23 things to do in Bristol this week, May 2-8 2022

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Monday: City Nature Challenge, Bristol & Bath
Join the epic, global wildlife count taking place 1st and 2nd May in Bristol and Bath! Record as much wildlife in your local area as possible using the iNaturalist app to help conservation efforts. Every sighting informs plans for tackling the ecological emergency in the region.
www.bnhc.org.uk/city-nature-challenge/

The City Nature Challenge is a way for communities to help aid conservation efforts in their local area | Photo: Natural History Consortium

Monday: After Schooo Club Presents: Messy Chess, The Canteen
The Canteen hosts its bank holiday celebrations with an open day of chess and music. Expect a tense atmosphere with the chess, paired with the light-hearted sounds of bebop, jazz and funk, courtesy of DJ London Hippy.
www.canteenbristol.co.uk/live-music/#events/e74621 

The After Schooo Club host a bank holiday chess session at the Canteen – image: Clownspitzz

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Tuesday: sir Was, Exchange
Swedish musician sir Was makes meditative, shimmering grooves imbued with raw, warm humanity.
wwwbristolbeacon.org/whats-on/sir-was/

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Monday-June 19: Me, Myself, I: Artists’ Self Portraits
Me, Myself, I: Artists’ Self-Portraits is the RWA’s landmark reopening exhibition taking place in May – June. Featuring work by major artists the exhibition provides historical context to today’s selfie culture through an exploration of self-portraiture over 300 years. Taking place in the newly transformed gallery spaces this is a must-see!
www.rwa.org.uk/products/me-myself-i-artists-self-portraits?

The exhibit showcases self portraits from top portrait artists old and new – photo: John Hammond

Tuesday: Bristol24/7 mayoral referendum Twitter Space
Ahead of Thursday’s referendum, Bristol24/7 will host a Twitter Space at 7pm on Tuesday to hear all sides of the argument on whether Bristol should keep the current mayoral model or move to a committee system.

https://twitter.com/bristol247/status/1519790841149202442

Tuesday: Saffron Artist Showcase, Strange Brew
The culmination of a six-month project, Saffron Records hosts five emerging Bristol-based music producers who have each crafted a track inspired by different areas of the city, and will be performing live sets throughout the evening.
www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/#date=2022-05-03&event_id=74418 

The five producers have been working closely with Saffron Records for the past six months – photo: Jade Ayino

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Tuesday-Saturday: BMCC Presents: Rent, Redgrave Theatre
Bristol Musical Comedy Club returns to the Redgrave Theatre in May 2022 with the iconic RENT! The rock musical phenomenon that defined a generation and paved the way for all contemporary musicals that followed. Rent has book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, whose talents you may recognise from the recent Netflix film ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’.
www.redgravetheatre.com/event/2022/05/bmcc-presents-rent/1254/

Redgrave Theatre hosts the Bristol Musical Comedy Club’s production of rent this week

Wednesday: Brunswick Gatherings #2, The Lightship Boathouse
The second instalment of the Cabot Cruising Club’s bi-monthly social aboard the John Sebastian lightship invites down a variety of art collectives and groups, from drawing group Lonely Flowers Club to Noods Radio, for an evening of music, chat and art.
www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/#date=2022-05-04&event_id=74412 

The Lightship hosts the second edition of the Brunswick collective’s social – photo: John Sebastian Lightship

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Thursday-Sunday: Bristol New Music 2022, various venues
This citywide festival of contemporary music and sound returns for its fourth edition, with four days of commissioned works, sonic responses to rarely used spaces, landmark concert hall performances, workshops, film and club nights. From the opening concert, co-commissioned by BNM, of an ensemble performance of new compositions by Mica Levi, to site-specific works including artist Kelly Jayne Jones’ intimate multimedia performance deep inside the vaults of Clifton Suspension Bridge and Ellen Arkbro performing a new organ piece on the renowned organ at St Mary Redcliff, the Bristol New Music programme will bring much to discover and delight.
www.bristolnewmusic.org

The Bristol contemporary music festival enters its fourth year | Photo: Bristol New Music

Thursday & Friday: Unbroken, Circomedia
The debut solo performance from physical theatre and circus artist Nikki Rummer, Unbroken is the personal story of a daughter at Christmas, as she unravels a secret from years past.
www.circomedia.com/unbroken

Friday: Spin The Wheel, Dareshack
New Bristol dance music collective Spin The Wheel team up with Dareshack, as they bring an evening of some of Bristol’s top emerging DJs for an incredibly varied night of electronic music.
www.ethertickets.com/Event/Details/muS5q35EYEK4M250CvWhwA

Rising events collective Spin The Wheel take to Dareshack this week – photo: GOSH

Friday: Kutamba, The Lansdown
Combining Zimbabwean influenced music in the Shona language with western influences, Kutamba aims to bring high energy world music to the new outdoor space the Lansdown.
www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/#date=2022-05-06&event_id=74502 

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Friday: First Friday, Watershed
First Friday is a free monthly social event at Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studio and online that is open to anyone. At this month’s event you can meet the team from Container Magazine, a magazine for new explorations of creative technology.
www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/11219/first-friday/

The popular monthly event returns to Watershed this Friday – photo: Watershed

Friday: RepresentAsian, Crofters Rights
After a sold out debut night, the RepresentAsian collective are back with another funky, bass driven evening, championing those from the South Asian community who are spearheading the dance music scene.
croftersrights.co.uk/events#events/e73970

It’s the second outing for the RepresentAsian collective – image: RepresentAsian

Saturday: Islandman, The Jam Jar
A Turkish musical trio, Islandman bring the Balearic, experimental downtempo vibes to the Jam Jar this weekend.
www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/#date=2022-05-07&event_id=71405 

Sunday: Who Killed The KLF?, The Cube
A rousing documentary about the often polarising electronic Duo, Who Killed the KLF? dives deep into the story of the group, their many legal battles owing to their looseness with copyright, and testimonies from those close to the group while they were at their peak.
www.cubecinema.com/programme/event/who-killed-the-klf,12415/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHiauQbOsl4

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Sunday: Testimonies: Queer Shorts + Q&A + Networking, Watershed
As part of their nationwide programme celebrating the work of Black British women and non-binary documentary filmmakers, We Are Parable and Aya Films are excited to present a programme of queer short documentaries in partnership with Bristol’s Blak Wave Productions.
www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/11238/testimonies-queer-shorts-qa-networking/

The programme aims to celebrate the work of black women and non-binary people – photo: Watershed

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Sunday: Lost Voice Guy: Cerebral LOLsy, Redgrave Theatre
Following the success of his sell out debut tour in 2019 – during which he performed at over 100 UK venues – Lee Ridley (aka Lost Voice Guy) is heading back out in the road in 2022 (post Lockdown!) to put a smile on the faces of people up and down the country once again.
www.redgravetheatre.com/event/2022/05/lost-voice-guy-cerebral-lolsy/900/

Lost Voice Guy brings his stand up act to Redgrave Theatre this Sunday – photo: Redgrave Theatre

And coming soon…

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May 26: Kim Gordon, Trinity Centre
Best known as vocalist, guitarist, and bassist of alt-rock group Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon has over 50 years in the industry. Vocalist, bassist, and visual artist, Gordon had a rare existence in the early punk scene, leading the way for radical feminists in music.
www.trinitybristol.org.uk/whats-on/2022/kim-gordon

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May 31: Abstract Orchestra play J Dilla, Trinity Centre
Abstract Orchestra return to Trinity with a big-band tribute to legendary hip-hop producer J Dilla. Making some of the most exciting music in hip hop, Abstract Orchestra use an 18-piece band to blend jazz orchestration with hip hop beats and MCs.
www.trinitybristol.org.uk/whats-on/2022/abstract-orchestra-play-j-dilla

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June 10-18: Festival of Nature, Bristol & Bath
The UK’s largest celebration of the natural world is back! Join an exciting week packed full of in-person, digital and hybrid events across the region, all aimed at helping people take action for nature.
www.bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature/

The week long celebration aims to get people excited and inspired by nature – photo: Natural History Consortium

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June 10: I See Myself? A Panel Discussion
Artist Shani Rhys James MBE and writer Jennifer Higgie will discuss self-portraiture and the role it has played for women artists over time in this inspiring panel discussion at the RWA. The conversation will be chaired by Me, Myself, I: Artists’ Self-Portraits exhibition curator Tessa Jackson OBE.
www.rwa.org.uk/products/women-self-portraitists-a-panel-discussion?

The panel will be discussing self portraits, and their role in the female art scene – photo: RWA

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June 22-27: Bristol Sounds, Lloyds Amphitheatre
Bristol’s much-loved open-air series of concerts returns to Canons Marsh Amphitheatre on Bristol’s harbourside from 22nd-27th June this year with an eclectic line-up of must-see artists including Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds, Paolo Nutini, Elbow, Jungle, First Aid Kit and The War on Drugs.

The ever popular central Bristol day festival returns for 2022 | Photo: Bristol Sounds

Main photo: Watershed

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