Louisiana

Fab place and great music! Friendly staff and cheap entrance fee to see the live bands.

My absolute favourite live music venue in Bristol, The Louie is a truly legendary place where you get to see (more or less indie/alternative) bands you’re likely to hear about in a few months or so. Probably gets around 100 peeps in the small upstairs gig room. They put on live music every night (except Sundays I think) but I recommend you do some research before as the acts can be quite varied, rock/pop/folk/electronic/acoustic etc.

A cosy and friendly place with good sound and a proper PA. The carpets in the gig room gives a livingroom feel and people sometimes sit on the floor during the more quiet gigs. They’ve recently put in some decent stage lights and sorted out the air con as well. Usually about £5-6 to get in to the gigs but the downstairs where the more social area is, is free.

And the Sunday roast is sweeeet.

Good venue to see good bands

Just to the south of the centre, over the swing bridge is the Louisiana. This pub come music venue is very popular amongst the gig watching crowds of Bristol and you are more than likely going to hear a decent band here most nights of the week.

The main bar is downstairs and the live music room upstairs, usually with a fee to enter. that said, there is also a bar upstairs once you get there.

the drinks prices are a little on the expensive side for a pub being a slight distance from the centre of town, although it is worth the extra few pence for a pint of Red Stripe on tap!

The Louisiana is a superb small music venue which has a good tight sound. The venue itself is actually upstairs with the bar on the ground floor. There is a bar upstairs though if needed. It normall costs around £7 to see the 3 bands who play each night.

We went there to see a London band that had a few records out, but not much word of mouth outside of London. The venue has a bar downstairs with loads of tables and chairs, but the actual performance area is the small upstairs.

I think the place may hold 50 people max, and that may be pushing it. It’s very cosy. A small stage is at one end, barely a foot off the floor. The sound was decent as was the lighting. The bands managed to pack the place out. No seating available upstairs.

It’s a good place to see an up-and-coming band.

If you like your gigs too have an intimate feel to them then the Louisiana is your venue , the outside looks like a picture of a New Orleans saloon , with inside providing a great pub atmosphere to warm you up for the gig. The upstairs has a bar facility and ticketing. The venue is small but you get to actually see the performers and hear the music up close , which is awesome.

A friendly and relaxed bar, the major selling point of which is the room upstairs, which has been turned into a music venue that could definitely be described as 'cosy’. I don’t know what the exact capacity upstairs is but it’s not a big area, so if there’s a band you fancy seeing playing there, you know for sure it will be an 'intimate’ little gig- and sometimes those are the best kind.

If there’s a band you like, this is one of the best venues you could go and see them play at.

The upstairs of the Louisiana is a great place to catch some small upcoming artists. I’ve seen Sebadoh, The Keys, Hail! Perestroika amongst others here, and I’ve always had a good time. The sound is good if you’re standing in the right place and the bar prices are reasonable.

The downstairs is a more spacious bar with plenty of seating. You might want to pull cash from a cash point before getting here though, as there’s a £10 minimum spend on the bar and a charge-for cashpoint within the bar if you aren’t spending so much. There are no cashpoints nearby either.

I had a really nice time in this place. Friendly staff and a great sound in the venue part upstairs. Well worth a visit. Even when it was full it didn’t feel crowded as there was a good amount of space.

A lovely live music venue in the centre is the Louisiana, a steamboat-themed pub serving alcohol and a varied nightly music program.

Upstairs is a great place to see up-and-coming bands from around the UK, as well as Bristol-based acts that don't really get a chance in other places, which is great to see.

Downstairs, there is a friendly, spacious bar that you don't need to pay to get in to, where most people like to chill out before/after a gig.