Bristol Beacon presents BODEGA

Bristol Beacon presents BODEGA

Tuesday 24 November 2026

19:00 - 23:00

“I never thought of us as a post-punk band,” stresses Ben Hozie, singer and guitarist in the
NYC-based band BODEGA. “I just thought of us as a conceptual rock band. At the end of the
day, it’s about our songwriting.”
This might come as a surprise to those who’ve been following the band over the last several
years. BODEGA’s previous albums — 2018’s Endless Scroll, 2022’s Broken Equipment, and
2024’s Our Brand Could Be Your Life — drew well-earned comparisons to post-punk icons like
Talking Heads, the B-52s, Devo, and Sonic Youth. But on their new single “Pick Up the Check,”
BODEGA (which also includes singer and percussionist Nikki Belfiglio, bassist Adam See,
guitarist Dan Ryan, and drummer Adam Shumski) pursue a lusher, more expansive sonic
palate, drawing inspiration from the alt rock arena-isms of Jane’s Addiction and the Stone
Roses.
“The lyrics are imagining you're at a restaurant with somebody, either on a romantic date or
some kind of business date with a music industry person,” Hozie says, “and you have to learn
how to say no, stick up for yourself, and pick up the check. Even if you can't afford it, put it on
credit and get out of there!” Still, Hozie emphasizes that “I always think of our songwriting as
sort of Socratic. We're asking questions.”