HELLO and welcome to the final Noise Annoys of 2019. In preparation for writing this end-of-year column, I cast my eyes and ears back over the past 12 months' worth of my semi-indecipherable witterings to try and assess what sort of a year it's been for 'local music and beyond', as the old Noise Annoys slogan once proudly proclaimed about five redesigns ago.
To this end, I decided to compile a Spotify playlist featuring all of the artists who have featured on this page during 2019 – and I'm happy to report that it makes for excellent listening. There were some brilliant releases from homegrown acts and alternative heroes from further afield over the past year, not to mention an abundance of cracking live shows from same.
You can check out the full Noise Annoys 2019 Spotify playlist at Tinyurl.com/noiseannoys2019, but for those of you reading in black and white, here's 19 all-local selections in no particular order of merit – this is all killer, no filler stuff – that represent some of my personal favourites from the past year.
2019'S MOST ANNOYING NOISES
:: Day and Age – Problem Patterns
:: Last Leaves on A Tree – Hand Models
:: Lies – Beauty Sleep
:: Pounding – Galants
:: You Are Alive – Son of The Hound
:: When I Sleep – Rory Nellis
:: Trombone – Strange New Places
:: People Don't Think – Buí
:: Green & Blue – The Murder Capital
:: Fake Friends Run This Country – Sister Ghost
:: It's Darker – New Pagans
:: Beyond The Canopy – Slomatics
:: Slasher – Careerist
:: Blink of An Eye – Runabay
:: Hurricane Laughter – Fontaines DC
:: Full-Time Mad B****** – Post-Punk Podge & The Technohippies
:: Before We Go Forward – Touts
:: Temporary Day – Junk Drawer
:: The Young People – Lankum
Here's to a tonne more top Irish tuneage in 2020 – on the subject of which...
:: OUTPUT 2020 – INITIAL LINE-UP ANNOUNCED
BELFAST'S annual one day music industry conference and live music showcase, Output, will return for 2020 on Thursday February 13. Organised by Belfast City Council, the conference includes panel discussions, music sessions, workshops and networking events, plus keynote speeches from award-winning musicians and high profile music managers.
Based at The MAC, the conference will address the challenges and opportunities of the music industry while highlighting the roles music and performance play in the creative sector.
Output 2020's opening keynote speakers will be;
:: Michael Dugher, chief executive of UK Music, which represents the interests of the UK's commercial music industry.
:: Paul Pacifico, chief executive of Association of Independent Music (AIM), the not-for-profit trade body representing the UK's independent music sector.
:: Beverly Whitrick, strategic director with Music Venues Trust, the organisation founded to help improve, maintain, and organise the UK's music venues.
Other speakers and panels at the 2020 event will include:
:: Radio Stars: Pitching to BBC Introducing and RTE, with Dan Hegarty (2FM Dublin), Gemma Bradley (BBC ATL), Kelly Betts (BBC Introducing London), Millie Carter (BBC Introducing London), Tom Billington (BBC Introducing London)
:: IMRO presents: How To Write a Hit Song with Philip Magee (The Script/Kodaline/JC Stewart producer) and others tbc
:: Confessions of a Female Tour Manager with Kim Hawes (Motorhead/Black Sabbath)
:: AVA Festival presents: What makes an experience truly immersive? Looking at the Future of the live performance world
:: Ivors Academy presents: How to develop a career writing music for games with composers Tess Tyler (Lego Games) and Richard Jacques (Team Sonic Racing)
:: Direct to Fan 101: Feeding and growing your fanbase with Jessie Scoullar (Wicksteed Works)
:: Is My Music Syncable?: Pitch your music to Peter Bradbury (head of music at Sky Television) Sophie Urquhart (Tin Drum Music London) Sarah Glennane (music supervisor/Screen Composers Guild of Ireland) and Simon Pursehouse (Sentric Music)
:: Securing The Future of Independent and Grassroots Venues in Northern Ireland with Adrian Cooke (Arts Council England and Supporting Grassroots Live Music Fund) Ciaran Smyth (Voodoo) Got O’Callaghan (ArcTangent Festival and AIF)
:: A Biased History of Music in Advertising: Josh Rabinowitz (music consultant Brooklyn Music Experience, former EVP/director of music at Townhouse Grey WPP)
:: London Calling: Pathways to Working in The UK Industry with Harry Martin (Domino Records) Hollie Boston (Polydor) and others tbc
:: CMU Presents: Mapping Northern Ireland Music with Chris Cooke (Complete Music Update) and Phil Nelson (Duke Special manager and consultant)
:: Mailchimp: Your Most Valuable Fan Activation Tool with Simon Harper (Mailchimp authorised consultant)
:: Rally Presents: Branded for Life, the story of the iconic And So I Watch You From Afar logo and the relationship between bands and creatives, with
Rory Friers (ASIWYFA ), Tim Farrell (graphic designer) and Thomas Camblin (Rally)
:: Picture This: How Photographers Can Make Your Music Timeless, with Bradley Quinn (official Snow Patrol photographer), Ciara McMullan (Irish music photographer) and Ruth Medjber (Hozier tour photographer)
:: Music Managers Forum presents "How did you manage that?": Live podcast recording with Ally McCrae (BBC producer and manager of Old Sea Brigade and Prides), Sophie Paluch (Blueprint Pods & Radio/San Remo) and more
:: CMU presents: Distribution Revolution, a new report on the music distribution sector produced in partnership with AIM
:: Self-Made present: The DIY guide to your first release
:: Live Brief Pitching Session: Advertising, with John McCallion (Warners/Music Supervisor) Dina Couglen (Music Supervisor) and more
Further sessions will be announced in the coming weeks. As ever with Output, the evening of February 13 will feature multiple free live music showcase events across the Cathedral Quarter including performances by some of our best homegrown bands.
Confirmed hosts include Champion Sound, Nialler9, Music Venue Trust, Sentric, PRS For Music, IMRO, Women’s Work, ZOOL Records, Pizza Pizza Records, Word up Collective and the Stendhal Festival Of Art.
Announcing the details of Output Belfast 2020, Councillor Deirdre Hargey, chair of Belfast City Council's City Growth and Regeneration Committee, said:
"Now in its sixth year, Output Belfast is an unmissable event for those working or who want to work in the local music industry and the wider creative sector. It provides invaluable insights into every aspect of the business, from tips on writing and production to how to get noticed by the right people – as well as a fantastic opportunity to network."
:: To sign up for priority updates on the 2020 edition of Output Belfast, visit Outputbelfast.com
