Hi, I'm Danny Nedelko, from Heavy Lungs,
and these are my five staples
of the Bristol music scene.
So the first venue on our little tour of Bristol,
The Exchange in Old Market.
So many memories.
Some I don't remember, but some I do...
Opened in 2012, I believe.
So that's what now, seven years of great music,
and loads of great bands.
Now they're also doing really good food,
which they actually did not used to do before,
so you can always grab a bite to eat.
I'm pretty sure the first time I'd seen IDLES
must have been here.
I've seen loads of great bands here.
And recently Specialist Subject Records moved in upstairs,
so they opened a record shop, which is a great record label.
They stock loads of DIY bands,
some bigger bands in a really nice record shop.
Our second ever gig as Heavy Lungs was here in August,
two years ago, but we played in the bar cafe
and it was loud and sweaty.
We also played a show here with Plainviews,
which is a supergroup between Saint Pierre Snake Invasion,
and the rhythm sections of IDLES.
And that was a very raucous, raucous gig.
One of the other amazing things about Exchange
because there's many independent venues around the UK,
was actually under threat of closure last year, but,
through a petition and community support, it remained open
and it's a beautiful thing, because it meant a lot
to a lot of people.
And to the scene in Bristol itself.
Many, many, many great bands played there.
We're coming up to the second venue on our
mini tour, and it's Rough Trade.
Relatively fresh in this scene,
but a great venue and amazing record shop.
Opened December, 2017
just roughly a year, and what a year it's been.
Great venue, great record shop.
Let's check it out, shall we?
Welcome to Rough Trade.
We're here the gig space at Rough Trade, Bristol.
It's just about a year old,
but it's seen already some great shows.
An amazing gig, that.
Me and George from the band went,
when it's just about open, was Elder Island,
actually one of our favourite bands who are from Bristol,
and yeah, they're incredible, check them out.
Of course IDLES, Joy as an Act of Resistance show here
was pretty insane.
We played twice for the record store day,
and that was a great show.
It was a bit wild, nervous as well 'cause,
at the time one of the bigger capacities
that we played as well.
And, of course, home show.
Then we played here for Psych Fest, now called Astral Fest.
In the summer that was wild,
that was the two really great gigs at Rough Trade.
Up next, legendary, crucial venue to the scene,
amazing sound, loads of memories, The Fleece.
An amazing venue, a staple of Bristol music scene.
One of the most important venues,
which was also facing the threat of closure, but due to,
I believe it was new legislation passed on,
now all the venues are protected.
It's one of the bigger venues in our tour
of Bristol's music scene.
So, yeah, it brings some, uh,
bigger headliners to play there.
Really good sound, one of the best sounding venues.
Seen a lot of amazing bands, including Ice Age,
that was an incredible gig.
And also the first time I seen Protomartyr.
Actually, IDLES supported that, that was also really good.
And, for our personal band history,
I believe it was gig number five, which is still so fresh,
we actually got to open for METZ,
in here,
which was so surreal after seeing them,
and being a massive fan,
and the guys were just saying to us,
we're excited to see you play and being unbelievably nice.
It sounded amazing, it sounded big.
It was truly a surreal memory to play here
supporting one of my favourite bands.
Hey, we're coming up here to actually,
my personal favourite, The Louisiana.
A legendary, legendary place.
Playing here is like a rite of passage.
Tonnes of absolutely incredible bands played here.
Yeah, but it's just also like the perfect size.
It is a family run venue, and it's truly one of
those independent venues.
Loads of friends worked here before.
Actually, Joe, from IDLES worked here before.
I live around the corner, as well,
so, now when there's a gig at The Louisiana,
I'm always keen.
Here we are in the gig room of The Louisiana
where I've seen some of the best shows I've ever
seen in Bristol.
IDLES, Meat EP launch, Bunch of years back
completely sold out.
And it was absolute kicking off.
Another personal favourite, Ulrika Spacek.
You know, the cliche term, the Wall of Sound?
Well, that's exactly how it was, I'm just gonna say,
it was like that, an amazing wall of sound.
The history of this place is incredible.
How many incredible bands from the years played.
It's also actually a pub, downstairs as well.
So, a really nice location to have a drink,
people who work here are absolutely lovely.
Yeah, I just think it's the perfect size.
This stage is not too high, no matter what it is
it's intimate.
But it still kind of feels big,
it's such a, an institution in Bristol.
I had the pleasure of playing here for the first time,
in a sold out, pardon the brag.
Home town show of our tour.
That show was, I mean, one of the best ones on tour,
such an amazing place to end the tour,
in the favourite venue. Couldn't really ask for more.
Unfortunately, we're reaching the final stop
on our mini tour of Bristol.
But now, we're here, Friendly Records.
it's one of the best record shops in Bristol.
And a local for me, I'm popping down here all the time,
I live just down the road.
Yeah, that's pop in and have a look at what they've got.
Here we are in Friendly Records,
an amazing record shop in Bedminster, Bristol
that opened in 2016. Independent,
an amazing selection, local to more than half of the band.
Yeah, they just always have an amazing selection of
new releases,
golden oldies.
One of the best record shops I've been not only in Bristol,
but just in general.
They do like, loads of cool stuff like gigs they did before,
and not only that, they also recently just opened
a pub right next door.
They play vinyl.
Nice people working there and they're always really
friendly to all of us when we come in.
So, it lives up to the name.
So, here we are at the end of our little journey,
little tour of Bristol.
Thank you so much for having me BIMM,
it was a pleasure to take you to my five favourite spots.
Bristol is the best and is really dear to me.
It's where I really properly fell in love with music,
met so many amazing, creative people,
and they introduced me to music and inspired me to,
like yeah, pursue what I wanna do.
From Odessa to Bristol man, great journey,
glad to end up here.
It's the best city ever.
Inclusive community,
the people are friendly.
Loads of great music, art.
I dunno, it's just a great spot.
Come down, we'll show you a good time.