News / Bristol festivals
Bristol best of 2015: Festivals
1. Simple Things
Various venues, Oct 25
As with any good festival we missed half of the acts we wanted to see, but this was a glorious gathering of the tribes. With 14 stages spread across the Academy, Colston Hall, The Island and Lakota this lovingly curated event offered everything from indie and punk to grime and techno.
Read the Bristol24/7 review
is needed now More than ever
2. Mayfest
Various venues, May 14-24
The thirteenth annual instalment of Bristol’s inimitable smorgasbord of adventurous performance was on typically fine form. Of note, in general election month, were the healthy crop of politically engaged shows –Chris Thorpe’s Confirmation, Chris Goode’s STAND and dance maestro Hofesh Shechter’s Mayfest debut with the explosive Political Mother.
3. In Between Time
Various venues, Feb 12-15
A genuinely international festival featuring live art and performances from across the globe but still including many Bristol artists. 2015’s commissions included Fog Bridge (above) and Patrick Wolf’s Tyntesfield gig – while Night Walks with Teenagers saw a group of local adolescents leading a twilit tour of Knowle West.
Read our interview with executive director Anna Rutherford
4. Temples
Motion, May 29-31
Who’d have thought hipster-infested Bristol would host such a hugely successful underground heavy music festival? For its second sell-out year, Temples once again took over Motion for three days of full metal racket. Proudly independent and sponsor-free, this friendliest of fests left hordes of happy, hairy punters deafened. Headliners Sunn O))) could be heard as far away as Temple Meads.
Read the Bristol24/7 review
5. Dot to Dot
Various venues, 22-24 May
Accessible and not hipper than thou, Dot to Dot is the festival to be at if you want to spot rising stars like Ed Sheeran, the XX (who once played upstairs at the Thekla to about 10 people), Laura Marling, Wild Beasts, Courtney Barnett and Wolf Alice before they start playing mega venues and hanging out with Taylor Swift.
Read the Bristol24/7 review