Surely the best hidden gem Bristol has to offer…read more Its not often Sam N and I find ourselves in the very centre of Bristol. Historically the haven of neon bars, scantly dressed girls and hot headed lager louts. However, to be fair, the centre has changed somewhat in recent years, and while those places still exist, there are a lot more reasons to visit the centre than to avoid it these days. Smoke and Mirrors lies on Denmark street, a seemingly uninteresting road just beside the hippodrome and the main cluster bars, chicken shops and kebab houses. Its, almost clandestine, location suits it perfectly and it just wouldn't have quite the same amount of charm if it was anywhere else. It labels itself as a theatre pub and I guess thats as a fair description as any. I fell in love with it as soon as I entered. It just feels like a hidden gem immediately, even before you are struck by all the quirkiness that lies within. Quirkiness aside, the place itself is a rather old fashion, small, but quint pub. The whole place is an oxymoron in as much as the very fact that it doesn't try to be 'cool' makes it one of the coolest places I know. Despite its small size there has been live music several times we've been there. Its a very non offensive variety of live music, the kind you can get involved with, enjoy as a backdrop or ignore completely. I feel like there are few places left like this, where you can drink to the backdrop of live music rather than it being so in your face. Last time we were there we had an absolute blast shouting endless requests at the guitarist, who indulged every one of them. He was so good we grabbed a card off him. The bar itself serves all manner of fairly mainstream drinks, it would perhaps be more fitting for it to serve one or two local drinks from the many of the firmly established local breweries bristol has to offer. There is a happy hour on cocktails, my recollection of such times is understandably hazy. They also have a rather tasty array of bar snacks. The scotch eggs and sausage rolls are really rather lovely and basically mean that you never have to leave :) Not surprisingly its a Saturday evening is when its at its peak, and can get rather busy, however it does so without ever feeling too busy, perhaps this is down to the magicians that roam through the crowd blowing everyones minds with various card tricks. Its great fun and never feels over the top. It just adds to the mood, and one of the many compounding factors that make it such a special place in my eyes. There is a small room the back which they use for intimate shows, the dates of which they mix up a bit. It appears that generally Monday it is an open mic comedy night where as Fri and Sat usually hold performances from the house magicians. However they are frequented by special guests so I guess its worth keeping an eye on the events calender. All in all, smoke and mirrors is a great place to go and by far my favorite place in central Bristol.

This is a great place to go watch a show. Very enjoyable experience watching bedknobs and brooms…read moresticks, slight technical problem but still enjoyable. The seats were comfortable and view was great. Staff friendly and helpful. Great experience and thoroughly enjoyed will return to watch another show.

A little while ago I went to this venue to see Aled Jones take on the role of Caractacus Potts in…read more'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang', and finally got to see this splendid new building from the inside. Most people who are at all familiar with Cardiff would recognise the armadillo/woodlouse outer shell of the Wales Millennium Centre, and the giant lettering gracing its sides. But, unfortunately, few people seem to have actually ventured inside. The space is modern and clean, without looking barren, as so easily might have happened. The theatre itself has excellent leg-room, comfortable seats and pretty much unrestricted views. I sometimes struggle with low volume when attending musicals, but the acoustics were excellent, and every word clear as a bell. As well as shows and events, there are also food outlets and guided tours available. There are also free performances most days on the Glanfa stage, which are certainly worth checking out.

I've been to St David's hall a couple of times now, mainly for comedians like Ross Noble and Sean…read moreLock. As a venue, it plays hosts to a huge variety of acts and entertainment. In the coming week alone you can see acts as varied as Stan Stennett (?), Brian Conley, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Roy Chubby Brown. It's not the most aesthetically interesting or pleasing venue in Cardiff, being beaten hands down by the Millenium Centre in the Bay, but it nevertheless remains the favoured venue for most acts, probably due to it's slightly larger seating capacity of 2000 (as opposed to 1897 in the Millenium Centre). It still hosts the annual Welsh Proms aswell. My own experiences have all gone pretty smooth, with very little queuing and helpful, professional staff. I suppose it's good that there's nothing of note I can really say here, as the things that would tend to stick in your mind about something as general as a concert hall would in all likelihood have been bad experiences anyway. It's a top venue though and it's important to Cardiff as a city to have somewhere encouraging the arts and being constantly active in doing so.

I have always found St David's Hall to be a little bit of a strange venue. That's not to say it's…read morenot good. Just odd. I think that's because it was, when built, quite a modern design, and that design was not universal enough to quite stand the test of time. What remains is an odd mixture of wood, green carpets and wide areas which make sense when they're full of people, but which are just tired when not. That being said, the selection of music, comedy, ballet and theatre in this venue is great. The theatre itself is vast, but seems much more intimate because of their carefully tiered seating. Seats encompass the stage, and there is a massive organ on display. Unfortunately, I've always found this venue to a little dampening to sound. Or the speakers aren't loud enough, or something. A good venue though.

Theatre aside, the kitchen and bar is excellent. Top quality small plates and interesting local…read morebeers.

I've been coming to the old vic for many years so not only is it a great venue but for me it holds…read moremany great memories and is where my love of theatre began. The shows you get to see at the old vic are a far cry from the tacky unoriginal touring shows you get at the Hippodrome. Showcasing its own in house productions you find a lot more edgy and original theatre, so it's a must for all theatre lovers. On this occasion I took my one and half year old son to his first ever theatre production, Magic Elves. The show was in the small theatre downstairs and was perfect for small children and adults alike! He was engaged and mesmerised from the off and I hope this starts a similar love of theatre...

This is a single theartre, not a complex…read more This lovely old theartre has a lot of chacter and charm. It is faily large, accommadating around 600 people. Back stage are plenty of changing room - my daughter has performed here. The accoustics are good, and frankly I'd come here to see any gig, or play. It has a great atmoshere. There can be quite a bit of walking for the loos etc, but the cafe is worth a visit. I'm not too sure about disabled access, so phone in advance.

I have been to the Pavilion since I was a kid watching pantomimes and now I go to concerts, opera…read moreand other events. The building hasn't changed much over the years, but runs beautifully and has great appeal and charm. The acoustics are good and viewing is spot on. I always enjoy coming here and there is always a good variety of shows throughout the year.

Described by the NME many years ago as "a floating toilet", the Thekla has thankfully had a few…read moremakeovers since and is now quite possibly the best club and gig venue in Bristol. The downstairs main room is fairly small and generates a great atmosphere, and there are also balconeys overlooking the dancefloor and stage, which are great for gigs. Moving upstairs, there's a decent bar which is open during day times and has a daily happy hour and food offers. On sunny days, though, you're better off taking your pint/burger out on the open air deck, which is heated, has plenty of seating and offers great views across the harbour.

A club on a boat! The Thekla (I don't know if that's the name of the boat as well as the club) is…read moremoored up in Bristol harbour with a few good nights and live music as well. There's no need to worry about sea sickness, the boat doesn't sway or anything. Its over two floors (decks?) and has an outside area at the bow of the ship. The upstairs bar is open all week and the bottom opens for club nights (Socialism, electro-indie on Saturdays is my favourite). Being on a boat, things are a bit crowded, but theres plenty of space on the bottom floor (in the bowls of the ship?) to dance. The staff (bouncers and bar staff) are friendly, and there's always a good atmosphere. There's no premium for floating whilst you drink, with the nights I've been too, priced around a fiver. A novelty that's a good night out too.

Striking Attitudes is a professional total theatre dance company based in Cardiff who aim to…read moreprovide approachable theatrical dance that welcomes both experienced and new dancers. In recent years much of their work has been with the older dancer - professional and community - through dance classes, workshops, live performance and film. They currently run a regular series of creative dance and movement classes and occasional workshops in Cardiff for the older dancer. Striking Attitudes uses dance, text and visually compelling imagery to create original choreography and examine the physical wisdom of the mature dancer. The company also aims to be a force for change at a time when the number of older people in our society is rapidly growing, and to be a voice for Wales by engaging in international dialogue and partnership. Striking Attitudes are; Artistic Director and Choreographer - Caroline Lamb Co-Director - Wyndham Price Rehearsal Assistant - Janet Fieldsend

I just love independent community theatre companies like this!…read more They've been running since 1996, and they have one major production each year as well as smaller events. They're really friendly and welcoming to anybody who fancies finding out more about it and joining. Their next and upcoming production will be 'Bad Girls' the musical, booked into the theatre at Filton College in October. In fact it's not too late to get involved in this production if you like the idea of it! Tickets are reasonably priced.

The Lighthouse is Poole's theatres, concert venue, and has a cinema…read more There are two theatres in The Lighthouse, which hosts a wide variety of entertainment, from ballet to tribute bands, and annually a pantomine. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is based here, (yes, I noticed the geographical misalignment too) and perform regularly. This week they have played concerts for some of the local schools. A month ago, I saw a touring company from the LSC performing jazz dance one evening and another company from the LSC performing modern ballet a couple of evenings later. The quality is astounding and I'm amazed that we can attract such talent to the provinces! There is also a small cinema which shows art films and a 'big' movie some months after it left the popular box offices. There is an eatery downstairs in the foyer, and bars on the first floor. All the staff are very helpful indeed, and advise you of discounts available. Booking is always easy, and they don't mind at all if you take a while to make up your mind about seating. The loos are clean! Seats are nice and comfy. Parking outside is for Blue Vadge holders only, or dropping off. Car parking is in the Dolphin multi storey (don't use the Park - you'll get locked in!).

I agree with Bluesofty on almost everything. They show a lot of different types of music, theatre,…read moredance and performance - some really astounding, some less so, but lots of choice. (We attract it because of subsidy by the way - the level went way up when the government changed last.) The cinema has a monthly Now Showing meeting where you can go to discuss what's been on, what's coming and what you'd like to be on. They give you free tickets for it too! It's the pity the eating is rather ordinary and the wine usually paint stripper in my experience. Park in the Park by all means. It is locked up very early in the morning - about 6 I think - and reopens at 10 for cars, so most performances at the Lighthouse will have finished by then!

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The Tunnels is an exciting new 360 capacity venue with an enviably unique location. Occupying two…read moregrade one listed railway arches, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunnel, and tucked neatly beneath Bristol Temple Meads central railway station, The Tunnels must be Bristol's most easily accessed nightspot. Not only is it serviced by comprehensive bus and rail transport, almost to the door, there is also, unusually for Bristol, a wealth of free parking immediately in front of the venue, all under the watchful eye of The Tunnels security team. And there can't be too many venues that can boast about having a taxi rank on their roof! Opened in October 2009 this venture has been conceived and realised in the peak of a global recession, showing that creator Gareth Chilcott has the courage to match his ambitions. It's perhaps not surprising considering the achievements of this Bristol-born iconic personality. Sporting his trademark headband, Chilcott, better known as Cooch, made over 400 first team appearances for Bath RFC and was capped for England 22 times between 1984 and 1990. The sweatband that protected Cooch from the telltale condition 'cauliflower ear' throughout his rugby career enjoyed a new incarnation after he hung up his boots and launched Headband Ltd, a hospitality company providing mobile bars to prestigious events around the country. Now considered to be a leading international rugby pundit, Cooch regularly makes celebrity guest appearances, and has graced the stage in a number of regional theatre productions. Resisting the temptation to trade on his name, Cooch branded the venue and launched it without so much as a nod to his former achievements. Caution was inspired by the wholesale media pounding of Mama Stones in Exeter, after Wendy Joseph, (mother of Joss Stone), bought and rebranded The Hub, reopening it as a music venue back in the summer of 2009. This has been a smart move in more ways than one. The Tunnels is the right name for this underground, discretely hidden venue. After visiting it, it is hard to imagine that it could be called anything else. A small doorway, no more than an illuminated dot on a manmade cliff face of blackened rock, is all that betrays the existence of life. The soundproofing is immaculate. Emerging from the dusky car park, lit only by the ambient glow of distant streetlights, the full impact of the scale and industrial grandeur of this rather splendid space hits you with full impact as you step across the threshold. Partially clad in corrugated sheet metal, that gives way to large areas of exposed brickwork, it's clear that the interior has been designed to follow the sweeping lines of the superstructure, a decision that was probably heavily influenced by the ceaselessly stringent stipulations of the Heritage Planning Department, but is one that allows for an optimal use of the space. The layout is intelligent. Although conforming to predetermined dimensions, this is a venue that is custom made for the purpose of delivering quality music to large numbers of people. The first arch, which houses the bar and sprawling lounge, with toilets and smoking area to the rear, has dual access to the performance area running parallel to it. The stage occupies a sizeable portion of the far end of the second arch, allowing the audience to filter, with minimum disturbance, from the side. Disabled access is garnered via a door leading directly from the car park, adjacent to the main entrance. The fact that this leads to a viewing platform that elevates wheelchair bound patrons to a position where they can enjoy great views of the stage is indicative of the thought and consideration that has gone into mapping out the space. This venue is being operated with seeming consummate ease, without a trace of evidence pointing to the problematical process that brought it into being. Cooch had been searching for the right opportunity to put down some roots for several years, but initial attempts to secure a property of the correct proportions were thwarted by costly surveying procedures that resulted in disappointment. "I've always wanted a music venue" he confided, "I looked at the Fleece a couple of years ago, and didn't buy it because of structural problems... And then, after a lot of searching, two derelict arches came up, with a lot of rain, a lot of rats, a lot of dirt and hard work, and, of course, it's a listed building, and so as soon as you touch that you've got to get everything passed by Heritage... But in the end it was worth it. It's a bit quirky. It's a bit different. The acoustics are great, and the bands like playing here. It works." There's no denying that Cooch is right, The Tunnels definitely works, but the timing of the development, with the backdrop of global recession, could hardly be considered ideal. Ever the professional, Cooch takes a philosophical stance... read full review on my blog: http://www.travelpod.com/members/biglove