Live Music in Belfast

A UNESCO City of Music since 2021, Belfast has earned its place on the global music map through decades of output that punches well above the city's size. Its punk rock scene, shaped by the raw political urgency of the Troubles, produced Stiff Little Fingers as one of the era's most authentic voices, while Van Morrison and Gary Moore put the city's blues credentials on an international stage. Landmark moments are woven into the fabric of the venues still standing today: Led Zeppelin debuted Stairway to Heaven at Ulster Hall in 1971, and Snow Patrol played their first gig at The Duke of York. From the SSE Arena hosting major international tours to the Sunflower Public House offering live music every night, Belfast's stages operate at every scale, backed by institutions like the Oh Yeah Music Centre developing the next generation of local artists.