Eight lesser known NI musical acts worth listening to

1. Gareth Dunlop

East-Belfast born Gareth, 35, has wowed audiences with ultra-catchy hits like ‘Born Uncool’ (‘But I’m Cool with It’) and more plaintive ballads like ‘Look Back Smiling’. The singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, engineer and record producer has seen a number of his songs featured in TV shows, films and commercials. ‘Wrap Your Arms Around Me’ was part of the soundtrack for the movie Safe Haven, based on the romantic novel by bestseller Nicholas Sparks. Other songs by Dunlop have been used in TV shows such as House, One Trree Hill, Private Practice, Switched at Birth, Army Wives, Lucifer, Cougar Town and Bones. His sound is a mix of folk, soul and pop and he spends time in both NI and the US but permanently lives in Belfast and operates his own recording studio in Holywood, Co Down, where he produces the work of other artists. Visit www.garethdunlop.com.

2. Roe

Londonderry singer Roisin Donald, who goes by the stage name Roe, has tackled everything from depression to bullying with her lyrics on tracks such as Down Days and Playground Fights. At just 23, she has already performed her unique version of indie pop-rock at Glastonbury, supported Snow Patrol, Kodaline and Robbie Williams on tour, and importantly released an astonishing number of pitch perfect tracks full of emotion, edge and electronic influences dealing with everything from heartache to growing pains and lockdown. She has written music for Northern Ireland’s only Walled City by way of a TV ad, appeared on one of Harp’s ‘Pure Here’ clips and had one of her tracks played in an episode of the reality series we all love to hate, The Only Way is Essex. Her latest album ‘That’s When The Panic Sets In’ is available now. Visit https://www.facebook.com/RoeMusicOfficial/.

3. Anthony Toner

Music is a thread stitched through Anthony’s life from its earliest days. Born in Coleraine in 1965 and growing up in a house in Harpur’s Hill that was filled with the sound of rock & roll and country music, he picked up the guitar at the age of eleven and plucked out his first hesitant melodies, after being shown how to play ‘My Darling Clementine’ on a Hofner Vienna Spanish guitar (which he still owns) by his Uncle Tommy. It wasn’t long before he was trying Shadows tunes – all before he knew what a chord even was. The singer/songwriter, now based in Belfast, is perhaps best known for his song ‘Sailortown’ which was popularised on the late Gerry Anderson’s radio show. Today, after decades in the industry, his acoustic guitar prowess and lyrical poeticism have made him a regular performer across the province, who only recently announced the release of his 14th release, landmark double album, The Book of Absolution, a collection of 27 brand new songs. Visit http://anthonytoner.net/getintouch.

4. The Answer

Co Down rockers The Answer, fronted by wild-haired frontman Cormac Neeson, stormed into the limelight in 2005, when their debut single Keep Believin’ became the subject of critical acclaim and led The Answer to the Best New Band award at that year’s Classic Rock Awards. The following year, the young band consolidated that early promise with Rise, a debut album that received universally great reviews went on to sell over 125,000 copies worldwide on the independent Albert Productions rock label, a startling debut achievement. The ensuing years saw the band cement their fearsome reputation, both as an astonishing live band and as one of rock’s brightest hopes, securing high profile support slots with the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and a two-year stint on AC/DC’s 2008 Black Ice tour, which took them around the world and into some of the biggest venues on the planet. After a substantial hiatus the band are set to make a spectacular resurgence with their first studio single in almost seven years. New track Blood Brother has been produced and mixed by rising British rock producer Dan Weller and will precede the band’s comeback performance as special guests at the Planet Rockstock festival on December 3, at which fans will get their first taste of The Answer in a very long time, with classic catalogue tracks as well as the latest music from their soon to be released 7th studio album. In support of this, the band have also announced a very special run of limited capacity UK and European album shows in March 2023 which will showcase the new album as well as classic The Answer tracks. Visit https://theanswerrock.com/.

5. Bronagh Gallagher

The Londonderry-born artist is perhaps best known for her appearances in Pulp Fiction (1994) and Star Wars – The Phantom Menace (1999), but she is also one serious soul sister who has released several EPs and albums and has performed in Belfast and the Maiden City as well as the US. Her first album Precious Soul was released in 2004 on the Salty Dog Records label and was produced by John Reynolds. The album features collaborations with none other than Brian Eno on the tracks ‘He Don't Love You’ and ‘Hooks’. Gallagher wrote most of the music on the album, played the drums and sang lead vocals. She released second album, Bronagh Gallagher in 2012 followed by Gather Your Greatness in 2016 and is a mesmerising live performer. One Derry Girl with a serious amount of soul. Her new EP Witch It Up is set for imminent release. Visit https://www.bronaghgallagher.com/.

6. David Lyttle

Born in Co Down, 38-year-old jazz drummer, record producer, composer, songwriter and record label owner David Lyttle has got it going on. He has released three solo albums and received nominations at both the MOBO Awards and the Urban Music Awards. In 2007, following studies at the University of Ulster, Skidmore Jazz Institute, New York, and the Banff Centre, Canada, he reached a national audience as an Irish jazz performer with Louis Stewart. Lyttle released his debut solo album True Story later in 2007 and began featuring prominent international jazz artists in his touring groups, including Greg Osby, Jean Toussaint, Terell Stafford, Tim Warfield, Tommy Smith and Soweto Kinch, whose band he occasionally appears in. David’s second studio album Interlude (2012) fused hip hop, soul and jazz and featured guests including Mercury-nominated rapper Soweto Kinch, bassist Pino Palladino and pianist Jason Rebello. Hot Press described the release as a “rare sort of treat to come out of Ireland”. Third album Faces (2015) featured collaborations with Talib Kweli, Duke Special and Joe Lovano and was well received by critics with Dave DiMartino of Rolling Stone calling it one of the’ best, robust listening experiences you’re likely to hear all year’. Other media champions included Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 Music. Lyttle was nominated in the 2015 MOBO Awards for Best Jazz Act, making him the first Irish musician to have been nominated for a MOBO. Visit http://www.davidlyttle.com/.

7. Janet Devlin

The 28-year-old from Gortin, Co Tyrone, first came to the attention of the public when she competed in the eighth series of The X-Factor in 2011, finishing in fifth place. Famously, Courtney Love, believing Devlin to be a distant relative of Kurt Cobain’s Tweeted Simon Cowell to offer to let her sing a Nirvana song on the show, but Devlin did not pursue this believing she couldn’t do justice to the grunge king’s lyrics. Janet’s debut album for which she co-wrote all of the songs, displaying immense vocal range and lyrical talent, was titled Hide & Seek and was recorded in 2013 alongside a bonus EP, Nothing Lost. Debut album Running With Scissors was finally released in 2014 which, aside from the rich mine of original material featured a cover version of The Cure’s ‘Friday I’m in Love’. Devlin's second studio album, titled Confessional, was released in June 2020 and was mastered at Abbey Road, London. She also released a book to accompany the album, entitled My Confessional which unlocks the meaning behind all the tracks on the album. Visit https://www.janetdevlin.com/.

8. And So I Watch You From Afar (ASIWYFA)

This solely instrumental prog-punk rock band from Belfast, their sound experimental, heavy, anarchic and packing real punch, is comprised of guitarists Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy, bassist Ewen Friers and drummer Chris Wee. The band released two albums with former member Tony Wright, who was replaced by Niall Kennedy in 2011. ASIWYFA signed with Richter Collective and in October 2011 announced a deal in North America with management and record label Sargent House. Their self-titled debut studio album was released in 2009 followed by Gangs in 2011, All Hail Bright Futures in 2013 and Heirs in 2015. Fifth studio album The Endless Shimmering was released in 2017. Visit https://asiwyfa.com.