Belfast Music Story

During my career I’ve visited about two dozen countries, listened to the music and been in the audience at performances in many of those places, but nothing compares to my experience of music in Belfast; the local musicians, the visiting bands, the audiences, the venues.

My first gig in the winter 1969 was at the Ulster Hall. It must have been winter. We queued in the early evening gloom to see the now legendary Rory Gallagher with John Wilson and Richie McCracken in Taste. I was 13. What an introduction to live music that was.

The Ulster Hall plays a central role for almost everyone. That’s where I saw (and sometimes introduced from the stage) more bands and musicians than I can remember ranging from Stiff Little Fingers to an organ recital to the original Fleetweed Mac. And my proudest moment there, being in the audience watching my older son Adam play guitar with The Dangerfields.

The Whitla Hall, too. It and Queen’s Students’ Union were both important. Horslips’ first performance of The Táin – I think my ticket was 35p, Dutch band Focus the day after guitarist Jan Akkerman left – we’d all gone to see Akkerman, performance of a Brian Irvine work by the Ulster Orchestra. Jacques Loussier at Elmwood Hall. Many, many more.

From those more formal venues to the sticky floored bars to see cymbal smashy, guitar crashy unique Belfast punk bands. To intimate folk music events (and rowdy folk music events which I know I was at, but can’t quite remember). And places now gone: Jazz in the Glenmachan, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Ultravox, U2, Blackfoot in Maysfield Leisure Centre. Didn’t Ozzy play there? Or was that Avoniel? And the McMordie which became the Mandella. Gone now, too.

During The Troubles music hungry fans were told by the few visiting bands that they were “the greatest audience in the world”. Maybe we were, maybe they told all their audiences that. We preferred to believe the former.

Belfast has brought musicians to play, it has endless home grown talent, but it had and still has two other elements for a great music experience; the venues and the audiences.

My highlight? Back to the Ulster Hall and in one night, Saint Sister, Villagers, Therapy?, R51 later to become Wynona Bleach, 4 of Us, Neil Hannon, SOAK. The Across the Line radio show 30^th birthday.

That was some night.

Yes.

That was some night.