Introducing Bristol’s Newest Venue: The Prospect Building
We were invited on an exclusive tour of The Prospect Building.
Credit: Sarah Ginn
September 28th marked the grand opening of The Prospect Building — with electronic music legends Overmono christening the venue with their thumping beats. The day prior, we were invited on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the new space, here’s what we saw:
Formerly a Ministry of Defence torpedo warehouse, the building holds a rich yet complicated history. Now under the new ownership of industry legends AMAAD — think Junction 2 and Printworks — the appropriately named Prospect Building has a prosperous future ahead of it.
Walking around the revitalised space, we encountered industrial open rooms. AMAAD took a creative twist on the typical industrial style, enhancing the space with tasteful bursts of colour. The revitalised crane pillars are unmissable and repurposed throughout the venue – such as the immersive laser mapping that accompanies Prospect’s events.
The venue’s main room, Room One, is home to a cutting-edge sound system, boasting K2 and KARA II speakers. Meanwhile, Room Two emits an intimate feel, reminiscent of a smaller venue, featuring 6-point surround sound and a stage accessible from 360 degrees.
As Paul Jack showed us around the 25,000 sq. ft space, it was abundantly clear that creating an unforgettable, immersive, live music experience is at the forefront of AMAAD’s priorities. Each element of The Prospect Building fuses collectively to create this experience — from the top-tier sound and visual system to the lack of a bar in Room One that prevents distractions from the performance.
With a capacity of 3500, the venue aims to fill a gap in the market for bigger acts in Bristol. To make it even better, Prospect plans to uplift the other venues we already know and love. Events will finish at 10pm, in the hopes that attendees will continue their nights at one of the city’s many grassroots venues. The 10pm curfew is also an installation to benefit the local community, reducing noise pollution from both the venue’s acts and crowds.
Whilst the current music series boasts an impressive mix of electronic musicians, AMAAD are keen to host a variety of different genres and acts, opening its arms to everyone, as well as encouraging regulars to explore and expand their personal music taste.
Jack’s excitement for the space was contagious, reflecting AMAAD’s mission to “create a venue that supports both the local community and international talent, whilst shaping Bristol’s future cultural landscape.”
Experience The Prospect Building for yourself at one of their upcoming events. With headliners including the likes of Bonobo, Floating Points, and ANDY C, you won’t want to miss out.
