The 365Bristol Music Festival Calendar 2018
Posted on: 17 Jan 2018Bristol's diverse music scene is renowned across the country, with a range of great events, venues and artists that few other UK cities can rival. With all of the city's best-loved events returning in 2018, such as Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival and Love Saves The Day, as well as the welcome return of St Paul's Carnival for its 50th anniversary event, Bristolians are spoilt for choice when it comes to live music this year. Below is a rundown of some of the top music festivals in Bristol in 2018.
Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival - 15th-18th March
Bristol's premiere Jazz & Blues festival is loved up and down the country, drawing artists from across the world to perform at Colston Hall and the O2 Academy. The festival was recently featured on The Guardian's 'Unmissable Culture of 2018' list, and boasts a huge lineup this year including the likes of Incognito feat. Carleen Anderson, Matt Schofield and the Electric Lady Big Bnd. As well as live performances, festival goers can also attend Jazz masterclasses from Ian Shaw, Pee Wee Ellis and more. Tickets for each event across the three days of the Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival are sold individually. Take a look at the festival's lineup for more information and to grab a ticket for your favourite artist.
Rave on Avon - 19th May
Loved by new and returning students, Rave on Avon is the perfect yearly showcase of Bristol's bustling underground dance music scene. Renowned for its soundsystem culture, the city opens the doors of some of its favourite clubs for the one-day festival that sees events taking place at various venues throughout the day. The Love Inn, The Island, Lakota, Blue Mountain, Crofter's Rights and many more get involved, hosting day parties, barbecues and more right through to the early hours of the following day. Attendees can buy a wristband for a one-off price, granting them entry to all events on the day. Details for this year's edition of Rave on Avon are yet to be released, but you can check out Brisfest on Facebook to follow updates.
Dot To Dot Festival - Saturday 26th May
Dot to Dot Festival has established itself as a driving force in the exposure of upcoming UK artists over the years since its inception in Nottingham in 2005. The festival has expanded to one-day events in three UK cities over the course of three days, with the Bristol event taking place on Saturday 26th May. Past acts include the likes of The XX, Ed Sheeran and Florence and the Machine, with lineups full to the brim with British talent. The 2018 lineup is yet to be released, but expect a great range of acts performing at some of the city's top venues such as Thekla, The Fleece and the O2 Academy. Tickets start at just £13 - a huge bargain given the scale of the festival and the talent on offer.
Love Saves The Day - Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th May
Back in 2018 for a seventh edition of the festival, Love Saves The Day has gone from strength to strength since starting out as a one-day event back in 2012. The eclectic two-day sepctacular has announced Fatboy Slim and Sampha as the two headline acts for this year, with the rest of the lineup yet to be unveiled. If previous years are anything to go by, with Fat Freddy's Drop, Dizzee Rascal, Loyle Carner and many more acclaimed artists having graced the stages in the past, you can rest assured that the LSTD team will provide you with a huge lineup guaranteed to keep you dancing throughout the weekend. Check out the LSTD website to follow lineup announcements.
Let's Rock Bristol - Saturday 2nd June
Let's Rock is returning to Bristol in June this year, at their new home on The Downs. The one-day event, boasting The Human League, Billy Ocean, Tony Hadley and more on the lineup in 2018, has been leading the way in quality, family-friendly music festivals since starting out in 2009. As well as an impressive live music lineup, Let's Rock Bristol has a great range of food and drink on offer throughout the day, with Mexican, Indian, Barbecue, Chinese and more available on site, and bars situated around the festival. With tickets now selling on the Third Tier, prices range from £42 to £55 for the whole day. For more information or to book your tickets, visit the festival's website.
Bristol Harbour Festival - 20th-22nd July
There are few events in the UK that really make the most of their surroundings like Bristol's Harbour Festival does. With some cracking venues like Thekla and The Louisiana, brilliant bars like The Grain Barge and The Stable, and an array of fantastic food, the harbourside has really got it all. Add to that a varied lineup of accomplished artists from numerous genres, and you're on to a winner. Last year's festival saw the 20-piece Outlook Orchestra bring their spectacular big-band performance to the Harbour, as well as sets from Roots Manuva, Loyle Carner and more. As well as the assurance of some great live music, the Harbour Festival makes the most of the Arnolfini, hosting exhibitions and shows, and sees convoys of boats and ships sail along the river. Details on this year's festivals are limited at the time of writing, but keep an eye on the Harbour Festival website for more updates.
St Paul's Carnival - 7th July
Not strictly a music festival but featuring some of the best grassroots music in the city, St Pauls Carnival returns in 2018 for its 50th anniversary since the first carnival in 1968. This iconic Bristol event represents the best of Afro-Caribbean culture, as well as the diversity, creativity and vibrancy of its home city. The event was cancelled in 2015, but is making a much-anticipated return this year thanks to the hard work of new organisers and renewed support from the Council's Arts Funding prorgramme. As well as music, expect a huge parade, community workshops, dance and more. Follow the carnival's Facebook page for continuing updates.
Tokyo World - Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd September
Tokyo World has cemented its place as a Bristol favourite among students, with new arrivals and returning students making up most of the 20,000-strong crowd at Eastville Park every year. Organisers expanded the festival into a two-day event last year, with over 100 artists expected to perform in 2018. Another huge crowd is expected at Tokyo World this year, as the festival showcases some of the world's best dance music across six stages, with enough variety to cater for a huge range of musical taste. Running from midday to 10pm on each day, the festival also organises official after-parties at Motion, meaning you're not left wanting when the lights come up at the end of the day. Acts for 2018 are yet to be announced - check out the Tokyo World Facebook page to follow updates.
The Downs Festival - Saturday 1st September
Regarded by many as Bristol's biggest music festival, The Downs Festival 2017 saw Elbow, Seasick Steve and De La Soul top a massive lineup that also saw Mike Skinner, Groove Armada, Bristol's own Roni Size and many more grace the stages. The one-day event, despite only running since 2016 is already loved by Bristolians and keeps huge numbers of people coming back for more stellar lineups in the amazing surroundings of the Clifton Downs. It's early days yet so details for the 2018 edition are scarce, but you can be sure that the organisers - the same team behind the equally successful Love Saves The Day Festival - have got something big in store this year.
Simple Things Festival - Date TBA
Another Bristol festival taking places at various venues throughout the city, Simple Things brings an unrivalled variety of artists to the city to perform at some of Bristol's favourite venues. With an impressive mix of established and upcoming artists, last year's Simple Things saw Leftfield, Omar Souleyman, Daphni and more take to the stages of 17 clubs and bars to deliver an array of eclectic techno, RnB, punk rock and more. Details for the 2018 edition of the festival - including the date - are yet to be released, so stand by for more information on their Facebook page. In the mean time, the organisers put are known to put together one-off events in between each edition of Simple Things, with Fatima Yamaha at Motion the most notable of the upcoming shows.
Have we missed any Bristol-based music festivals from this list? Let us know! Contact us directly through our website, or send us a message on Facebook.
Article by:
Editor - 365Bristol.com & LOUD Magazine
Matt is a Journalism graduate and writer, passionate about supporting Bristol music, art and independent business. Get in touch via email at matt@365bristol.com.
