Bristol's Simple Things Is a Cornerstone of the City's Independent Music Scene
On Saturday 8 November, Simple Things takes over Bristol for its 11th edition, with a packed lineup featuring Florence Sinclair, Smerz, Jawnino and many more.
For a small city, Bristol has had an outsized influence on the UK's music culture. from the birth of trip hop – led by pioneering artists Massive Attack, Portishead and Tricky – in the 1990s, to the city's influence on post-2010s bass music – from artists such as Batu, Hodge and Peverelist – Bristol has always been at the forefront of sonic experimentation.
"On a musical level, it’s as wide, varied and broad as ever."
Although the curation of Simple Things pays homage to this well publicised musical lineage, the festival also looks to a broader spectrum of artists, platforming anything experimental and forward-thinking, ranging from 200 BPM singeli to hardcore punk.
Tom Frost, Founder and Director of Simple Things, tells Trippin that the musical ideology of the festival is to “hear about ten or so different genres of music in a given day and really kind of open your mind to new, experimental sounds."
“The festival rubs against Bristol’s more traditional musical identity. I think the free-spirited, open-minded, liberal thinking ethos that defines Bristol more broadly is more reflective of what we do at Simple Things than any kind of distinct musical style."
This year's edition features a range of both local and international artists – including Manchester rapper Blackhaine, anonymous south London duo Tracey and Tanzanian producer DJ Travella – playing across 11 stages. There will also be a number of afterparties going on until the early hours of Sunday morning.
"The curation this year follows our usual mix of old, new, male, female, mental, linear, left, right - it’s really hard to define really, but I guess at a higher level we really look at acts who are doing something interesting. There’s a method behind the madness when we break down the stages but on a musical level, it’s as wide, varied and broad as ever.”
Tickets for Simple Things are available to purchase here.
