Great place. Love this design mix of old and new…read more The actual theatre was outstanding in terms of the art on the roof etc. I think I spent just as much time looking up as I did the show.

I love the Grand Opera House. A visit to see a show here makes for a fabulous day or evening out…read more Over the years some of my favourites have been The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dracula Untold, Columbo: Prescription Murder, Agatha Christie's Mousetrap, Dirty Dancing and The Woman In Black. It's also a visually fabulous Victorian style theatre and even the modern architecture of the Baby Grand section is beginning to appeal to me (although I disliked it when it was first built). There are a couple of bars inside which boast a good drinks menu and as with all theatres, you can preorder your beverages for performance intervals. Being a relatively small theatre auditorium I always find there's a good view of the stage no matter where you sit, great sound and comfortable seating too. There are a couple of small drawbacks however. Tickets to popular performances can sell out fast, so you need to book immediately if you're interested in a show. Plus tickets can be expensive as well, so it's not a cheap day out. Nonetheless, you'll find a huge range of performances here including musicals, drama, comedy, opera, pantos and dance so there really is something to suit all tastes.

I am obsessed with theatre, in a Glen Close crazy kinda way. I'm also a little shocked at the lack…read moreof attention being given to the lyric. It is internationally renowned, the starting ground for many careers (such as Liam Neeson) and one of the most wonderful theatres I've been to. Currently being refurbished, the new theatre will have three performance spaces. It's difficult to review this, considering I have no crystal ball, however the plans and drawings on the lyrics website for the new theatre look impressive. This is not a theatre to be intimidated by; the staff are incredibly friendly and the bar is, as far as I can remember, reasonably priced. It's a nice excuse to get dressed up, but if you don't, well that's OK too. Ticket prices are normally around £10, which I think is pretty reasonable. The most recent productions I've seen at the Lyric, have been The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Miser. The former being one of my favourite productions and moreover my long suffering boyfriend liked it; he has never liked anything he has seen at the theatre and normally leaves cursing what we've seen and cursing me! The Lyric remains my favourite theatre in Northern Ireland, for classic and contemporary plays, surprises and a great night.

Dana Masters originally from South Carolina, has made Lisburn and Northern Ireland her home. In…read more2012 herself and Linley Hamilton had a weekly Jazz residence in McHugh's basement bar. Being a huge fan of Jazz Music, I was privileged to be at the very first performance and was blown away by the talent of Dana and the other musicians. There is only a few vocalists that makes the back of my neck tingle when listening to them and that's what makes them special and world class. I looked forward to going every Saturday, close my eyes and enjoy the music. It did not feel like I was in Belfast at all. Sometimes I even had to pinch myself as I listened to the sublime weekly performance. The news soon spread and McHughs Jazz sessions soon had a cult following of faithful fans and at times you couldn't get into the basement for the amount of people. In 2014, I was not surprised that 11,000 at Proms in the Park were all talking about Dana as performance of the night. We've adopted Dana Masters as one of Northern Ireland's top vocalists. "Dana Masters is one of those musicians and not only were we able to relax and enjoy the richness of her undeniably flawless voice, we were also treated to a showcase of some of the finest Jazz instrumentalists in the UK & Ireland." Jude Malone, GiggingNI.com More than 350 music fans gave Dana Masters and her band a standing ovation at the Lyric Theatre Belfast on Monday night. The performance included the old Civil Rights anthem 'A Change is Gonna Come', dedicating it to her mother, a strong supporter of Martin Luther King. Dana was accompanied by Linley Hamilton on trumpet, Johnny Taylor on keyboards, Paul Hamilton on drums, , Dave Howell on saxophone, Paddy Groenland, lead guitar and Charlie Foley, bass guitar. One of my favourite songs was the cover of John Legend's Ordinary People . The band played all five of the tracks on the EP - Motherless Child, My Funny Valentine, Blue Moon, Like a Star by Corinne Bailey Rae, finishing the set with a beautiful version of Charlie Chaplin's Smile. This was an amazing showcase for N.Ireland's jazz scene.

Beautiful concert venue within easy walking distance of Belfast city centre. The concert we…read moreattended was one of the worst I've suffered through in my life. As a result I spent a lot of time appreciating the venue instead. The way the seats are tiered and arranged in blocks around a gentle semi-circle facing the stage meant that there appeared to be very few, if any, 'bad' seats. The illusion of intimacy and closeness to the action was apparent everywhere. The sound system was superb, sadly given the rubbish on-stage, the seats were very comfortable and the bar was, thankfully, only a few steps from where we were seated. A very subdued crowd gratefully exited the venue in only a few minutes at the end. We returned to the city centre for a deserved nightcap in shocked silence. Seriously though, this is a great spot for a concert.

Went to the waterfront to watch smokie. Who on earth needs to charge 2.10 for a cup of tea…read more Concert was good but staff are job worthes. No dancing which ruins the evening. The group noticed them telling people to sit down so the group told us all to get up and dance. Had great night once the staff where put in the their place. Music is for dancing not for sitting. Waterfront need to lighten up and remember who pays the tickets which in turn keeps them in jobs.

Can't believe I am dropping a star for the Black Box, but I went last night and myself and a few…read morefriends decided we would like a slice of their amazing pizza. Unfortunately we were advised that there was a new chef and pizza is no longer served by the slice and must be bought as a whole 10" pizza, not good when you have vegetarians in the group and the meat eaters miss out on their carnivorous ways as one pizza is too much for a person on their own (well sometimes it is!) To top that off the pizza was nowhere near as nice as it used to be, this is a real shame as this what made the black box stand out from the crowd. Love love love this place! It has a relaxed atmosphere and always has something unusual to keep you entertained. I would frequent here quite regularly and have always had a great time whether it is because of the show on offer or simply due to the patrons. It's honestly like going into someone's living room if you enter into the small bar, pizza is served by the slice for £1-2 and is scrumptious. A Drink is not overly priced either. In the main room at the back they have a variety of shows on offer such as comedy and music nights and even a burlesque night I recently attended. All and all the cultural heart and soul of the cathedral quarter.

Love, love, love the Black box. Did I happen to mention I love this place…read more I've had some great nights there. The burlesque nights are always brilliant. Shouldn't be missed. A night you won't forget. Also some brilliant events as part of the QCAF

We went to enjoy an Eagles tribute band. They were very good, and despite being one band member…read moredown through injury, they performed just over 2 hours but we thought Talon (another Eagles tribute) were better. There's very little car parking nearby and the area around the hall has become overrun with hotels. The hall was quaint, airy, with good acoustics, but I found the seating cheap and terribly uncomfortable - if I were 7 stone and ultra thin it might have been ok but alas no. Worst of all, my view, from my ground floor seat, was spoiled as I was sat right beside an ugly 6 inch steel pillar (no centimetres here so I'm ready for Brexit - which is more than the government can say). I felt quite cheated on being charged full ticket price for an obstructed view. The hall sells alcohol, but we didn't bother as it's just not comfortable enough to relax enough to enjoy a drink. Now this will sound a bit daft but I'd struggle to name more than two members of the original Eagles band. I like their music but I've no real interest in knowing anything about them. Spookily enough it's been 25 years to the day since we were in this beautiful hall. Sadly we can't change the past as on that magical night we saw John Denver live for the last time. As I sat there last night, I recalled John telling the story of how he came to write Shanghai Breezes out of a phone conversation to his former wife when he was in Shanghai. He linked his tale to suggest something we already know and often ignore here, that in this throwback place we should be able to live together harmoniously. Plainly we still choose not to put ourselves out too much.

Ahhhhh...Ulster Hall...the memories! During my misspent youth I saw quite a few great (and…read morequestionable) bands here including Aerosmith, Poison, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue and Def Leppard - well it was the early 1990s hahahahaha! In more recent years I've seen The Cult in concert (it always annoyed me that I didn't get to see them play years ago), numerous art exhibitions and the Belfast Beer and Cider Festival. Conveniently and centrally located on Bedford Street, Ulster Hall's easy to reach by foot or bus. I love the small, intimate environment of this understated, beautiful, Victorian building which is great for smaller events. The interior is refined elegance with the world-famous Mulholland Grand Organ prominently displayed and an art gallery space too. However, it can feel a bit overpopulated at times, as was the case with the 2015 Belfast Beer and Cider Festival and I find the temperature is often uncomfortably warm, especially when packed for a concert or event. Much to my embarrassment I've never actually seen the Ulster Orchestra live, whose home is in the Ulster Hall, but I'm planning on seeing them soon and am keeping an eye on Belfast City Councils website for more Ulster Hall events.

Went for paddy's day. Waited in the queue for ages with bouncers looking at all of us in our…read morejerseys and never said anything, whn doors opened I had a woman and a man turn to me and said my jersey was questionable and I wasn't to be let in. I was wearing a jersey that had a Palestine flag and an Irish flag across the chest. Prior to all this I had messages the limelight instagram account and was told that anything with a political message or something that could offend someone more than likely was gonna be turned away. So we had went and bought New Jersey's for this reason. I had paid for my ticket and was refused entry over a top that had 2 flags on it, nothing offensive or political at all. I even turned it inside out and got laughed at and felt belittled when they said I still wasn't going to be let In. It was st Patrick's day, everyone was going to be in jerseys, i know I wasn't the only one with a jersey on that had nothing bad to it, and still got refused. The bouncers are and always have been too concerned about small things and rather than actually doing their job they belittle others. very disappointing, very annoyed. Please be aware of the bouncers egos and how rude they can be, absolutely disgusting.

The Limelight, eh...? It's where it all started for me. Sneaking in, trying to look over 18,…read morefailing miserably and having to wait until I was actually 18 to fully enjoy the place! It's a bit of everything: it's a great live venue, in which I've seen more bands than I'd care to remember, but it's worth mentioning that you'll get touring acts from all over the place as well as lots of performances from local bands, which I'm a big fan of. It's slightly grimy, yes, but that fits with the charavter of the place. It's not meant to be shiny and spotless. It's meant to be a little bit dirty! Lots of drinks offers make it a great place to go for a cheap night out as well. Although, I should warn you that the crowd is young. I remember even feeling old in my last year in uni! For that reason, i still go for gigs every now and then, but as a club, I'm more likely to be found next door in Katy's enjoying a quiet pint. Good God, I may as well just invest in a pipe and slippers and be done with it...

Not just for culture vultures, The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival (aka CQAF) is for everyone. It's…read morean annual celebration of visual art, comedy, theatre, music and literature. A lively and exciting festival with 150 events happening in 30 venues across Belfast but mainly concentrated in the Cathedral Quarter and Custom House Square. I absolutely love it and you'll find both popular and more obscure events happening. One of my favourites from a couple of years ago in 2014 was South Saharan band Tinariwen. A fabulous music concert and a band who I would never even have heard of if it weren't for CQAF. This year the 2016 program looks amazing and I'm already circling dates in my diary for the following events: ~ Vegstock, a vegetarian festival 02/05/2016 ~ Guy Garvey in concert 01/05/2016 ~ Ursula Burns, comedy harpist 04/05/2016 ~ Seeing Through Your Eyes: The Photographs of Peter Dressler 1972-2003, 01/04 - 14/05/2016 ~ Late Night Art Walking Tour 05/05/2016 ~ Monochrome in Cathedral Studios, 6 Artists respond to the theme 'monochrome' 05/05/2016 ~ Wet Plate portraits by Matthew Gordon and Jim Maginn 28/04 - 28/05/2016 ~ Rumpelstiltskin Revisited, knitted paintings by Jacqueline Wylie 29/04 - 10/06/2016 ~ The Death of Orpheus and Other Myths, screen prints by Leo Boyd 28/04 - 28/05/2016 There are a lot more events happening between 28 April and 8 May 2016, so go check the programme out online at http://cqaf.com/2016/

The Cathedral Quarter is a bit of a cultural monster in Belfast at the minute, and the Cathedral…read moreQuarter Arts Festival showcases the variety of arts on offer in Belfast to perfection. It's slightly less mainstream than the Belfast Festival at Queen's, so you might not recognise that many names when you go through the programme (I know I don't, anyway!), but don't let that put you off. Most of the events are very reasonably priced, so take a chance and go see a blues artist, or a stand-up you've never heard of, or a debate on modern architecture in Belfast - you might just be surprised! Belfast is fast becoming a city of festivals - we have one for everything! But the Cathedral Quarter has managed to separate itself from the crowd by providing a programme that is at once populist and alternative, providing support and inspiration for the arts in Belfast, and that can't be a bad thing, right?

I do love a good night out at the flicks, and if you are a fan of film this is the place to be!…read moreBelfast has plenty of options for watching the usual big budget fayre but for the more discerning viewer the QFT always has something on offer. I've cried at cartoons, laughed at documentaries and rocked out at the rockumentaries. You should also keep an eye out for their special events. Last week I saw the new Hockney documentary which included a live link up to the artist's studio in LA and was shown in tandem with 200 cinemas across the UK. It was awesome. I took my Dad who usually falls asleep within 15 mins of anything, and he was on the edge of his extremely comfortable seat! The new bar area is a lovely ,relaxed space, and it makes a nice change to smell culture rather than overpriced sickly popcorn! ;-)

The QFT is one of the few independent cinemas left in Belfast (probably in Northern Ireland…read moreactually). It's the place to see modern, largely independent films. It's also a great place to see films like Coco Before Chanel or La Vie En Rose - pretty well known and successful films, but not mainstream enough for the chain cinemas. You'll get a mix of students, film buffs and Guardian reader types (I mean no offence, I include myself in that group!) here, all enjoying the chance to see something different, challenging, and hopefully more interesting than some of the films available in bigger screenings. The only criticism I have is of the screens themselves. There isn't a lot of leg room (not a problem for me, I'm 5ft3", but anyone over about 5ft6 would have trouble), and only some of the seats are elevated. At a screening of Coco Before Chanel, the only seat I could get was in the third row and as a result, I could see the bottom of the screen. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but when the film is subtitled, it's a pretty fatal flaw. Thankfully, my French isn't terrible, so I was able to fill in some of the blanks, but others weren't so lucky. There are always some great films and talks on at the QFT during the Belfast Film Festival, so whether you're a casual fan or a total film buff, this place is worth checking out.

It's only fair that I review Custom House Square on St Patrick's Day as this is the final…read moredestination for Belfast's Parade and Concert. This is the sort of thing that Custom House Square is renowned for, in recent years it has been the site some of Belfast's biggest concerts including Belsonic which comes around in August. The Square itself has a load of history and used to be Belfast's biggest market place, there is monuments on site to commemorate this rich history and I would highly recommend visiting the square even when there isn't any concerts/festivals on. The Square is easily accessible and open to the public all year round. McHughes Irish bar is looking on to the square so if you fancy a pint after your brief tour this is your place. Custom House Square is a definite 5 stars for me! It is a great open air concert venue, centrally located and is steeped in history, what's not to like?

It's hard to remember what Custom House Square used to look like (and indeed, I fail to recall the…read moredetails myself), but it's had such a dramatic makeover that nobody really cares. In 2005, this area (which is located just beside Laganside Bus Station) was completely transformed to include a series of little fountains, each spurting water in a range of sequences, an large open space which has been used for the likes of concerts such as Belsonic, and has incorporated the sculptures such as the Calder's Fountain and Speaker's Corner that Suzi notes in her review. If you're ever there during the day, you'll spot a few skaters who use this area to their advantage, as well as a few tourists who are interested in the Albert Clock, the nearby Lagan Lookout or the Big Fish. It's a pleasant area to just sit and watch the world go by, and there's a few signs providing information about the Custom House and the various statues. There are also a number of apartments for sale / to let just beside the square which have been newly built, as well as a few slightly older sky risers. During the recent Belsonic festival, one landlord rented out a couple of apartments to those who were unable to buy a ticket for the concert, allowing them the best view in the house. Those lucky people... Definitely a great little place of historic interest which is a mere 5 minute walk from the city centre. McHugh's is just across from it, so you can always stop off for a drink / meal while you're visiting.

We saw a local band, Now the 90s in September 2023. The venue opened at 8:30pm, and the band went…read moreon at 10:30pm. The venue is not too small but intimate, no bad vantage points for seeing a show. A little too crowded for my preference though. While waiting for the band, they played some 90s hits, you know - Britney Spears, NSYNC, blink-182, etc. There were a few songs that us Americans didn't recognize (clearly very British) but we had a great time and danced along. It got really crowded before the band went on (sold out show)! And once the band did go on, we didn't know any of the first 3 songs... But eventually recognized some global pop songs.

Solid spot for some pints and music. Nothing crazy either way but the aesthetic pushes it to four…read morestars. Service was quick before it got busy and the pint came from a can so I can't speak to the quality. Haven't had the food.