With such a difficult year for the music industry, it’s comforting to see signs of life. The NI Music Prize returning again this year is one such comfort. Now in its eighth year, the awards are accepting submissions for singles…
One of Northern Ireland’s bigger musical festivals Sunflowerfest took a break in 2019 and were looking forward to a big return for summer 2020. Sadly Coronavirus put a halt to their plans for the typical summer festival experience but fear…
Last month the first stage of a report into gender disparity on Irish radio was published, a damning reflection on the state of play amongst Irish radio stations. The report, prepared by Linda Coogan Byrne sought to shine a light…
One of the recent good news stories for 2020 is the fact that Stendhal Festival will be taking place this August, albeit in a slightly different format. No longer condensed down into one weekend, Stendhal Festival Presents Unlocked will take…
The now monthly Bandcamp Day, where the music site waives their own fees to the benefit of artists has led to all sorts of interesting releases throughout the lockdown period, from charity compilations, off-kilter merch, home demos and new albums,…
Snow Water, the company behind the wonderful Atlantic Sessions were due to host the Distant Sky Summer Solstice Festival on Rathlin Island. Due to the health and safety concerns around Covid-19, the festival won’t be happening this year but they’ve…
Last week a compilation album was released on Bandcamp to raise funds for music charity Help Musicians Northern Ireland. Titled NI Unplugged, the collaborative project led by Caitlin Palmer of No Matter features over 50 acoustic tracks from Northern Irish…
The creative arts sector in Northern Ireland is one of the many sectors currently struggling with the Coronavirus fallout. Help Musicians recently launched their Coronavirus Hardship Fund and we thought it would only be right that we try and raise…
This week Help Musicians announced details of an incredible £5 million fund for musicians going through financial hardship due to the Coronavirus. The effect of the virus and the restrictions on everyday life has had a staggering effect on the…
Today North Coast heavyweights And So I Watch You From Afar announced a massive show to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention in aid of three charities. Taking place on Saturday 28th March, the OK? festival sees the band spearhead a…
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Quiet Arch founder Lyndon Stephens yesterday morning. Lyndon was a giant of music in Belfast and beyond, with a legacy that stretched far beyond the recent years of Quiet Arch….
The North Coast’s Atlantic Sessions return for an incredible 11th year this month, with a busy schedule of events. A full programme of shows will run all weekend from Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th November. As always with Atlantic Sessions, it’s the…
Every year Belfast hosts the largest music conference in Ireland and alongside of host of invaluable talks, panels and discussions, the evening features over 40 bands/artists showcasing their live shows. These evening showcases are curated by a multitude of movers…
The ten day music festival Sound of Belfast is returning for its sixth year from 1st – 10th November with perhaps its most diverse range of events yet. While Sound of Belfast has never been short of live shows, this year’s schedule…
With the proliferation of new musical talent in Northern Ireland at the end of the decade, for many it remains difficult to forget the artists who paved the way for the music scene as we now know it. Alternative rock…