Sound of Belfast Festival programme launched

The festival will take place from November 2-11, culminating with the Northern Ireland Music Prize, which will awarded at the Mandela Hall on November 11.The evening will see a life time achievement award given to Belfast-born Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell and also feature performances from three of this year’s NI Music Prize nominees: Arborist, Joshua Burnside and Robocobra Quartet.

Over ten days, the Sound of Belfast festival will take place at nine Belfast venues, including Limelight, the Empire, the Sunflower Bar, Voodoo, the MAC and the Black Box. Gigs will feature more than 60 local acts, including Ricky Warwick and Damon Johnson, The Bonnevilles, Sister Ghost, Strange New Places, Leah McFall, Callum Stewart, Rory Neillis, Civil Simian, Burning Codes, No Oil Paintings, ROE, Wood Burning Savages, Mongol Gentelmen’s Club, The Tragedy of Dr Hannigan, Empty Lungs and others.

Speaking at the evnet, Charlotte Dryden, chief executive of Oh Yeah, said: “Every year the highlight for us is the Northern Ireland Music Prize and the Oh Yeah Legend award which this year goes to Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell. Every year we have 12 shortlisted albums by local artists and it’s a real opportunity for us to celebrate the best of local music. The list for the Northern Ireland Music Prize is looking really strong this year with music by the late Bap Kennedy, Arborists, Joshua Burnside, Hannah Peel and others. Vivian Campbell is the ultimate rock legend and we’re so looking forward to seeing him perform with his current band Last in Line.

“We’re also launching an event allowing people to buy music in vinyl which has been enjoying a real resurgence. We’ll have Duke Special playing at this. On the same night we’ll be celebrating ten years of the Oh Yeah Centre. There’s so much to look forward to.”

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