Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [527]
Lavery’s (Map; 9087 1106; www.laverysbelfast.com; 14 Bradbury Pl) Managed by the same family since 1918, Lavery’s is a vast, multilevel, packed-to-the-gills boozing emporium, crammed with drinkers young and old, from students to tourists, businessmen to bikers. The Back Bar has live acoustic music from local singer-songwriters on Wednesday and live indie and alternative bands on Thursday, while the Bunker stages various local and touring bands Sunday to Thursday and DJs Friday and Saturday.
FOLK, JAZZ & BLUES
Pubs with regular live sessions of traditional Irish music include the Botanic Inn, the Garrick Bar, White’s Tavern, the John Hewitt, Kelly’s Cellars and the Rotterdam (Click here).
For jazz and blues, head for the John Hewitt, McHugh’s, the Rotterdam, the Crescent Arts Centre or the Kitchen Bar (Map; 9032 4901; www.thekitchenbar.com; 38 Victoria Sq).
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GETTING INTO IRISH CULTURE
An Droichead (Map; 9028 8818; www.androichead.com; 20 Cooke St; tickets £8.50-15) is a new centre in South Belfast, dedicated to Irish language, music and culture. It offers courses in Irish Gaelic, stages traditional dance and ceilidh workshops, hosts art exhibitions and also serves as a live music venue – it’s a great place to hear live Irish folk music, not only big names from around the country, but also up-and-coming local talent. Check the website, or pick up a flyer from the Belfast Welcome Centre.
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CLASSICAL MUSIC
Queen’s University’s School of Music (Map; 9097 5337; www.music.qub.ac.uk; University Rd) stages free lunchtime recitals on Thursday and regular evening concerts in the beautiful, hammer-beam-roofed Harty Room (School of Music, University Sq), and at the Sonic Arts Research Centre (Cloreen Park), with occasional performances in the larger Sir William Whitla Hall (University Rd). Download a Music at Queen’s program from the website.
COMEDY
There’s no dedicated comedy club in the city, but there are regular comedy nights at various venues including the Spring and Airbrake (Map; Ormeau Ave), the Belfast Empire, and the QUB Student Union.
Opera & Theatre
Grand Opera House (Map; 9024 1919; www.goh.co.uk; 2-4 Great Victoria St; box office 8.30am-9pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat) This grand old venue plays host to a mixture of opera, popular musicals and comedy shows. The box office is across the street on the corner of Howard St.
Lyric Theatre (Map; 9038 1081; www.lyrictheatre.co.uk; 55 Ridgeway St) The old Lyric Theatre, where Hollywood star Liam Neeson first trod the boards (he is now a patron), has been demolished; a new theatre is being built on the same site, and should be open by early 2011.
Old Museum Arts Centre (Map; 9023 3332; www.oldmuseumartscentre.org; 7 College Sq N; box office 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, to 7.30pm before a performance) The Old Museum stages an exciting program of drama and comedy, with occasional prose and poetry readings and dance performances.
Crescent Arts Centre (Map; 9024 2338; www.crescentarts.org; 2-4 University Rd) The Crescent hosts a range of concerts, plays, workshops, readings and dance classes. The Crescent also stages a 10-day literary festival called Between the Lines each March, and a dance festival, City Dance, in June.
Black Box (Map; 9024 4400; www.blackboxbelfast.com; 18-22 Hill St) Describing itself as a ‘home for live music, theatre, literature, comedy, film, visual art, live art, circus, cabaret and all points in between’, Black Box is an intimate venue in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter.
Cinemas
Movie House (Map; 9024 5700; www.moviehouse.co.uk; 14 Dublin Rd) A convenient city-centre 10-screen multiplex.
Queen’s Film Theatre (Map; 9097 1097; www.queensfilmtheatre.com; 20 University Sq) A two-screen art-house cinema close to the university, and a major venue for the Belfast Film Festival.
Storm Cinemas (Map; 9073 9134; www.stormcinemas.co.uk; Odyssey Pavilion) Belfast’s biggest multiplex, with 12 screens and stadium seats throughout; part of the Odyssey Complex.
Sport
Rugby, soccer, Gaelic football and hockey are played