
People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Conal Dodds
Music promoter Conal Dodds is the co-founder of Crosstown Concerts. Within 18 months of forming in 2016 they had staged more than 300 concerts, from tiny clubs to open air festivals. Massive Attack on the Downs was the company’s first open air show, with Crosstown the promoters of this year’s Downs Festival on September 1 headlined by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Paul Weller.
Here are Conal’ top-five Bristol favourites:
The Louisiana
is needed now More than ever
“I’ve been promoting new talent at the Louisiana for nearly 20 years and I love the place. Gianni, Mary and Mig are wonderful people and fabulously welcoming hosts to all the bands that play there. The Strokes, White Stripes, Amy Winehouse; everyone who is anyone has played at the Louisiana.”
The Grace
“I live near Gloucester Road so probably frequent the Grace and the Gallimaufry more than anywhere (on a rare night when I’m not promoting a show). Though I do have a soft spot for the Three Tuns in town too: great beer.”
Woodes
“Woodes on Park Street is my favourite cafe in Bristol. It’s where I go most days to buy lunch.”
Bristol’s green spaces
“We have a dog so we go mostly to the Downs, Leigh Woods or Ashton Court. We are so lucky in Bristol to have these amazing green spaces so close to the city.”
The acoustics of Cabot Circus
“If you go to the bottom level of the covered shopping area in Cabot Circus on a quiet day, stand in the middle of the floor and clap your hands the echo bounces around the ceiling for ages. I love it, especially as it embarrasses my teenagers when I do it!”
Main photo by Martin Thompson