Ministers Praise Belfast Music Exhibition

Arts Minister, Nelson McCausland and Tourism Minister Arlene Foster today visited the Belfast Music Exhibition at the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Belfast.

The exhibition tells the story of the local music scene, from Ruby Murray to Snow Patrol, via jazz, punk, rock, traditional music and blues, the showbands and modern dance music, with memorabilia and recording of local people's favourite music memories.

Speaking after a tour of the exhibition, Minister McCausland said:  “This is truly an excellent exhibition, one which helps celebrate our rich musical heritage, whilst helping to raise awareness of the wealth of musical talent and tourism opportunities in Belfast.  

“Northern Ireland has been producing world class talent for years and we need to continue to invest in music so that it gets the attention and opportunities that it so richly deserves.

“Only last night I helped launch a range of Belfast Tourism Initiatives, including the Belfast Music i-phone app and a Rock and Roll bus tour. All of these initiatives, including this exhibition, enable our local artists gain more recognition both at home and internationally.”

Arlene Foster added: “Music tourism is one of the newest forms of tourism in Northern Ireland.

“The Belfast Music Exhibition will enhance the city’s reputation as one which produces a wealth of musical talent to be enjoyed by visitors and tourists alike.

“Events such as the Belfast Music Tour and Belfast Music Exhibition will act as tourism attractions in their own right and will also help establish Northern Ireland as an exciting and accessible music destination.”

Notes to editors:

The Belfast Tourism Initiatives are supported by Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the European Regional Development Fund.  They aim to promote a range of new products that have been developed and are listed below:

• Belfast Music i-phone app: A global first.  A brand new, free programme for the i-phone, with listings, news and a walking tour of the city, complete with GPS instructions, conducted by ex-NME journalist, Oh Yeah CEO and Northern Ireland radio presenter, Stuart Bailie. The Belfast Music iPhone app showcases past legends and contemporary inspirations that have shaped the music landscape of our city.You can see where Belfast legends grew up and cut their musical teeth,and visit the many venues that show offthe present wealth of musical talent.
• A Rock and Roll bus tour: This weekly Saturday afternoon tour visits all the sites associated with everyone from Van Morrison to Ruby Murray, via Stiff Little Fingers, Snow Patrol, Them, Thin Lizzy and more. From The Ulster Hall, where Led Zeppelin gave ‘Stairway to Heaven’ its world premiere and where The Clash provoked a riot in 1977, to the scene of the old Wizard Studios, where The Undertones recorded their punk classic ‘Teenage Kicks’.  The tour takes around two hours and finishes at Oh Yeah.  Tickets cost £8 (or £6 concession) and are available from the Belfast Welcome Centre on 9024 6609, or online at www.gotobelfast.com
• Belfast Music Exhibition: This is a brand new exhibition at the Oh Yeah building, a converted whiskey warehouse right in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter. This exhibition includes cabinets crammed with guitars and personal artefacts belonging to many of Northern Ireland’s finest recording artists including Snow Patrol, Ash, Therapy, David Holmes, Henry McCullough and The Undertones. Phase Two of the music exhibition is now open and includes yet more interesting objects and storyboards on everything from DJ culture to jazz to the show-bands era.
• belfastmusic.org: For the first time, gig goers will be able to quickly find hundreds of music events across Belfast, from intimate singer-songwriter nights to classical recitals to rock concerts. Web users can also listen to tracks from the latest bands and watch exclusive music videos, as well as signing up for regular e-bulletins to make sure they don’t miss a note. Log on to www.belfastmusic.org for the latest Belfast music events, news, reviews, audio and video.

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