Tom Dunne: The northern music scene is buzzing again — and it's not just Kneecap

A recent visit to the Ulster Hall showed me a new generation of bands keeping up the region's proud reputation for producing brilliant music 

Tim Wheeler of Ash with Eric Bell of Thin Lizzy at the Northern Ireland Music Prize 2024 at the Ulster Hall. Picture: Jim Corr

Whilst obviously Cork Opera House is the rockiest, coolest, most history-drenched venue in Ireland – threatened in its time by both the British Army and Dublin four-piece Something Happens – the Ulster Hall in Belfast does give it a run for its money.

Cork Opera House opened in 1855, the Ulster Hall in 1862 (The Olympia, 1879, and the Gaiety, 1871, are blow ins) and both share a quite similar rock history. But Ulster has the edge in one area: It was the scene of the most famous gig that didn’t happen.