If you’re a fresher, get out there and explore! These three years are the only period of your life where the government will help fund your nights out, why not make the most of it?

If you’re a second or third year, more work means your leisure time is increasingly precious, so why spend it doing exactly what you did last year? A trip to Lounge is always a laugh, but there’s no way you’ll remember it in a month’s time. Pretty soon it becomes a blur of sweat, sore feet and some truly embarrassing pictures. Sure it may be your traditional night out, but traditions aren’t always a good thing. Strict pre-marital celibacy, the divine right of kings and human sacrifice were traditions once, but have now been cheerfully abandoned in all but the most rural areas. Dare to be different! A night off the beaten track for the older amongst us has the additional benefit of getting you away from all those freshers. Nothing makes you feel old faster than a crowd of UV-painted teenagers chanting “down it fresher!”, while you mumble “make it a single, I’ve got a deadline tomorrow”.

So, what exactly does Bristol have to offer? Most famously, we’re the UK’s second city of dubstep (London taking the top spot), which ought to be reason enough to throw on those old but oh-so-comfortable trainers, head down to Lakota and let the bass shake you until your teeth fall out. Lakota also hosts the excellent Itchy Feet night, which boasts jazz, blues and more swing than your granddad’s testicles.

If that sounds appealing, you should head down to King Street and visit the Old Duke, an internationally renowned jazz venue with live bands every evening (plus Sunday lunchtimes). Eddie Martin hosts open mic night every Wednesday for those of a musical bent. Live music is one of the city’s strong points, you can find classical performances at Colston Hall, or black metal at the Cavern in St. Nick’s Market, as well as everything in between. One of the best venues is Mr. Wolf’s on St. Stephens Street, which has bands every night and serves noodles and more until 1am. Just round the corner, Start The Bus is a costlier alternative but often hosts up-and-coming acts, for your last chance to say “I was into them before they were famous”. For a quieter evening, Cosies in Portland Square hosts Reggae Sunday every (you guessed it) Sunday evening, which is brilliant if you feel like something a bit gentler before Monday lectures. Entry is around £2, and there’s usually a range of Caribbean food (including an amazing goat curry) on sale until late in the evening.

If you’re hankering after a simple drink or three, try the White Lion in Clifton, which boasts a colossal heated beer terrace with fantastic views of the Avon gorge and suspension bridge. Prices are high, but it’s definitely worth a visit at night as the bridge looks stunning when illuminated. The Woods on Park Street is a must for its hunting lodge vibe and massive range of drinks, but again it’s a bit of a strain on the wallet. For somewhere equally characterful but a bit cheaper, the Grain Barge on Hotwells Road has a selection of Bristol ales, does good food, and it’s on a boat!  Just across the road, the Mardyke offers Wetherspoons pricing with the “real pub” atmosphere that Spoons tries and fails to imitate. Deserving of a special mention is the Mother’s Ruin in St. Nicholas’ Market, which offers cheap pitchers and an inventive range of shooters such as the Muddy Buttcrack, Ropey Old Hooker, and enticingly-named Blood In Your Piss.

Looking for something slightly more highbrow? The newly-renovated Old Vic theatre offers significant student discounts (tickets start around £6!) and a broad spectrum of productions. This means you can have a distinctly non-standard night out for the cost of a couple of drinks, and come away with an invaluable sense of cultural smugness. Alternatively, the Watershed Media Centre is an independent cinema showing a much wider range of films than you’ll find in any of the chain cinemas. Although it can seem a bit pretentious (about half of the trailers start with “Cannes Palme d’Or nominee…”), you know if it’s in the Watershed it’s probably worth seeing.

All of this is marvellous, of course, but sometimes all you want to do is go to a club and get good and sweaty. Fortunately, Bristol has one of the best club scenes in the country. For a truly great night, try Tube (Unity Street, opposite HSBC). Small but perfectly formed, with a max capacity of 150 it’s never going to have that big rave atmosphere but loads of comfortable seating and a homely ambiance give it a unique charm. Definitely one of the most interesting clubbing venues in Bristol. Basement 45 on Frogmore Street is good if you’re into D’nB, and is big enough for two rooms of sweaty fun. At the other end of the scale, Motion (Avon Street, BS2) is colossal. It’s a skate-park by day and boasts a massive main room, with a couple of smaller bars offering different tunes. It’s got the vibe of a big club like Syndicate, but much grittier and less chintzy. There are no glowing dancefloors here, just music and alcohol, and it’s all the better for it.

Some of the regular nights to watch out for are Itchy Feet (Jazz/Blues/Swing), Shit The Bed (Drum & Bass), both at Lakota, Phuct (Rock/Metal, free shot with every drink!) at Bierkellar on Fridays, and the venue-hopping Tribe Of Frog (Psytrance/Dub/Chillout).

I could go on. But the point is that there are a million great nights out waiting to happen in Bristol, and they’re often easier to find than you’d think. It’s all about getting out there, trying places, meeting people and having a brilliant time doing it.