The perfect day at Simple Things: A Crack Magazine guide
Reliably genre-defying and always on point, Bristol’s venue-hopping all-dayer returns this Saturday, 8 November with a programme co-curated by Crack Magazine, Team Love, and the Bristol Beacon.
Among the scroll-like list of highlights: an afternoon set of ambient jazz magic from Nala Sinephro; a tenth-anniversary celebration of Nyege Nyege Tapes; more wiry, post-punk sprechgesang from Dry Cleaning; an incendiary blast of bass-weighted dancehall from The Bug with guest MCs; and a string of scene-defining rising bands from London duo Jadu Heart to DIY Atlanta punks Upchuck.
With too many highlights to all make the final cut, here are our picks for the day. If you haven’t already, get tickets at the Bristol Beacon website.
Daniel Avery (Live) + Scaler
Who: Celebrated producer and DJ Daniel Avery, who has made his name making what Andrew Weatherall once called “gimmick-free machine funk of the highest order”.
Where: Beacon Hall.
When: Friday, 7pm-10pm.
What: Clock off and dive straight into the Simple Things weekend with Daniel Avery headlining the opening concert. He’ll be joined by local four-piece Scaler, whose intense fusion of industrial techno, noise-rock, punk and metal blurs the line between electronic music and a loud live band set-up – the perfect start to the festival, really, capturing everything the Simple Things programme is all about.
The Christmas Steps
Who: All your mates!
Where: You already know…
When: Friday and Saturday from 12pm-1am.
What: Stop for a pint to wrap up the Friday evening at Crack Magazine’s home, The Christmas Steps, and warm up with another early one the next day.
Steve Davis + Stunty
Who: Six-time world snooker champion, analogue synth enthusiast and all-round Bristol legend Steve Davis returns to the decks alongside good friend Stunty.
Where: The Terrace.
When: Saturday, 12-3:30pm.
What: In classic Simple Things fashion, this year’s line-up includes a few unexpected – yet perfectly fitting – programming choices. This time, snooker legend Steve Davis has personally curated his own showcase, featuring leftfield innovators Graham Dunning & Strictly Kev (a.k.a. DJ Food), JB Glazer and Sculpture, topped off with a rare DJ set from Davis himself alongside his good friend Stunty. Expect progressive rock, krautrock, electronica, and, of course, the unexpected…
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Pay Idle Hands a visit
Who: Chris Farrell opened the record store and Bristol institution in 2011.
Where: 20-21 Lower Park Row Bristol.
When: Saturday, 12-6pm.
What: For those who need to recharge that social battery before the evening ahead, drop into Idle Hands for a dig through the shop’s impeccable selection of dance and electronic records.
Take in Bicep’s TAKKUK
Who: Bicep linked up with visual artist Zak Norman and filmmaker Charlie Miller for TAKKUK, an immersive audiovisual project that gives voice to Indigenous musicians from the Arctic.
Where: Bristol Megascreen.
When: Saturday, 3:15-4.15pm
What: Created in partnership with the charity In Place of War, the project saw Bicep collaborating with a number of Indigenous vocalists from the Arctic Region, highlighting the diverse cultures of its communities and the challenges they face. Having first premiered on the giant floor-to-ceiling screens at London’s Outernet, Bristol’s Megascreen (formerly IMAX) is the place to take it all in.
Stop off at Sportsmans
Who: Local legends and soon-to-be massive rising bands.
Where: The iconic old-school sports pub in Central Bristol.
When: Saturday, 2-11pm.
What: We were already planning a pit-stop at Sportmans, but the pub’s all-afternoon live music programme seals the deal. Local noise merchants MOULD kick things off at 2 pm, and those who get comfortable for the rest of the day can catch sets from My First Time, Year of The Rabbit, The Sick Man of Europe, Lover’s Skit, Hotline TNT, HAAL, and Y.
Refuel with Soft Buoys
Who: Friends of Crack Magazine serving ice cream, hot drinks and snacks.
Where: The Kiosk, Welsh Back – a short walk from the Bristol Beacon.
When: Saturday, 10am-4pm.
What: With a stacked evening stretching into the early hours, Simple Things regulars know pacing is key. To refuel before the afternoon, drop in to the new local harbourside kiosk and soft boi hotpost for a soft serve, coffee, grilled cheese, or whatever else you fancy.
Nala Sinephro
Who: The harpist-composer (and recent Benny Safdie collaborator) makes her Bristol debut.
Where: Beacon Hall.
When: Saturday, 4:45-5:45pm.
What: As the sun sets, return to the grandeur of Beacon Hall – a fitting setting to welcome Nala Sinephro for her first-ever Bristol performance. Before being tipped for Benny Safdie’s buzzy new Dwayne Johnson-starring film The Smashing Machine, Sinephro’s latest record Endlessness, which sits somewhere between spiritual jazz and electronic ambient, earned a place on our 2024 Albums of the Year list. As writer Ammar Kalia puts it: “Sinephro’s skill lies in gently jolting us from our reverie, striking a new chord or tempo to remind us of her presence – guiding, journeying and always flowing through her own masterful direction.” So sit back, surrender, and let Sinephro’s set be the calm before the storm.
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keiyaA
Who: Chicago-born, NYC-based multidisciplinary artist and former Crack Magazine cover star keiyaA returns for a rare live performance after a five-year break from releasing music.
Where: Strange Brew.
When: Saturday, 7-7:45pm.
What: Forever, Ya Girl lovers already know keiyaA’s singular sound and unforgettable artistic charm. Five years after the record’s release, she’s finally back with her moving new sophomore album, hooke’s law, which follows her debut stage play, milk thot. Expect an emotionally raw and tender performance at one of the truly unmissable shows of the day.
Celebrate 10 years of Nyege Nyege
Who: Breakout Tanzanian singeli star DJ Travella.
Where: Bridgehouse.
When: Saturday, 8-9pm
What: Picking up the pace for the night ahead, DJ Travella will follow sets from PO and Sisso & Maiko as part of a special 10 Years of Nyege Nyege Showcase, celebrating the 10th birthday of Nyege Nyege Tapes – the influential Kampala-based label producing and releasing outsider music from around the region and beyond.
aya DJ set
Who: London-based electronic artist aya.
Where: The Bristol Beacon cellars.
When: Saturday, 12-1am.
What: Things are about to get sweaty in the Bristol Beacon cellars with aya – one of the most unique and consistently impressive rising voices in contemporary electronic music. If her masterpiece second album, this year’s hexed!, is anything to go by, expect a set bristling with relentless, high-intensity sound.
The afters
Who: Laurel Halo, Hodge (live), Caragh.
Where: Strange Brew.
When: Saturday, 11pm-4am with last entry at 1:30am.
What: Still have gas in the tank? Get yourself to the official Simple Things after party at Strange Brew for a big blowout with some familiar faces on the decks and many more in the crowd.
The recovery
Who: Whoever’s still standing.
Where: Chilli Daddy, 45-47 Baldwin Street, City Centre.
When: Sunday, 11:30am-9pm.
What: Shake off last night with some comforting Szechuan food from Chilli Daddy, and then take a restorative walk around the harbour to kickstart the hangover recovery.
Get your Simple Things tickets here
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