Motion 2.0: Where the new and improved live music venue should relocate to

It’s official: Bristol’s most loved venue is closing its doors this July. Motion has hosted some huge acts and club nights over the years, and has even been voted as DJ Mag’s 11th best club in the world. It has undoubtedly shaped Bristol’s reputation for live music. However, Motion have announced their mission to relocate after their current lease, based near Temple Meads Station, has expired. Following their announcement of a new fundraising scheme titled Keep Motion Moving, the big question is: where will Motion move to? Which location will bear the responsibility of hosting those memorable nights spent in grotty toilet huts and watching failed crowdsurfing against the backdrop of Bristol’s best sound system? Here is an extremely serious speculation of where Motion could end up. 

Bottom floor of the ASS 

Swap the FixMyTek desk with a DJ deck, Revolut man with a club promoter in the queue, and the overpriced vending machines with an overpriced bar, and you’ve got yourself the perfect setup. The ambience would be just right, and if it all gets too much, you can head to the other rooms upstairs, which include a silent disco and toilets that aren’t always hygienic. The lights will typically be a deep red and the security will be tight. But don’t worry, you’ll still be sure to bump into every person you’ve ever met. 

The Gully 

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What would be more exciting than showing up to a new and improved Motion in Bristol’s very own gorge? You’re queuing up on the Downs for its opening night with a mystery headliner, you’ve got a beer in one hand and your drunk friend’s shoulder in the other. You stumble down the rocky terrain only to find a billy goat on the decks pumping out some drum and baaaa-ss. Needless to say, the acoustics here would be unmatched. 

Goldney Grotto 

This place is a true mystery. It’s a grotto decorated with shells and quartz from the River Avon, a stone lion, and a running water fountain. It’s currently only accessible through Goldney Garden tours, but it sounds to me like the perfect place for a live music venue. Imagine strobe lights reflecting off diamond encrusted stalactites and the echo of Bristol’s newest DJ who stands mysteriously behind an 18th century statue of Hercules. It’s definitely not as big as the current Motion, but does the current Motion contain a river called ‘the River God’? I don’t think so.

The Ivy Gate Building 

You know the eyesore in the middle of the Royal Fort Gardens that is used for various miscellaneous classes and kind of resembles a giant microwave? It’s surprisingly spacious inside and offers the same warehouse vibe as Motion. Its central location would help students save precious Uber money and I’m sure all of the interactive group work screens could come in handy for some cool new visual effects. 

SS Great Britain 

A club on a boat might not be the most original of ideas, but SS Great Britain could be the perfect place for Motion to relocate to. It’s almost double the size of Thekla and boasts a very fancy interior. It’s got some OMG-esque pillars to show off your moves on, and an open-air deck with great smoking area potential. The best part is that it’s not actually in the water, so you won’t feel that vomit-inducing tilt when you’re four double vodka lime sodas deep. 

A 9am lecture in the Arts Complex 

Admittedly, this venue might only appeal to the most exclusive club-goers. This will be the perfect place to showcase Bristol’s best underground artists, and where dedicated fans can express their commitment. There’s plenty of available space to play with, considering 95 per cent of the seats and desks in the room will serve no purpose. The echo of the huge empty room will also provide some interesting new sound effects. And the air of low-level pretentiousness that the Arts Complex exudes will perfectly match the atmosphere in the queue of a Motion act that you ‘probably wouldn’t have heard of’. 

Bristol Zoo Gardens 

The old zoo site in Clifton, which closed in 2022, could be the perfect new venue for Motion. Swapping warehouse-based jungle for jungle-based jungle might prove to be a bit chilly in the winter months, but the 55-acre site has some great potential. The zoo contained a maze and huge animal sculptures which could be repurposed into decor to replace those massive paper jellyfish things that Motion loves to dangle from the ceiling.