Clubs / News
Cosies to celebrate 40th anniversary with week of special events
In the four decades that Cosies has been on one corner of Portland Square in St Paul’s, much has changed around it but it has steadfastly remained and will soon be celebrating its 40th anniversary with a week-long extravaganza of events.
To mark their ‘Earthstrong – a Jamaican word for ‘birthday’ – the team at Cosies will be bringing together some of the scene’s biggest names and some of their regular faces from over the years.
Cosies remains one of Bristol’s most culturally significant venue, which has evolved from a wine bar to a vitally important community space, striving to uplift all members of the community who want to attend or perform.
is needed now More than ever
Many of the club’s patrons, artists and staff have long relationships with the venue, manager of ten years, Mariesha Phipps, told Bristol24/7, with lots having frequented the club almost from day one, with some now bringing their adult kids in.
“It’s been a safe space for a lot of people, like the Caribbean community that are in Bristol, don’t spread out, unlike in London, it’s very localised,” said Mariesha.
“It’s very family orientated and I think the community has kept it alive…
“There’s a lot of economic benefits to being a smaller business, but then we just have to be really careful that families from this area, this community, are not going to be pushed out.
“It’s going to happen. We welcome people. We want them to come here and experience joy.
“We want it to be balanced, especially as with all the funding effects and stuff like the lack of social housing, they can’t afford to buy a house where their parents live.”
The area has changed quite a lot over the years, with the addition of nearby hotels and student flats.
“It’s quite gentrified,” said Cosies publicist, Madeleine Wrench
“This is now kind of one of the little spots lefts that is a safe space. They can hang out and enjoy some reggae music. Everyone is equal here.”
Security is a good example, Madeleine added, with several of the security crew being pillars of the community for generations and pioneers of the soundsystem culture.
Conroy and D, two of the team, run Reggae Sundays at Cosies, getting on the decks as well as manning the door.
“Everybody knows them,” said Mariesha. “They’re really friendly.”
“They’re also grandpas,” chimed in Madeleine. “A lot of people look up to them. It’s really nice because having them here helps because they look after people.”
D (Jah Lokko Soundsystems) and Conroy (Roots Injection Soundsystems) are some of the people who have been with Cosies since the early days – photo: Marley Small
Security aren’t the only people with music running through their veins. “Everyone that works here is a DJ or a promoter,” said Mariesha. “We’ve all run our own nights. We’ve all done nights here and at other places. And everyone has seen quite a few famous DJs working here.”
Many now well-known artists have cut their teeth at Cosies, with Madeleine saying that part of that is to do with how good they are at nurturing up-and-coming talent.
“It’s really accessible to put a night on here, because it’s a small capacity and it’s capped at a fiver it’s it’s quite a good way to sort of learn how to put nights on.”
Sunun performing on the decks – photo: Marley Small
Cosies embodies all that a club should be: safe, accessible and collaborative. Not only continually returning back to their roots but also creating community support between other pubs and clubs in Bristol.
“We have a really good relationship with Jam Jar, The Phoenix and Circomedia for example,” sais Mariesha, part of a WhatsApp group that is used as mutual aid.
Madeleine chuckled as she recounts how colleagues have also been “running down the street at four in the morning trying to get a new needle for the decks!”
She added: “It’s just really important. It’s how we need to survive. In this climate of being really expensive and everyone being really skint.”
Flora and singer Dan Ratchett at Cosies – photo: Sky Lion
One of the changes over the decade that Mariesha is most proud of is the inclusivity, which she said had to drag Cosies “kicking and screaming into the future”
She explained that people have their thoughts of what Cosies is based on stereotypes and that those perceptions are wrong, with a rainbow flag now proudly flying.
“We’ve got some really cool queer nights now, and just different nights where people that come here are very accepted, and they always have been.”
Mariesha at one of Cosies games night – photo: Marley Small
Cosies has also been slowly implementing new activities that make use of the space in the day-time before dancing the night away.
Mariesha said that games night “has been a huge thing for me working here over ten years. The community aspects of that is for everyone and looking back and seeing all these games nights, the way they are some of our most successful nights.”
The games nights are often accompanied by lo-fi beats and projections made by Bristol-based artists.
“It’s just another layer,” said Mariesha. “So, I’m hoping for that to grow.”
Doorman Dixon’s scrapbook photos – photo: Cosies
Both Madeleine and Mariesha acknowledge that they experience challenges just like every other club in the business, with an increase in competition, often times it can be unpredictable on how busy a night will be.
“It is really hard to get people through the door just on the merit of the night itself, rather than through word of mouth,” said Madeleine.
So how have they come to curate the week of celebratory events? Mariesha said: “We went through lots of posters and looked at who’s been here for a lot of the years and who is still here, as well as a Facebook deep dive.
“We also asked a lot of regulars, and a lot of people who have Dj-ed here, like who they think we should put on. Then a lot of the big ones, we just kind of knew about anyway.”
Madeleine added: “The more you speak to people the more ideas you get. I was looking at old posters on old forums, music forums from back in the day.”
Mariesha said: “It’s nice to be a part of something that I think is, like, pretty historically epic.”
View this post on Instagram
Each night will spotlight both established and up and coming musicians and DJs from Cosies’ past, present and future, including:
- Jah Loko & Conroy, Legendary doormen and Reggae Sunday/Dub Club bosses
- Queen Bee, much respected Bristol DJ and former Cosies manager
- DJ Flynn, of renowned 1990s junglist duo Flynn & Flora
- DJ Dazee, original drum ‘n’ bass pioneer and co-founder of Ruffneck Ting
- Chris Farrell, former Idle Hands owner and head of new independent label Devil’s Work
- Ruffnek Diskotek- Residents from one of Cosies’ most popular and longest running nights
- Plus Ras Addis, Sky Lion, Peter D, Back A Yard, Yuseemi, Steve Rice, Medis, Soz Lad, Kreed,
Dissonance, Slack Alice, Bristol Reggae Society and many more.
There will also be an exhibition showcasing the work of renowned photographer Beezer, who captured pivotal cultural moments in the Bristol music scene and St Paul’s carnival during the 80s and 90s, with historic posters from the Cosies archive also on show.
A limited edition run of commemoratory prints will also be available to purchase.
Celebrating soundsystem culture throughout the decades – image: Cosies
In keeping with Cosies’ tradition, entry will be capped at just £5 each night, ensuring accessibility for all who wish to attend. Limited weekender deals will also be available, including £15 early bird tickets for entry to all five events.
Main photo: Cosies
Read next:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
