People / My Bristol Favourites
My Bristol Favourites: Gardna
From MC to songwriter, host to promoter, Gardna calls himself as “lifelong good vibes ambassador”, with his music fusing dub, grime and dancehall.
His new album, Time & Space, is released in June, with a UK tour stopping off at the Thekla on April 14.
The album features collaborations with the likes of Omar, Hollie Cook and Eva Lazarus, and is produced by Brad Baloo from The Nextmen, with beat contributions from Kreed and Mungo’s Hi Fi.
is needed now More than ever
These are Gardna’s top-five Bristol favourites:
Thekla
Thekla was built in Germany in 1958 and was originally a cargo ship carrying timber – photo: Martin Booth
“Bristol’s favourite party boat. The first time I ever stepped foot on this ship, I was a nervous 15-year-old who somehow managed to blag a support slot warming up for the mighty Akala. Fast forward ten years and it seems that all that pestering the venue with dodgy mixtape CDs I’d burnt on a desktop at home has worked out for me as it’s now the home to my regular Good Times dances. I love putting on parties here and I’m doing my headline Time & Space album show here on Thursday, April 14.”
Blockwork
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbPVWpOMWTI/
“I have to big up my barber right now. Shouts to Big Phil and all of the team at Blockwork who do the most for those partial to a regular freshen up. An offspring of the legendary spot Harry Blades & Angry Daves on Christmas Steps, Blockwork now has two locations one on Park Street, and also my local on Stokes Croft. Good people, exceptional chat and even better skin fades. These guys are busy for a reason; book in advance.”
SWU.FM
“If you want to listen to what’s going on at the beating heart of Bristol’s underground music scene, SWU FM is the station for you. I can’t get enough of this radio station, there’s always a lot happening in the city musically and here’s where you can hear it first. I have a monthly show on SWU showcasing music from across the spectrum of sound system music. Go check it out!”
Danny’s Burgers
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbvasFqsyrn/
“It’s no secret – I love eating out. The Bristol food scene is simply incredible. So many names to mention right now but I wanted to shine a light on my boy Danny. Go check out his pop-ups in various breweries across town and get stuck in to his burger.”
The Pipe & Slippers
For Gardna, the Pipe & Slippers serves Bristol’s best roast – photo: Martin Booth
“Hands down, best roast in the city. It absolutely slaps, and for that reason we have crowned this establishment the Pipe & Slappers. Decent boozer, home to the legendary Pipe Dream, and where else can you catch a secret GutterFunk party with the likes of Randall, Dismantle, DJ Die and Addison Groove on a Thursday night? The Pipe & Slippers is a great boozer.”
Main photo: Khali Ackford
Read more: Gardna: ‘I’m all about collaborating, it’s very important for my musical process’
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