Tokyo World is making its mark on Bristol’s music scene, writes Alice Coombs

‘Tokyo World’. I like to think that the name connotes a domain of festivities in an unknown world – what lies beyond the gates sealing off a section in Eastville Park in Bristol, is up to the individual to discover.

Only three years old, this all-day music event in Bristol has been met with a lot of love and support from like-minded people who all want to experience a day of dancing, making new friends, having fun, and listening to some really good music covering genres from drum and bass, house, garage, techno, grime, and more.

Since attending Tokyo World (previously called Tokyo Dub), in its very first year it has been interesting and inspiring to see the festival transition into what it is now and what it is still yet to become. Its first location in Castle Park in central Bristol created an urban atmosphere, dancing and partying in the middle of the city as other people just metres away were going about their daily business. Castle Park was a good location but was almost too small to accommodate the array of festival-goers eager to party. As well as this, there were horrendous sound clashes between the stages as they were all quite close together.

Nonetheless, it was so good my friends and I wanted more and the second year move to its new location proved welcome. Additional space around the site allowed you to move around more freely and gave you the opportunity to sit and chill out in the big open spaces.

This year proved that Tokyo World is getting better and better, with more obvious changes in décor and increased detail into the stages and the overall layout of the site it was definitely the best year yet. There was even a special Tokyo World bus to take revellers direct to and from the festival from bus stops at main city centre locations such as Temple Meads to accommodate those arriving from far and wide.

The main stage dubbed After World was a volcanic eruption of madness (literally), designed to look like a volcanos explosion, the atmosphere at this stage was immense as you gazed at the stage design and partied to the sweet sounds of the breakbeat electronic duo Stanton Warriors and the mystifying sounds of dub artist Roots Manuva. The Tropical Teaparty corner of the festival was another favourite with Hawaiian themed décor and giant teapots that you and your mates can sit in and have a few cocktails and bask in the sunshine.

The drinks were flowing, the weather was sweet and the music was incredible. There were even clothes stalls to explore or if you fancied, you could get your face painted in true festival theme by some lovely glittery girls at the Bristol FashPack stall.

If you still didn’t have enough by the end of the event, there were numerous after-parties you could attend, with the official after-party continuing at motion. By the end of the event my dancing feet were hurting, and a slight hangover had already started to kick in, so safe to say I enjoyed the rest of my evening chilling out at home with some friends in our onesies. A perfect end!

Definitely a festival to keep an eye on as it firmly moulds its place in Bristol’s music scene. Tickets for next year’s event are already on sale for just £20 early birds! Grab a bargain and book early to enjoy next year’s extravaganza!