Northern lights

For the last four or five years The Belfast Festival at Queens has, when it comes to putting on tasty musical treats, smartened up its act. Michael Nyman, Brian Eno, and John Cale have all recently made welcome contributions, and don’t forget (as if) the angel-like appearance of Kylie Minogue at a haunting piano-based black mass held by Nick Cave.

This year’s bill, though, surpasses anything previously staged, with a truly outstanding collection of blackguards, madmen and periodic showstoppers all coming to town. So, get ready to welcome Bonnie Prince Billy when he plays The Elmwood Hall on October 27th – the first time Will Oldham has ever ventured North in any shape or form – and a reason for celebration if ever there’s been one. Similarly, Lee Perry brings elderly Dub mentalism to the Ulster Hall on October 25th backed up by the Mad Professor, while Mogwai – an act that with every record seem to move inexorably closer to the classic they have in them – play The Mandela Hall on November 6th. Also dropping by to the union venue are the marvellous Super Furry Animals – easily the best British singles band since Happy Mondays – who, fresh from the deserved success of Rings Around The World should pack the joint out on November 8th. Great stuff.

When you add to the mix the likes of Nitin Sawhney, Speedy J, Roots Manuva, Billy Childish and a Twisted Nerve showcase that promises “a very special (and no-doubt hirsute) guest”, it’s easy to see why people are so exited.

Even Shine are getting in on the act. The Queen’s-based club have lined-up The Orb for a full-on live spectacular on November 3rd. Away from the festival, the club celebrates its sixth birthday on October 27th and has invited Freddy Fresh, Christian Smith, and Gaetano Parisio to help with the party. Considering that the recent Supershines have all been dripping with clubbing godheads, expect a few more big names to be announced closer to the event. Breakdown have already nabbed their top guest. Goldie will take time off from squiring supermodels and caricaturing himself in duff Mockney thrillers to conduct affairs at their 4th birthday bash at the Empire on October 4th, hopefully reminding people along the way why he was once considered a genre-defining visionary. Scratch Perverts, Cappo Regime and Marty Pelan are in support.

Release-wise, there are also a few records on the horizon that are worth keeping an eye out for.

Ninebar International who’s last release The Queen’s Lounge EP was picked up by both Lamacq and Fanning, are currently working on their follow-up, with sights set on a release in early November.

The ever-great Andy White is putting out Rare – a collection of b-sides, covers and outtakes – that follows on from the unfairly neglected eponymous LP he released in May. And straight outta East Belfast – that renowned hotbed of all things electro – comes a new three track EP from would-be electrician-cum-pop boy wonder Jupiter Ace. Gregory’s last CD found its way onto the playlist at Johnny Depp’s club Man Ray, and, considering that the new tunes are a marked improvement (especially the title track ‘Electric Age’ – an up-tempo Phil Oakey homage that suddenly mutates into a Carryduff cousin of ‘Confusion’ by New Order) we can only hope that the word keeps on spreading.

Kidd Dynamo, meanwhile, continues apace in his quest to win friends and influence people. Joan Armatrading, The Webb Brothers, David Kitt and Gary Lightbody are all fans, rumour has it that he’s even been asked to lend a hand with the next Reindeer Section record. And now comes news that at a recent gig in Belfast, Simon Jones and Simon Tong former members of gloomadelic super-group The Verve, in town for a low key warm up gig for their as yet unnamed new outfit, waxed lyrical to all around about K.D’s performance. October sees the long overdue release of his debut single ‘Landslide’, which means you can all now find out just what makes this bloke so popular.

All of which, taken together with the likes of Beatsuite, Output, Sketchy, cool Nerve Centre gigs and the upcoming Belfest, means there’s a lively few months in store for anyone looking to counter the dark-night blues. Which is just as well – have you ever seen the football up here?