Belfast music festival – 365 days a year!

Fancy coming to a year-round music festival – where you choose the line-up? Whatever your musical tastes, Belfast will have a gig, festival, or concert to tickle them. Our handy Trip Planner lets you pick and choose your own line-up, as well as places to stay and things to see, for a seriously harmonious city break. www.discoverireland.com/gb/campaigns/belfast

'Belfast Regains its voice…one of Europe’s liveliest towns'
(New York Times)

Belfast is a city of contrasts – grand Victorian architecture alongside modernist glass masterpieces, traditional pubs alongside contemporary cafes and vibrant bars, the best of local arts and crafts amongst international high street retail. Belfast’s music reflects the city of contrasts too.

Internationally acclaimed artists from the McPeake Family, James Galway, Ruby Murray, and Van Morrison, to name but a few, have cemented Belfast reputation as musical city. The foundations laid, Belfast is as exciting as ever as the musical passion and talent across the spectrum of folk, tradition, rhythm and blues, rock, pop and punk are emerging into the local and international scene with names such as General Fiasco, Cashier No9, Duke Special, Eilidh Patterson hoping to follow, in their own way, the stratospheric successes of Snow Patrol. Gigs, sessions and concerts are filling Belfast’s skies with music with venues abound.

A constant in Belfast is the welcome – where ever you find yourself.

Belfast Music Week 12-19 September 2010

Over 100 music events – you choose the line-up www.gotobelfast.com

From 12 – 19 September, Belfast will play host to over 100 live music events showcasing its new bands, songwriters and DJ’s, with key artists from its rich musical heritage to today's thriving contemporary music scene. Belfast Music Week will also feature industry workshops, seminars and networking events staged across the city featuring leading speakers of international stature from the global music industry.

This scene has got to be seen and heard to be believed....this is your invitation to check it out, in person, at Belfast Music Week.

Belfast Music Week Workshops

As well as a full week of music events, with more than 100 performances across 30 venues, Belfast Music Week has programmed five days of free master classes, seminars and keynote addresses that will cover the full spectrum of the music industry in 2010.

Events start on Monday 13 September, when one of the most important and influential musicians of the last 40 years comes to deliver a keynote address: Nile Rodgers has worked with Michael Jackson, Madonna, David Bowie, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones.

All events are free to attend, but with limited capacity on all, reservations are flying out the door. A full schedule and details on how you can book your places is available at www.belfastcity.gov.uk/musicweek/workshops.asp

Belfast Music Exhibition

Visit the Oh Yeah centre in Belfast's cultural hub, the Cathedral Quarter and you'll find the fascinating Belfast Music Exhibition, taking you on a journey from Ruby Murray to Snow Patrol, by way of Stiff Little Fingers, Dana and Clodagh Rogers, via The Divine Comedy Ash and The Undertones. Discover more about Belfast's DJ culture, jazz and showbands, the city's legacy for heavy rock - and find out what local people's musical memories are.

Oh Yeah Music Centre 15-21 Gordon Street, Cathedral Quarter T: +44 28 90310 845. www.ohyeahbelfast.com
Admission FREE. Open Monday - Friday 12-3pm and Saturdays 12-5pm.

Belfastmusic.org
Definitely one to bookmark to make sure you've got the latest gigs and music news at your fingertips. Find hundreds of music events across Belfast, from intimate singer-songwriter nights to classical recitals to rock concerts.

The Belfast Music Coach Tour

Take a journey through the heart of this great rock n’ roll city, from Them and Van Morrison to Snow Patrol, by way of famous guitar players, punk rock and Hollywood soundtracks. Starting at the refurbished iconic Ulster Hall on Bedford Street, home to the Ulster Orchestra, the tour takes in many landmarks associated with the Belfast music story, venues which put the city on the international music map and places that inspired songs.
Every Saturday 2pm until 27 November.
Tickets £8 (or £6 concession).
Book online at www.gotobelfast.com or call the Belfast Welcome Centre +44 28 9024 6609.

Belfast music – There’s an app for that!

Download the world's first music tourism app FREE here and get up to the minute gig listings, explore the city’s rich musical heritage through an interactive tour; check out the city's music legends in the Hall Of Fame and get the latest on who's making big sounds in the new music showcase.

Explore More

City break or longer stay, Belfast offers the buzz and vibrancy of a capital city whilst being a gateway to the rural retreat of Northern Ireland. See www.discovernorthernireland.com and find your journey.

Come and join us in Belfast and step it up a musical notch by using our handy Trip Planner to plan your city break and choose your own line-up, adding gigs, festivals, places to stay, plus great deals to help you make the most of your holiday. Enjoy, and hope to see you at a gig soon! www.discoverireland.com