Dojo

Dojo Lounge was once a hardcore drum and bass/​techno haunt and while it stills hosts some serious nights at the weekend, it’s now been largely overrun by weeknight Bristol University club promoters and the ‘rah-​ver’ crowd of overstyled, posh students sporting American Apparel hoodies and who’re ‘really into drum and bass, yah’.
Not surprising really given that Dojo is a pretty cool space. It’s got a relaxed outdoor seating area perfect for chatting for when your feet can move no more. Inside, the red walls and low ceiling create atmosphere in what is actually a tiny venue.
Dojo also hosts regular afterparties which start at 6 and keep on going til the following evening for those who just can’t get enough of beats, breaks and (I imagine, I haven’t been to one) their trademark associated substances.

Dojos is very geared towards a student and young audience, and its very much part of the underground grungy drum and bass scene of Bristol… it’s a pretty grimy place, but if you love this kind of music then definitely check it out, it’s a pretty cool place to go I guess!
One thing I would make a point of is that it is very very small, and can get a bit sweaty too! If you don’t mind being a bit crammed though then don’t let this bother you, it does get busy and has a buzzing atmosphere on most weekday nights. Quite a lot of my friends rave about the place, and tend to go to Mbargos before hand then head down at about midnight, seems to be a good thing to do! It’s not personally my type of thing though, and I’m more into chart music, but it’s probably worth a visit if you want something a bit different to do or if you’re a fan of drum & bass!

This club pretty much sums up Bristol: slightly grubby with a big underground scene, rough around the edges and occasionally full of posh kids (or Chuffnuts as they are known here). Classically you have to end your night in Dojo’s. They usually open at around 5 am, just as you’re getting thrown out of the club you’ve been in all night, and stay open until the sun is up and you have to walk home with that look of guilt and shame on your face.
It’s pretty great to have a club like this in Bristol, they are everywhere in London; day raves etc. But here you are usually lucky if you can spank the planks past about 5 or 6 am, if that is your sort of thing.
The best thing about Dojo’s is the garden/​terrace; you can sit there chatting nonsense to the strangest bunch of people you are ever likely to meet until the sun comes up. You get such an odd mix of characters, from Bristol’s ‘underground’ scene to posh students and young professionals. But this has never been a problem and you can always guarantee to make a strange new best friend at some point in the night.
I have had some strange nights in terms of music in this club. I never want to get stuck listening to ‘minimal’ trance ever again! One noise every 30 seconds is not music! It’s just slow torture.

Dojo Nightclub is not for you if: A.) You apply blusher on average once every hour on a night out. B.) You change your boxers more than once per week. I would argue in favour of embracing the grime as you will not find a more authentic club for genuine lovers of all music electronic. Choose Wednesday’s ‘Groove On’ if it’s electro or techno you’re after. Alex Metric, Real Nice DJs and Claude Von Stroke are some of the examples of big name DJs that have embraced the intimacy of Dojo Nightclub. Thursday’s ‘Dirty Note’ has a more fidget/​DnB/​dubstep feel. Amongst the talented student residents Trick E, and Kaliro are huge names like Logistics and Nero. Dojo’s is where to go if you don’t mind the herbal aromas of the beer garden, find the sight of people inhaling NO2 from balloons a conventional one, and above all love your electronic music in small venues. Talk to the friendly owner (he can’t be missed as he is an 6ft 5+ black guy who stands on the door and is built like a tank) about his England cricket career if you’re a sporty type who also likes a good electronic tune.

The nasty front door to Dojo’s is a pretty fair representative of what it is like inside: Dark, dank, grime. This does not stop it from putting on a good night. They normally pull in good DJ’s and a crowd that loves their music. Just Jack often lays on nights here to secure a good crowd. And if you are able to put the state of the place out of your mind you will see that the actual club is pretty cool, the design of the building is clearly very old and if you can avoid knocking yourself out on the low ceilings then you will be sure to love it!

A lot of clubs in Bristol have a specific style or character. The nautical Thekla or the tunnels of Timbuk2 for example. The vibe in Dojo is equally unique with its small dance floor, long steps down and big outdoor courtyard. Often staying open late into the night many regard this as a club for after the club. From that, however, do not assume it is a chill out zone.
On the contrary, Dojo has a reputation for carrying the party right through into the daylight hours — being one of the longstanding clubs in the area known for delivering Bristol’s Drum and Bass and Dubstep fixes.
This is very much a venue like they used to be. Expect baseball caps and rude boy frowns, big boy bouncers but a lively crowd.
And trust me when I say, don’t even think about not having the next day off!

Dojo’s nightclub is fast becoming more popular among those students who have had enough of Syndicate and Oceana, and who are looking for Bristol’s famous underground clubs. I personally would say to those people steer clear of Dojos.
I visited on a Friday night at it cost a whopping £6 to get in. Now to some, £6 might not be much to get into a club on a weekend night. However, I can’t see how Dojo’s can be called a club. It literally has the floor space of your living room. The only difference is that you can hardly see anything apart from a red glow from some cheap lighting and some very dodgy toilets.
The clientele is also a bit, er different. If you are looking to spot some of the Skins cast then this is the place to go. No joke, I actually witnessed Effy snort some (coughs) white powder on the bar. The staff didn’t blink an eyelid.

For those of you who enjoy dance music played in small, underground venues, Dojos will be sure to float your proverbial boat. The club hosts a range of alternative DJ’s, specialising in House, Funk, Drum ‘n Bass, Techno, Breaks, Electro, Old Skool and the like. Blessed with a late license, nights tend to continue into the very early hours (around 6 or 7am), so it is often the case that the club doesn’t fill out until at least midnight. Smokers will be pleased to know that Dojo’s boasts a sheltered outdoor smoking area, equipped with fan heaters and sofas, which is a great place to meet fellow party animals. So if you find yourself craving an all night groove and some lively conversation, I suggest you head to Dojos.

On Park Row, Dojos is a cool little club, home to both students, rude bois, and a dolop of drunken dancers. The scene is a bit like Timbuk2, very hip hop, dub and drum’n’bass focused. It’s got quite a good sized room, which is the main part of the club, but this gets packed pretty earlier on in a night. The bar is slightly pricey, club type prices, but it’s Dojo’s main selling feature is its garden, which is a really good space to relax to. It’s big enough to have enough nooks and crannies to find yourself and friends a seat, usually. Every time I’ve been here the people have always been friendly, and if you sit next to a group you’ll probably be chatting away pretty soon. It’s quite a big place on the Bristol scene, I always see a few familiar faces when I come in. Come for a night when you know there’s a good DJ on and make the most of it, or come late at night when you’re looking for that last one (or five) drink before you go home.

Owned by ex-​England fast bowler and local celebrity Syd Lawrence, the Dojo Lounge is a pretty unremarkable club that sits at the top of Park Street. It’s a one room affair, so it can get uncomfortably busy, with a music policy that generally veers towards hip hop and drum and bass. The antidote to this is the impressive garden which is a great place to chill out and is fully heated.
The one factor that has made Dojo a lot more popular in recent years is the acquisition of a 24 hour licence, meaning that this place becomes a magnet for those who are still buzzing when they’ve been kicked out of a club at 4am and want to keep going. If this appeals to you then you might like Dojo; if not you might want to look elsewhere.

Recalling blurry nights in Bristol a stop at Dojos might well be remembered. There’s a few different nights put on, with as dub step playing last time I paid a visit. You’ll find the usual slightly seedy types that you do at clubs, but mostly just drunken revellers enjoying themselves. The dance floor was always full from about ten when I went, and when I left at about two things were still going strong.
The garden out the back is my favourite part of Dojo lounge. Every club should have somewhere like this, where you can get some cold air in your face. Also, you can actually here other people speak, which is always a plus. With the garden to cool down and relax a bit, Dojo lounge is just what a club should be.