Nightlife’s New Normal LOUD explores the reality of life after lockdown for independent music venues across Bristol, as owners pick up the pieces following an unprecedented period of closure WORDS: MATT ROBSON PHOTOS: TRINITY CENTRE/ PHOTOS: KHALI ACKFORD; PHOTOS: EXCHANGE/MIKE ALLEN; PHOTOS: LAKOTA BRISTOL
ometimes, things just don’t go the way you think they will. When we sat down to start planning the third issue of LOUD, it was agreed early on that the stories of Bristol music venues – having faced a near-total loss of income for months on end during the pandemic – should be front and centre.
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From punters to artists, promoters, venue owners and staff, events specialists and everyone in between,
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LOUD Bristol
the coronavirus crisis completely decimated music scenes across Bristol and beyond, and left thousands of people with nowhere to create, nowhere to make a living, nowhere to let off steam. It was no surprise, then, that the government’s removal of all Covid-19 restrictions on English music venues was met with open arms in July. Adored venues up and down the country could finally clear out their beer lines and fire up their