Hello and welcome to this post on everything about music in Belfast. There is obviously a lot to discuss on this topic and we will do our best to cover the full scene for you today.
To get us going we will list the best musical instrument stores in Belfast. There will also be lists for where to buy guitars in your area as well as the top drum shops in town.
Contents
Expect there to be some crossover in those sections as some stores will have the leading guitar brands for sale like Gibson, Fender, or Keisel as well as all the keyboards, synthesizers, pedals, amps, or pretty much any supplies you may need.
Then we will fill you in on where to go for quality instrument repair near you. Whether you need a piano tuned, a guitar repaired, or work done on other band instruments there is somebody out there that can help.
Up next we will talk about where to get the best music lessons for kids or adults. Local stores for music lovers with vintage CD’s and records will have their own section also.
Following that we will list the best concert halls and live music venues here plus we will also discuss the best bars and restaurants that have live music around the city.
And our last section will talk about the best festivals on the Belfast music calendar. At the end there will even be a map to help you figure out where the wide variety of stores and venues we are discussing are located. You may also want to click that link to read more of our local guides for other cities in the region.
Musical Instrument Stores In Belfast
Most would agree that these are the best musical instrument stores in Belfast:
- Dawsons Music & Sound at 121-125, Royal Ave
- Matchetts Music at 38 Wellington Pl
- Baird Sound Systems at 208 York St
- Essey Musical Band Shop & Uniform Manufacturers at 87 Castlereagh Rd
- 1to1 Music at #24 Lowes Industrial Estate, Belfast
Baird Sound Systems has been selling musical instruments in your area as well as accessories, sound and lighting equipment, and much more since 1974. They can provide everything from a small simple system to a larger concert PA system.
Essey Musical Band Shop was formed in 1933 specializing in marching band and pipe band uniforms, instruments, and accessories.
Where To Buy Guitars
JFK Guitars at 429-431 Lisburn Road specializes in high quality guitars, amplifiers, and custom guitar builds. Maintenance, repairs, and setups are available at low cost.
More great places to buy guitars are Matchetts Music, Dawsons Music & Sound, and 1to1 Music.
Drum Shops Near You
Belfast Music Supplies at Hanwood Business Park is a retail outlet store supplying all types of musical instruments and accessories while being one of the best drum shops near you.
We mentioned Matchetts Music, Dawsons Music & Sound, and Essey Musical Band Shop & Uniform Manufacturers in the local music stores list but they are also great places to buy drums.
Instrument Repair
For instrument repairs in your area try out:
- RNR Workshop at 15-21 Gordon St
- Sandy Row Marching Band Supplies at 153 Sandy Row
RNR Workshop can help with fret work, wiring, pickup installation, amp repair, diagnostics, custom cables, pedalboard assembly, maintenance, and debugging.
Sandy Row Band Supplies is a marching band supply company selling every instrument from flutes to drums, provides repairs or tuning, uniforms, and flags.
Another place that we mentioned in a different list that is also good for instrument repair is Baird Sound Systems.
Music Lessons
When you want to improve your skills you can take music lessons at:
- Belfast Music Academy at N Howard St
- Dreams School of Music at 36 Riverdale Park S
- Music First NI at First Floor, 46 Botanic Ave
Belfast Music Academy provides lessons in a number of piano genres such as rock and blues, boogie woogie, modern romantic, jazz, and metal. Dreams School of Music offers local classes for the guitar, mandolin, ukulele, bluegrass and Irish tenor banjo, Irish bouzouki, and singing or vocal instruction.
Music First NI is an independent school of music that proudly places music first. While offering all the benefits of a musical community such as concerts, classes, ensembles, and private tuition they provide personalized development for any level, genre, and age.
CD & Record Stores
Some of the best local stores for music lovers with lots of vintage CD’s and records are:
- Time Slip Records at 44 Botanic Ave
- Dragon Records at 6gf, 58 Wellington Pl
- Belfast Underground Records at 33 Upper Queen St
Each of these record shops will sell a large selection of vinyl and CD’s.
Belfast Live Music Venues
If you are itching to see a concert or performance these Belfast live music venues are where to go:
- The Belfast Empire Music Hall at 42 Botanic Ave
- Limelight at 17 Ormeau Ave
- Voodoo at 11A Fountain St
- The Black Box at 18-22 Hill St
- The John Hewitt at 51 Donegall St
The Limelight has hosted legendary shows from the likes of Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Jeff Buckley and Manic Street Preachers with the likes of Slayer, Primal Scream, Two Door Cinema Club, Steve Aoki, The Darkness, and Disclosure all playing in the last couple of years. Events at The Black Box cover visual arts, music, comedy, cabaret, theater, and all points in between.
Voodoo is an exciting new addition to the local music and nightlife scene. Split over two floors the downstairs houses an intimate and relaxed bottom bar while upstairs is the club and music venue where anything goes from hiphop to DnB, hard rock to bluegrass, even comedians and live theater have graced the stage.
Restaurants With Live Music
Want to be entertained while you eat? You will be at these restaurants with live music in your area:
- The Dirty Onion and Yardbird at 3 Hill St
- Whites Tavern at 2-4 Winecellar Entry
- Kelly’s Cellars at 30-32 Bank St
- The Wolf and Whistle at 67 Andersonstown Rd
- The Garrick at 29 Chichester St
Whether it’s food, drink, or entertainment they have it all at The Dirty Onion. Home to two bars, one restaurant, and one of the biggest beer gardens in town they are sure to keep you entertained all year round. They offer entertainment 7 nights a week with a strong focus on authentic local Irish music.
Kelly’s Cellars is a live music bar near you that serves traditional bowls of Irish stew. The Wolf and Whistle is home to great food, cocktails, live music, luxurious function spaces, and much more.
Bars With Live Music
And for bars that play live music try out:
- Menagerie Bar at 130 University St
- The Filthy Quarter at 45 Dublin Rd
- The Points at 44 Dublin Rd
- Bert’s Jazz Bar at 16 Skipper St
- Laverys at 12-18, Bradbury Pl
- The Perch Rooftop Bar at 42 Franklin St
Serving as the perfect setting for live events, weddings, birthdays, engagement drinks, or Christmas parties, Menagerie Bar has great style, a charming location, and most importantly an organized and enthusiastic team dedicated to making every detail of your event a success.
The Points Whiskey and Alehouse aims to provide both tourists and locals with a true sense of the city’s diverse culture housing live folk bands from across the country seven nights a week. The Points’ additional upstairs music venue Cow Bay houses more live performances and a DJ every Friday and Saturday playing a classic collection of 20th Century Rock.
Queen’s Quarter is a versatile and lively entertainment venue with the charm of a traditional Irish pub. With four bars offering food, live sports, musical entertainment, two roof terraces, a street-level beer garden, and one of Northern Ireland’s largest pool rooms Lavery’s offers something for everyone.
Music Festivals In Your Area
The Stendhal Festival Northern Ireland’s best-loved, independent, grassroots festival, showcasing the best in local and international music, art, comedy, dance, theater, and more.
By the way we have also written about:
- Where To Buy CD’s & Records In Dublin
- Where To Buy CD’s & Records In Glasgow
- Where To Buy CD’s & Records In Edinburgh
- Where To Buy CD’s & Records In Birmingham
Enjoy The Belfast Local Music Scene
Well guys, we did our best to cover the scene as well as we could. We listed the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, where to go for lessons, vintage CD and record stores, concert halls and other live music venues like bars and restaurants, plus the best festivals near you.
Anyone that is still around might just know a little bit about the local music scene themselves. If so feel free to tell us if we got anything incorrect, if we left any cool spots out, or just share your own thoughts in the comments at the end of the post.
No matter if you are trying to buy a new instrument, wanted some live entertainment, needed a vintage CD and record, or just wanted to learn more about music in Belfast we hope you enjoy yourself.
