BELFAST - In Great Britain, after Liverpool and Glasgow, Belfast is also awarded by UNESCO as a city of music for its extraordinary contribution to the local and international music scene.
The Northern Irish capital, the first of the green island, joins the prestigious network of 59 cities around the world that deserve special attention for their musical and cultural traditions.
The important recognition involves the artists of the city and directly local musicians, especially Gary Lightbody, singer and guitarist of the band Snow Patrol, and the young composer, DJ and producer Hannah Peel, nominated for an Emmy and famous for her collaborations with Paul Weller and the Pina Bausch Company. In the next few years, the city is expected to increase the number of places to play and larger spaces to perform in front of the public. Music, on the other hand, has always been one of the hallmarks of Belfast, famous for its concerts, festivals and numerous high-level events. The peculiarity of Belfast, twinned with Nashville, the world capital of country music, is its variety of very different genres, ranging from traditional harp music tohard core punk of the counterculture, from rock to the electronic sounds of the ravers.
Everywhere in the city you will find intimate concert venues and great sets for performances by international superstars. Among the places not to be missed is the Oh Yeah Music Center, a creative center housed on three floors in a former whiskey warehouse. Inside you can admire exhibitions, listen to great music and get in touch with the wealth of creative talents from all over Northern Ireland, including DJs and producers such as Hammer or Sally C, world-renowned groups and performers such as Snow Patrol, Thin Lizzy, The Undertones, The Divine Comedy and the legendary Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison. International artists such as Foy Vance, Ryan McMullan and Two Door Cinema Club also perform. There are many other concert halls: SSE Arena, Empire Music Hall Belfast, the former Mandela Hall theater and Ulster Hall.
Another truly engaging way to capture the musical spirit of the capital is to follow the Belfast Traditional Music Trail (belfasttradtrail.com), an itinerary that touches the iconic places where music is made and which starts from The Dirty Onion bar in the lively Cathedral Quarter.
A must is also the EastSide Visitor Center, which is located near the childhood home of Van Morrison, the most famous singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and lyricist in Belfast.
The Van Morrison Trail (vanmorrison.com/about/van-morrison-trail) is dedicated to the great Northern Irish musician, a path dedicated to him that allows you to discover his most significant places and his strong link with the city.
For more information: irlanda.com.