Belfast's music scene
Belfast has delivered music as various as Ruby Murray, Ash, Gary Moore, and Stiff Little Fingers, plus traditional airs and electronic adventures. It's time to get involved!
Belfast has delivered music as various as Ruby Murray, Ash, Gary Moore, and Stiff Little Fingers, plus traditional airs and electronic adventures. It's time to get involved!
Belfast's Festivals
Why not time a visit to Belfast to coincide with one of the many music festivals that take place throughout the year? The Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival , in February is a great one for country music fans. Why not get your tent out in July and check out the new music at Glasgowbury , less than an hour from Belfast. Catch roots music from Traditional Irish to Americana and Bluegrass at the Open House Festival in September.
Famous Locals
Maybe it's in the water, but some of the best musicians have come out of Belfast. Van Morrison's lyrics are often linked to the streets he grew up in – such as Cypress Avenue and Hyndford Street in east Belfast. The city’s talent is diverse – Stiff Little Fingers representing punk, Ash do their bit for Indie Rock, Divine Comedy present pop with a unique flamboyancy, and James Galway’s flute brings classical music to life.
More about Irish Music
Live music in the city
To listen to Belfast’s home-grown talent visit one of the many music pubs in the city. The John Hewitt has a great name as a venue for various styles of good, live music. Fibber McGee's and Kelly’s Cellars Bar have traditional sessions every night. Auntie Annie's is the place for acoustic music and check out Basement for the up and coming acts of the Belfast scene. The elegantly restored Ulster Hall is a beautiful place to listen to classical music. Belfast’s Odyssey Arena and the Waterfront both host international music and entertainment.
Live music listings
Traditional Music
You’ll find it hard to avoid a traditional session while you’re in Belfast, just keep your ears open for the sound of music leaking from one of the pubs! Northern Ireland also has its own unique Ulster-Scots culture, and is often expressed through music and dance. The Lambeg Drum, fiddle, fife and flute are just some of the instruments that accompany sessions of Highland Dancing, Ulster-Scots Square and Country Dancing. Belfast is to host the prestigious European Pipe Band Championships in 2010 and for the following two years.
Music Exhibition
The Oh Yeah Music Centre is a former whiskey warehouse in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, Belfast city's cultural district. A fantastic live music venue, well worth a visit anytime to see the Belfast Music Exhibition. Telling the story of the achievements and diverse musical talents that Northern Ireland is so proud of. You can also see some unique memorabilia from the local music business and the personalities involved in it – Them, Ruby Murray, The Undertones and Henry McCullough.
Music Tour
It’s hard to beat the Belfast Music Tour as a way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Take an expedition down the alleys of punk rock and glam rock, through country roads and traditional paths, along avenues of classical music. Taking place every Sunday at 2pm, the bus journey takes you by the landscape that inspired Van Morrison, James Galway and Snow Patrol. The tour finishes at the Oh Yeah Centre where you will have a chance to check out the Belfast Music Exhibition.
