Exchange, Bristol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Exchange is a community-owned music venue in the Old Market area of the city of Bristol, in South West England; it was the first community-owned music venue in the city.
The venue opened in August 2012. It was transferred to community ownership by becoming a Community Benefit Society in January 2019 after raising over their target of £250,000 through the selling of shares, making it the first community-owned music venue in the city.[1][2][3][4]
Adam Devonshire of the band Idles was bar manager at the venue for a time before the band took off.[5]
Independent record label Specialist Subject Records opened a record shop upstairs in the venue in August 2017.[6]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the venue found its challenges continued after restrictions were lifted. In February 2022 they mentioned to BBC News that international artists were pulling events or postponing until spring.[7] In January 2023 the venue announced it would have to reduce opening hours in its cafe/bar due to the current financial climate.[8]
Bristol City Council announced in December 2023 that it had cut arts funding for the venue from April 2024.[9] In February 2025 the venue talked to Bristol24/7 about reducing hire costs for DJ nights and nightclub promoters, as well as appointing a club specific booker, in order to benefit and encourage the local dance music scene.[10]
Artists which played in the Exchange
- Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties
- A Wilhelm Scream
- A Certain Ratio
- The Bug Club
- Bush Tetras
- Callous Daoboys
- Cheerbleederz
- The Chisel
- Conjurer
- Crywank
- Cumgirl8
- Desperate Journalist
- Dillinger Four
- Discharge
- Divide and Dissolve
- Fightmilk
- Fortitude Valley
- Fresh
- Fucked Up
- Gel
- Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
- Glen Matlock
- Hannah Jadagu
- Holy Fuck
- Into It. Over It.
- Jah Wobble
- Johnny Foreigner
- Lydia Lunch
- Macseal
- Martha
- Me Rex
- Melt Banana
- Militarie Gun
- Muncie Girls
- Nervus
- Oi Polloi
- Ozric Tentacles
- Pest Control
- Pete Wylie
- Remember Sports
- Shonen Knife
- Shygirl
- Slaughter Beach, Dog
- Static Dress
- Supermilk
- Svalbard
- Teen Suicide
- Yard Act[11]
References
- ↑ "Bristol music venue Exchange saved from closure". Bristol Post. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ↑ Wray, Daniel Dylan (20 July 2022). "'We don't want money going to private landlords': UK music venues turn to community ownership". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ↑ "Bristol music venue Exchange launches appeal to help save it from closure". Bristol Post. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ↑ "Exchange hopes to become Bristol's first community-owned live music venue". Bristol24/7. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ↑ Kendall, Ellie (9 March 2025). "Famous Bristol venue The Exchange where Idles' bassist used to work behind the bar". BristolLive. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
- ↑ "Specialist Subject's First Record Shop Opens On Old Market". Bristol24/7. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ↑ Robinson, Harriet (6 February 2022). "Covid: Bristol music venues and nightclubs "need more support"". Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ↑ "Bristol gig venue Exchange to reduce opening hours 'with heavy heart' due to cost of living crisis". Bristol Post. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ↑ "Bristol City Council defends cultural venue funding cuts". BBC News. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ↑ Jones, Hayley (14 February 2025). "Venue upgrades club offering to support grassroots scenes". Bristol24/7. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
- ↑ "Exchange Bristol concerts". Songkick. Retrieved 28 April 2025.