Gardna - Image Credit: Khali Ackford

Ahead of Gardna's headline show at Trinity on the 14 Oct, we sat down with the man himself to chat humble beginnings, highlights from 2022, and what makes Bristol such a special city to perform in.

Trinity are collaborating with Gardna as part of Trinity Presents, our in-house programme celebrating our diverse city and platforming emerging talent.

Can you tell us a little about the origins of Gardna?

This question immediately took me back to being a young wild and free G Man aged 13, I'd always be blue toothing grime riddims to my mateys on my flip up Sony Ericson phone outside the local skatepark standardly. Then bars became a hobby then it became something more serious, making tracks regularly so on and so forth, then gigs, hundreds of free gigs, and then yeah I haven't really stopped since.

How's 2022 been for you so far? Any particular highlights?

It's been absolutely crazy to be quite honest. The albums done alright, my tune R.A.V.E.A.S.A.P has had over 100 plays on Radio 1, it's even been getting smashed out on the Breakfast Show, my tune is on the Playstation game FIFA 23, I am currently BBC Radio 1 Future Artist of the month this month? Tore up Glastonbury, opened Boomtown and did 30+ festivals. Toured America with Mungo's Hi Fi. Been on one this year mate.

How has your relationship with Trinity developed over the years?

I've been coming here for a while now. Loads of unreal nights here over the years, the venue and it's love for sound system music is unmatched in this city. Jamell has had my back and put me on for a few things at the venue including their legendary Garden Party. He believed in me to put on my headline show at Trinity, it's a big leap of faith, but its happening.

In your opinion, what makes Bristol such a special city to perform in?

Bristol is Bristol innit. We know what we're doing here in this city. No messing about. There's really no place like home.

The lineup for your event at Trinity is quite something - how did you choose who to include?

First and foremost, I'm just a massive fan of everyone playing at this event. I've booked them to be there because they're flippin great and they know how to really work the dancefloor in true Gardna & Friends style and flavour. Whether I've met them this year, or we've known each other our whole teenage lives - this line up is my musical family and it's a representation of emerging artists, long time collaborators, Radio 1 DJs and absolute foundational legends. Everyone on this line up has in some way single-handedly changed the game for me at some point and I owe them ALL a pint. Or just a good gig in October.

What should the audience expect from your night at Trinity?

A celebration of the spectrum of sound system music. My biggest headline Gardna show to date. Amazing guests. Oh, and tears. There will be tears. And rum.

What's next for Gardna?

We have some banging R.A.V.E.A.S.A.P remixes and we're already deeply in the zone writing my next album right now. Can't stop won't stop. See you in October gang.

Gardna + Friends will play Trinity on 14 Oct as part of Trinity Presents, our in-house programme of music and arts. Click here to get your tickets.

Ahead of their day party takeover at Trinity on 27 Aug, we sat down with Club Djembe co-founder Ryan Foster (DJ Stolen) to chat about the label's beginnings, thoughts on the Bristol music scene and what's next for Club Djembe.

Trinity are collaborating with Club Djembe as part of Trinity Presents, our in-house programme celebrating our diverse city and platforming emerging talent, to host a day party in The Den, our new seasonal outdoor venue situated in the historic grounds of Trinity.

How did Club Djembe start?

Ryan: Club Djembe started all through a lack of events within Bristol that were pushing & promoting our music. We were playing UK Funky, Afro House & a lot of percussion led music on radio but never heard/saw of anything happening within the clubs in Bristol, so myself (DJ Stolen) & Jake decided to launch Club Djembe. Luckily for us at the time Josie was working behind the bar at The Love Inn so we managed to throw our first party and it all kicked off from there back in 2017.

What do you think Club Djembe offers to the Bristol music scene?

We know for ourselves and hear from our community that it is hard to find these genres of music in the events scene. Consistency (which is always key), as we guarantee that no night will stray from the vibe and atmosphere that we like to create - we have an open the door attitude and welcome a variety of people/cultures We also want ticket prices and venues to be affordable and accessible for everyone. And mostly, which we are most proud of, is that we love to support and put on new artists, that's something that excites us the most.

What kinds of events do you think are missing from the Bristol club scene?

Bristol has pretty much been the epicentre for Drum & Bass in the UK for as long as I can remember. It’s really refreshing to see a few more nights popping up that are pushing and promoting the same kind of music as us, Amapiano, UK Funky, Afro House like Lockmars for example. However it would be good to see more of these across Bristol, I think a lot of would be promoters get afraid by the prospect of an event not going well, however the best events from our experience are the ones you put on through a love & passion for the music rather than focusing on the monetary side of events.

What's next for Club Djembe?

The remainder of 2022 is looking RAMMED for us can’t lie. We’re throwing our first proper London event in September which is going to be massive, it’s falling inline with the release of our next compilation, Club Djembe Vol. 3 which is also huge! We then have one more release to go for the year which is from one of our favourite Bristol producers and we also have three more Bristol events in the pipeline including a big Christmas knees up with another sick London/Bristol based promoter so keep your eyes firmly planted on Club Djembe socials over the next few months as we have a lot going on.

Club Djembe will be playing at Trinity's outdoor venue The Den on Sat Aug 27. Click here to grab your tickets.

Bethany Ley - Image Credit: Giulia Spadafora

As part of our in-house programme, Trinity Presents, we are pleased to be bringing Bristol-based Bethany Ley to Strange Brew on 13 Sep.  Bethany will be performing their new EP, Sundial as part of a new Audio-Visual live show in collaboration with visual artist Alfie Dwyer, who recently worked with Aphex Twin creating the visuals for their 2023 tour.

We sat down with Bethany for an in-depth conversation about Sundial, exploring their creative process and what's next on their journey.

Hi! Please introduce yourself

B: Hello! I am Bethany Ley (FKA. STANLAEY), an independent producer, vocalist, and sound designer based in Bristol. I write music that explores the cross section of my background as a classical musician, with electronic production, improvisation and sound design.

"Trinity is such a big part of the tapestry of the Bristol music scene and I am grateful for the continuous support. If I step back, it’s nice to see the musical evolution in myself and the city – and that Trinity has been a constant force in that throughout the years" - Bethany Ley

You previously released music under the name STANLÆY - can you tell us the thought process behind changing your name as an artist, and how this has been reflected in your music?

B: Changing the name has felt like a natural progression of stepping into myself as an artist. I wanted to release music under a ubiquitous name that can constellate the hue of what I do in a way that makes sense to me. Stripping it back has given me a different type of excitement to explore production within my recorded and live work.

Your debut EP ‘Sundial’ was released a couple of months ago – can you tell us a little about the inspirations behind the project, the process of creating the EP and what the response has been like so far?

B: Sundial stemmed from a love and exploration of acousmatic sound design, and the visualisation of sound. The project actually started off as an imaginary OST to a sort of visual landscape, or generative video game. It then mutated and merged with structure and song-writing. Other topical inspiration was Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapeutic model which thinks of each person having several modes of self within themselves. The response has been heart-warming. I feel grateful for Lo Recordings for taking it on to a label that it feels very at home at! Also very grateful to my friends and new people I have met and chatted to when performing these songs live!

This project has seen you working with AV artist Alfie Dwyer to create animations for Sundial, what was that process like and what do you think the visuals add to the overall experience of the EP?

B: I experience and make music really visually and recently have been writing my music alongside creating visual scores, so working with a visual artist has felt really natural; especially someone I am so close with. Alfie and I have overlaps in our interests and art, so I think our work compliments each-other well and we both get inspired by each-other when talking about ideas. I feel like visuals and sound give each-other so much, and together create something bigger than each part individually. It’s Alchemy. Putting them together in this way for my debut EP ‘Sundial’ has felt like we are able to invite people into the universe of the music in a more physical way.

You’ve been on our radar for a while now – performing at Trinity several times including at our Garden Party – what has this journey been like for you as an artist?

B: I played at The Garden Party in 2021 (Post-Covid) and we absolutely loved that show! I also played with Ishmael Ensemble as part of their ‘Visions of Light’ tour at Trinity in 2022, and most recently supporting Waldo’s Gift at Strange Brew back in March. Trinity is such a big part of the tapestry of the Bristol music scene and I am grateful for the continuous support. If I step back, it’s nice to see the musical evolution in myself and the city – and that Trinity has been a constant force in that throughout the years.

What can audiences expect from your show at Strange Brew on 13 Sep?

B: You can expect sonic and visual gemstones and crystals being gently hurled about the room. I will be playing electric harp, electronics and singing alongside a band on stage with me, whilst Alfie Dwyer performs his live bespoke visuals alongside Matteo Amadio on lights. I am so excited to be joined by musical angels James Storm (sax, synth & voice), Isla Greenwood (voice), Laura Wilson (violin) to bring to life the songs in a new and expansive way just for the Bristol show.

What’s next for Bethany Ley?

B: I am slowly working on an album or new body of work which I am excited about. I am saving up to go to Indonesia & plan to deep dive into the sound of bells, harmonics, and hopefully learn more about soundwaves in the process.

Bethany Ley will be performing at Strange Brew on Friday 13 Sep 2024 - click here to get your tickets.

He is a spiritual rock star. A force of nature merging ancient wisdom with modern theatre, delivering ecstatic transmissions of truth & love. Trained in the art of performance but destined for the path of awakening, Hugo now walks through life as a cosmic teacher, part prophet, part transformative showman. Through living as a channel of joy and divine mischief, Hugo is building a global community rooted in love, freedom, and the remembrance of who we truly are.

+ support: Outpost Drive

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available. To reserve a limited seating spot and/or arrange a companion ticket, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

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.

Emerging onto the UK folk scene in 2010 with a handful of unpolished, low-fi acoustic songs, her razor-sharp lyricism and the unassuming charm of her performance style began to grab attention from the get-go. In 2011, The Guardian hailed her as a “powerful song writing voice”, and the legendary Tom Robinson invited her to perform in session on his BBC 6Music show.

+ support: The Maes

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.

Join us for an unforgettable night as Gong’s legendary soundscapes meet HENGE’s interstellar party rituals. Expect eccentricity, spectacle, and deep space vibes.

Gong & Henge will co-headline the Sounds of the Cosmos Tour, with performance order alternating nightly, so arrive early and stay to the end.

GONG

Pioneers of psychedelic rock since 1969, Gong continue to evolve, pushing musical and mystical boundaries with a fearless live energy and a legacy that defies convention.

HENGE

Award-winning alien ravers blending prog, rave and sci-fi theatrics. Their mission: spread joy, end war, and launch humanity into space.

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available. To reserve a limited seating spot and/or arrange a companion ticket, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

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.

They met at school in Minehead, Somerset and make music together at home in Bristol. Their highly lauded debut album Crisps was released in November 2023 via Breakfast Records presenting eclectic, danceable grooves and astute, hilarious put-downs of modern Britain.

They are steadily carving out a name for themselves and building momentum with their ballsto-the-wall live performances and prestigious shows with Pip Blom, Fat Dog, The Bug Club, Donny Benet, and Antony Szmierek – among many others. The band completed their biggest ever sold out headline UK tour in autumn 2024 after their vastly praised new EP release “Your Medal’s In The Post”, out on November 14th 2024, followed closely by their first ever sold out EU tour in January 2025. Their new EP 'Primordial Slot Machine' arrives on June 6th.

+ support tbc

Doors: 19:00

Last entry: 21:00

Curfew: 23:00

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available. To reserve a limited seating spot and/or arrange a companion ticket, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

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.

+ support tbc

Doors: 19:00

Last entry: 21:00

Curfew: 23:00

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available. To reserve a limited seating spot and/or arrange a companion ticket, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

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.

Garden Party 2024 - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

On Sunday 12 May, we opened our gates once again for Trinity Garden Party – our, free annual day party, celebrating the start of the summer through music, dance and arts.

"It was a fabulous day - thank you to Team Trinity and everyone involved!" - Audience Feedback

In our outdoor venue, The Den, we programmed a diverse range of live music and DJs from across Bristol and The South West. The young musicians from our Next Gen Sounds programme kicked off proceedings, showcasing their musical talents that they’ve honed during the sessions. Following on, we had beautiful acoustic Folk from Eva Penney, groovy Latin rhythms from Los Gusanos, Moroccan Gnawa from Mohammed Errebba, and live Hip Hop from Komposa. Later on in the evening, DJs brought the energy, with an eclectic world music selection from Kesh, amapiano and UK Funky from Josephine Gyasi, and finally Selecta J-Man and Rider Shafique finished things off with a heavy selection of Jungle and Drum and Bass.

Inside, The Main hall was buzzing with performances from our resident dance group Hype Dance, a Turkish Belly Dance circle from Anna K, and finally The Greenbank Ceilidh Collective led the dance with a joyous ceilidh. Upstairs, Fyfe Hall hosted a range of creative craft workshops to keep the young ones busy.

We wanted to say a massive thank you to all who made Garden Party this year such a success; from the talented artists, workshop facilitators, stall-holders, local food vendors, the dedicated sound and lighting team behind the scenes, our hardworking bar staff, the entire Team Trinity, and, of course, all of you who joined us on the day. The event saw our largest ever turnout, with over 3,500 attendees, and thanks to your generosity we raised over £5000 in donations, allowing us to organise more community events like Garden Party as well as supporting our charitable mission of making the arts accessible to all. Garden Party just keeps getting bigger and better, with a 60% increase on last year's attendees, and a 65% increase on last year's donations. Thank you for coming down to support what we do and celebrating music, dance and the arts.

If you'd like to continue to support Trinity, click here to make a donation.

Crowd throwing the Trinity T's 2017 Photo credit Khali Ackford

This year's Garden Party is on Sunday 13 May, we have a packed schedule of family-friendly activities and workshops running alongside a fantastic mix of local artists and bands.

Throughout the day we have lots of family and kids activities. From learning circus skills with Invisible youth to making a traditional Japanese puppet in the Bunraku Puppetry Workshop. Don't forget to head to the main hall and take part in a drumming workshop.

This year's main stage highlights include some of the most exciting music coming from Bristol & the South West right now. Headliner, Om Unit brings his unique take on sound-system culture, inspired by hip-hop, dubstep, ambient, jungle and footwork. Big party vibes coming from heavyweight live performance, UK Bass scene leader and lyricist Gardna whose taking the stage with DJ and producer, Kreed.

Bristol musician Sam Neal plays at garden party 2017 Photo credit @ Jessica Bartolini

We’re welcoming back Baraka, featuring musicians from Ghana, Senegal, Dominica, Trinidad and Southern Ireland to bring a sound influenced by Calypso baselines, Blues Harmonica, Soca with Balafon and Flute. Sam Neal who is just one of the talents we have seen grow from our Youth Music Scheme, will be performing songs from his up coming EP. It makes us very proud to see him doing so well. Nice one Sam.  Head to our main hall during the afternoon and catch  some of the young people attending music sessons at Trinity, Basement Studio and ACE.

We’ve got a great selection of stalls from Bristol makers, including women and men’s clothing stall Ashanti Empress , art work by Cosmic Soul Collective and cruelty free feather jewellery from Phat Feathers.

Volunteering: Trinity's Garden Party relies on volunteers to ensure that the 3k people who come every year have a great time (and, are is are also kept safe). We have a variety of stewarding roles and shifts across the day. If you fancy meeting new people, gaining new skills and getting 2 free gig tickets, then head over here to find out how to offer your time and sign up.

This year we are going to be shaking our buckets hard and asking everyone for a donation of £3 (or what you can afford). We recently launched the Trinity Conservation Campaign to raise the vital funds needed to repair historic damage to the building. Your donations will go directlytowards our campaign, ensuring we secure Trinity’s past, present & future.

Full line up:

Om Unit

Gardna x Kreed

Sunun

Baraka

The Brackish

Soma

Baast

Rhain

Sam Neal

Youth Music Showcase

Help us secure Trinity's past, present & future

The pair met at secondary school in Hackney, London. Taylor's parents were both English teachers and inevitably, various literary influences trickled into the duo's music known for their crafted and often confessional song writing style.

London’s famous Konk Studios, to record their most confident and collaborative work to date. The latest self titled album, inspired by Taylor’s relationship with partner and artist Billie Marten, explores love in all its early forms and features artists such as Laura Marling, Bombay Bicycle Club and M Field.

+ support: Eleanor Moss / Blackaby

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available. To reserve a limited seating spot and/or arrange a companion ticket, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

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.

• Batu & Tikiman (debut)
• Shackleton (live)
• ojoo (Bristol debut)
• Saskia b2b Jurango

En masse 2025 is back in Bristol this 9-12 October 2025. Bigger, bolder, ad unapologetically underground. They’re celebrating their 5th anniversary with a 4-day music programme that emerges electronic music, live performance, and collaborative art across five Bristol venues. A wave of sonic chaos.

Born in 2021, En Masse has always been about celebrating and elevating the contemporary sound of Bristol. Rooted in the heart of Bristol's unfiltered electronic scene, they’re here to amplify the innovation, diversity, and DIY spirit of the city.

This pass is your all-access ticket, granting entry to 3 days of music across 4 venues.

Thursday 9th, Friday 10th and Saturday 11th October (gig from 7pm, club from 10pm)

Note – Their festival pass is the only way to gain access to the club night on Saturday. Plus, it’s the most affordable way to join them. Don’t sleep through.

All events will also be individually ticketed, so if you want to pick and choose, you can. Individual event tickets will be made available closer to the vents.

Any questions? Email them at info@enmasse.dance

Please note this is a standing event, accessible seating is available. To reserve a limited seating spot and/or arrange a companion ticket, please contact info@trinitybristol.org.uk

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.

Music student plays at the Garden Part at Trinty

Young musicians from Trinity, Basement Studios & Aspiration Creation Elevation (ACE@Docklands) set to take the stage at this years St Paul’s Carnival.

Performing on the Unity Stage, hosted by ACE, young musicians will be given a chance to shine in this years Carnival – performing alongside some of Bristol’s most popular artists. On these experience Cherelle Grant, Music Tutor at ACE said, "these talented young people have been working hard each week to create, prepare, and rehearse songs for St Pauls Carnival. Making Tracks has provided a focused environment, with skilled tutors to help them set objectives that will see them elevate their creativity and confidence."

The young people are supported by the Making Tracks project – a two year collaborative project between Trinity, Basement and ACE. Making Tracks offers young people the chance to take part in a wide range of life changing music making activities alongside 121 and group tutoring young people benefit from mentoring, peer learning and joint-project activity.

Catch the performances through out the day at the Unity Stage at St Paul’s Carnival, Bristol Saturday July 8.

As part of our in house programme, Trinity Presents we welcome Gardna (Fr 14 Oct) who will be joining forces legendary reggae and punk veteran Don Letts.

Trinity's history has long been part of the cultural crossover of punk and reggae scenes which emerged in the late 1970s. Letts was instrumental in introducing reggae and dub sounds to the punk scene at the time. Given this rich history that we both share, we wanted to reflect on some of the key moments in Don Letts career.

• Don Letts was deeply inspired by the roots reggae from his parents' homeland in Jamaica, in particular the anti-establishment message of Bob Marley. After seeing Marley play the Odeon in Hammersmith in 1976, Letts snuck into Marley's hotel room and spent the night talking and befriending him.

"By 1977, the white teenage youths in London were looking for a new soundtrack and punk rock exploded on the scene. Problem was, this was so early in the scene, there were no punk records to play. So I'm spinning what I like, heavy dub reggae, and the punks were loving it. They dug the whole anti-establishment rebel vibe" - Don Letts

• During the 1970s, Don Letts rose to prominence as a resident DJ of The Roxy, a nightclub in London's Covent Garden. While The Roxy was known for being a hub for the punk scene that was growing in popularity at the time, Letts' sets at the venue featured mostly dub and reggae records.

• Letts recognised the natural similarities between punk and reggae, particularly in their shared, anti-establishment message, creating a crossover between the two cultures. Bands like The Clash were one of the first groups to incorporate elements of reggae music into their sound, seen most clearly through their cover of Junior Murvin's 1976 classic 'Police and Thieves'.

• Developing close relationships with punk bands such as Sex Pistols and The Clash led Letts onto creating films based around the punk scene at the time. Letts became the unofficial documenter of the scene, creating 'The Punk Rock Movie', mostly compiled from Super 8mm footage shot of live performances at The Roxy.

• Since then, Letts has gone on to direct over 300 music videos for a range of artists including Bob Marley, The Psychedelic Furs, Elvis Costello and long-time collaborators The Clash.

• Don Letts' life story was recently told in a documentary 'Rebel Dread', released earlier in 2022, featuring extensive footage from Lett's personal archive of videos.

Letts has continued to DJ throughout his career, and has been a regular feature on lineups across Bristol and the West. Don Letts will join Gardna at Trinity on 14 Oct for Trinity Presents: Gardna + Friends. Make sure to head down to catch this legend of the UK music scene (and his extensive vinyl collection) in action. Click here to get your tickets.

About Trinity Presents:

Gardna + Friends is part of Trinity Presents - our in-house programme of music, bringing world-class artists and emerging talent to inner-city audiences.