Written by Jonathan Davis

Burgeoning out of the post-lockdown malaise, the Bristol queer scene has erupted with a renewed sense of energy and creativity. Beyond a period of isolation and uncertainty, the community has coalesced with a fierce determination to celebrate their identities and create safe, radical spaces for expression. With collectives like CONQUEER leading the charge, the Bristol queer scene has become one that is not only flourishing, but firmly poised also to make a enduring impact on the wider cultural landscape.

This CONQUEER event on April 14th was a surreal and transformative experience that left the mass feeling purged of their ecclesiasts. The event was dedicated to the manifesting of all that is conquer; with the event description giving pledges of a “new venue, new noise, and new nodes of communal quivering”, the event promised to be one of queer metamorphosis and transcendental rebirth through explorations of sonic textures both loud and queer.

The lineup featured an impressive roster of artists from London, France, Denmark, and Lisbon, each bringing their unique style and energy to the stage. From SWARMM’s mesmerizing live hybrid set to PONDFLOOR’s captivating live performance, the night was a testament to the power of queer experimentation and sound to transport and transform. As the night unfolded, attendees found themselves writhing, arching their spines in fluid harmony, and whispering their innermost desires upward to the ceilings of stone.

From entering the gothic Easton centre of All Hallows Hall I was met immediately with a hauntingly enchanting atmosphere. The walls were adorned with eerie yet alluring art, enhancing the overall ambiance of the event. While the incredibly dressed attendees mingled and chatted excitedly in the darkened space, the celestial brilliance of seeing queer people from all walks of life rally and share in collective joy was palpable, and the euphoria was unmistakable from the moment I stepped into the venue. By the end of the night I was left in a trance, not wanting to exit the radical space creative director Daniel Carmago-Grosso and the rest of the Conqueer team had created.

SWARMM, the enigmatic experimental artist and sound-design virtuoso from London, delivered a franticly charged set that electrified the congregation and set the tone for the exegetical night ahead. Blending potently abrasive glitchcore production with live modulated violin, SWARMM’s sound was a thrilling assault on the senses that rendered the audience entranced. Their ability to seamlessly merge disparate sounds into a cohesive whole was a testament to their artistic vision and technical prowess. Each beat and melodic counterpart was prudently crafted and delivered with precision, creating a sonic landscape that was at once chaotic and controlled, both unforgiving and purgative. The violin was adroitly played to craft an additional layer of intensity, creating a haunting and ethereal sound that reverberated throughout the hall.

Hailing from Rennes, France, HILDEGARDE brought a distinct style to the stage at Conqueer. As the ethereal opening chords of their set rang out, the crowd was transported to a world of high-fidelity aesthetics and cerebral visuals. Their retro Windows Vista visuals, taken from the track “Disconnected”, pulsed behind their, creating a stunning sensory experience that perfectly complimented their hypnotic beats and otherworldly voice. HILDEGARDE’s sound was simultaneously dreamy and intense, as the beats swelled and pulsed with a profound energy blessing the hallowed hall. Their presence on stage was mesmerizing, as they swayed and twisted to the music, their voice carrying a sense of otherworldly mystique that drew the audience deeper and deeper into their world.

The inimitable duo of Magda Ontra and Yaya Bones, collectively as PONDFLOOR, presented an operatic live biblical deconstruction with unworldly overtones akin to a desecrated and wanton church choir hailing from the depths of a chthonian vision. Combining piercing cymbals with droning synths and recurrent cries of anguish, the set felt comparable to a sonic purification, utilising medieval-esque instrumentation while wielding broomsticks to augment the ritualistic experience. PONDLFOOR here summoned an interpolation of their inner disquiets throughout to deliver a profoundly visceral and affecting performance, one that beckoned the audience to explore the depths of their own subconscious.

Copenhagen based artist SCARPIA, aka Usbeorn, gave an exceptionally controlled and gloriously sanctified performance. Their music throughout demonstrated a frenetic amalgamation of various genres, blending distorted industrial beats, breakcore rhythms, and dissonant melodies. The distortion of their production was juxtaposed by their evocatively serene vocal inflections, culminating into a thrilling and immersive soundscape that made one feel as if they were an ever expanding and deflating modicum on an impressionist painting.

DESLUDILDO’s DJ set was a cathartic finale to a transformational night at Conqueer. With a pulsating rhythm and eclectic selection of tracks that ranged from hard techno to experimental noise, they kept the crowd dancing and energized until the very end. As members of the audience brandished the Conqueer sword, DESLUDILDO’s mix served as a reminder of the power and importance of queer collectivisation, the fundamental essence of Conqueer. Their set felt like a communal exorcism, as the music and energy of the crowd worked together to purge any lingering remnants of the heteronormative world outside.

In light of these events, Dance Policy spoke to Daniel Camargo-Grosso, Conqueer founder & director, and Beau Palmer, producer for Conqueer, to gain an insight into the various components that have made Conqueer into the success it has become:

What are some of the challenges of running a queer event that other promoters wouldn’t typically face?

Daniel – The biggest and most important challenge would be ensuring attendees are as safe as possible where they are able to feel comfortable enough to express themselves freely. For example, we do worry who may come through those venue doors and disrupt the party, so we run a casual vibe-check on the door by reminding unfamiliar attendees or someone buying a ticket on the night what sort of event we are running and that they must respect our space. The majority of queer promoters in Bristol also book trained Phat welfare who are vital for our events to run smoothly knowing that if any guests are having a bad time, mentally or physically, Phat are there to help.

Beau – Another challenge is making sure that the venues we are working with are suitable for queer nights. Without venues in Bristol that are specifically for the queer community we have to be really selective to make sure the places we put on our nights are staffed by people who respect the queer community.

This is why we have chosen to work with Strange Brew so many times, not only are they hugely supportive of our events, they have also ensured their venue is accessible by prioritising gender neutral toilets and level access.

Is there something Conqueer is attempting to offer others aren’t, or is it just for a good time?

Daniel – If we’re referring to Bristol, or even the general South West of England and Wales, we are one of the very few queer art shows that provide music (club and/or live), performance art and exhibition-in-one. Over in London these sort of events are more common where I discovered Riposte, Wraith and Inferno after lockdown came to an end in England. These different mediums have attracted all sorts of incredible attendees who freely express themselves in our spaces, particularly their styling is the most noticeable where we’ve seen a rise in new-age club kids.

Another attribute to what makes us stand out to the other collectives and events in Bristol is how experimental and subversive our choice in bookings are with a focus on booking queer artists. One of my main goals when running Conqueer has been to bring new sounds and art to the City of Bristol with the alternative queer scene in-mind resulting in us experiencing something new and feeling inspired.

Beau – This is also a night for our community to experience joy, if people want to come and simply have a good time, enjoy the feeling of dancing in a crowd and only feeling like the centre of attention if they want to, then this is a night to do that. Queer people especially those who sit within an intersection of marginalised identities may not have been able to experience nightlife safely before. Queer nights like Conqueer work to create environments that centre and celebrate those people.

Any personal anecdotes or funny stories from your events?

Daniel – One for me would have to be when we put on our first free party last year under a bridge in Bristol. I somehow put a slightly different location on the party-line which meant I had to keep running round this industrial estate finding people to tell them where to go. But I was covered in fake blood wearing full leather and elf ears (very kunt) running up to people who were looking rightfully confused when they saw me.

How does conqueer balance personal privacy on the dance floor while trying to document the scene they represent?

Daniel – We typically book trusted photographers for our events, one of them being our very close-friend George Avill (@george.avill) who also runs their own fundraiser music and performance art shows for trans individuals; T4T. Image-makers such as George are known widely within the Bristol queer scene which does give them an advantage when being able to comfortably capture guests and performers. Though they are also super aware of knowing to ask for consent, this has left us with incredible documentation of the Conqueer community in which we frequently ask George to take portraits rather than candids on the night.

Beau – The majority of the photos you will see of our nights are shots of our people posing and showing off their looks outside. We want people to let loose and feel free and unwatched on the dance floor but if they have turned up to show off we absolutely will be photographing those looks.

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Words by Daniel Camargo-Grosso, founder and director of Conqueer. And Beau Palmer, producer for Conqueer.

Introductory words by Jonathan Davis

Photography by George Avill @george.avill

CONQUEER: A consecrated evening of queer euphoria