• Nebraska @ QFT

    From Friday December 6 right up until Sunday December 22, Queen’s Film Theatre Belfast will be screening Alexander Payne’s latest film, Nebraska. Having established his filmmaking style on the likes of Sideways, About Schmidt and the The Descendants, Payne’s latest film sets a very odd couple off on a journey – this time across the plains of the small-town Midwest. Boasting a cast including Bruce Dern (pictured), Will Forte and June Squibb, the move is, according to the QFT website, “an affectionate but refreshingly unsentimental portrait of small-town America, and the complex, often troubled, relationships we have with our parents,…

  • Fionnaula Fagan’s Dreaming Protected Me at the MAC

    On Friday, December 6, sound and installation artist Fionnuala Fagan will present Dreaming Protected Me at Belfast’s The Mac. An evocative and thought-provoking performance, it shares the extraordinary experiences and insights of six people who have lived through either the Bosnian conflict or the Northern Irish troubles, via newly composed songs, voiceovers and visuals. For the premier of this production, Fionnuala will be joined on-stage at the MAC by musicians, Clare Galway, Patrick Davy and Una McCann, with visual designs by video artist, Conan McIvor. This evening also marks the launch of the double-disc album of the work. Go here…

  • Gig of the week: Protex, Start Stop Start Again and more @ Black Box, Belfast

    Presented by three Belfast independent record labels – Time To Be Proud, Punkerama and Scarred For Life Records – our gig of the week this is week is a special charity show at Black Box on Saturday, November December 7 headlined by legendary Belfast punk band Protex. With all proceeds going to children with cancer, the show will also feature sets from Stop Stop Start Again, Shock Treatment, 3D Shark and Mohican Jack. Ryan Fitzimmons from Sunglasses After Dark will also be performing a DJ set. at the show, which doubles up as the official release of the Punkerama Charity Single for…

  • Gig of the Week: Two Glass Eyes, Safe Ships, The Wood Burning Savages @ Radar

    One of their final line-ups before Christmas, our gig of the week this week is the latest installment of Radar at Belfast’s QUBSU Speakeasy on Thursday, November 28. Headlined by alt-rock three-piece Two Glass Eyes, the bill will also feature performances from equally excellent Belfast-based punk band Safe Ships (above) and hugely promising Derry quartet The Wood Burning Savages. Check out the typically gleaming poster for the show: As you can see above, doors are at 9pm and admission is free. Stream ‘Fighting Fit’ and ‘Safest of Ships’ by Safe Ships below.

  • Gremlins @ QFT Belfast

    Belfast’s Queen’s Film Theatre will host a special one-off screening of Joe Dante’s classic 1984 horror comedy blockbuster Gremlins on Saturday, December 14. Presented by BBC Radio Ulster broadcaster Ralph McClean the screening is one of a select handful of Christmas movies being shown at the film theatre this year and will also include complimentary Jameson cocktails, music and prizes (including an original print by Peter Strain). Doors are at 9pm, the film starts at 10pm and tickets are available to purchase right here. http://www.queensfilmtheatre.com/films/jamesongremlins/

  • Gig of the week: Shellac @ Limelight 2, Belfast

    Our gig of the week this week is a slight departure from our normal rule of thumb of featuring local artists. Fronted by  incomparably influential musician and legendary producer Steve Albini, Chicago, Illnois noise rock trio Shellac stop off at Belfast’s Limelight 2 on Thursday, November 21 ahead of the release of their forthcoming fifth studio album. The band will also play Dublin’s Whelan’s on Wednesday, November 20. Los Angeles-based cellist Alison Chesley AKA Helen Money will provide support on both dates. Tickets for the Belfast are £18.50 and are available to buy here. Go to the show’s Facebook event page…

  • Psycho Live

    Two special screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1960 film Psycho will be scored by the world-renown Ulster Orchestra as part of Psycho Live on November 22 and 23. Taking place at The Venue in Derry/Londonderry on Friday (8pm), November 22 and Belfast’s Waterfront Hall (7.45pm) the following evening, the performance will see the orchestra perform Bernard Hermann’s landmark score live. A truly unmissable opportunity to witness one of the greatest horror movies come to life, the Belfast concert will be preceeded by one of the orchestra’s much-love pre-concert talks at 6.45pm, essentially a free fifteen minute discussion featuring radio presenter,…

  • Summertime @ The MAC

    Following on from the success of Planet Belfast, Tinderbox returns to the MAC this season with a dark and bold new play from the award-winning David Ireland. Summertime is a gripping and hard-hitting drama sure to have audiences on the edge of their seats. “Jonathan is struggling to establish himself as the minister in a working class East Belfast parish. One night a young man stumbles into his rectory, covered in blood, and claiming that he is possessed by the devil. Delving deeper into the young man’s story, the minister finds himself coming under increasing suspicion from the local community.…

  • NI Music Prize 2013

    Featuring performance from five of the contenders, the inaugural NI Music Prize will take place at Belfast’s Mandella Hall on Tuesday, November 12. An accolade aiming to recognising the best album released by a Northern Irish act over the last twelve months, the bands vying for the prize are as follows: A Plastic Rose – Camera Shutter Life And So I Watch You From Afar – All Hail Bright Futures Anthony Toner – Sing Under The Bridges Axis Of – Finding St Kilda  The Bonnevilles – Folk Art And the Death of Electric Jesus Fighting With Wire – Colonel Blood Foy Vance – Joy Of Nothing  Girls Names – The New Life Jetplane Landing – Don’t Try Le…

  • Therapy? – Infernal Love Listening Party

    On Wednesday, November 13, we will be holding a special Belfast Music Week listening party of Infernal Love, the landmark third album by Northern Irish alt-rock heroes Therapy?. Originally released in June 1995, the eleven-track release – featuring singles including ‘Stories’, ‘Loose’ and ‘Diane’ – it was the final album to feature the original line-up of Cairns, McKeegan and Ewing and is considered by many to be the band’s true masterstroke. Starting at 12.30pm in Laverys Back Belfast, the band’s bassist Michael ‘The Evil Priest’ McKeegan will be joining us for an exclusive play through of the forthcoming remastered version…