28 things to do in Bristol this week, October 30-November 5 2023

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Now-November 9: RWA Secret postcard auction, RWA
The RWA Secret Postcard Auction is back! This is an unmissable event in the RWA annual calendar, and a major fundraiser for us as a charity, the Secret Postcard Auction offers you the opportunity to make the winning bid on a famous, or soon-to-be-famous, postcard-sized work of art. This year’s contributors include Grayson Perry, Gilbert and George RA, Sir Richard Long RA RWA, Bob & Roberta Smith RA, Kaffe Fassett MBE, and Ana Maria Pacheco, with many more to be revealed soon. The auction will be hosted ONLINE from 28 October – 9 November 2023, with artworks available to view at the RWA from 4-9 November.

Secret Postcard Auction – photo: RWA

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October 30: Collage in the crypt workshop, The Mount Without
As part of The Mount Withouts in house Halloween series and in collaboration with Wolf Wines join local artist Libby Anderson (@libbyandercollage) for an evening of wine and collage making. Participants will have the opportunity to spend hours at play and create their own pieces of art.

Collage in the crypt workshop – photo: The Mount Without

Monday-Wednesday: Watch Me Die, Loco Klub
A one-woman show takes to the tunnels under the train station. Telling the story of our social media obsessed lives and exploring the theme of ‘online shaming’ aka cancel culture, A dead woman invites all of her online trolls to her funeral.

 

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Monday-Thursday: 20,000 Species of bees, Watershed
Estibaliz Urresola’s delicate debut feature 20,000 Species of Bees – for which its young star Sofiìa Otero won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at 2022’s Berlin Film Festival – is a tender, heartfelt drama about an eight-year-old’s unforgettable summer holiday of self-discovery.

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Monday-Sunday: From Our Perspective, RWA
Don’t miss our wonderful exhibition From Our Perspective, closing on Sunday 5 November. Showcasing artwork made by the incredible children and young people attending the RWA Happy Mondays programme; a series of sensory, explorative workshops for families with children with SEN+D. These workshops were often reactive and co-designed with the young people, adapting to their learning needs and interests, as well as responding to the gallery exhibitions and RWA Handling Collection being taken offsite.

From our perspective – photo: RWA

Until February 18 2024: Elias Sime: Eregata እርጋታ, Arnolfini
The Ethiopian visual artist kicks off Arnolfini’s autumn season with a solo exhibition, covering Arnolfini’s gallery space with floor to ceiling textural fabric and ceramic works, recycled electronics, and other materials exploring our relationship with communication, technology and other man made networks.

 

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Wednesday: Radical Film Festival launch night, The Cube
While the two-day festival doesn’t take place until the weekend, the Cube are launching this year’s Radical Film Festival with a book launch and panel discussion. The book explores how societies facing struggles use digital media and various other art to aid their turmoil, and the following discussion will delve into similar issues in further detail.

Bristol Radical Film Festival launch night – photo: The Cube/Bristol Radical Film Festival

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Thursday: Preview: How to Have Sex, Watershed
Molly Manning Walker’s startlingly frank and stylish UK debut is about a wild teen holiday gone awry, and tackles thorny issues of coercion and consent head on. Join us after the screening for a special Q&A with director Molly Manning Walker. How to Have Sex opens at Watershed on Fri 3 Nov.

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Thursday: Rachel Fairburn: Showgirl, Hen & Chicken
Rachel Fairburn (“Very much the rock’n’roll star of British comedy”- Rolling Stone) – (“Fairburn delivers…with sadistic glee” – Guardian) – (“Mouth Almighty” – her friends) is back with a brand-new tour for 2023. She’ll be casting her acerbic eye over everything from your children to her pretentious new alcohol-free life (accurate at time of writing). She’s worried though. Has she mellowed a bit? She carries a lucky crystal now. Catch her before she disappears to the countryside with only joss sticks and taxidermy for company.

Co-host of International smash hit podcast All Killa No Filla and as seen on Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave), Richard Osman’s House of Games (BBC) and Russell Howard Hour Life Lesson (Sky)

“Gag-heavy, opinionated and smart” Funny Women

“Huge presence in a pint-sized frame“ Chortle

“Bright, brave and bitterly enjoyable“ The Skinny

Rachel Fairburn – photo: The Comedy Box

Thursday: Try out wheel throwing, The Pot Project
If you’ve always wanted to try out pottery wheel throwing, but have maybe been too intimidated or have never had the option, look no further. Montpelier’s the Pot Project promises an open opportunity to have a stab at the art, even if you’ve never tried it before.

Pot Project pot throwing workshop – photo: Yuup

Friday: DJ Stingray 313, Strange Brew
One of the founding fathers of gritty, no holds barred Detroit electro crosses the pond for an incredibly special, intimate set in Strange Brew’s hedonistic back room. Expect everything from groovy techno to breakneck speed, sexual electro – and with support from Danielle, you’ll want to be there from when the doors open.

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Friday: In:Motion x Percolate: Mella Dee, Moxie B2B Shanti Celeste & O’Flynn, Motion
With a love for wobbly, wonky sounds and an audio palette from warehouse parties worldwide, Mella Dee brings the sounds of hardcore, house, techno & everything in between to Motion this November. Joining him is the seasoned Ninja Tune artist O’Flynn, a staple in the British electronic dance scene since his 2015 debut. Plus, we’ve got a double treat from the iconic S.A.S.S supergroup – Bristol’s own legend and Peach Discs founder, Shanti Celeste, alongside beloved NTS radio host, Moxie for a special b2b session.

Motion x percolate – photo: Kolab Studios

Saturday: Dom Laka and band, The Jam Jar
One of the pioneers of Kwaito – a South African jazz inspired music genre/life philosophy, Dom Laka is more than a household name in his home country. He celebrates 50 years of the musical style with an extra special performance at the St Jude’s venue.

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Saturday: In:Motion: Solardo, Motion
After a sell-out event back in February 2022, Solardo return to Bristol for another headline show as part of Motion’s flagship event series, In:Motion. The prolific duo’s meteoric rise is testament to their hard work in the studio and their infectious energy in the club. They are set to be joined by tech house talents Mason Maynard, Murphy’s Law and GIA for what will be an unmissable night of house music.

Solardo – photo: Kolab Studios

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Saturday: Stand up for the weekend with Jimmy McGhie and guests, Hen & Chicken
Highly acclaimed stand-up Jimmy McGhie performs all over the world when the world is behaving normally!

He is “a brilliant talent” (The Scotsman) and with “an easy charm and appealing relaxed manner” (Chortle), he has performed ten solo shows at festivals globally including the Edinburgh Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe, Sydney Comedy Festival, Perth Comedy Festival and New Zealand International Comedy festival.

He is now a top circuit act in the UK, as well as a highly sought after corporate awards host and TV warm up artist. He regularly provides the studio warm up for BBC1’s Graham Norton Show and ITV’s Loose Women.

Chortle: “Exquisitely done, with a compelling, simmering fury… impressive”

Jimmy McGhie and guests – photo: The Comedy Box

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Saturday: Spirit of the South West Festival, Spirited North St
The first-ever Spirit of the South West festival will celebrate the people, places and produce of Bristol and the surrounding area. For one day only, over a dozen exciting distilleries will come together to showcase their delicious spirits and engaging stories.

Spirit of the South West festival – photo: Spirited

Sunday: Creative foraging: Medicinal mushrooms & drawing, Snuff Mills
The final session in a trilogy of foraging workshops from the team behind Cafe Kino’s life drawing workshops. Each session differs entirely from the last, so there’s no need to have been to any of the previous ones. This one focuses on identifying and drawing the medical mushrooms that exist under our noses every day.

The workshop will aim to teach you about the many medicinal mushrooms that are present right under our noses – photo: Martin Booth

And coming soon…

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November 7: Matthew and the Atlas, The Mount Without
Matthew Hegarty (Matthew and the Atlas) has traversed a range of musical territories from classic acoustic folk, to dramatic synth-laden electronica, and urgent guitar led alt-rock. The common thread has been a songwriting style that marries a subtle melodic sensibility with lyrics full of natural imagery and dark emotional heft – all delivered in his striking and distinctive vocal. In the process Hegarty has quietly built a major cult following in Europe and the US. His new album This Place We Live is out in Autumn 2023 on Communion Records.

Matthew at the Atlas – photo: Bristol Beacon

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November 8: Viva Vivaldi by candlelight, St George’s
St George’s is transformed into a candlelight auditorium taking us back to the Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Pieta in Venice where Antonio Vivaldi worked and performed many of his compositions.

200 candles will adorn the stage and the Bristol Ensemble along with the Fitzhardinge Consort will perform some of Vivaldi’s greatest works including the stunning Dixit Dominus and concertos for Sopranino Recorder, Two Cellos, Two Trumpets and of course Autumn from the Four Seasons.

Viva Vivaldi by candlelight – photo: Bristol Ensemble

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November 10-12: Asian Arts Agency presents New Soundz Festival, Arnolfini
This event will be the first chance for audiences to experience contemporary music from the South Asian diaspora featuring beatboxer, Jason Singh, sitar virtuoso Roopa Panesar and sarod player and composer, Soumik Datta alongside immersive experiences, talks and workshops in the lead up to Diwali 2023.

New Sounds Festival – photo: Asian Arts Agency

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November 12: Miracles – James Phelan, Redgrave Theatre
A completely brand new, five star rated magic show – presented by the star of The Greatest Magician, James Phelan. Following 5 completely sold out nights of his show The Greatest Magician, James Phelan returns with an all new magic show that will leave you spellbound.

Miracles – photo: Redgrave Theatre

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November 13: A night of comedy with grief encounter, Redgrave Theatre
Get ready for a night of fun and laughter to raise funds for bereaved children and their families.Grief Encounter is hosting its first ever comedy night in Bristol, at The Redgrave Theatre, Bristol. Join us on Monday, 13th November, in aid of bereaved children and young people, to laugh, remember and raise vital funds.

A night of comedy with grief encounter – photo: Redgrave Theatre

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November 15: Festival of Economics: The social cost of a failing childcare system, Watershed
As the nation’s childcare needs evolve, so too do the pressures facing nurseries, playgroups, childminders and other childcare settings – with long-term consequences for families and the labour force. This panel discussion brings together those at the frontline of policy study and development.

The social cost of a failing childcare system – photo: Bristol Ideas

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November 15: Henleaze Concert Society: Romantic Nights, Trinity Henleaze URC
For this second concert of our season, come and enjoy two of Rachmaninov’s cherished works performed by the Bristol Ensemble and soloist Paul Israel:

• Rachmaninov- Piano Concerto No.2 (arr. Iain Farrington)
• Rachmaninov- Symphonic Dances (arr. Iain Farrington)

Romantic nights – photo: Henleaze Concert Society

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November 16: Festival of Economics: How do we build a future where everyone has a home?, Watershed
With the ever-increasing demand for housing, how do we build enough homes sustainably and quickly? Carol Lewis, property editor of The Times and The Sunday Times, chairs this Festival of Economics panel discussion on the future of housing, with economist Kate Barker and academics Ed Atkins and Henry Overman.

How do we build a future where everyone has a home – photo: Bristol Ideas

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November 30: Trip The Light Fantastic, Bristol Beacon
Witness a space reborn as sound and light collide in spectacular fashion in Trip the Light Fantastic. Produced by Paraorchestra in collaboration with Surgeons Girl, Charles Hazlewood, and Limbic Cinema, this extraordinary experience has been specially commissioned by Bristol Beacon to reconnect us to this newly-transformed space. Two of Bristol’s own – the pioneering Paraorchestra and celebrated electronic composer Surgeons Girl – create electro-orchestral alchemy with a dynamic visual response from AV experts at Limbic Cinema for this landmark opening night. This concert experience will be opened by a new commission from Paraorchestra composer Xia Leon Sloane, Prelude to a Beginning, a sensual and spatial work which will showcase the full extent of Bristol Beacon’s new astonishing natural acoustic. Join us and celebrate this radiant new beginning together – limited availability remains.

Trip The Light Fantastic – photo: Bristol Beacon

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December 21: Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, St George’s
In this 30-minute festive special from Aardman, Shaun – the world’s favourite sheep – stars in his very own winter’s tale, accompanied by Bristol Ensemble.

Shaun’s Christmas excitement turns to dismay when a plan to get bigger stockings for the Flock leads to Timmy going missing. Can Shaun get Timmy back before he becomes someone else’s present?

Prepare for an explosive, high-wire ending as everyone learns the true value of Christmas!

The performance also includes a montage looking back at Shaun the Sheep’s origins in ‘Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave’ up to his present day antics.

Kat Kleve joins the Bristol Ensemble to present this Christmas special which will include Christmas favourites such as Jingle Bells, Sleigh Ride and Dreaming of a White Christmas.

The Flight Before Christmas – photo: Bristol Ensemble

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January 20: Henleaze Concert Society: Mozart & Mendelssohn, Trinity Henleaze URC
Come and enjoy with us two great works performed by the Bristol Ensemble:

• Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A K.581
• Mendelssohn Octet in E flat major Op.20

Mendelssohn’s piece is beautifully uplifting, and Mozart’s is one of the most sublime and well-loved works in the chamber music repertoire for its exquisitely crafted melodic lines.

Mozart and Mendelssohn – photo: Henleaze Concert Society

Main photo: Motion/Kolab Studios

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• The multi-genre show where drag, gender and quantum physics collide
• Local couple fundraising to turn last remaining pub into new community hub
• New artist-led community pottery studio

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