No Sound of silence

Local artists determined to have their voice heard

So it’s the tightest election count we can remember and still the numbers keep rolling in. That’s right, we’ve been waiting with bated breath but hopefully this time next week we’ll know the winner... of this year’s NI Music Prize. The Awards ceremony, online on Thursday evening, celebrates the cream of Northern Ireland’s musical talent and marks the finale of Sound of Belfast. The festival, which opens today, is another belter albeit in much straitened circumstances. So while

It’s been grim for artists, venues, promoters and pretty much anyone involved in making events happen. there can be no audiences in the venues fans can enjoy some extraordinary performances online on the Oh Yeah Music Centre Youtube channel.

Charlotte Dryden (left) of Oh Yeah said: “It’s been a devastating year for music and there’s no disguising how badly the live scene has been impacted. It’s been grim for artists, venues, promoters and pretty much anyone involved in making events happen.

“We have collectively appealed to the Government for help and will continue to do so while finding ways to adapt and carry on. But for now, and especially during this most recent lockdown, we felt it was important to get something positive and helpful out there and into the homes of musicians and audiences.

So, while these events and performances are tinged with the sadness of the last six months, the programme is a brilliant reminder of the great wealth of talent that exists and how despite all the odds everyone wanted to get involved. The resulting programme is as good as it can be without being live. We hope people embrace it in the spirit it is intended.”

Among the highlights of a packed programme are performances by Ryan Mcmullan on the roof of Oh Yeah, Brand New Friend playing inside, Manukahunney at the Black Box, New Pagans at Voodoo, Ruth Mgginley in Start Together Studio, Duke Special at the Empire and the Scott Flanigan Trio featuring Linley Hamilton at the

Ballyhackamore Social Club.

The festival is still managing to host workshops, talks, panels and meetings – in which guest speakers guide hopefuls through every aspect of the music industry.

There are also some special events such as a Getting To Know.. with Therapy? hosted by Stuart Bailie, a tribute to the late music manager Lyndon Stephens put on by Malojian and Volume Control, the fest-within-a-fest organised by Oh Yeah’s youth wing...

There’s tonnes more stuff, not least the Legend Award, posthumously honouring the great Bap Kennedy, and you can find out more at soundofbelfast. com or youtube.com/user/ohyeahcentre.