MUSIC
At A Glance JULY AUGUST
2017
Summer’s Here Again! Summer time, and the living is easy…and while we don’t have the summer of sport we had last year, there’s still enough going on to tempt you down Botanic way. We’re very pleased to have the Empire debut for Action Hardcore Rock and Roll outfit ARNOCORPS, who promise a ballsy night of Schwarzenegger themed metal goodness. For those who like it a little more traditional, we’ve the return of CC. HOULIHAN’s always popular ELVIS SPECTACULAR, the uncanny BON JOVI EXPERIENCE, or THE BOSS UK’s salute to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band this fourth of July weekend. LEGEND take to the stage with their Bob Marley tribute and there’s the perennial favourite PLEASUREDOME. Canadian experimental types HOLY F*CK play their Belfast debut if electroica is your thing, while LANGHORNE SLIM brings us the highlights of his latest album in another coup for fans of alternative country.
BOOKING
All this, the beer garden, the gins, and our new raft of craft beer? Whatever the summer weather throws at us, you’re more than welcome here!
As always, I remain yours truely,
Kittyxx
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM THE EMPIRE BAR + ALL TICKETMASTER OUTLETS TELEPHONE 24 HR CREDIT CARD BOOKING LINE 0844 277 4455 ONLINE AT WWW.TICKETMASTER.IE
SHOULD YOU OR ANY MEMBER OF YOUR PARTY REQUIRE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE, OUR STAFF WILL BE DELIGHTED TO HELP. WE RECOMMEND THAT WHEN POSSIBLE YOU NOTIFY US PRIOR TO YOUR VISIT. PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME PERFORMANCES MAY USE SPECIAL EFFECTS, SUCH AS STROBE LIGHTING AND SMOKE EFFECTS.
MONDAYS 10PM WWW.THEBELFASTEMPIRE.COM
original artists playing their own music & more! 7 JUL the moonshines 4 AUG unholy gospel band 14 JUL to be confirmed 11 AUG hot sausage & mustard 21 JUL lonesome george 18 AUG the hardchargers 28 JUL rackhouse pilfer 25 AUG the el dude brothers
10.30PM // free admission
check out our website for further details
www.thebelfastempire.com
Entertainment Every Night Thursday 10.30pm Empire Blues with
rab mccullough & band Sunday 10pm
Admission FREE
ken haddock’s supper club
Friday 5.30pm
Monday 10pm
Friday 10.30pm
Admission FREE
JACKIE RAINEY Admission FREE
RARE AUL STUFF
roots 100% fresh
Tuesday 11pm
Saturday 10.30pm
Admission FREE
DISCOBEARD
Admission FREE
Wednesday 10pm
acoustic showcase ni
Society sessions singer songwriters
Admission FREE
Admission FREE
saturday live
local rock & soul covers 1 JUL 8 JUL 15 JUL 22 JUL 29 JUL & 6 AUG 12 & 19 AUG 26 AUG
BLACK MARKET ICONS MOTHERS LITTLE HELPERS THE RENEGADES WHITE LIGHTNING STRICTLY NO BALLROOM THE PAUL DEAN BAND THE RENEGADES
Admission FREE
LIVE SPORT ON THE BIG SCREEN LATE BAR EVERY NIGHT / FOOD SERVED MON-SAT
THE BOSS UK
AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE PARTY There is simply no outfit that encapsulates the American experience like Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band. Since the 70’s they’ve been filling stadiums with the Boss’s own take on blue collar American life, from the bombast of Born in the USA through to the desolation of Nebraska, their output has soundtracked a proud, yet troubled nation. THE BOSS pays tribute to this legacy with a seven piece band that parade the hits and fan favourites over a two hour high octane set so dynamic, the band schedule in the ballads so the audience can catch their collective breath.
Sat 1 July // 8.30pm // £12
Sat 8 Jul // 8.30pm // £12
This is the ultimate tribute act to New Jersey’s ultimate blue collar rock band, THE BON JOVI EXPERIENCE not only has the approval of Jon himself, (having performed at the great man’s birthday celebrations) but on the hit Brit-Com Kinky Boots and on the Big Breakfast!
With authentic instruments and an uncanny likeness to the man himself (Chad Kroeger of Nickleback fame couldn’t tell the two apart) lead singer Tony takes his fandom very seriously, crafting an experience that will leave no true fan disappointed.
Every Tuesday
at a Glance
COMEDy
Thursday 10th August
with Colin Murphy or Jake O Kane & Guests
8pm // Tickets £8/7 Pay at the Door
Saturday 1st July
The Boss Uk
BECKY & THE Holograms echo raptors 8pm // £7
Saturday 12th August Bruce Springsteen AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE PARTY
pleasuredome
8.30pm // £12
8.30pm // £10
Saturday 8th July
Thursday 17th August
BON JOVI EXPERIENCE
holy f*ck
8.30pm // £12
7.30pm // £16
Saturday 22nd July
Saturday 19th August
ARNOCORPS
REWS
8.30pm // £17.50
jealous of the birds, anto & the echoes, pandora ills
8.30pm // £7
Saturday 29th July
Thursday 24th August
aaron shanley, the horror tongues, vokxen, jess elin
Langhorne Slim
The winter passing 8.30pm // £6
Saturday 5th August
legEnd
A tribute to bob marley
8.30pm // £11
7.30pm // £13
Saturday 26th August
cc houlihan’s Elvis
40th anniversary show
8.30pm // £11
Sat 22 Jul // 8.30pm // £17.50
You like riffs, don’t you? You like quoting Arnold Schwarzenegger films too? What about dressing up for a rescue mission? Sounds good? Then get to de choppa and get down to the Empire for the one, the only ARNOCORPS. The world’s only action adventure hardcore rock and roll outfit, ARNOCORPS hail from San Francisco, via the valleys and alps of Austria. Telling the tales of Commando, Conan and the Terminator through the medium of music, it’s a god-damned ballsy show that’s sure to rock the Empire to its foundations. Appropriate dress is actively encouraged!
Sat 29 Jul // 8.30pm // £6
THE WINTER PASSING show us that the 90’s are back (though for those of us of a certain vintage they never really went away). Here we see the ghosts of melodic powerpop hover around the Dublin four piece, with a dash of Courtney Love thrown in for good measure. With their debut album produced by J. Robbins (The Promise Ring, Against Me! and Texas is the Reason) flying high in the critic’s eyes this is their biggest Belfast show to date. Support comes from AARON SHANLEY and THE HORROR TONGUES, VOKXEN and JESS EDLIN.
Sat Sun16 5 Aug July// //8.30pm 8.30pm// //£11 £12
LEGEND a Tribute to Bob Marley
We’re very pleased to announce the return of LEGEND, the UK’s greatest tribute to the music of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Led by the irrepressible Cheesy (Michael Anton Philips) the band of high end session musicians have worked with a list of reggae alumni, from Rankin’ Roger through to Burning Spear, Desmond Decker to Musical Youth. No Woman, No Cry, Exodus, I Shot the Sheriff, the Wailers’ songs of freedom have soundtracked the counterculture for nearly 40 years, a timeless legacy of superior song-writing and musicianship. LEGEND bring the act to life in a two hour show that’s sure to satisfy.
MAURICE JAY’S
Sat 12 Aug // 8.30pm // £10
Hailing from the wild wastes of Canada, HOLY F*CK share the experimental impulses of fellow syrup sluggers Broken Social Scene, but have taken a darker, noisier and more sonically aggressive route. Signed to tastemakers Dependent, Holy F*ck first came to widespread attention with their second album
Thu 17 Aug // 7.30pm // ÂŁ16
LP, which included the anthemic Lovely Allen, the standout track on a stirring, life affirming long player. Not content to rest on their laurels, the band have since released two well received follow ups and continue to push the boundaries of their glorious, genre-busting experiment.
Sat 19 Aug // 8.30pm // £7
Basking in the glow of a well received Glastonbury set, REWS are a dynamic two piece consisting of former Angelfall frontlady Shauna Tohill, and drum bothered Collette Williams. Good times, sad times and everything in between are Rews’ bread and butter, all served up with a meaty filling of pop goodness. Support comes from JEALOUS OF THE BIRDS, ANTO AND THE ECHOS, and PANDORA ILLS in what’s bound to be the smallest venue REWS will be playing for quite some time. Remember where you saw them first!
Thu 24 Aug // 7.30pm // £13
LANGHORNE SLIM Sean Scolnick was born in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and took his hometown as his stage name. After studying in the famed Purchase College he cut his teeth touring with cult anti-folk outfit the Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players. Things got serious when someone handed a copy of his album to Conan O’Brian, who immediately had him on his show. The rest, as they say, is history. Or would have been, if life was easy. Sean’s newest album is the sound of a man coming to terms with the change in his life, a clarity birthed from his newfound sobriety and determination to exorcise the demons of his past.
CC
l Ho u
ihan’s
& HIS
TCB BAND
Believe it or not, the world of Elvis impersonators is a high pressure and competitive one, with as many categories as aspects of the King. Elvii (it’s a real word, folks) from across the globe compete to be crowned the King of the King. Local lad CC HOULIHAN has managed to net the Elvis 4 Nations and Best Gospel Elvis, amongst others, so you know he’s one of the best. With the help of the full TCB band and the backing talents of the Soul Sensations, it’s an Elvis experience unprecedented this side of Vegas, an essential night whatever your favourite era of the King’s reign.
Sat 26 Aug // 8.30pm // £11
Fri 28 July // 10.30pm // Free Adm
Fresh from their set at Glastonbury
BOTANIC AVENUE BELFAST T: 028 9024 9276 WWW.THEBELFASTEMPIRE.COM