HOW DID ST PAULS CARNIVAL BEGIN? WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
In 1963, the group behind St Pauls Carnival led the Bristol Bus Boycott, protesting a ban on hiring Black bus drivers...The iconic St Pauls Carnival is set to return to Bristol’s streets tomorrow (Saturday, 5th of July), bringing with it sound systems, food, and that notorious Bristol spirit we know and love. Revered alongside London’s Notting Hill Carnival as a celebration of Caribbean culture, it also serves as a commemoration to survival in the face of displacement and oppression. ...
INTERVIEW + REVIEW 15/06 OUR EXPERIENCE OF ANEXPERIENCE FESTIVAL 2025 AND THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABILITY AT GRASSROOTS FESTIVALS.
Whose responsibility is it to keep a festival going? Is it the dream of individuals, or the commitment of a whole community? These were the questions floating around my head as I left AnExperience Festival this year – a lovingly chaotic, beautifully imperfect gathering that feels like it’s still forming itself, with all of us shaping it as we go...
INTERVIEW + REVIEW 06/05 HENGE TRANSCENT DOWN TO BRISTOL AND ARE HERE TO SAVE HUMANITY WITH COSMIC DROSS.
On a misted evening in Bristol, something extraordinary unfolded within the walls of the Trinity Centre. The acclaimed intergalactic ensemble known as HENGE made their terrestrial descent, transforming the historic venue into a fully operational spacecraft. As seriousness levels on Earth reach dangerous peaks, their mission is simple: raise smiles, restore playfulness, and groove the planet back into harmony...
INTERVIEW + REVIEW26/04 ALPHA STEPPA, UK DUB PRODUCER AND DJ PERFORMS BACK IN BRISTOL.
Alpha Steppa (Ben Sprosen) is one of the most innovative voices in contemporary dub. While living in Bristol back in the late 2000's as a student, Ben started his label Steppas Records and hasn't looked back since. Now settled in France and immersed in French soundsystem culture, it felt extra special to talk with Ben before his performance at the Malcolm X Community Centre in Bristol...