City of lights

Doesn’t it put you in a good mood that belFEST – the fortnight-long local music beano that annually commandeers the capital’s main venues – celebrates its tenth birthday during a year when some of its alumni are scaling great and inspirational heights?

Take Duke Special, for example. Most recently spotted jamming away alongside Jack White, Muse and John Legend on Later, such was Mr Wilson’s ubiquity at previous events that his absence from this year’s shindig will be as noticeable as that of Santa’s Grotto from Christmas. But, seeing as he has his major-label debut to promote and a European tour to contend with, we can consider him excused for once.
Then there’s Snow Patrol. Even from way before the time of Songs For Polar Bears, their enthusiasm for the event would see them regularly hop on a Stranraer ferry to take their place on The Empire’s (or Morrisons’ or Katy Daly’s) stage.
It’s been a good year, then, for belFEST to reach this landmark. Should any soul-searching take place, any questioning of the mission – its organisers (especially the indefatigable Gerry Shepard) need only open a national music mag to see evidence that their work is not in vain.
A glance through the acts playing over the traditional three night showcase gigs (November 28-30) will reveal a number of names who, I’d guess, plugged their amps in at the first belFEST.
Headlining The Limelight on the Thursday, for example, are Olympic Lifts – a band who have provided immeasurable support to Belfast music over the years by promoting other acts, helping with sound or production duties, or even just putting on decent club nights. Driving By Night – who will be finishing their Spring and Airbrake set off, just as the Lifts begin theirs – are, likewise, another bunch with many campaigns under their belts. Just as importantly, their good-humoured, up-and-at-‘em attitude has ensured that, while they’ve yet to influence people, they’ve had no problem making lots of friends.
BelFEST has always found space for informative seminars and presentations that deal with the practical side of the music biz. This year, there are useful events devoted to Digital Sales and Distribution, Career Management and the usual songwriting courses. The festival has also proved most welcoming to non-Nordy talent, and gigs from Ron Sexsmith, Less Than Jake, The Twilight Singers and Luke Haines prove that it’s lost none of its yen for hospitality. That said, these local showcases have, from the beginning, been the element that truly justified its existence.
Throwing together acts with precious little in common, over the years these nights have come to provide a handy over-view of our collective musical well-being.
And this year, it appears that the patient is fighting fit.
As always with belFEST, it’s best to stay light on your feet. On Tuesday November 28 you’ll be kicking around the Cathedral Quarter (The Duke of York, McHughs and the new(ish) Black Box). Wednesday’s action takes place on Botanic and Shaftsbury Square (Lavery’s & The Empire), while Ormeau Avenue’s Holy Trinity (The Limelight, Katy’s & Spring and Airbrake) brings things to a close on Nov 30.
Take a look at the website if you require a full run-down, but to select just a few highlights, I wholly recommend you check out David McNair, Pixie Saytar [pictured above], The Tom McShane Band, Paddy McKeown, Clone Quartet, Escape Act, La Faro and Rivals.
Or even better, why not just wander in and out of each of the venues and allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised?
Two acts, however, stand out for me. The big highlight of this year’s belFEST is, without doubt, the launch gig at the Black Box on Nov 17 for Desert Hearts’ Hotsy Totsy Nagasaki. Of all the home-grown acts that have appeared over the last ten years, it’s doubtful any have been more lavishly gifted. It’s apt, then, that Charley and Roisin are using this occasion to unwrap a record that’s as good as anything produced in the North over the last decade.
And then there’s our old, old friend Geoff Topley, who, as the years go on, continues against the odds to put out (at his own cost) inventive, passionate and thoughtful records under the Foam moniker.
There may have been greater swots than Geoff over the past ten years, but belFEST really couldn’t ask for a more honourable mascot.