Belfast City Hall
HEAR FOR YOURSELF:
BELFAST THE CITY OF MUSIC
Belfast, a city of undeniable musical chops and outrageously gifted musicians, has been officially named as a UNESCO City of Music in November 2021.
The prestigious honor puts Belfast in the company of musical bastions like Glasgow, Liverpool, Kingston, Havana and Kansas City, and confirms what many of us already know: this city rocks!
World-renowned musicians like singer/songwriter Van Morrison and classical flutist James Galway are just part of a musical tradition that stretches back centuries and continues unbridled into the 21st century.
The bid for UNESCO designation was organized by local musicians including Snow Patrol singer and guitarist Gary Lightbody and Emmy-nominated composer Hannah Peel. As the official Belfast Music patrons of the UNESCO designation, they are helping to organize a series of festivals and concerts in the coming years to fully showcase what Belfast sounds like.
Altan at the MAC Belfast
A sister city of Nashville Tennessee - country music's capital, Belfast has nurtured diverse music scenes and artists ranging from counterculture punk rockers like Stiff Little Fingers to rock legends like Snow Patrol, and a host of outstanding trad musicians like fiddler Sean Maguire and Frankie Kennedy.
Traditional Irish music has been wildly popular here since Edward Bunting's Belfast Harp Festival of 1792. Bunting collected the ancient tunes of traveling bards and itinerant harpists for posterity, which lead to a life-long passion of collection Irish music. A great way to experience the city's traditional vibe is to take the Belfast Traditional Music Trail, which starts in The Dirty Onion bar in the buzzing Cathedral Quarter.
Belfast Cathedral Quarter
The Féile an Phobail Community Arts Festival in Belfast, March 1-18, 2022, features a variety of great local music including Frances Black and Beoga.
Visitors looking for musical highlights on a trip to Belfast can also visit the Oh Yeah Music Centre, a three-storied creative hub for musicians housed in what used to be a bonded whiskey warehouse. And check out the East Side Visitor Centre, where you can take a selfguided Van Morrison Trail which reveals a wealth of information about Van's life and links to Belfast, many of which found their way into his lyrics.