Spinny Nights
Label | Events | Artist Management
Defying Bristol's generalisation as a city solely cultivating drum’n’bass and once upon a time, dubstep, Spinny Nights is an independent platform bringing razor-sharp live performances (pre-Covid) to intimate venues across Bristol. What started out as a small community of students looking to showcase their art and music in immersive environments, the platform has grown into a label, artist management team and event series that pushes the sound of metal, experimental, rave, breaks and various electronic mutations into the south-western lands of England.
Inviting and collaborating with live artists including LICE, Yama Warashi, Kelora, E B U and many more to head up the nights in tandem with emerging talent from Bristol on support, Spinny Nights have created a niche community while allowing local names on the rise to gain the experience of performing to an energetic crowd, and in Bristol, the energy up there is on a whole other level.
If you want to get a taste of the sound that Spinny Nights is all about, Grove’s latest EP ‘QUEER + BLACK’ — a collaborative release via Spinny Nights and Memorials of Distinction — is a solid place to start. An amalgam of breaks, jungle-infused rhythms and twisted vocals, it’s exactly the kind of creation that reflects the ethos of Spinny Nights.
Considering the number of events and contemporary artists they have helped to nurture since launching Spinny Nights, the imprint founders — Arthur and Rafi — have accumulated quite a few memories of running events between them. Below, they go back to one of their sessions with experimental artist Kinlaw & Franco Franco. They also chat about life in Bristol at the moment, how they’re staying connected to the Spinny Nights community and more…
Kinlaw & Franco Franco🖤Photo: Rowan Allen
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it? What was the music vibe at the time?
Arthur: This photo was taken by Rowan Allen at The Old England in Bristol at one of our nights, it shows Kinlaw & Franco Franco in the midst of their set. I chose it because it perfectly encapsulates what I love about live music, it allows feelings of internal chaos to express themselves in cathartic ways; this was what that night was all about. High energy, noise, movement and screaming together. Such a beautiful outlet and this photo captures the calm which can result from that release perfectly.
How have you been over the last while and what is life currently like in Bristol?
Rafi: Part of me is enjoying this highly regulated existence, as it means there are way less decisions to make and I can focus on things I enjoy, but I definitely still have bad days. Life in Bristol is not very Bristol-y to be honest. There are some pretty places to stroll around, but what makes this city great is how vibrant the DIY culture is here, and most of those outlets still are not happening.
So, for those who don't know, who is behind Spinny Nights and why did you set up the platform?
Arthur: Spinny Nights is made up of me (Arthur) and Rafi. We first started doing nights because we as a larger group of friends all played in bands and couldn’t get enough shows really ahha. It’s really grown from then and as we have started managing bands and releasing music from Bristol and beyond it's been great to grow with artists around us and give them the platform they deserve.
As there are no events happening at the moment, how are you keeping connected with the Spinny Nights community?
Arthur: We have been creating some live sessions to stream at the moment which has been really fun. Our first one was Robbie & Mona at Rodborough Church doing a stripped back set and then we have some more intense basement sessions coming. It’s been fun trying to capture live music and we really want to delve into the different kinds of intense feelings you get from live shows and make it as visceral as possible, either in its quiet intimateness or its grab-you-by-the-face loudness.
I think our switch to doing more label releases has also really helped connect with people in a different way and expand who gets involved in our music. It’s amazing to see how far and wide recorded music can go and connect with people.
What is the wildest thing that's ever happened at a Spinny Nights party?
Arthur: I’d still say owner of The Old England (a venue that’s been very supportive of us) at the time Diego dressed as Santa sneaking through the crowd and then launching himself into an acrobatic crowdsurf was definitely a highlight. Not that crazy, just very unexpected and lovely to see everyone connecting on every level of a venue and night together.
What are your hopes for Bristol's nightlife scene once we eventually come out the other side of this pandemic? Or perhaps it's hard to think about that right now. 🖤
Rafi: If Bristol could just pick up where things left off, that would be more than enough. Looking back, I went to some amazing stuff in the first few months of 2020 that I don’t think you’d find elsewhere — The Bristol Germ show at The Island, or the Colours x Musu night at some photography studio in Brislington, for example. I’m excited to see what new nights spring up and how they’ll add new flavours to the city — hopefully Covid has given the next class of promoters some time to work out what they’re about.
Back to the present moment. Tell us how the photo below is something that brings you happiness or comfort in your day-to-day life?
Rafi: This photo is one of our house dinners, which have definitely brought me both happiness and comfort. We all eat together quite a few nights a week and it really makes lockdown feel less lonely. I also think it was the first time Tom made pasta for us from scratch, which has become quite a regular occurrence.
House dinners ✨