Hello and introduction

Hello and welcome to everyone reading this! This is my online archive for all my music reviews for Belfast and Northern Ireland. I will be updating this as I write them.

If you wish to have a piece reviewed, please email me at benjaminjlmagee@gmail.com

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The Kooks - The Limelight - September 3rd 2018

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The Kooks - The Limelight - September 3rd 2018 So storied is the venue tonight that almost as much could be written about the building as the band playing within. Limelight has seen the likes Oasis, Blur and more come through its doors. This night, however, belongs to The Kooks. I arrive during soundcheck to see a small line stretching from the locked doors to the venue. Almost three hours early. A telling sign. We enter sometime later, greeted by the all too familiar violet pastel lights of Limelight 1. On stage, a variety of instruments with a drum kit behind. Across the skin, two words only: The Kooks. The last bastion of Brit Pop, indie colossi and the cult band to end all cult bands, The Kooks have amassed over 400 million Spotify hits and countless awards. Tonight, they bring their hits to Belfast. Before them, however, The Silences take the stage. A fitting opener that kept us guessing, The Silences would jump from War On Drugs style expansive tracks, to slower style...
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Rebekah Fitch - Broken Mind

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The release of  Rebekah Fitch ’s newest EP ‘ Broken Mind ’ further proves that her sustained success is no fluke but a result born of both talent and passion for her craft. A mature and nuanced EP constructed from the varying influences of Pop, Soul, Gospel and Electronic music; Fitch comes across as a seasoned and experienced veteran of her craft, which can only be attributed to the excellent production and Fitch’s dedication to her art. The archetypal pop trio of piano, percussion and acoustics are all prevalent, but rather than overlapping they fit neatly together as if pieces in a jigsaw, the perfect accompaniment to the huge impact created by Fitch’s imposing vocals. Complex opening track ‘A Love So Crazy’ displays the full range and depth of Fitch’s vocal ability. A slow build up leads into a gospel-like vocal crescendo that is comparable to the power and authority of a prime Roger Daltry, with the soothing essence of a Paloma Faith solo. Fitch’s powerful vocals are ju...
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Sarah McCreedy - Older

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Sarah McCreedy - Older  Flush as the North is with musical talent, singer/songwriters have long been a staple of the scene and remain one of our biggest cultural exports. Enter Co. Down hopeful Sarah McCreedy, who fits the mould of the modern singer/songwriter by combining accomplished musical aptitude with an impressive composition in her debut single Older. Carpeted by nostalgia, Older implies a level of comprehension by McCreedy that almost makes it unfair to consider the single a debut. Fully formed and confident, there is little room for complaint, nor is there evidence of unused potential. The opening of Older featured a measured and muted rhythmic strumming that is almost soporific in nature before McCreedy comes in, her vocals beginning barely louder than a whisper before gathering both traction and weight. As mentioned before, the song relies heavily on nostalgia and the march of time, but it is not without its wit. McCreedy informs the listener during the cho...
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