On the penultimate Saturday of June 2024, Bristol’s beloved stadium and concert venue Ashton Gate presented the very first BS3, a one-day festival of phenomenal musical talent proudly named after the area’s postcode. According to their website, the creators of this captivating concert experience claim that the show’s purpose was to display “deep-rooted pride in our community and our commitment to delivering an event that reflects the diversity and artistry that the city is famous for” and it is this unapologetic celebration of the south-west city’s culture which makes BS3 such an excellent new addition to Bristol’s marvellous music scene.
With doors open from noon, eager fans didn’t have to wait too long after settling in as widely-sampled American rapper Fatman Scoop took to the stage ninety minutes later and immediately charmed the audience with his resounding vocals and entertaining stage presence. Known for his hype man energy and distinctive booming voice, Scoop was the perfect choice for BS3’s host as, throughout the scorching summer’s day, he charismatically welcomed each act who came after him with wholesomely positive encouragement. For almost ten hours, from 1.30pm to 11pm, gig-goers were treated to extraordinary, uninterrupted live music from a lineup boasting both legendary household names and soaring local talent. Across two stages, the eleven acts performed their respective sets one after the other in a flawlessly-designed system which kept the crowd immersed for the entire duration of their time at the arena. Both inside and just outside of the stadium, in the fan village, a variety of different foods and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages were available to purchase from catering trucks and bars, ensuring that fans were encased in a temporary world of bliss.
Glorious sunshine filled the skies as crowds of ticket-holders, as young as six years old, increasingly filled the stadium to its capacity as the day progressed. Throughout the afternoon into the early evening, Bristolian icons Roni Size and KRUSH undoubtedly both made their birthplace proud with their dynamic, serotonin-boosting sets, whilst British R&B boy band Damage mesmerised their audience with their heavenly Boyz II Men-esque harmonies and hypnotic, synchronised choreography. MOBO and NME-award winning hip-hop powerhouse Stefflon Don captivated fans for forty-five minutes with her electrifying, high-energy performance which featured new music from her forthcoming debut album ‘Island 54’, as well as fan favourites like ‘Hurtin’ Me’, ‘16 Shots’ and ‘Boasty’. She excitedly announced that her album, set for release very soon on 28th June, is available to pre-save now, as a huge QR code conveniently appeared on the stage screens beside and behind her. Joined by a force of exceptional female dancers, the platinum-selling rapper completely transfixed her audience with her ability to simultaneously nail incredible live vocals and ambitious choreography. With a Jamaican flag waving on stage throughout and flames theatrically bursting from the stage, Stefflon Don’s performance was a visually and audibly stunning celebration of her heritage.
In an unforgettable fusion of contrasting musical genres, a pioneer of the UK garage scene, DJ Spoony, brought his live collaboration ‘Garage Classical’, with the esteemed twenty-six-piece Ignition Orchestra, to BS3’s main stage and was met with raucous applause from start to finish. Earlier in the day, the main stage also hosted the exceptional House Gospel Choir who similarly married separate musical styles together in a truly epic performance of pristine vocal ability, as well as GRAMMY-Award winning vocalist Jess Glynne who enlivened the crowd with her setlist of back-to-back number-one hits including ‘Rather Be’, ‘Hold My Hand’ and ‘Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself.’
Introduced by Fatman Scoop as a “legend in the building” and the “godfather of grime music”, the unmistakable Dizzee Rascal swaggered across both the main stage and B-stage with ease as he captured the hearts of thousands of attendees with his indisputable flow. His set was, without a doubt, a masterclass of wordplay and innate magnetism as he, in his words, took everybody “back to the beginning” with his catalogue of cherished tunes including ‘Bassline Junkie’ and ‘Bonkers.’ Dizzee wasn’t the only British idol to stun the audience though, as the one and only chart-topping heartthrob Craig David brought his critically-acclaimed and world-famous TS5 show to BS3’s B-stage. Sporting a sparkly silver shirt and blue jeans, the multi-talented singer-songwriter, rapper and DJ delivered an outstanding display of musical mastery as he impeccably sang and rapped his heart out to club classics and his own revered records. Purely by chance, I happened to sit next to a Craig David-superfan and her passionate reaction to his magnificent performance was an extremely heartwarming part of the day, as it reinforced to me the uniting and life-affirming power of live music.
Concluding a day of tremendous talent is no easy feat but this was no issue for three-time GRAMMY Award-winning R&B sensation Ne-Yo. Amassing over 23 billion streams globally, the American singer-songwriter showcased his illustrious discography and professed his immense gratitude for his fans sticking around for “at least twenty years.” As vocally gifted as he is humble, Ne-Yo even performed his first single as an independent artist and humorously told the crowd that this was their “opportunity to be brutally honest” before he confidently reclaimed his title as a hitmaker, when he sang multiple classic R&B songs that he had written for other international artists, such as Beyoncé and Rihanna. Enhanced with eye-catching pyrotechnics, accomplished choreography with colour-coordinated dancers and an unbelievably iconic setlist, Ne-Yo’s performance was an awe-inspiring experience and the perfect way to end a dazzling day of faultless live music.
The BS3 experience truly offered something for everyone with their sensational, hand-picked selection of artists and bands, and it was clear to see that the concert was carefully constructed by a team of hard-working people who thoughtfully seeked to empower both the artist and the fan, due to the spectacular quality of their live audio. After such a successful first event, I sincerely hope BS3 returns in 2025 for what I imagine would boast an even more prodigious and star-studded lineup because I would certainly attend!
Words: Liv Rose
Images: Dan Rose
Dan Rose @danrose.uk
Role: Photographer
I’m primarily a photographer for both concerts and festivals, and am also available for BTS photos, portraits, promo shoots and tour photography. I also write the occasional review.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots and Touring
First attended gig: My most memorable early concert experience was seeing Eminem in 2014 at Wembley Stadium. This was a very pivotal moment in my life as it reinforced why I love music so much and reignited my passion for it.
First gig shot: The very first artist I photographed live was the DJ and producer Nathan Dawe at SWX Bristol. This was an incredibly fulfilling start to concert photography, as I was on stage with him during his set, and even hung out backstage afterwards.
Dream gig: My top 5 dream artists to one day photograph would be Eminem, J. Cole, Rod Wave, Jon Bellion, and Logic. One of my favourite artists, Juice WRLD, is sadly no longer alive, and I wish I had had the opportunity to see him perform live and photograph him.