The Old Duke

"No review of the Bristol bar scene is complete without some mention of the Old Duke, the world famous and much loved jazz bar on King Street . Named in honor of Duke Ellington whose portrait presides on the stage, The Duke has fantastic live music every single night of the week and is the centre point of Bristol's jazz and blues community. The inside hasn't changed for many years - the ceilings and walls are adorned with posters dating back through the twentieth century. There are no modern trappings to be found either ? the stage area takes prominence with the audience left to squeeze around the bar or sit down in the small lounge area. That's half the charm - if this place spoke it would be with a husky voice. It's lovely in the summertime too, with the courtyard (shared with the historic Llandogger Trow which is opposite) being a great place to sip a shandy or two in the afternoon sunshine. As well as the hugely popular resident bands like the Severn Jazzmen and Code Red, the venue is not averse to welcoming a huge variety of different acts and sounds (all jazz-based, of course). If you?re thinking of going down there on a Saturday, our advice would be to get down there early if you want to see the stage. Popular with the young and old, locals and out of towners alike, ?rammed? hardly describes a typical Saturday night. "