Showday 9 : Bristol

We arrived in Bristol right on time, a city I had never visited before. As usual, I started with a stroll around town. I visited the cathedral and did some vintage shopping, treating myself to a nice coffee and a smoothie.

I found a great wool sweater and picked up some gifts for people back home.

Today, we played at Thekla, a boat-turned-venue in Bristol. It was by far the stickiest venue I've ever experienced. There were many challenges: loading in had to be done via stairs with no elevators, and the steps were uneven, causing me to trip a few times. The venue itself was so small that the dressing room felt like a broom closet. It was tricky finding enough space to store our merchandise, and the place was dusty, dirty, and even moldy. Thankfully, everything was still pinned from the day before, so setup was easier.

A lot of people were sick, which meant no showers for anyone—not that they looked very appealing anyway.

The cool thing about this venue is that it once had a Banksy on it, though it’s been removed. Still, Bristol is full of Banksy’s influence.Read more