Back to Business at The Island | LOUD Bristol Issue Four

Back to Business at The Island | LOUD Bristol Issue Four

Posted on: 22 Apr 2022

This article was first published in the fourth issue of LOUD Bristol, 365Bristol's dedicated music magazine. Read LOUD Bristol Issue Four and browse our first three editions here.

LOUD Bristol Issue Four

The Island

 

One of Bristol’s best-kept secrets is back in business. LOUD explores the inspiration for its atmospheric interior and finds out what the venue team have got planned for their first club season in two years   

 

Bristol is a city renowned for its music venues. From historic clubs like Lakota and the Trinity Centre to hidden gems such as Fiddlers and The Loco Klub, the city covers all the bases when it comes to nightlife. After the crushing impact of the pandemic, it’s been encouraging to see something of a renaissance period for Bristol’s club landscape, with a selection of new venues rising from the ashes of successive lockdowns. 

 

Strange Brew has opened in the heart of the city centre, the team behind Glastonbury’s Shangri-La have enjoyed a successful launch of their new venue, Lost Horizon, and the sprawling Propyard complex is set to announce itself with a busy musical programme this summer. 

 

Perhaps most excitingly, though, we’ve got our eyes on one central Bristol venue making a long-awaited comeback after two years in the wilderness. For years The Island has been a real hub for the city’s electronic music scene, hosting an array of hometown promoters as well attracting parties from further afield, and its Spring events programme is now well underway.

 

 

“This year we’re looking to bring in some new sounds. We feel like jungle, hardcore, bass and UK Garage would be such a good fit here, and there’s a great pool of talent out there in Bristol right now”

- Clara McDermott, The Island

 

The Island was originally modelled on the gritty, stripped-back clubs of Berlin, opened in 2013 and converted piece by piece from an old police headquarters into a fully-fledged underground venue. The space was “pretty weird, in a good way,” according to Lucie Akerman, who’s been involved in its operation from the beginning. “It was very lo-fi, very unusual and free in spirit with no identity. Things that happen when venues are at that stage are always exciting because there are still all these possibilities on the table – the future is yet to come.”

 

Perfectly suited to weighty, no-frills club music, The Island’s tight, close-quarters surroundings are affectingly atmospheric. Original cell doors, cold concrete flooring and narrow walkways combine in such a way that it could operate just as well as a haunted house attraction as it does a menacing club venue.

 

It’s seen some revered crews pass through over the years, too, from Pretty Pretty Good and Hypercolour to Bristol’s own French Kiss, Goodness and Timedance among many others. Now, Venue Manager Clara McDermott says the team are raring to go after a pandemic-induced hiatus, keen to re-establish The Island at the forefront of Bristol’s club scene. “We’re really conscious of getting the community back together,” she says, “inviting some top promoters and artists to help get that buzz back.”

 

Early signs have been good. After opening at the beginning of March with the return of esteemed party starters Emergency Room, The Island has showcased a broad spectrum of innovative electronic sounds in recent weeks. April will see another impressive selection of artists descend upon the cells spinning everything from house and techno to electro, jungle, trance and more.

 

The Island boasts one of the most atmospheric club spaces in Bristol, and has seen an array of revered artists and parties pass through over the years.The Island boasts one of the most atmospheric club spaces in Bristol, and has seen an array of revered artists and parties pass through over the years.

 

“Historically The Island has always been known for techno, because it just works so well in the space,” Clara says, “but this year we’re looking to bring in some new sounds. We feel like jungle, hardcore, bass and UK Garage would be such a good fit here, and there’s a great pool of talent out there in Bristol right now.”

 

Clara explains there were points during the pandemic where The Island’s survival was touch and go, that the venue was clouded in uncertainty for months on end while lockdown restrictions lingered. “We really did think we were gonna close for a second,” she recalls, but adds that lockdown restrictions did give her and the team extra time to implement positive changes ahead of an eventual reopening.

 

Since 2020 The Island has been involved with the Halt Harassment campaign to ensure cases of harassment, assault or spiking are dealt with appropriately, and the venue team have been on training and first aid courses to ensure they’re properly equipped to ensure the safety of all attendees. There’s also a renewed focus on supporting the Bristol scene and playing a part in its continued development.

 

“We’re really keen to work with local party brands, with an emphasis on creating a platform for people from marginalised communities,” Clara says. “We’d also love to see more female promoters and we’ve already put plans in place to facilitate a broader range of parties.”

 

What’s more, alongside artists and promoters making their debuts at The Island in the coming months, fans can expect to see a handful of familiar faces behind the decks in 2022. Celebrated Bristol label Shall Not Fade are in talks to take over the venue for the first time since 2016, and Timedance founder Batu has been in touch to return with his new festival, En Masse, in September.

 

Few expected many of Bristol’s small venues to survive the pandemic, and fewer still expected to see the city’s nightlife landscape flourish after months of restrictions. Emerging from an incredibly difficult few months and with eyes fixed firmly forwards, the future of The Island’s deep, dark club space looks bright. 

 

Head to Issuu to read LOUD Bristol Issue Four in full, featuring a selection of interviews with some of the city's best-loved artists, venues, labels and more.

 

The Island, The Island interview, The Island Interview LOUD, The Island LOUD interview

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Article by:

Matt Robson

 

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.