Now in it's forth year, this two day festival has a programme packed full of activity.

Saturday 16th March

At the start of each festival day, there will be public taster workshop in different dance styles for over 55’s to try out. Each ticket includes free access to the dance workshops. If you would like to attend these workshops please select the workshop time you would like at the checkout.

2-3 pm African Dance workshop with Louis Roger Eboa

3-4 pm Contemporary Dance workshop with Julia Thorneycroft and Vicki Hearne

Saturday Performance - 6:30pm

Join Gerry's Attic for a feast of all things dance showcasing their latest work featuring a new piece by renowned choreographer Laila Diallo and guest performances from Yama Dance Company with Alexandra Pickford (Bluffing Your Way In Ballet).

The evening will also premier a new film by Gerry’s Attic, directed by Chris Lewis Smith and Vicki Hearne (Untold Dance Theatre) and a short film by Striking Attitudes. The event will kick off at 6:30pm with a explorative discussion with dance company members and guests talking about dance for older people.

Founded in 2016 by Julia Thorneycroft, in partnership with Trinity Community Arts, Gerry's Attic has run weekly classes and performed in varied contexts including Sadler's Wells Elixir Festival, Joie De Vivre (PDSW) and Bristol Harbour Festival.

Expect bonkers bands, a bone rattling soundsystem and a whole lot of sweaty hugs.
Line up to be announced...

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Music Masterclasses are free workshops for ages 16 - 25, inviting top industry professionals to come and share their knowledge and insights in a series of exclusive workshops and classes, covering all areas of the music industry.

Although there is no charge to attend and no tickets are required, we do ask that you sign up for attendance tracking purposes.

Lola’s songwriting draws influences from Prince, Joni Mitchell to Ben Howard. Her style is both dark and witty. She encompasses the sharp socially aware lyrical ability usually seen in hip hop with a tender storytelling ability more often seen in folk music.

+ support: Bug Eyed

Doors: 7pm

Bug Eyed: 8pm

Lola Young: 9pm

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity is introducing a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Bristol's Idles filmed their video in independent venues

Trinity is proud to be an grassroots music venue and this Independent Venue Week Marketing Assistant, Sam Prosser, shines a light on some of the other brilliant independent venues the city has to offer and how gig-goers can support the venues in Bristol.

Strange Brew

Strange Brew, located on Fairfax Street in Central Bristol, is one of the city’s newest independent venues. Having opened in September 2020, Strange Brew has quickly become of the city’s key locations for DIY bands and promoters, providing an eclectic mix of club nights, gigs, exhibitions and talks. We’re very excited to be bringing Bristol’s own Waldo’s Gift to Strange Brew on 02 March as part of our in-house music programme, Trinity Presents.

The Louisiana

The Louisiana is a 140-capacity, family-run venue that takes pride in putting on the best musicians from Bristol and beyond for the last 35 years, becoming a vital space for emerging artists, as well as hosting some of the UK’s biggest artists in their early years, such as Coldplay, Muse and Idles. The Louisiana is now a key part of Bristol’s music scene, as part of Dot To Dot Festival and Harbour Festival.

Exchange

Located a stone’s throw from Trinity at the bottom of Old Market, Exchange is a Community Benefit Society focused on supporting a wide range of musical projects and creative endeavours. Exchange opened it’s doors as a Live Music / Club Venue in August 2012. Since opening they have played host to a wide array of artists including The 1975, Haim, Four Tet and many more.

How you can support independent venues:

It’s never been more important to recognise the massive contribution of independent venues and their role in the music scene. 2023 was the UK’s worst year for venue closures, with Music Venues Trust reporting that 125 grassroots venues closed over the last 12 months. More than ever, it is vital that we recognise and support the independent music venues that contribute so much.

Buying tickets directly from venues: By buying tickets directly from a venue’s website, or from a local ticketing platform, you are ensuring that a higher percentage of the ticket price goes directly to the venue, supporting their operational costs and staff. In addition to this, early ticket purchases also make a significant impact, providing venues with crucial upfront revenue and helping them plan and execute events seamlessly.

Supporting venues through bar sales: Bar sales are one of the primary sources of income for independent venues, so make sure you get down early and buy a drink or two to support your favourite venue. Choosing to enjoy refreshments at the venue, whether it be a locally brewed pint or a signature cocktail-for those who don’t drink, there’s never been more options for non-alcoholic drinks, with many venues providing a wide range of alcohol-free drinks.

Spreading the word: Many venues depend on word-of-mouth support to promote their events. Without the substantial marketing budgets of larger venues, it is crucial to actively express your support for your favourite independent venues. Sharing photos online and telling your friends about your favourite shows at local independent venues  boosts their visibility and can act as a vital lifeline for these independent establishments.

The line up, featuring Bristol’s finest musicians and vocalists, brings incredible energy to the stage every time they play. From nightclubs to muddy fields, the band have torn up venues earning them many accolades and awards, including winning Glastonbury Festival’s Live Act Competition. Following the release of the chart-topping album ‘Dirt & Soul’ on Circus Records, they are continuing on the road to deliver their unique strain of the world-renowned Bristol sound, and now, the hugely anticipated new album is finally about to drop...

19:50: doors

20:00: Ray Mighty

20:40: SUV

21:20: YB Micz & Rellz

21:35: Daddy G & Queen Bee

22:45 Dr Meaker

00:00: Curfew

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity has introduced a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

As part of our Children and Young People's programme we offer one to one or small group (up to three people) music sessions for young people aged 11-25yrs. These sessions are tailored to help young people develop skills, build confidence and support to take their next steps, whether it be to access further music-making provision or to re-engage with the educational system.

We work with professional music tutors who use a trauma informed approach to support young people to identify the areas they are interested in exploring in the sessions. This could involve anything from learning guitar or piano to recording an original rap track. Tutors facilitate and encourage young people to express themselves in whatever way they feel inspired to.

‘I love coming here, it’s a home away from home’ - Feedback, young person, 1-2-1 sessions

Sessions take part in our fully equipped studio rooms. Our live rooms feature two drum kits, a large electric piano and a collection of bass, electric and acoustic guitars. Our digital studio allows young people to access synthesisers, drum machines and a professional level microphone set up for recording, ideal for vocalists or those interested in music production. Both studios are capable of making high quality recordings which can be shared with the individual (or group) at their request.

If you are supporting a young person who would benefit from accessing our music provision please contact the Children and Young Peoples team for further information including prices for sessions on info@trinitybristol.org.uk.

These sessions are supported through funding from NIMBUS Sounds, a partnership between Creative Youth Network (CYN), Aspiration Creation Elevation (ACE), Basement Studios and Trinity Community Arts.

LOGO

Waldo's Gift - Image Credit: Khali Ackford

Ahead of their Trinity Presents show at Strange Brew on 02 March, we sat down with Bristol experimental trio Waldo's Gift to chat influences, improvisation, what's next for the band, and much more.

How did you guys meet and form Waldo’s Gift?

James: You two met at university, and we all met at a jam and we got together and made music for ages.

Alun: We formed for the residency at the Gallimaufry. So our first five years of being together was playing every week to an audience, which was pretty special.

For those who don’t know, how would describe your sound?

Alun: I’ve heard our sound described in a cornucopia of ways, but I would say it’s not math, and not jazz. Maybe that’s the genre; not-math-not-jazz.

James: It’s weird

Harry: I like to think it’s a cross between Flying Lotus and Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Alun: It’s modern music, it’s genreless, we draw from everything.

James: Let’s remove all the labels – label-free.

Who are some artists that have influenced your music?

Harry: Flying Lotus, Aphex Twin, Olivier Messiaen, Johnny Greenwood.

Alun: Sergei Rachmaninoff, the Russians in general.

What do you think it is about Bristol’s music scene that sets it apart from other cities?

Alun: It’s small and dense.

James: The city’s big enough to support a unique blend of different styles, but it’s small enough to harbour a community and for you to really feel that sense of belonging.

Alun: The perfect place to go and start a band, which is what we did.

James: Yep, cheers Bristol

Alun: I think it’s the amount of stuff going on in a small space. It has pros and cons but lots of lovely stuff burgeoning, frothing, bubbling all the time.

What role does improvisation play in your creative process?

James: A large role, a non-negliable role.

Alun: Improvisation is at the heart of our creative process, because we used to do entirely improvised gigs, because of our residency improvising every week, and it formed our sound that we have now responded to and we have now tried to sculpt it.

Harry: And monetize it.

Collaborating with other artists seems to be an important part of your music – which artists would be your dream collaboration?

Harry: Sergei Rachmaninoff

Alun: For me, dream collaborator, The Punch Brothers or Chris Heel. Amazing progressive bluesgrass band. It’s them or Johnny Greenwood.

James: A gig that I saw recently that really moved me was Christine And The Queens at Glastonbury, it wouldn’t be just a musical collaboration it would be theatrical, visual, everything collaboration.

On the topic of collaboration, we’ve been enjoying your Beat Tape collaboration videos on Instagram – what was the idea behind them?

James: Thanks! The idea behind them was, because we improvise them a lot, we’re actually very lucky and gifted because we can make a lot of music in a very small amount of time, and what if we played the social media game and created a lot of songs in a very small amount of time, ie one day, record them all and give them out to the world over a large period of time and really encourage collaboration with people and see how other people could augment those arrangements in an online digital context.

Harry: And to make some bangers

James: And to serve the algorithm...

What’s next for Waldo’s Gift?

Alun: Album. Tour. Another album. Another tour. We’re going abroad. We’re going to places. We’re growing.

James: Building on the foundations of friendship that we already have.

Waldo's Gift will be performing at Strange Brew on 02 March as part of our in-house music programme Trinity Presents - click here to get your tickets.

We are excited to launch our Spring Theatre and Arts programme at Trinity that offers audiences an exciting exploration of themes around counterculture and alternative lifestyles, queer untold stories, creative play and the power of movement.

The programme kicks off with Igloo on 16 Feb. Igloo is a non-verbal, playful theatrical experience filled with warmth, sensation and gentle exploration, suitable for babes in arms and pre-schoolers aged 0-3 accompanied by their carers. As part of each performance there will be a facilitated play session. The performance is non-verbal, but the play session contains some words. Audience members will also be given an Igloo picture book and other creative ideas to enable families to continue with creative play at home. Igloo is originally a Travelling Light and Bristol Old Vic co-production. Spaces are very limited, click here to sign up.

Later in February, on 23 Feb, we have Kill The Cop Inside Your Head, a theatre piece from spoken word and performance artist Subira Joy, exploring their experiences of being targeted by the police as a Black, queer and trans person in the UK. Combining striking visual imagery with powerful language, this new work examines the impact of the police in our communities and how we internalise their role to repress and suppress ourselves into submission. This is a rescheduled event, originally scheduled for November 2023. Click here to get your tickets.

Full Bloom Festival of dance for and by older people returns to Trinity on 16-17 Mar. Throughout the day, participants can take part in artistic workshops and dance performances including matinee and evening performances showcasing the work of Gerry's Attic Dance Company, a resident dance company who run weekly sessions at The Trinity Centre. Click here to get your tickets.

Closing out our Spring Theatre and Arts season, we have Roadside on 05 April, a solo theatre show inspired by interviews with roadside dwellers across the South West and drawing on the musical history of this new traveller community, from festivals to free parties, to songs around the fire. Click here to get your tickets for Roadside.

Expect a brave creative venture to tackle mental health and masculinity. Inspired by his latest EP, MANHOOD, which explores his racial identity, sexuality, and masculinity, while forging a path to self-love; ROB.GREEN is using his soul-stirring music and transformative visual storytelling to create an immersive "living room" experience that breaks down taboos around male vulnerability, while connecting with, and honouring our true selves.

Joined by two hand-picked local performers, small and intimate audiences will gather to hear music, poetry and reflect on the importance of seeking support, curating healthy social circles.

Join to reflect, connect, and feel moved while raising money for Talk Club. A multi award winning mental health charity.

Please note this is a ‘seat on the floor’ type of event, feel free to bring blankets and cushions if needed.

Featuring Headliners from Bristol and beyond.

Live Music | Dj Sets | Food Stalls | Dancers | Face painting | African Fabric Fashion Exhibition | African Cultural Showcase | Games |

Please not that under 16s need to be accompanied by an adult.

The following age group below can pay at the gate on event day.

• £5 for 6 years to 11 years
• Under 5 years old are free.

For Stalls, Sponsorship & Partnership Please Email : contact@afrobeatfridays.co.uk

Phone, Text, Whatsapp : 07534491330

For Artists, Dancers, Volunteers or however you think you can contribute to being part of AfroFest please contact email : contact@afrobeatfridays.co.uk

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Spread across the full Trinity grounds, there will be a diverse selection of stalls selling all kinds of things, including:

• Clothes - new, pre-loved, reworked, vintage
• Books - radical, gothic, vintage, alternative health, anime, manga, graphic novels
• Jewellery - handmade, quirky, gothic
• Household items - gemstones, incense, quirky toiletries
• Music and work from local artists

Alternative Market strives to create a welcoming environment, inclusive of all people. All donations made at the event will go towards charity. If you would like to nominate a charity to receive the donations, please contact aiden@altmarket.uk with your suggestion. For more info please visit here.

Alternative Market is now full for traders.

Line up:

Kahn b2b Commodo

Samurai Breaks b2b ???

Amy Kisnorbo

Disaffected

DJ Ammi

Powered by Raze Soundsystem

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity is introducing a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Nothing about them is set in tone. Surging from show to show, their creative energy moving from rave-infused highs, through to delicate songwriting, finds them exposed and open. Patching together club tropes and indie pop elements, each song seems to exit in its own world, bound together by the gravitational pull of their mutual creativity. Porij move with a chaotic but nonetheless defined sense of purpose. They return with new single Ego as well as unveiling details of their debut EP Baby Face, which drops September 17th on their own Oat Gang Records label. Baby Face will be their first release since the Breakfast mixtape which came out at the end of 2020.

+ support: Sam Girling is an electronic music producer and DJ from Bedford in the UK.

7pm: Doors

8pm: Sam Girling

9pm: Porij

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity is introducing a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.

Although their sound is generally classified as indie rock or psychedelic rock, the band have a colourful range of styles and influences, such as 1960s garage rock, country, reggae and Jazz.

They started out as the duo of Paul Butler and Aaron Fletcher releasing their first album Sunshine Hit me’, which was nominated for the coveted Mercury Music Prize in 2002. The nomination and album’s critical success let to the assembly of an actual band. When the smoke cleared, the bees were officially a sextet with everyone writing songs and switching off on instruments.

+ support: John Stapleton is a Bristol based DJ, playing mostly records.

1900: Doors

2000: John Stapleton

2100: The Bees

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available.

Last entry: 2 hours before curfew

Venue levy: Trinity is introducing a £1 Restoration Levy on every event ticket sold. This income will be used to create a dedicated fund for critical building works that will protect and maintain the Trinity Centre building and grounds.