What's On: March at O2 Academy

What's On: March at O2 Academy

Posted on: 04 Mar 2024

As one of the prime destinations for the biggest acts from the UK and abroad, O2 Academy is one of the city's most popular venues for students and Bristolians alike.

Punk pioneers, hip-hop heroes, and metal masters are all appearing at one of Bristol's biggest venues this month - with extraordinary gigs taking place between the 5th and 29th of March 2024.

Potter Payper - Filthy Free The Tour  | Tuesday 5 March

As early as 2010, Potter Payper was self-releasing mixtapes – and since then has rocketed to acclaim. With multiple chart-topping hits in the singles, albums and R&B charts, Potter Payper (now releasing through the legendary Def Jam’s UK arm) has been celebrated by outlets like Rolling Stone for his smooth flow, and lyricism grounded in “unflinching reality”.

Feeder | Friday 8 March 

Breakout stars of the 90s Britpop scene, Feeder are a special case amongst their contemporaries, having had continued relevance and success through the last 20 years – their 2019 album Tallulah debuted at number four on the charts. Now, they’re back again to showcase a brand new, massive double album; Black/Red.

Stiff Little Fingers | Wednesday 13 March 

Stiff Little Fingers are a near-mythic Irish punk band that have been rocking since the 70s. After a much-mourned breakup in 1983, SLF reformed in 1987 and have been recording and touring their unique brand of upbeat raw energy and unabashedly relevant lyrics since.

Excitingly, SLF will also be joined by a special guest: the legendary original Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, in an unmissable punk team-up.

The Pharcyde & Lords of the Underground | Thursday 14 March  

Another legend coming to the O2 this month are alternative old-school hip-hop superstars The Pharcyde. A unique west-coast voice giving an LA take on east-coast style Native Tongues and jazz rap, the Pharcyde have cemented their place in rap history with their inventive musicality and witty, tongue-in-cheek lyricism.

Joining the Pharcyde are also another golden-age hip-hop legend: Lords of the Underground – this isn’t a gig to miss for true hip-hop fans.

Lukas Graham | Friday 15 March 

This soulful, rhythmic Danish pop duo with multiple international platinum certifications have sold out tours across the world, and were nominated for three Grammys for their emotive single 7 Years – which was also nominated for Song of the Year at the BBC Music Awards.

Dragonforce & Amaranthe | Friday 22 March 

A powerful team-up of two titans of metal: Sweden’s shapeshifting triple-vocalist metal heavyweights Amaranthe, and the UK metal veterans DragonForce – originators of classic Guitar Hero challenge song Through The Fire and Flames (a classic example of the band’s inhumanly fast and face-melting guitar solos).

Protoje | Friday 29 March 

Raised by the Caribbean musical power couple of chart-topping 70s singer Lorna Bennett and calypso singer Mike Ollivierre, Protoje’s lineage is clear in his genre-shifting reggae hits.

Blending soul, jazz and hip-hop into the body of his reggae and dancehall, Protoje has consistently earned a place on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart with album after album – earning a Grammy nomination for his most recent, 2022 album Third Time’s The Charm.

To keep an eye on what else is coming up for the O2 Academy Bristol for the rest of 2024, stay tuned to 365Bristol's coverage each month - or head to the O2's website to see the full programme.

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Patrick Bate

Patrick is a filmmaker with so much Bristol in his blood the white blood cells are graffiti'd. Educated at the Northern Film School in Leeds, he’s returned home to be a Videographer and Reviewer for 365Bristol and BARBI. When he’s not messing about with cameras, he enjoys playing guitar, spending far too much time on tabletop RPGs, and being an awful snob about cider. Have a look at his work here, or get in touch at patrickb@365bristol.com.