The South West’s largest concert hall opens its doors for the first time under its new name Bristol Beacon, bringing the Grade II listed building back into use in spectacular fashion. The transformation marks the second largest investment in the arts in England by Arts Council England this century.
Bold statements of intent underpin the renovation. The £132 Million redevelopment has seen leading experts from an array of fields including sustainability, acoustics and accessibility, brought together to make the Beacon a world-class facility for everyone to enjoy. Hope Solutions have advised on how to achieve the net zero target and Sound Space Vision have steered the acoustic re-design, led by acoustician Bob Essert.
To mark the occasion, Bristol Beacon will stage a suitably monumental multi-event celebration. Trip The Light Fantastic will be the first event to take place in Beacon Hall on the opening night. A bespoke score produced by a collaboration between Charles Hazlewood’s Paraorchestra and live electronic sensation, Surgeons Girl and accompanied audio-visual projection mapping from Limbic Cinema.
This weekend, the Housewarming to end all housewarmings will take over every space across the Beacon for a full day of FREE performance on Saturday 2nd of December. It will pay homage to the local art scene with a fifteen-hour free-party. This bumper celebration will see the entire venue open and every nook and cranny will be filled with hometown artist showcases.
Legendary Bristol music fan Big Jeff Johns will exhibit a new collection of self-portraits, the halls will sing with the sounds of blues and roots from Elles Bailey, rock with the reggae stylings of the Bristol Reggae Orchestra and Windrush Choir, and shake with the bass of Bristol sound pioneer, Krust, to name but a few on the extensive lineup.
Looking forward, the December lineup includes high profile music acts like Billy Bragg, Ocean Colour Scene, Jools Holland, Joss Stone, Sophie Ellis Bextor and The Darkness, before the venue launches into its full concert programme in the new year.
To be able to showcase all of this in its finest glory, Bristol Beacon now boasts a wealth of highly versatile event spaces with capacities ranging from 2 to 1,200 people. The spaces can be utilised for music events, stage shows, educational workshops, meetings, weddings, private parties, TV and film productions and much more.
The flagship space, Beacon Hall, offers world-class acoustics, and the unique ability to adapt to whatever musical genre it hosts. Mechanical acoustic baffles suspend from the ceiling and can be adjusted to suit a small chamber orchestra, a high volume rock band, or a solo vocalist – so whatever you’re listening to, and wherever you are in the performance space, the sound will be exceptional.
The hall features the spectacular Britton Organ originally commissioned in 1951, which has been painstakingly restored. The 5,372 pipes are now rebuilt in the venue, ready to be voiced over the coming months.
Lantern Hall, an elegant and versatile performance space, combines Victorian architectural beauty with unbeatable sound quality. It has been restored to its striking Victorian splendour with drapes and seat covers designed by the artist Rana Begum.
The beautiful historic core of the building has been restored to reveal its stunning central Victorian atrium and is one of the finest examples of Bristol Byzantine architecture in the city. Art in this space includes Giles Round’s integrated architectural artwork and Northover & Browns story wall. Atmospheric and subterranean, the brand-new performance space the Weston Cellar doubles as an underground auditorium and a state-of-the-art education centre capable of hosting more intimate gigs and training sessions.
Finally the Bridgehouse, renamed and re-imagined, which ordinarily acts as the Beacon entrance hall can be transformed into a vibrant performance space suitable for conference events.
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