SPOTLIGHT Stop singing that Ghostbusters tune right now; this is AREA 404, dummy
Venue
NIGHT MOVES
LYRA’S BRISTOL
Now that we’ve had a chance to properly check out His Dark Materials, and discovered that it’s awesome, we’re totally claiming some of the credit for Bristol. The eight-part adaptation of the first book in Philip Pullman’s epic trilogy is said to be the BBC’s most expensive series to date; and the investment is clearly shown by the extraordinary production values, stellar cast and Ruth Wilson’s deeply covetable wardrobe (move over, Villanelle). While most of the filming kudos goes to Bad Wolf and New Line Cinema in South Wales, the show’s scripted by Bristol-born Jack Thorne, once best known for Skins but now absolutely everywhere (he also wrote recent C4 drama The Accident). Also, the crew visited Bristol a number of times throughout its shooting schedule to film key scenes with the help of Bristol Film Office, including a chase sequence through Trenchard Street, Colston Street, Host Street and Pipe Lane into Colston Yard; the production team also filmed at Blaise Orangery. Christmas is an ideal time to play the locationspotting drinking game; one sherry per location is ideal. www.filmbristol.co.uk
STOP PRESS!
Bristol Sounds have just announced the line-up for 2020 too, headlined by Noel Gallagher, Jack Savoretti and Supergrass And Saturday is now an all-day mini-fest, curated and headlined by The Levellers, with Reef and Goldie Lookin Chain too. www.crosstownconcerts.com
Mark!
Brandon!
© ROB LOUD
Film and TV
The team behind Boomtown has launched Bristol’s newest, largest and most jaw-dropping multi-room events club venue to date. Behold AREA 404: a permanent events space in St Philip’s; it’s the largest venue in Bristol, with a capacity for 3,500, and it’s accessible to all. AREA 404 launched across two weekends in November, with fully immersive street sets reminiscent of the theatrical splendour of Boomtown, bringing the festival home to the city where it was created 11 years ago. Guests were invited to explore the deserted industrial quadrant of AREA 404: ‘an overgrown immersive dystopia filled with lost souls and the halfliving…’ (bit like the Croft at 11pm most Saturday nights, then). It’s a warrenlike complex housing five rooms; the main room features high-energy live music, with the medium and smaller rooms hosting a spectrum of live DJs, reggae, techno, house, d’n’b and disco, bringing people together in a huge melting pot of musical styles, theatrical exploration and creative endeavour. If you want to check it out, note that tickets are now on sale for its New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day party; see listings page 28. www.boomtownfair.co.uk
Theatre and music
STARRY, STARRY NIGHTS (AND KNIGHTS)
Got your Killers tickets yet? Don’t blame us if you missed out, we gave you plenty of prior warning on social.The indie rockers are comin’ out of their cage with new album Imploding The Mirage and a 2020 tour that takes in Ashton Gate; so if the last time you saw them live you were stood behind a squillion people at Glastonbury, here’s a chance to enjoy them in the excellent Gate sightlines.
Announced in the same week, and just as exciting if you’re into your theatre, was news that Mark Rylance will headline Bristol Old Vic’s ‘Year of Artists’ programme for 2020. Mark – formerly the first artistic director of The Globe, and recently on the small screen playing Hilary Mantell’s immensely sympathetic Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall – plays the titular role in the world premiere of Semmelweis; conceived from an original idea of Mark’s, the play is based on the true story of Hungarian scientist and doctor Ignaz Semmelweis. www.ashtongatestadium.co.uk www.bristololdvic.org.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 7