This year Thekla celebrates it’s 35th anniversary as a venue since it first welcomed people aboard under the name ‘The Old Profanity Showboat’ back in 1984.
To kick things off on Thursday 2nd May, BBC Radio 6 Music’s champion of new music, Steve Lamacq takes over Bristol’s biggest and best Indie and Alternative club, Pressure. October Drift then return to Bristol to join us for the first evening of live music on Friday 3rd May. Their anthemic, arena sized rock will fill the depths of the ship for their biggest Bristol headline show to date.
Pangaea, one third of the Hessle Audio crew will be joining Thekla’s 35th Anniversary celebrations for the Friday club event. With releases combining Techno, House and Jungle. Also headlining the show is LONE, supporting will be Bristol soundman Borai, alongside Sheffield collective Denham Audio.
Two Bristol heavyweights in the form of Laid Blak and Dr Meaker board the ship on the Saturday for a night of festival vibes. Having supported Ed Sheeran (who uses some of Laid Blak’s lyrics in his song ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ Dr Meaker bring the party with their energetic live show which has seen visits to Glastonbury, Boomtown and Beautiful Days festivals with radio play on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1 Xtra and a session at BBC’s Maida Vale.
Later, on the Saturday, Thekla invites you to come and be blessed at the church of Pop Confessional. Hosting the evening’s congregation is Father Valentine Spinoza, who will be spinning all your favourite guilty pop pleasures until we welcome the world’s best tribute to the illusive helmet-clad retro-futurists, Daft Punk for an exclusive Bristol performance based around the tracks of the duo’s original music.
The final day of live music is an action-packed all day event on the Sunday with grunge-heavy dual fronted three-piece Soeur. With plenty of airplay on BBC Radio 1 (The Rock Show host Daniel P Carter is a big fan) and BBC Radio 6 Music for a string of recent singles. Also joining them will be Leeches, who return to their home from home of Bristol bringing their psych tinged garage rock, one of Bristol’s most prolific songwriters Slonk, impossibly loud three-piece Sans and incredibly exciting fuzz pop three-piece INDIGOs. Plus, there’s plenty more surprises still to be announced.
Rounding off the bank holiday weekend, Bristol legend and Mercury Prize Winner Roni Size will be headlining an extended 3 hour set alongside Dynamite MC until the early hours of Monday morning. Roni is one of the most respected Drum & Bass artists, with production credits spanning dozens of labels, projects, and releases. In support will be Bristol’s biggest Drum & Bass label, Intrigue, whose residents will be there to showcase their recent releases for this unmissable event.
To sit alongside the series of events and further celebrate the occasion, Thekla have teamed up with Moor Beer to brew a new beer which will be available on draught and in cans. Named after the original venue tag; Old Profanity is a ‘Bristol Pale Ale’ packing all the flavour of an IPA, with a more session-able taste and ABV. Available on the bar at Thekla and the Moor Beer tap room.
Tickets are available from alt. tickets and Party For The People. Keep up to date with everything on the Facebook event here.
#THEKLA35
