AMIDST a rough year for venues, the North’s newest city gets a cultural influx that will serve this and the next generation of musicians. Meanwhile, Irish musicians get the silver screen treatment and some of the best music of the year drops this week on Northern Winds.

Bangor has long been bereft of a decided music performance space. Whilst stalwarts like The Goat’s Toe service the cover bands of the area and Ward Park provides ample space for festival productions, the lack of a venue has stalled the opportunities in the area for its bands, who have often looked to Belfast for their shows. No longer.
After a number of years of development and renovation, festival and events organisers Open House have opened the newly reinstated Old Courthouse. The former seat of the law in the city, the Old Courthouse is a multi-storey bar and dedicated event space that will serve the wider creative community for the years to come. It will be programmed by former Black Box Director of Operations Rachael Campbell-Palmer, who has long championed the alternative and left-of-centre arts, and Festival director Kieran Gilmore.

With two stages, three bars and space for music, performance, art, photography and other cultural activities to flourish, the Old Courthouse will serve as a much-needed boost to the city’s cultural sector and the surrounding areas. Rachael said: “I know the fundamental impact an innovative and creative space like the Courthouse can have on a place, on individuals and communities. This will be a welcoming home for a wide range of arts programming, providing entertainment, employment and vital opportunities for collaboration and creative development.”

With a sold-out opening night featuring local acts The Florentinas and Lemonade Shoelace, we can only assume she will be right.

Meanwhile in the South, the creative scene in Limerick gets some much-deserved love and attention from abroad. A thriving community of alternative creators and mavericks, Limerick has long been a host to some of the best music the country has to offer. And now it’s on tape. 

‘Out Of Place’ is a feature-length film that comes from the directors, programmers and bookers behind the Féile na Gréine festival (which we covered in previous columns). A documentation of some of the best and weirdest voices in their scene, the film features the likes of Denise Chaila, God Knows, Hey Rusty, His Father’s Voice, MuRli and Post Punk Podge with their performances across a 71-minute cut. The film is set to debut at the London Irish Film Festival this November. 

 On ‘Pretty Face’, Shauna Tohill’s powerful vocal provides the driving force for a REWS alt-rock screamer
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On ‘Pretty Face’, Shauna Tohill’s powerful vocal provides the driving force for a REWS alt-rock screamer

Director Graham Patterson said: “I’m so excited to be sharing Out of Place alongside other amazing Irish films. Limerick has a strong culture of music and community, and I’m proud for it to be showcased to an international audience.”

And in live news, we hear rumblings from the west of the country. Black Gate, a cultural centre based in Galway City, has announced an evening of programmed music in the Town Hall Theatre this Sunday. Featuring performances from the likes of Peter Broderick, Anna Mullarkey, Inni-K and Niamh Regan, this €10 offering is set to be one of the nights of the year.

And we end this week's Northern Winds with a spotlight on some of the best independent releases from Irish artists this week. First off we have the latest from rapper Monjola. His first of the new year, ‘Big Fat Liar’, sees the Dublin-based MC’s signature delivery brought to the forefront of the single. Despite the subject matter, there’s a distinctly summery feel to the vocal production and overall arrangement. A welcome retro for the young artist.

We also have the latest from REWS. ‘Pretty Face’ is a thumping alt-rock screamer. Handcrafted for next year's festival crowd, its pounding drums are matched by the sheer vocals of singer Shauna Tohill. REWS are back and she means business.