20 things to do in Bristol this week, June 27 – July 3 2022

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Roxy Lanes now taking bookings
Roxy Lanes – which opened in May – boasts a huge variety of games, and massive rock and indie tunes. Including ten pin bowling, duck pin bowling, American pool, batting cages, ice-free curling, shuffleboard, beer pong, basketball and private karaoke rooms. The new location on Union Street also shows live sports.

The latest addition to Bristol’s night time entertainment scene is now open for bookings – photo: Roxy Lanes

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June 24-July 10: Queer Vision Film Festival, Watershed
Queer Vision Film Festival presented by Bristol Pride is bigger than ever this year – continuing to bring you a diverse programme of new release LGBT+ films from around the globe, including George Michael Freedom Uncut (Sat 25 Jun), the powerful Workhorse Queen (Tue 5 Jul) and Kevin Hegge’s debut, feature-length documentary Tramps! (Thu 30 Jun). Book your tickets now!

Monday: Sea Shanty Singing, The Golden Guinea
Don your peg leg, tighten your eye patch and sharpen that cutlass, as Redcliffe’s Golden Guinea hosts its monthly free sea shanty sing along. Don’t worry about not knowing any of the words, either, as you’ll soon learn that most sea shanties mainly consist of a series of repeated chorus’.

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Monday-Thursday: Elvis, Watershed
Director Baz Luhrmann explores the life and music of the hip-shakin’ pelvis-rockin’ Elvis Presley (Austin Butler), seen through the eyes of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).

Tuesday: Bristol Playtest Meetup, Chance & Counters
Be one of the first to playtest the board games of the future at The Christmas Steps’ board game café Chance & Counters. Or, if you’ve got your own board game that you think might just be the next monopoly, let the organisers know, and you can bring it to be rigorously tested by some serious board game fanatics.

The night is the perfect opportunity to road test some never before seen board games – photo: Chance & Counters

Wednesday: Bristol Protests, Waterstones – Galleries
A panel of experts will delve deeper into the role of policing protest in the UK. Those taking part are Matt Foot and Morag Livingstone, authors of Charged, an investigation into the role of policing since the 1980s; and Alex von Tunzelmann, whose book Fallen Idols looks at the global wave of iconoclasm that in 2020 took down the statues of slaveholders and imperialists. Bristol24/7 Editor Martin Booth will be chairing the panel and sharing his own experience of reporting from the ‘kill the bill’ protests in Bristol.

The event at Waterstones will look at how police manage crowds, provoke violence and perhaps even break the law – photo: Waterstones

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Wednesday: Judy Collins, Redgrave Theatre
Judy Collins is an indisputable musical treasure. With her narrative lyricism and astute musicality, Collins has spent over 50 years carving out a unique legacy. Her 29th album, Spellbound, continues to expand her creative horizons, comprising a work of modern folk excellence. For the first time, the record features only songs Collins has written, with the vivid and picturesque detail of her song writing shining through. Presented by Bristol Beacon as part of River Town 2022.

Wednesday: Lets Make Queer Comics!, The Station
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to realise your dream comic and bring it into fruition, this is it. The workshop will be split into two halves – the first of which being a series of exercises and discussions to relax you and kick off your creative spark, before letting you loose to create your masterpiece.

The workshop is aimed at those with a story they want to tell, even if they don’t view themselves as creatively inclined – photo: The Station, Headfirst

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Thursday: The Tonic Sessions: Sara Colman & Rebecca Nash with Henrik Jensen, Bristol Beacon
The ongoing creative union between vocalist Sara Colman and pianist Rebecca Nash exudes a striking synergy and pure joy in collaboration. Both jazz musicians originally from Bristol, the pair are now working on their fourth recording project together. Centred around their song Ribbons, this new collection of works celebrates the collaborative essence and the magic of their creative musical partnership. Presented by Bristol Beacon and Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival.

Thursday: ABC Москва FUNDRAISER, Lost Horizon
An anarchist fundraiser, helping raise money for the Anarchist Black Cross in Moscow, a key organisation involved with the current anti-war protests in the country. With speeches, screenings and art installations all in the
early evening, followed by DJ sets from some of Bristol’s most exciting dance music collectives, you’re certainly getting bang for your buck – and all for a good cause.

https://soundcloud.com/b-x-j-173604885/benkins-mix-291121-ukgbreaks-junglefootwork

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Thursday: Milkshake Live!, Redgrave Theatre
Join Paddington, Daisy & Ollie, Milo, Noddy, Pip and Posy, Blue’s Clues & You! and of course Milkshake! Monkey for an unforgettable family time at Milkshake Monkey’s Musical! This brand-new show has plenty of laughter, audience interaction and great fun to get everyone up on their feet! It’s a family show not to be missed!

The Redgrave Theatre – photo: Redgrave Theatre

Thursday: North Street Games Night, The Steam Crane
Locals to the North Street area will already be aware of the monthly games night that happens at various bars up and down the main road. If you’re not from the area, though, you might be unaware. This month, it’s at the Steam Crane on the far East side of North Street. Tickets are only £1 each, and there’s always a plethora of games to choose from. You can even bring your own – if you’re that way inclined.

Its the turn of the Steam Crane to host this month’s North Street games night – Photo: Lowie Trevena

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Friday: Hannah Williams & The Affirmations, Fiddlers
Bristol-based Hannah Williams and the Affirmations are renowned across the global soul scene for their retro-inspired sound. Their music has been sampled by Jay Z, garnered praise from the likes of Will.i.am and Tyler the Creator, and has seen them play prestigious events worldwide, including Blue Note Tokyo and Montreal Jazz Festival. Presented by Bristol Beacon as part of River Town 2022.

Friday: The Wire 40: An Evening With People Like Us, The Cube Microplex
Vicki Bennett AKA People Like Us has over 30 years experienced creating short films. Over that time, they’ve refined their craft to weave witty, pseudo-political tales using pre-existing popular culture footage. During the evening at The Cube, Bennett has composed a programme of some of their proudest works from this century, followed by a discussion between the artist and Deputy Editor of The Wire magazine.

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Friday: The Wall of Floyd, Redgrave Theatre
For those Floyd fans who have not seen The Wall of Floyd perform before, be prepared for a spectacular show that will remain in your hearts long after the event has ended.

Friday: Milked, Alma Tavern & Theatre
A play about friendship, unemployment and the death of a cow, Milked follows the story of two friends Paul and Snowy, as they encounter a dying cow in a field. What ensues is the decision-making process of what to do with the cow, which, in typical black comedy fashion, doesn’t go exactly according to plan.

The black comedy comes to the Alma Tavern & Theatre this week – photo: Alma Tavern & Theatre, Headfirst

Saturday: Back A Yard: Community Celebration, Malcolm X Centre
As part of the replacement celebrations for St Pauls Carnival, the Malcolm X Centre on City Road are hosting their own day of celebrations, hosted by local station Ujima Radio. Expect music, food, dance, and a host of other family friendly activities throughout the day.

The popular St Pauls community centre will be hosting a mini St Pauls carnival to commemorate the actual Carnival being cancelled – photo: Ellie Pipe

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Saturday: Black Roots, Trinity Centre
Formed in St Pauls in 1979, Black Roots were one of the pioneering reggae groups in Bristol, and played an integral role in the soundsystem culture that defined the city’s music scene at the time. Their unique brand of roots reggae drew in people seeking to find a voice that spoke out against injustice and alienation.

Saturday: Club Djembe Presents: Hi5Ghost, The Love Inn
If you’re still after that Carnival vibe that we’ve sadly been robbed of this year, look no further Saturday evening than The Love Inn. Hosted by Hi5Ghost aka Bandulu, expect plenty of 140 and other soundsystem music, but also expect plenty of dancehall and bashment to celebrate the carnival season.

Sunday: Plant Swap, Fancy Plants
At their home in the centre of Gloucester Road, plant shop Fancy Plants are hosting a plant swap. Bring your (alive) plants that you either no longer have space for/no longer need, and swap them with others that you like the look of. You can even bring your plant babies, if you’re lucky enough to have some on you, and trade them out for some brand new greenery.

The store is located towards the top of Gloucester Road – photo: Fancy Plants

And coming soon…

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July 11: Living with Robots: Exploring our relationships with artificial intelligence, University of Bristol
As robotics technology advances, what does a future look like shared with intelligent robots that can think for themselves? Join us for this intriguing event, where the next generation of robotics researchers from the University of Bristol will discuss what we expect from robots, what role they can and will play in society, and what they can tell us about ourselves. Wine and nibbles are included with your free ticket.

The talk will explore the many issues and debates surrounding artificial intelligence – Photo: University of Bristol

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July 13: Reasons to be Hopeful: Working together to tackle the climate crisis
The next generation of researchers from the University of Bristol will share their reasons to be hopeful in the face of the climate crisis, from tackling climate injustice to detecting climate-related disasters before they happen. Join us at this interactive event to find out more about the latest developments in tackling climate change and get involved in the discussion. Wine and nibbles are included with your free ticket.

The talk will highlight some of the heroic efforts taking place to tackle climate change – photo: University of Bristol

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September 11: Les Filles de Illighadad, Trinity Centre
Les Filles de Illighadad are revolutionaries reclaiming Tende music and bringing their ancient village folk music into the modern era with mesmerising guitar patterns, and rhythmic percussion. They draw from two distinct styles, ancient village choral chants and desert guitar, the result is a hypnotic and soul-stirring sound that resonates far outside of their village into the hearts of others.

Main Photo: Chance & Counters

Read more: Review: James Acaster & Others, Bristol Comedy Garden – ‘Stand up comedy at its finest’

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