Vibes - Opened November 2001

On Bristol's infamous Frogmore Street, right next door to the Queenshilling, another exciting new venue opened called Vibes, which adds to the city's already impressive gay scene. With a city that has two universities there's plenty of students to fill a new venue like this which is welcomed with open arms.

The grand launch night was Thursday 1st November with three PA's on stage - Urban Cookie Collective, Girls at Play and Coco from Fragma. Us gogo boys and a couple of drag queens also worked in-between the acts.

Before it turned gay the venue use to be a straight nitespot called the `Fog and Toad`. I remember ending up there after a pub crawl about a year ago with my straight rugby mates on a night out. From what I can remember it was rather dark and dingy, the type of atmosphere you'd expect to find in an Amsterdam leather bar. I can remember having a great night there. Mixing my randy self and drunk rugby boys is always a bit of fun. You know what straight lads are like after a few too many pints!

Anyway the dark environment has all gone now, a severe re-fit has created a new bar, loads more lighting, brighter coloured walls and an array of space enhancing mirrors. The venue's manager is Andrew, he recently moved to Bristol from Bournemouth where he ran a very successful gay pub for the same brewery.

Vibes is open until 2am all 7 days of the week from 8pm, door tax is free before 10:30pm and only a couple of pounds or so to get in after that. Here are some photos from the opening night...

www.VibesNiteClub.co.uk