Playing O'Neil's in Bristol

[Buddster]

Hi

Has anyone here played O'Neill's in Bristol that can share any tips? 

We're playing there next week. It's our first Bristol center gig (we're local Bristol band anyway) so even though we've done loads of gigs, it's a big one for us. 

Any tips on load in/out, setting up on the narrow stage, that sort of thing. 

Thanks in advance. 

[Burns-bass]

28 minutes ago, Buddster said:

Hi

Has anyone here played O'Neill's in Bristol that can share any tips? 

We're playing there next week. It's our first Bristol center gig (we're local Bristol band anyway) so even though we've done loads of gigs, it's a big one for us. 

Any tips on load in/out, setting up on the narrow stage, that sort of thing. 

Thanks in advance. 

The guitarist in my band has a residency there. Parking is a nightmare in Bristol centre (as I’m sure you know!).

 

The crowd in there can be very boisterous. He’s experienced fights, smashed glasses and bashed equipment. Just look after yourself and stay vigilant I guess.

[Dan Dare]

What Burns-bass said. It's been a few years (quite a few), but I used to play there in the early days of the Irish theme bar boom, when O'Neill's bars booked Irish music (my original/main instrument was the fiddle). It could be interesting. There was little to no stage or separation between punters and musicians back in the day, so when it got boisterous (which it did on occasion), it was a case of sauve qui peut. Sounds as if little has changed. I'd set your monitors up well in front of you to (hopefully) act as a barrier to the punters. Brizzle seems to be one big building site/pedestrian only zone these days. I played in another Bristol bar last autumn and we couldn't get that close had quite a schlepp from the vehicles to the venue.

[Belka]

I've played there 2 or 3 times - the last time being Easter weekend 2023. Both times the crowd were quite boisterous as Burns-bass says, but we didn't see any real trouble and when we played there were a couple of bouncers working. 

 

I quite enjoyed the gigs but parking is a nightmare. we had to park in some unloading bays in Marsh street across the road, then leave the gear in pub and drive to a multi-storey and park there, walk back to the pub, set up, play, and then the same in reverse order at the end of the night. 

 

The payment takes a few weeks to come through too but they always pay in the end and the manager is quite easy to get on with.

 

 

 

[Buddster]

Thanks for the replys. 

I've been in there a couple of Saturday nights and yes, it does get a bit frantic. The punters have always seemed up for it. 

Hopefully we'll have some fun. 

[spencer.b]

Such a shame more city centre venue's don't get house backline and drum kit , played here a few years ago and it was rowdy but fun but the load in and parking was a total ballache

[MichaelDean]

11 hours ago, spencer.b said:

Such a shame more city centre venue's don't get house backline and drum kit , played here a few years ago and it was rowdy but fun but the load in and parking was a total ballache

Especially if they're in a difficult to reach spot. Mr Wolfs in Bristol is a pain in the backside to play. It's on a road that has been pedestrianised, and there's steps up from the pavement so you can't wheel something all the way in. And, in my experience, the punters don't move when you want to get out!

[Burns-bass]

3 hours ago, MichaelDean said:

Especially if they're in a difficult to reach spot. Mr Wolfs in Bristol is a pain in the backside to play. It's on a road that has been pedestrianised, and there's steps up from the pavement so you can't wheel something all the way in. And, in my experience, the punters don't move when you want to get out!

Agreed. 

 

I've got two gigs that way this weekend (The Library and outside Mother's Ruin). Neither is a good load in or out. I park the other side of Bristol bridge and walk across as it's easier than trying to drive into town.

[Buddster]

Plus the congestion charge re-news at midnight, which means if you're not loaded and gone by then, you have to pay another fee. 

[JapanAxe]

So how did it go?

[bassbiscuits]

Much the same with O’Neills in Leicester. Decent pub gig which I’ve done many times over the years, can get a bit rowdy, but stuck in a pedestrianised section of The Lanes in the old bit of the city centre with a terrible job to load in. Parking anywhere nearby is also in very short supply making it all more of a mission than it should be. 

[Buddster]

9 hours ago, JapanAxe said:

So how did it go?

Tonight's the night. 

We're looking forward to it, but also not sure what to expect. 

Will report back. 

 

(I see looking back that I said next weekend, should have been 'in a fortnight') 

Edited October 12, 2024 by Buddster

[Buddster]

So we made it out alive!.... 

 

 

Only joking. It was fine. It was a large, lively crowd but no trouble. There was a very attentive bouncer that kept the punters in check and made sure no one put glasses on the stage or PA (which a few tried). A couple of people walked across the front of the stage (more of a step really) as it was so packed. 

Loading out was difficult as people were still dancing to the DJ. 

So we just have to wait now to see if we get fined by Bristol City Council for parking on a double yellow, going through a no entry to get outside the pub and ofc we had to pay the Clean Air charge twice as we went past midnight. 

One sore point. When we finished playing, the DJ played Sweet Caroline, and more people sang to that than us! 🤦🏼

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, Buddster said:

So we made it out alive!.... 

 

 

Only joking. It was fine. It was a large, lively crowd but no trouble. There was a very attentive bouncer that kept the punters in check and made sure no one put glasses on the stage or PA (which a few tried). A couple of people walked across the front of the stage (more of a step really) as it was so packed. 

Loading out was difficult as people were still dancing to the DJ. 

So we just have to wait now to see if we get fined by Bristol City Council for parking on a double yellow, going through a no entry to get outside the pub and ofc we had to pay the Clean Air charge twice as we went past midnight. 

One sore point. When we finished playing, the DJ played Sweet Caroline, and more people sang to that than us! 🤦🏼

You should be fine on the tickets. Unless you’ve got one on the windscreen we’ve not had one. We parked on a “load in” bay for the evening numerous times and all been OK.

 

Was the No entry the right hand turn onto the road leading up to the bridge? There’s no camera there so you’ll be ok!

[Buddster]

I wasn't in the van, but it would have been around Corn Street somewhere to get into Clare street/Marsh Street. 

11 minutes ago, Burns-bass said: