A number of Bristol's top music artists and venues have teamed up for an online festival to support the city's live music scene.
On Saturday, May 23, Colston Hall will present the Bristol Takeover Online, a digital festival in partnership with Music Venue Trust’s nationwide Save Our Venues campaign and hosted by BBC Introducing in the West.
Following on from Colston Hall’s Bristol Takeover events in 2017 and 2019, the 2020 edition comes with the lockdown twist of being live streamed online.
It features a lineup of fresh new talent and special guests programmed in partnership with some of the city’s most renowned grassroots venues including Louisiana, Thekla, The Fleece, Exchange, St George’s, Trinity, Crofters Rights, The Old England, Rough Trade and more.
Bristol Takeover Online will be hosted by BBC Introducing in the West presenters Richard Pitt and Sam Bonham and will feature the likes of Portishead's Adrian Utley, The Allergies, Ishmael Ensemble, Melt Yourself Down, No Go Stop, Pictish Trail, Rachael Dadd, Run Logan Run, Three Cane Whale, artists on the Saffron Records roster and many more.
The festival will be live streamed for free via YouTube, but organisers are asking that viewers donate what they would normally spend on a gig ticket via the event's crowdfunder page.
All donations will be split equally between participating artists and venues, in collaboration with Music Venue Trust.
Todd Wills, Artistic Director at Colston Hall, said: "The Bristol Takeover is our annual event to spotlight the incredible music scene we’re fortunate enough to be a part of here in Bristol, and with the Coronavirus outbreak we wanted to move it online to keep celebrating and supporting live music in our city."
"What’s more, new talent is the lifeblood of our industry and without grassroots venues like The Louisiana and Exchange and many others, we wouldn’t see these new artists develop.
"It’s an uncertain time for both venues and artists, so working together and with Music Venue Trust on their Save Our Venues campaign, we hope to raise the funds that will ensure we still have a vibrant live music scene to return to."
Music Venue Trust's #saveourvenues campaign is trying to prevent as many closures across the UK as possible, and has already supported a number of Bristol venues including The Old England, Louisiana and Exchange.
A full lineup and running times for the festival will be announced in the lead up to the event.
The broadcast will be available to view on-demand for one week after the event.
Head to Colston Hall's website for more information on how to watch and donate.
