15 Nelson Street,
Bristol,
BS1 2JY
(0117) 945 0325
The ViewBristol Review
The Syndicate Superclub is one of Bristol's biggest dance venues. With only two in the UK (the other is in Blackpool) Bristol's clubbers are very lucky indeed. Pick from a selection of nights to fit your mood, focusing either on the music or drink offers.
The Venue
When you walk up the stairs into the arena-like venue, just how large The Syndicate Superclub is hits you straight in the face. As you walk downstairs the dancefloor is slam right in the middle of the club.
As large as it is, there's still a road-sized path around the edge of the dancefloor, as well as three large bars, seating areas, cloakroom and an outside smoking area which resembles a lock-in at the bottom of a carpark. To passers-by, it looks like there's a cage of smokers.
Stairs lead to another large room with a smaller dancefloor, another bar and comfier seating booths. Given its size you do wonder if it's going to look empty, but The Syndicate Superclub is so popular, the fear of not getting a drink is worse.
Entry prices during the week are £3 with a student NUS card and £4 without. However, on the weekend the prices shoot up, but it's worth it for what's inside.
The People
It all depends on what night you go. Obviously, student nights are packed full of excited undergraduates, happily guzzling away with the help of the drinks offers.
At the weekend the attitude levels rise with the 9 to 5 'working folk' filling the place out and flashing their wages at the bar.
As for promotional nights, which are usually on Saturday, the crowds are excitable with the anticipation of the night, and you just can't help but smile when dancing to the eurphoric music.
The Music
Wednesday is Propaganda, which everybody already seems to know about, and it gets packed full of students with their love for classic indie rock and roll.
If you go regularly, the set list can seem predictable and the basic line-up doesn't appear to have changed for a while, except for the addition of a few new songs in the indie charts. However, the first few times are a lot of fun.
If you get bored of downstairs though, upstairs is 'Generation X'. This is for all the 'harder' indie rock fans with genres like rock metal, ska, punk and emo.
Fridays are Voodoo and this is the highlight and climax of student nights. Filled with top dance DJs downstairs while upstairs plays R'n'B.
On the weekend though, everything changes. Some of the biggest promoters play here such as Godskitchen, Gatecrashers and Hed Kandi. And they usually go all out, with dancers on podiums and robots and creatures on stilts, this depends on which event you go to though - flame throwers have been spotted on occasion.
With an incredible lighting system and three projector screens showing music videos, it's a feast for the eyes. If you're really into your dance music, these nights will blow your mind.
The Drink
Drinks promotions are plentiful, but it depends on the night. On student nights the drink prices are around £2, while other nights prices don't drop below the average of a spirit and mixer (£2.95).
Outside in the queue, staff give you a promotions card for money off drinks, however, it's merely 10 per cent of a glass of wine so don't bother filling out the form (even if it does take 20 seconds).
The Last Word
The Syndicate Superclub is an arena-sized venue that's perfect for all sorts of dance fanatics, from mainstream to top acts. Weekdays are all about drink promotions and commercial tunes, while top dance DJs get the weekend started.
The Syndicate Superclub has been reviewed by 1 users