Onwards and... downwards: Welcome to Bristol.

Have you ever sat down to a difficult piece of work? I mean really difficult. Like, the existential nature of thewhat?subconscious dialectical dichotomy of expressive subjectivity in theIdon’tgetthisatallandIdon’tknowhowtobeginbecau sethisisdefinitelytoocomplicated.

Or, have you ever tried to tidy a room so chaotic, so unmanageable, so disgusting that you can’t even start? Or attempted to navigate your way around an anally detailed reference book? Searching in vain for one idea, one concept that you know will pass you by. Or, how about trying to eat a burger too large for your mouth? Cutorsquish? Cutorsquish?

It’s all the same simple equation. You + something that attracts you, overwhelms you, confuses you. It seems too much for you to handle, but you WANT TO BE A PART OF IT.

To be perfectly frank, that is exactly the situation that I have found myself in. Granted, I am not sitting in front of a Double-Cheese-Flame-Grilled-Halloumi-Chilli-Quarter-Pounder-With-Bacon-And-Onions puzzling on how to eat it. In fact, having recently defected southwards once again, I am now floundering in the astonishingly vibrant, living, breathing city of Bristol.

Bristol Artists. Bristol Entrepreneurs. Secret Bristol. Fleece Bristol. Alfresco Disco. UrbanFusion Bristol. Crack Bristol. Bristol Birds. Bristol Blokes. Headfirst Bristol. Propaganda Bristol. Bristol In:Motion, Bristol Festival of Ideas, Pressure Bristol, Pick Bristol...

There is so much choice, it makes for one hell of a case of indigestion. Obviously, grumpy or not, all that is left to do is swallow my Gaviscon, adjust my goggles, and dive straight in.

Here's a first taste:

THIS is our local...

Image courtesy of John Swa - www.goldenlionbristol.co.uk

OK, maybe this is a little more representative...

With an open-mic each Monday, regular live musicians on Tuesdays, and a vast array of nights, artists and events nearly every other night of the week, this is certainly one hell of a local. Heading along last Tuesday, George and I were treated to the gentle Norah Jones-esque guitar songstress Nuala along with a couple of her hand-picked guests. DISCLAIMER: She's great, but her guests can occasionally be a little...beige. 


Anyway, let's just have a look at what's on this weekend, shall we?


Friday 16^th September

Dub from Atlantis

Beginning as a club night in the city, this motley cru have set up a record label, created some darn good reggae and dub nights in Bristol, and endeavoured to make sure that heavyweight dub is back on the map. Mixing live music with DJ sets, the Dub from Atlantis original dub is not unlike fellow dubbers Easy Star All Stars, Toots and the Maytals and the Trojan Sound System.

Entry £3

http://www.dubfromatlantis.com/

Saturday 17th September

Eastpole Orchestra

A far cry from the previous nights shenanigans, this five-piece Balkan-Bristol band are sure to get you moving. Reminiscent of Orkestra del Sol, Gypsy Hill Soundsystem and the Molotov Jukebox, this hyper-frenetic musical mix includes Middle Eastern and North African rhythms as well as Eastern European and Klezmer melodies. Guaranteed to make you get up and get sweaty, this heady cocktail of gypsy magic is certain to be one night you will not forget. 

Entry Free

http://www.myspace.com/eastpoleorchestra

There is a lot more to come. I have a feeling that my already substandard concentration span is about to take another battering. 

Hello, Bristol...