Sound Of Belfast is a 10-day annual celebration of Belfast city’s music talent, run by the passionate music people at Oh Yeah Music Centre.
This year’s diverse music programme takes place across Belfast from November 6th to 16th, celebrating the sounds of the city.
Here’s some highlights from the extensive programme.
Full list of Sound Of Belfast events.
1. Winnie Ama, Leo Miyagee, Clara Bella, Belfast Groove Collective
Thursday November 6th
Oh Yeah Music Centre
Northern-Irish-Ghanaian soul and electronic pop artist Winnie Ama’s debut album DEKA is a glittering mix of pop, disco, soul and folk music, and gets its album launch at Sound Of Belfast.
The title DEKA means “one” in Ewe – her mother’s native language from Ghana.
Support comes from Belfast rapper Leo Miyagee, soul, R&B and jazz artist Clara Bella and the multi-instrumentalist Belfast Groove Collective.
2. Venus Rising x Bullitt presents Cooke and ByPhil, Ryan Vail + Emziii
Friday November 7th
Bullitt Hotel
Venus Rising, a new creative production company founded by Venus Dupree team up with the Bullitt’s resident DJ and booker Jonny Carberry to spotlight electronic, visual artists and DJs – with this event featuring:
Ryan Vail – an artist who’s music moves between neo-contemporary glacial electronica, house and jazz music.
emziii – The producer, vocalist and DJ formerly known as HART with inspirations from Massive Attack to bass music, with live sets based around a sampler and vocals.
Cooke (Nice Tuna) & ByPhil (Head Above Water) – Jonny Carberry’s new favourite DJs.
3. Bonded with Rory & Ewen Friers (ASIWYFA)
Monday November 10th
Oh Yeah Music Centre
Bonded is a night in honour of the recording craft. The request is simple; sit back and listen. Each month Stephen McCauley will select an LP to listen to in a safe and attentive group environment. The musician behind it will be present on the night. This is an event designed to slow the listening process down. To delve into the details and grow closer to the art of the recorded format.
For this fourth instalment McCauley invites Rory & Ewen Friers from And So I Watch You From Afar to share their experiences of making their most recent album Megafauna.
4. Project 5 Day Rave
Saturday November 8th
St. Joseph’s Church
Project 5 is a new event series from Bang Bike and Martha Dark dedicated to playing the freshest and finest house music.
The journey begins with a day rave inside the awe-inspiring St Joseph’s Church, Sailortown – where soaring ceilings and stained glass meet heavy basslines and driving rhythms.
The day rave launch party from 5pm – 11pm will feature Martha Dark and Bang Bike DJing alongside special guest Caoimhe.
5. Girls With Guts Presents: Susi Pagel & Guests
Saturday November 8th
Oh Yeah Music Centre
Susi Pagel headlines a night in Oh Yeah celebrating Belfast’s fierce female talent in rock, before her and her band head off to London for their biggest show to date in The Royal Albert Hall, as part of Music for Youth Proms.
Supporting are blazing grunge up-and-comers GUSH, and rock ‘n’ roll queens REVÖLUTIØN.
6. Scratch My Progress Showcase
Tuesday November 11th
Oh Yeah Music Centre
A new wave of homegrown talent performs Oh Yeah’s annual Scratch My Progress showcase, which marks culmination of a nine-month talent development programme supported by PRS Foundation and IMRO, where emerging artists have spent time honing their craft with dedicated mentors, weekly sessions, industry advice, studio time, photoshoots, and creative guidance.
Now a year after they first began with scratch, the artists are ready to share the results: brand-new music and a showcase performance of the compilation EPs, recorded as part of the programme. Performing are:
- Aqua Tofana
- Touzai
- Sophie French
- Madams Last Discovery
- Moon Landing
7. Northern Ireland Music Prize 2025
Wednesday November 12th
Ulster Hall
Celebrate some of the very best of Northern Ireland’s music scene at the NI Music Prize.
This annual event shines a spotlight on the incredible talent our local artists have to offer, with awards across multiple categories including the flagship Album of the Year award.
The night features performances from Róis, Junk Drawer, Esmeralda Road, Becky McNeice, George Houston, California Irish and a tribute to Van Morrison.
8. Soul Supper Club Live
Thursday November 13th
The Harrison
A specially formed quartet formed exploring some of their favourite soulful tunes featuring:
Kaidi Tatham – Grammy winning multi-instrumentalist, producer and pioneer of Broken-Beat and Nu Jazz.
Ben Flavelle-Cobain – dynamic musician and songwriter from Belfast, bringing a unique voice to the fretless bass guitar with a deep love for music.
Knowledge – Michael Culbert, head of grooves at Belfast Groove Collective. Having worked with the islands finest hip-hop, R&B and jazz artists he’s a pillar of the music scene and brings a unique sound and experience to the keys.
Célia Tiab – 24 year old singer-songwriter, born in France who grew up listening to Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo, Donny Hathaway, Lianne la Havas, Indie Arie and who loves soul, gospel and folk.
9. Junk Drawer + Documenta
Thursday November 13th
Belfast Empire Music Hall
The Belfast-based Alternative rock four-piece released a fine second record in this year’s Days Of Heaven, which brings the band’s influences of Gram Parsons, The Byrds, The Grateful Dead, Zappa, Beefheart, sixties West Coast Los Angeles shot through with some “cosmic Ulster music.”
Speaking of the extraterrestrial, support comes from cosmic drone-pop band Documenta.
Full Sound Of Belfast schedule.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
