Launching his new EP all round the light said:, County Down troubadour Joshua Burnside returns for his second headline gig at The Empire, Belfast. Joined by local veterans Lambing Season and the newly-signed Brash Isaac, Burnside proves unrivalled in his … Continue reading Review: Joshua Burnside, Brash Isaac, Lambing Season – The Empire, Belfast
Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival are reknowned for their impeccable taste and I always look forward to seeing their programme launch in April to see what gigs and comedy I can go and soak up. This years programme doesn’t disappoint, with … Continue reading Review: Mary Gauthier – Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Belfast
Having been gigging across Ireland from a young age, History and Anthropology student and Derry singer-songwriter Nicole McMonagle – who goes by Cole-Marie – is no stranger to a live performance. Something of a local favourite in Belfast bars for … Continue reading Get to Know: Cole-Marie
Last year two of Scotland’s best loved acts, eighties titans Simple Minds and Edinburgh songstress KT Tunstall, collaborated on an acoustic reworking of ‘Promised You a Miracle’ ahead of the band’s unplugged album Acoustic in November. Tonight, they share the … Continue reading Review: Simple Minds & KT Tunstall – Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Citing local influences of Foy Vance and James Vincent McMorrow, Benjamin Francis Leftwich left his audience in owe of his beautiful haunting voice last night as he performed an intimate gig in the Limelight Belfast. I have never experienced an … Continue reading Review: Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Limelight, Belfast
If there’s one thing missing from the music scene at the minute, in my opinion, it’s contemporary bluegrass. So, when I heard the EP Bluebirds from the band Cup O’ Joe it was a real breath of fresh air. The … Continue reading Cup O’Joe – Bluebirds
Galileo. I know a couple who had Declan O’Rourke’s “Galileo (Someone Like You)” as their wedding song a long time ago. Their mortification at having to take part in the wedding dance ritual was usurped by one of the most … Continue reading Declan O’Rourke, The Strings, And The Horsebreaker
Henchman has announced that ‘Cousin Boneless’ will be dropping by and making a stop at Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen on the 10th of June. Admission is £5.00 at the venue doors, which will be open at 9pm. Cousin Boneless can … Continue reading Cousin Boneless to Perform at Charlie’s Bar on the 10th of June
Damien Dempsey has long been hailed as an ‘Irish Bob Marley’ owing to his reggae influenced sound and the impassioned social commentary in his lyrics. Tonights eager crowd shouting ‘Dam-O, Dam-O’ repeatedly as they await his arrival are an indication … Continue reading Damien Dempsey – Mandela Hall, Belfast
McHughs Bar is a 1711 Georgian hostelry with a haunted basement.* They play a lot of music down there in the basement in McHughs. Maybe it helps ease those souls that never managed to leave. This Is The Kit will … Continue reading Live Review: This Is The Kit Calms The Spirits In McHughs
The legend that is Martin Carthy won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2014, and he is playing the Ards International Guitar Festival this Sunday 10th April in the Queen’s Hall. With five decades … Continue reading Martin Carthy Will Bring The Ancient & Modern To Ards International Guitar Festival
Three years of waiting and anticipation have passed since the Australian dreamboat of soul sailed our way, but now Matt Corby was back to deliver a set bursting with genuine musical talent supported by the wonderfully Irish Laura Ann Brady. Having … Continue reading MATT CORBY – LIMELIGHT, BELFAST
This Is the Kit is returning to Belfast in April, bringing us music from their latest album Bashed Up, and a host of beauties from previous years. The music collective has been described as understated folk rock. They’ve also been … Continue reading Interview: This Is The Kit on What’s In Store At Their April Gig
Dallas Green is a Canadian singer songwriter who records under the alias City and Colour (get it, Dallas = City, Green = Colour?) and was formerly in the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. But two further polar opposites of music you could … Continue reading City and Colour with Lucy Rose – Mandela Hall, Belfast
The Out To Lunch festival is one of the highlights of a typically bleak January in Belfast, and today’s lunchtime session is no exception. The musicians may be relatively new to the music scene in (Northern) Ireland in their present … Continue reading REVIEW: Saint Sister, Prima String Quartet, Jealous Of The Birds at Out To Lunch
I got the distinct pleasure of sitting in Belfast’s Empire Music Hall and listening not only to great traditional Irish music, but also to a legend and fantastic Irish musician in the name of Sharon Shannon. A very talented musician … Continue reading REVIEW: Sharon Shannon – Empire Music Hall, Belfast
Kathryn Williams is a prolific songwriter, but much of it has been out of the public eye. She hit the singer-songwriter big-time with a Mercury Prize nomination in 2000 for her sophomore album, but it seems she has been a … Continue reading PHOTOS: Kathryn Williams and Michele Stodart – The Black Box, Belfast
The Real Music Club are the premier roots and acoustic music organisation in Northern Ireland, and on Friday 25th September they were joined by Country legend Tom Russell. Having worked with many great names including Johnny Cash, k.d. Lang, Nancy … Continue reading PHOTOS: Tom Russell – The Errigle Inn, for The Real Music Club
Alt-country band Willard Grant Conspiracy are set to play the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast on Saturday 12th September, thanks to No Alibis Bookstore. “Ghost Republic” is the first album from Willard Grant Conspiracy since “Paper Covers Stone” (2009) and the … Continue reading Willard Grant Conspiracy To Play the Crescent Arts Centre
“Take this Hammer” coated the walls of the church, at times right up to the ceiling. Willie Watson’s eyes were tightly closed under his brimmed hat. The vibrato was more apparent on the words he decided to stretch. It’s an … Continue reading REVIEW: Willie Watson – Open House Festival
15th September will see The Black Box play host to Vermont independent folk artist Sam Amidon. Born into a household where folk music was part of daily life, Sam Amidon learned to play the fiddle at a young age, leaning … Continue reading SAM AMIDON PLAYS BELFAST’S BLACK BOX THIS SEPTEMBER
Moving on Music is bringing ‘The Stray Birds’ back to Belfast after their sell out gig last year. On Saturday 22nd August The Black Box will play host once again for a night of folk bluegrass; with fiddle, guitar, upright … Continue reading THE STRAY BIRDS RETURN TO BELFAST FOR AUGUST GIG
