Belfast Music City

The Shock Treatment / Barry Mcilhenny tribute episode. Tonight's episode features Shock Treatment and was originally planned to have both driving force of the band, Davy McLarnon and Barry Mcilhenny, writer, lyricist and front man par excellence. Sadly Barry passed away in Spain the week before what turned out to a poignant but uplifting gig at Belfast's the American Bar, a gig which did h...

Belfast Music City Episode 15 We return after a Winter Break and as we chat the skies are blue! Today's guests have all been working on significant and critically acclaimed albums and have made a real contribution to the vibrant music scene over decades in Belfast. Pat Gribben of the Adventures returns, their 1st album in 30 years was released last week. Paul Archer has an upcoming album in summer...

Belfast Music City ep14 Episode 14: Down at the Crossroads Tonight we focus on the impact of the Blues on Belfast Music City and we feature three guests who have performed, written and researched the Blues and in doing so played or interviewed many of the legends. Gary Burnett, author of The Gospel according to the Blues and also who has run the acclaimed Blues website, Down at the Crossroads. Ron...

Episode 13... The World Drifts in... World Music is centre stage tonight as I chat with two people in Belfast who champion both the sounds made and the people who are now based in Belfast, often in difficult circumstances. Tune in and hear stories from legendary, multi award winning broadcaster, Davy Sims who hosts Around the world radio show which is broadcast in more countries than I can list he...

'Nothing takes the place of you.' I was shocked by the passing of Robin Brown, my close friend of 50 years and Retail legend at both Caroline Music and Dr Robert. The Music Community from the late 70s in Belfast come together in this episode to remember, Robin and his contribution to the scene, we also look at the origins of Belfast's best ever Record Store, Caroline Music. This episode's guests a...

Belfast Music City Episode 11 sees us return with a new Songwriters episode featuring guests Brian Houston, established writer and producer of our other live guest, Chris Boldt, a 20 year old East Belfast writer making a name for himself in the USA with his debut release Heaven's Eyes. In addition we have a world exclusive of a brand new Adventures track from their upcoming album... Finally we go...

Belfast Music City celebrates hitting double digits with the release of tonight's episode 10. This time round Kyle is joined by Doctor Colin Harper and graphic design nerd Mark Case. No stranger to this podcast, Colin shares some tales of his various music projects while Mark attempts to get a word or two in edgeways, as he explains why Colin's various CDs look the way they do. Be prepared for an...

Tonight’s guests on Belfast Music City Episode 9 are ex International footballer and friend of the original Sex Pistols Ian Stewart, and fellow podcaster and local record label owner (Immortal Records and Time to be Proud Records) William Maxwell.  Our host Kyle continues to explore Belfast and Northern Ireland’s rich and diverse musical roots and branches with Ian and William, focusing on their w...

Episode 8 of Kyle Leitch's Belfast Music City features Legends of West Belfast, Pat Gribben and Terry Sharpe from Starjets and The Adventures, plus Joby Fox, ex Bank Robbers and Energy Orchard calls in from his new abode in Denmark. As well as looking back on their careers the guys talk about their recent recordings and we exclusively preview two brilliant new Adventures tracks from their upcoming...

The Songwriting and Poetry Episode, where we discuss how songs and poetry help us connect with each other and with the artists. featuring Wilfie Gilbert, one of Ireland's very best songwriters; Fiona Gault, Reading from an acclaimed new book of poetry she has compiled on Padraic Fiagg; Conchur White, now signed to Bella Union with his fabulous new album.

Welcome to episode 6 of Belfast Music City From the intimate setting of Kyle’s Music and Poetry House, tonight we explore the next chapter in our worthy quest to explore exactly why Belfast is the quintessential music city. Tonight Kyle is in conversation with longstanding friend David Boyd, founder and mastermind behind Belfast’s world-famous Beat Carnival, exploring how David’s desire to hear th...

Question: What’s the cult classic album to which you feel more attached than anyone else, and why? Tonight’s episode features Kyle’s good friend Brian Bell, a welcome return of author and Legends of Tomorrow instigator Colin Harper from our pilot episode, and local restaurateur, 80s club runner and punk style icon Mary Armstrong.  Colin regales us with his unexpected passion for Arlo Guthrie’s 197...

Sit back, pour a glass of your favourite  and get ready for a bumper hour-plus episode of Belfast Music City! This time round, Kyle chats with a genuine Belfast Punk legend, none other than Henry Cluney of Stiff Little Fingers - folks, it really doesn't get much better than this...

An introduction to the next chapter of Belfast Music City. Kyle pays tribute to the passing of Karl Wallinger last week. Tonight's guest, writer and ex-NME editor Stuart Bailie and Kyle chat about Karl's contribution to Waterboys' classic album, 'This is the Sea' and his broader music legacy via World Party. Karl's contribution and arrangement skills on the opening track 'Don't Bang the Drum' insp...

Continuing to set the scene as to why Belfast is a unique music city, Kyle and guest Lowrie Robinson reflect on both Kyle and Rudi's move to England, their industry contacts, associations and stories. Also a quick look at record collectors and an introduction to a community arts project which is a good news story for Belfast ahead of International Women's Day. Did someone say Angelina Jolie? Yes,...

Episode 1 of Belfast Music City by Kyle Leitch. This episode's guests are music historian Colin Harper; music legend Brian Young, who's band Rudi recorded the classic Big Time , the first release on Good Vibrations label; and music distributor Robin Brown who worked with Kyle during the late 70s and then set up Dr Robert in Church Lane, Belfast. An absorbing discussion about the punk era from the...

A pre-launch / test of Kyle Leitch's new music commentary series, Belfast Music City. Keep checking back for more.