Review // Culture Night Belfast 2012 / #CNB12

Friday 21st September 2012 saw the return of Culture Night to the Capital and Pastie Bap were in Belfast to see what there was on offer throughout this night of free events! In fact, CNB12 was the biggest ever, with over 200 events being held across and throughout the entirety of the city. This year’s events were split up across 5 areas: Cathedral Quarter North, Cathedral Quarter South, City Centre, West & East Belfast and No Fixed Abode. As always, Culture Night is a night for young and old alike to experience and appreciate all that Belfast has to offer. The streets came alive with music, art and dance as everyone joined in to make this one of the most memorable Culture Nights yet.

Cathedral Quarter North

Out of the 32 events being held around Cathedral Quarter North, we caught up with Willie Drennan and his Folkabilly band; playing a fusion of Ulster Trad, Blues and Hillbilly this was a surefire way to get the passing crowds pumped up for a night of culture. We also visited the Oh Yeah Music Showcase, featuring Girl’s Names, Third Man Theme, Blue Whale and Animal Disco.

Also in St. Anne’s Square the Skyway Club returned with another fantastic interactive photography exhibition It’s Just Art, For Funs Sake!

Cathedral Quarter South

In Cathedral Quarter South we popped into one of our favourite venues, The Black Box to see the Black Box Music Showcase featuring Kasper Rosa, Eatenbybears and Parachutes Over Paris. Other events which were on in the Black Box throughout the day to catch were: The Racketeers and the Open House Caravan Jam.

Also as you made your way to other Culture Night venues you could pass through Donegal Street to see Star Wars Uncut – a screening of a special fan remake by over 473 different film makers. And on Waring Street was the ever popular Pigeon and Plum’s Pop-Up Penny Panopticon – unfortunately Pastie Bap turned up too late for this event and the venue was full to bursting, but from what we’ve seen of Pigeon and Plum before this was sure to be a highlight of CNB12.

Garfield Street was buzzing with people as they waited outside the Tivoli Barber Shop to hear NI Opera perform exerpts from ‘Sweeney Todd’.

As we learnt on Friday, Culture Night isn’t all about what you can see, but also what you can hear and this was particularly prevalent when we saw and heard one of our personal favourites: Wireless Theatre with their on-air radio show: Weird City Radio – which took listeners on a journey through the weird and macabre of Belfast’s history.

Also on Rosemary Street was Pro Wrestling Ulster performing a showcase of their best talent in a massive wrestling ring just outside of Fresh Garbage. This showcase featured everything you’d want from Pro Wrestling Ulster, with heels, faces and all of the theatre that you come to expect from a professional wrestling match. This had a great turnout throughout the night!

City Centre

The City Centre saw a number of art and graffiti installations including: No Topless Sunbathing – Belfast Has Suffered Enough (a reinstatement of landmark graffiti of late 20th Century Belfast), Pop Up Gallery by young people from New Lodge, and The What-Ifs (an exhibition of new work by Fiona Nì Mhaoilir).

There was also Tony Kaluarachchi playing jazz guitar at The Hudson Bar and free sailing lessons at the Odyssey Pavilion. Another good opportunity for people looking to try something new was at Townhouse Studio Photography where visitors had the opportunity to photograph a model in a professional studio.

West & East Belfast and No Fixed Abode

In West and East Belfast there was something for everyone – from a massive perspex pyramid light sculpture to an exhibition at the Strand Cinema featuring vintage cars and musical performances.

Many of the events of CNB12 didn’t have a set location or actually travelled around the streets of Belfast, such as The Belly Laughs Alternative Bus Tour which took visitors on a tour around the city hosted by some of Belfast’s finest stand-up comedians. MilliezRehab also hosted a tea party in their mobile disco in the Cathedral area throughout the night. Nuff Inc. were also on hand to draw caricatures of the night’s visitors.

It’s safe to say that Culture Night Belfast 2012 was a massive success, and hopefully as the years pass, the events will only get bigger and better and we look forward to seeing what the future brings.