Category: OTL2020 Music

Hailing from Carryduff and Dundrum, Dea Matrona formed in 2018. Their mutual love of classic rock and bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Prince and The Beatles, sparked a musical chemistry between the three that continues to blossom into their own originals.

The band consists of sisters Mollie McGinn and Mamie McGinn as well as life-long friend Orláith Forsythe. All three members are multi-instrumentalists and started playing together after deciding that busking would be a happier alternative than getting a part time job. The success of their busking videos reaching up to 60K views on Facebook encouraged them to take things more seriously

Their infectious enthusiasm for churning out hard hitting guitar riffs whilst being able to strip their music down to the core with glistening acoustic guitar lines and soulful melodies, has captured the hearts of audiences across Ireland, earlier this year, the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. Get your Out to Lunch festival of to a rousing start with this fast-emerging trio.

Doors 12.30pm | Unreserved Seating

DJ Yoda’s Tarantino AV Show explores the work of one of Hollywood’s most iconic directors, in a live spectacular.

The multi award-winning producer takes to the turntables for a new spin on Tarantino’s well-loved cult classics.

Expect the unexpected and everything in-between from this preview, as DJ Yoda reinvigorates his craft with wry invention and humorous intent.

Yoda’s AV show is perfect for hardcore fans of Tarantino (Pulp Fiction / Once Upon A Time In Hollywood) as well as newly introduced audiences. It’s sure to be a night of epic production from one of the UK’s freshest DJs.

 

With host, Kim Lenaghan 

Join BBC broadcaster Cerys Matthews, as she takes us around the world, celebrating her love of food and music.

Song-loving cook or food-loving musician? Either way, Cerys Matthews has been experimenting with music and food ever since she can remember.

From foraging and chewing on knotweed to cooking flapjacks and nettle soup as a young child, her interest in this planet’s edibles has never waned.

A life of touring guaranteed further culinary exploration: thousand-hole pancakes, amlou, roasted artichokes, vermouth with anchovy-filled green olives, death by chocolate, za’atar sprinkled on fresh tomatoes, hot baked soda bread, pineapple with chilli, crispy sage leaves and vegan haggis are just a few of the recipes she’ll be celebrating.

And now, to mark the recent publication of her glorious new book, Where the Wild Cooks Go, she is bringing her culinary, literary and historical learnings, from around the globe to Out to Lunch.

She will indulge us with some poetry readings and a sprinkling of singing, playing a few of her favourite songs from the countries that she has visited.

Cerys Matthews will be signing books after the event.

Nine Below Zero are one of Britain’s most respected R&B bands, famous for their no-frills, punchy and direct approach

Forty years since Nine Below Zero first offered a rhythm & blues alternative to the punk-pop of the mainstream, the south Londoners make a welcome return to Out to Lunch with their Are We There Yet? tour.

Formed in 1979 and named after the famous Sonny Boy Williamson song, in 1980 they signed to A&M Records and released the seminal Live at the Marquee album. By the end of that year, they had moved from selling out the Marquee to selling out the Hammersmith Odeon.

With a reputation as “one of the best blues bands around today” for their scintillating live performances, this show will not disappoint – expect a fearsome, supercharged set from start to finish.

Doors 7:30pm | Limited Unreserved Seating

For this massive post-Christmas shindig we are delighted to bring you… The Utopia Strong! Snooker legend Steve Davis and Prog guitarist Kavus Torabi have teamed up with Coil‘s Michael J. York for this amazing new project.

Kavus Torabi, Michael York and Steve Davis have fused Modular Synthesisers with conventional and traditional instruments to create a weird and joyous celebration of all that is good about left field psychedelic music.

Kavus Torabi is an experimental/psychedelic musician with a long history in the field. He has his own band, Knifeworld, and is frontman in the current line-up of Gong. He has been a member in various other bands including Guapo and most notably a guitarist in the final line up of Cardiacs.

Steve Davis was the most successful professional Snooker player of the 1980’s, winning a total of 28 major ranking events including 6 World Championships.

In recent years he has indulged in music related activities, namely collecting left field music from around the globe, co-presenting a monthly radio show on NTS Radio and now joining forces with Kavus and Michael York to form The Utopia Strong, further cementing his growing interest in playing the Modular Synth.

Michael York is a multi-instrumentalist and luthier, working mainly with modular/analogue synths and woodwinds (primarily focusing on bagpipes, reeds and flutes of Europe and the Near East). His piping has seen him work not only in the realm of folk, with the likes of Shirley Collins and avant garde ensembles Coil, Cyclobe, Current 93, Guapo and The Stargazers Assistant.

‘The overall sound was pretty accidental. I certainly didn’t expect the music to sound so ecstatic and positive. Without wanting to puncture the mystery, there really felt like an element of magic at play in making this album’ – Steve Davis

‘A total fucking miracle. In twenty years of making records it’s certainly been the easiest and most enjoyable to make.’ – Kavus Torabi

Doors 8.30pm | Mostly Standing

Paul Simon is a name that has cemented itself into the hearts of audiences all over the world. As an artist, his name has become synonymous, not only with music, but with cultural history.

In this brand-new show, singer-songwriter Gary Edward Jones not only recites the music of one of his idols, but also tells the unique story of Paul Simon combining visuals, stage design and, of course… the music.

With classic ballads like The Sound of Silence, America and Kathy’s Song, to the more upbeat Me and Julio, 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, Wristband, to the much-loved Bridge Over Troubled Waters. The show will have you both reliving and rediscovering these great songs again.

After years of comparisons, Gary set out on a journey of discovery and for over two years, he lived and breathed all things Simon, creating a show which has received five-star reviews and standing ovations across the UK and at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

Belfast based group Los Dramáticos invite you to accompany them on a musical journey through the cultures of the Latin world.

Stunning arrangements of well-known songs played with soul and bravura from around Latin America and Spain on 10-string charango (Victor Henríquez) and flamenco guitar (Paddy Anderson) are interspersed with surprising and humorous stories from their personal encounters with Latin music and culture.

Joyful melodies, hot rhythms and beautiful harmonies combine with tragic lyrics in music from the melting pots of Cuba, Chile, Bolivia, Mexico, Argentina and those other mysterious places where Africa, Asia and Europe meet.

“Los Dramáticos have captured the imagination with their infectious passion and global outlook, their entertaining musical approach and their incredible musicianship” – Linley Hamilton, BBC Radio Ulster

Doors 12.30pm | Unreserved Seating

A hugely revered talent, Ross Wilson (Blue Rose Code) has released his 4th outstanding record The Water of Leith on Navigator Records to huge acclaim.

Ross writes from the heart; eschewing any specific genre but boasting an eclecticism that has become his hallmark – and has seen him compared to John Martyn, Van Morrison and Tom Waits.

Underlining the sense of movement and place in Ross’s work, The Water of Leith is rooted in his return to his Scottish homeland. There, he reconnected with stellar musicians including multi award-winning singer Julie Fowlis and Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman, who feature on the album

‘The Water of Leith is an ode to forgiveness, to letting go of the past and holding on to hope – it’s an astonishingly accomplished, pure and sincere record’ –  The Skinny – Album of the Year.

The show will begin with a 45 minute set from Malojian AKA Stevie Scullion. Over the last few years, Malojian has released 4 stunning solo albums, along the way collaborating with some musical legends, including Steve Albini, who earned his chops producing Nirvana, The Pixies etc.

Malojian’s latest album features Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M., Roger Waters), Gerry Love (Teenage Fanclub) and more…But it’s Malojian’s own voice and songs that sets him apart from the crowd.

This will be an amazing afternoon of music by two masters of their craft.

Doors 1.30pm | Unreserved Seating

One of Out to Lunch’s favourite ever artists returns. Martin Stephenson’s live performances are an exuberant tour-de-force combining heart-in-your-mouth intimacy with playful humour and warm self-deprecation.

The hugely acclaimed 1986 debut Boat to Bolivia showcased Stephenson’s song writing, poetic romanticism and spiritual depth – so marking him out as a soulful cream of the leftfield crop during the self-obsessed 1980s.

Never pandering to a particular scene, Stephenson’s lightness of touch on a varied mix of musical styles was immediately apparent. His path was destined to be a lifelong journey through the music he loved: folk, ragtime, jazz, rockabilly, show tunes, punk-pop and country.

The NME said of Martin’s song craft that he “builds bridges between love and hate, cradle and grave, folk and pop, past and present.” Stephenson’s restless troubadour spirit has amassed an extraordinary catalogue of some 40 albums and he is a gifted, entertaining and much-loved performer.

This Winter tour comes after a busy period for Martin and the band that saw the 9th Daintees album Chi Chi And The Jaguar released in August.

The album, named after Japanese surf guitarist Chi Chi Nakamura, captures the spirit of the early Daintees, unencumbered by record company pressures and 80s production values. It’s a cracking album made for playing live.

Martin, along with John Steel(guitar), Chris Mordey(bass) and Kate Stephenson(drums) will no doubt also be featuring songs from the classic back catalogue but, as usual, predicting the set list is impossible!

Doors 7.30pm | Limited Unreserved seating

+ special guest Joseph Leighton

MOBO Award nominated Co. Armagh born drummer/composer David Lyttle has performed around the world, stopping recently in Russia, China, the U.S., Canada, Holland, Spain, the Middle East, Finland and Switzerland.

He has collaborated with a long list of jazz visionaries from Kurt Rosenwinkel to Joe Lovano, and played in the groups of some of today’s jazz icons. David brought jazz to new audiences in his much-talked-about U.S. coast-to-coast residency in 2017, performing for cowboys, bikers and UFO tourists.

His solo show Tapes & Drums features improvised drumming alongside taped dialogue of people collected around the world. In Tapes & Drums, New York, made during his residency there in 2018, he features the city’s citizens’ thoughts on change.

David will also perform with his unique duo project featuring rising star Derry guitarist Joseph Leighton.

Together they make their Belfast debut following performances in the Middle East and ahead of tours in Australia and Jamaica.

‘David represents the best in jazz coming out of Ireland today.’ – THE INDEPENDENT

The Cajun Roosters are a multi-award winning band featuring some of the finest and most experienced Cajun and Zydeco musicians in Europe.

The band plays music from the Louisiana swamps and prairies north west of New Orleans. It is a music which instantly appeals to audiences and infuses them with a feeling of bonhomie and good times.

They play with energy, intensity and passion, infusing life into old standards and new compositions. Every gig is a celebration of the richness of a Louisiana musical culture that all the band members love and understand. A non-stop Louisiana party that you won’t want to miss.

Doors 12.30pm | Unreserved Seating

Portico Quartet return with Memory Streams, their fifth studio album and one that continues the journey that first started with 2008’s Mercury nominated debut Knee Deep in the North Sea

Portico Quartet has always been an impossible band to pin down. Sending out echoes of jazz, electronica, ambient music and minimalism, the group created their own singular, cinematic sound over the course of three studio albums.

From the band’s 2007 breakthrough Knee-Deep in the North Sea, and the John Leckie produced Isla in 2010, to the self-titled recording Portico Quartet in 2012.

The group released their fourth studio album Art In The Age Of Automation on Gondwana Records in August 2017. It was hailed as possibly their finest album yet, with the band simultaneously delivering both a return to their mesmeric signature sound and fresh new sonic departures in their new music.

Doors 7.30pm | Unreserved Seating

With an intuitive ear for melody and a ferociously creative mind, Damon Gough and his music have been loved by fans and critics for over twenty years, with 2020 marking two decades since the release of his Mercury Prize-winning debut album The Hour Of Bewilderbeast.

Following the success of this “lo-fi masterpiece”, Gough went on to pen seven more albums, including the soundtrack to the films About a Boy and Being Flynn.

It’s been a curious, wonderful, inimitable, unpredictable career so far of major prizes and minor incidents, all possibilities and magic in the air. Don’t miss this rare, intimate, solo show.

Doors 7.30pm | This will be a standing show due to anticipated demand.

Seth Lakeman, recently on a break from the Robert Plant musical juggernaut, released his ninth studio album The Well Worn Path last year.

The charismatic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist visits Belfast for a headline show in his own right in the intimate surroundings of the Empire Music Hall.

It’s a return to a no-nonsense, organic, classic folk-rock approach with hints of Fairport Convention, Neil Young, Nick Cave and Billy Bragg – plus Lakeman’s trademark foot-stomping, fiddle bow-shredding and soaring vocals. It’s a deft collection of mini musical biographies of colourful West Country characters.

Seth has performed everywhere from Libya to Texas, as well as featuring on just about every major festival bill across the UK.

Since the Mercury Prize nominated Kitty Jay (recorded in his kitchen for £300), the follow-up gold selling Freedom Fields and his last, highly acclaimed offering, Word of Mouth, Seth Lakeman has relentlessly pushed his musical boundaries and those of folk and roots music.

Cup O’Joe is a close family trio who have been playing together from their early teens. They were raised in the traditions of bluegrass and folk and it is these traditions that their music is rooted in.

They blend the intricate tones of bluegrass, folk and jazz to tones to create their own progressive acoustic sound. Their mix of original and re-imagined traditional songs sets the ingredients for an energetic and enthusiastic performance, and this is giving them a growing presence on the festival scene in Ireland, the UK and Mainland Europe.

Strong sibling harmonies can be heard throughout their music, harmonies that blend together like only sibling harmonies can.

They are set to release their new album in January 2020, which contains nine original songs and one traditional song with all tracks embodying a fresh original sound.

“Imagine what these young artists will accomplish before they’re done” – Bluegrass Today

“Gorgeous blend of gentle bluegrass picking, beautiful folk melodies and mellow  harmonies”  – Americana UK

Doors 12.30pm | Unreserved Seating

George Xylouris, the Cretan lute player who partners here with the Dirty Three’s preternaturally fluent Australian drummer Jim White, poetically describe their approach in this duo as “Like goats walking in the mountain. They may not know the place, but they can walk easily and take risks and feel comfortable.”

The sound they create is tumultuous, tender and terrifically expressive and testifies their determination to stretch the scope of their instruments and forge something vigorously questing from more traditional roots.

PJ Harvey has likened White’s playing to dancing. Yet if dancers need partners, Xylouris is his, this being a friendship forged over 25-plus years.

Xylouris was touring with his Ensemble when he met White in Melbourne in the early 1990s, when the drummer was in his pre-Dirty Three avant-rock outfit Venom P Stinger. And here they are nearly 3 decades later, on our Out to Lunch stage, to show us just how far their horizons can stretch.

Their new record The Sisypheans is released on Bella Union on 8th November 2019.

‘The chemistry between Crete lutenist George Xylouris and former Dirty Three drummer Jim White makes for a thrilling musical foray into avant-garde folk.’ –  THE GUARDIAN

Doors 7:30pm | Unreserved seating

One of the finest bands of the last two decades, Turin Brakes continue to produce powerful new music as their journey continues. This Out to Lunch show is a chance to see the band in their first full stripped back acoustic tour since way back in 2002.

Turin Brakes comprise of founder members and former primary school friends Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, along with longtime bandmates Rob Allum and Eddie Myer. Formed in Balham, London in 1999, the band signed to French label Source in 2000 and released their Mercury Music Prize nominated debut album The Optimist in 2001.

This show will feature a range of songs spanning Turin Brakes 20 year career – which includes seven top 40 singles and 6 top 40 albums with sales over a million worldwide.

Tim Burgess started collecting records at the age of 13 and hasn’t quite finished yet.

At 21 he joined and fronted The Charlatans, one of the UK’s most venerated and respected indie bands. Twelve albums in and still making incredible records, The Charlatans continue headline festivals around the world and getting an insane amount of coverage in the media.

He has written and released two books, programmed festival arenas under his Tim Peaks event, designed a breakfast cereal and has one of the most irreverent and entertaining social media accounts in the twitterverse.

As A DJ, Tim was resident at the infamous and zeitgeist changing Heavenly Social, which helped launch the careers of both the Chemical Brothers and Norman Cook’s Fatboy Slim alias and Tim has DJ’d at some of the globe’s best clubs and venues.

Tim is a proper DJ, no pre-prepared sets, no pre-prepared mixes, just a man with a huge record collection at the centre of the room & at the centre of the dancefloor. A club night like no other.

Doors 9.45pm | Mostly Standing

Psychedelic synth-pop emerges from its cocoon and spreads its wings on Jane Weaver’s Loops in the Secret Society tour.

Throughout her career, English singer/songwriter, musician, producer, and label owner Jane Weaver has explored many different styles and approaches, never staying too long in any one spot while showing mastery of each one she attempts.

Fusing sounds from her two most recent albums, Jane Weaver channels a lifetime of experimentation and experience through melodic codes, expanding drum drones and multi-layered synthetics.

Loops in the Secret Society is a glorious sense-stimulating journey that reimagines and combines elements of 2014’s The Silver Globe with 2017’s Modern Kosmology.

In late 2018, Weaver united the two critically acclaimed albums in an expansive experiment; hot-housed into a soundscape to form the imminent album of the same name.

‘Motorik rhythms and ancient technology create music that brims with urgency, and originality.’ –  MOJO

‘Startling’ –  DROWNED IN SOUND

 ‘(A) beguiling spiritual medium for immaculate psychedelia.’ – THE GUARDIAN

Doors 7.45pm | Limited Unreserved Seating

Out to Lunch and Superfly Funk & Soul Belfast kick off the new year with The Mighty Mocambos flying in from Hamburg to play NI for the very first time.

The band have released dozens of 45’s and several albums on their own  label, Mocambo Records and have collaborated with musical legends such as Afrika Bambaataa, Lee Fields, Ice -T and Kenny Funk, as well as putting new talents like Gizelle Smith and Caroline Lacaze on the map.

They have also brought Caribbean steel drums to funk clubs with their alto ego Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and have toured extensively over a number of years.

The Mighty Mocambos  deliver their brand of funk through blazing horns, soulful guitars, driving drums and basslines combined with an extra slice of quirkiness.

They play with passion and energy, bringing joy to those who are lucky enough to catch their live performances. Pretty much unmissable.