Let me first start by saying that one one my major pet peeve's of going to concerts is how hard it is to find out stage times. My ticket for the darkness says "Doors 7:30pm" the website says "Doors 8pm", Facebook and Twitter are saying nothing, Ulster Hall doesn't have a phone line for such enquiries. So after much searching on Facebook I hear whispers that Million $ Reload are doing local support, so it's only as I'm having a Pre-drink (Prink) in Wetherspoon's that I finally see that the first act was on at 7:30pm M$R on at 8:10Pm and Darkness at 9pm. This is at 8:20pm. So, I'm sorry to say that by the time I drink up and get over to The Ulster Hall I only catch about 2 songs of Million Dollar Reload's set. I can only assume that the band before them, "Crown Jewel Defence" played literally as people where walking through the doors.
Moving swiftly on to a more positive note what I heard of Million dollar Reload sounded great. they instantly reminded me of Buckcherry. Balls out Rock n Roll that's a little sleazy. The singer at times sounding like Cormac Neeson of The Answer fame. They're like the sort of band that you would think you would only find playing large arenas across America, but then you hear M$R and realise that for such a tiny country we're actually producing some of the best Rock n Roll in a long time. I really can't wait to see these boys play a full set next time.
Sufficiently warmed up by local boys million $ reload and judging by the amount of drink containers in the air sufficiently lubricated, The lights go up and the opening strains of Black Shuck could be heard as the Belfast crowd go mad for everything the boys do. You wouldn't think this was a band that's not had a "hit" in 6 years as the audience reacts knowingly to every song the band play. Wether it be a single or an album, they sing along to every word. It's as if when their second album was released at number 11 in the charts (and then fell the next week to 38) the majority of those customers where from Northern Ireland. This was everything you want from a darkness gig. Justin Hawkins cycled through various ridiculous and tight fitting outfits (stripy pink jumpsuit anyone?) the light show was phenomenal, the singles were placed strategically amongst the album tracks and Justin hit all the high notes. the band tore through "Growing on me" "get your hands off my woman", "Love is only a feeling" and "Dancing on a Friday night" with much aplomb.
There were however 2 high-lights of the night. The first being when Justin Hawkins rode, astride a security guards shoulders, through the middle of the crowd playing his wireless guitar. Quite the sight to behold. The second when they played "Don't let the bells end" I think, like me, for a lot of people this is the first Christmas song they've heard this year played live or judging by the crowd reaction its the first Christmas song they've EVER heard! As we all clapped, (we will rock you style) sang along and drunk The Darkness finished off by announcing they're working on a new album and would definitely be visiting Belfast again next year and it felt great to be back. It felt great to have them back, I have to say!
Surprisingly
I’ve never been to a Beer festival before.
But I did go this year. I went to
the 12th Annual Belfast Beer & Cider Festival held in the Ulster Hall. I really didn’t know what to expect, so I thought
as long as there’s no Harp it’ll be fine.
I’m pleased to report that there was no Harp.
I
went on the Saturday (with my brother), which was the last of 3 days that the
festival was on, arriving at 1pm. We
paid our £3 entrance fee and £8 for tokens and 1 souvenir Pint Glass and
program later we were in the main hall of the Ulster hall.
The first thing that greets you right in the
middle is a massive rig about 20ft high containing about 100 Bizarrely named
beers, it was easy to see why it’s billed as the biggest bar in Ireland.
The
rig had 4 Bars, each bar was named after a white start liner –Titanic, Olympic, Britannic and Nomadic and each of the 4
bars housed beers from a different region of the UK.
For instance the Titanic Bar was for Belfast Beers from N.Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man. There was
a stall with traditional Pub games, a CAMRA (Campaign for Real ale) stall and
cider corner. A corner devoted to
Ciders, there were about 20 in all.
For
the benefit of people who haven’t been to a beer festival before, I’ll explain
the system shall I? Basically you buy a
sheet of tokens for £8. This has 4 x
£1.60 tokens and 16 x 10p tokens, when you buy a half pint (we are trying to
taste as many as possible after all) depending on the strength, you pay
anywhere between £1.60 and £2. The
stronger the beer the more expensive. So
my first half pint, the wonderfully named Bucking Fastard, being only a 4% beer
cost £1.60. But my last Pint,
Diablo(6%), was £1.80. I wanted a Pint of the (whisper it) SKULLSPLITTER at 8.9% but alas even at 5:50pm it had sold out.
So
my brother and I sat down and enjoyed a few half pints – Bucking Fastard,
Ginger Tosser, 99 Red Baboons, Becon buster’s Broomstick. At 2pm the Band Hot whiskey Came on and the
place started filling up, all the tables where full and I decided it was time
to sample the Cornish Pasty’s I had eyed on the way in. The stall manned by the Cornish Pasty Trading Company who’s shop I’ve walked past a few times on Church street, had an array of
different Pasty’s on offer. In the end I
opted for a Steak and gravy and a traditional.
It came to about a fiver for both and I have to say they were really
delicious and the perfect accompanying food to a half pint of Ginger Tosser.
At
3pm we had to leave the merriment and music of the main hall and we were
whisked to the upper echelons of the Ulster hall for a tutored tasting
session. Helmed by 2 very knowledgeable
gentlemen whose names elude me they took us though a history of beer making and
gave us 9 different beers to sample. From ales to porters it was a walk through
a wide array of different types of beer form the deathly black to the apple
juice clear. They talked us through the flavours and aromas in a very similar
fashion to wine tasting. They answered
any and all questions that where thrown at them. Also the craic
was great between the 15 or so that where at the session. I guess people tend to be quite relaxed at a
beer festival, who’ve thunk it! It was a great way to spend an hour and well
worth the £10 fee. I would recommend it
as a must do for anyone visiting next year.
When we left a short time later the hall was getting really full, so I can only presume it was a massive success. I thought it was a great way to pass an afternoon or even an evening, though I must try and arrive earlier next year to try for a pint of the elusive Skullsplitter!
By Chris Caldwell
Sufficiently warmed up by local boys million $ reload and judging by the amount of drink containers in the air sufficiently lubricated, The lights go up and the opening strains of Black Shuck could be heard as the Belfast crowd go mad for everything the boys do. You wouldn't think this was a band that's not had a "hit" in 6 years as the audience reacts knowingly to every song the band play. Wether it be a single or an album, they sing along to every word. It's as if when their second album was released at number 11 in the charts (and then fell the next week to 38) the majority of those customers where from Northern Ireland. This was everything you want from a darkness gig. Justin Hawkins cycled through various ridiculous and tight fitting outfits (stripy pink jumpsuit anyone?) the light show was phenomenal, the singles were placed strategically amongst the album tracks and Justin hit all the high notes. the band tore through "Growing on me" "get your hands off my woman", "Love is only a feeling" and "Dancing on a Friday night" with much aplomb.
