Thekla
Thekla is a converted German cargo ship moored in Bristol’s Floating Harbour, operating as an award-winning live music venue and nightclub since 1984. Originally built in 1958 and brought to Bristol by Ki Longfellow and Vivian Stanshall, the vessel first opened as The Old Profanity Showboat before reopening as Thekla in 1987. Now run by national promoter DHP Family, the venue’s main performance space is the former cargo hold, where audiences experience shows essentially underwater in a tin can, creating a famously hot and sweaty atmosphere with decent sound. Thekla programs small-to-medium-sized indie and alternative acts alongside local up-and-coming musicians, and hosts long-standing club nights focused on indie, alternative, emo, pop-punk, and rock, as well as hip-hop, house, garage, techno, and bass music. The boat’s hull once featured a Banksy mural, and the venue has been named NME’s Best Small Venue in the South West. Its survival has been a point of cultural importance for Bristol, and its legacy is documented in a book titled The Complete History of Thekla.
