I was there last December for the Garry/Simon Rats and I thought it was a really good 'traditional' venue. From memory it's got a wide but shallow standing area downstairs (maybe 30 yards by 10), with desk at the rear, and a pair of short stairways either side at the rear to a mezzanine bar than runs the width of the venue. Also has space upstairs (pretty sure also standing) with a wide balcony that slightly overhangs downstairs. 

Walls were all dark (black?) so all in all made for a compact and sweaty venue. Ideal I'd say, but maybe not to everyone's taste. Certainly one I'm looking forward to seeing this band in. Capacity at a guess around 1500?

Parking is pretty limited in immediate vicinity, but there are bays which presumably cease around 6pm. Not sure if the yellow lines also free up then. I was there on a Sunday so wasn't a problem as everything was free on the streets. Only other point to note if driving is the roads to/from are largely one way, so make sure you take appropriate turn offs if not being led by sat nav.

No problem. Be good to meet if there's am opportunity.

I'd like to think it'll nudge at least 4 figures, was a decent and quite 'up for it' crowd when I went, but concede a fair percentage were there for Blockheads and From the Jam. Even so, with those Rats on about 7pm there was still active interest and a good number on the floor. Think my guess at the time was about 700-800 there.

Fingers crossed the Geldof factor will draw the good people of Bristol and it will be closer to full than empty.

Let us know if you do want to meet up. I'm also driving to that one so if a lift from anywhere helps feel free to PM me. I'll be pretty much M4/M32.

I used to go to the venue for some gigs and club nights. Opposite the entrance is a pub called the Hatchet Inn (Bristol's oldest pub) that is popular for pre-gig drinks.

Legend has it that the pub had a Rat Pitt and the door to the pub is covered in human skin hidden under the layers of paint.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat-baiting


Not far away is a great place to eat called Za Za Bazaar. I can't recommenced it highly enough. You won't have experienced anything quite like it. 'All you can eat' of just about every food that you can think of, freshly made to order in front of you and the quality is great. Biggest restaurant in the UK.

http://youtu.be/eu0cFS7HGqg

Maybe they'll do A Storm Breaks tonight in Bristol, or, travel/weather    permitting I Can Make It If You Can.

Top gig last night. Had high hopes for this venue and wasn't disappointed as around 1500 (allegedly) sold the place out and created as good an atmosphere as any of the dates so far. Downstairs was bouncing and the stairs to the sides and balcony above also heaving with highly enthusiastic crowd.

Seemed to rub off on the band, probably still on a high from Roundhouse, who looked to be enjoying every minute. Some additional Geldof banter, about how Bristolians apparently torched a local pizza joint last time Rats played there just because the pizza place hadn't served the "punk" band or something, and also some humour where Simon kept doing ba-boom type drums for Geldof punch lines, until Bob said 'will you stop doing that?!?".

As mentioned elsewhere, surprise on the encore was White Light White Heat, as a tribute, followed by Never Bite The Hand That Feeds again - no Having My Picture Taken this time. Think they scan the crowd to see if ArrGee present before they choose which .

Other than that set was same as previous, but halfway into tour I'd say perfectly into stride and very tight. Hopefully fatigue won't kick in for latter half.

Be very surprised if anyone can find a duff review of this one.

ArrGee wrote:

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suss wrote:

 

As mentioned elsewhere, surprise on the encore was White Light White Heat, as a tribute, followed by Never Bite The Hand That Feeds again - no Having My Picture Taken this time. Think they scan the crowd to see if ArrGee present before they choose which .

 

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 I'm sure they know. I don't suppose anyone recorded the encore, it sounds great. 

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 Maybe they'll ditch The Boomtown Rats and play WLWH for the rest of the tour. It's the sort of driving rock sound I wish the Rats would go for, instead of the lacklustre new tracks we have heard so far. So more VU/LR songs might be a good idea, like How Do You Think It Feels? or Run Run Run.

Song apparently is about Lou Reed undergoing electro-shock treatment,and the lyrics are a sort of stream of consciousness relating of the experience.

Another positive review.  What are those ****ney journalists on?  This tour is getting rave reviews throughout the rest of these islands...

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/REVIEW-Boomtown-Rats-O2-Academy-4-5-Jon-Bennett/story-20005324-detail/story.html

...we Bristolians were treated to a superb live show, which included a cover of White Heat/White Light in tribute to the late, great Lou Reed.

You could question the Rats' motives for coming out on tour after all this time, but why bother? For those who turned out to see Sir Bob and the boys it felt good really good. And that is the point, right?

Thanks for this Suss. On the ball review which could have been written about Manchester or Birmingham as far as I can tell, but I have to bow down to your superior comparison abilities bearing in mind the extent of your own recent tour! On that basis, I wished I'd gone to Bristol as well as this would have been, with Leeds and Nottingham, a possible contender for me had work not been so manic.