If you were to try and explain what Other Voices was to someone who had never heard of it, you wouldn’t get very far. They’d think you’d dreamt up some odd vision of a world where good things happen, and people do things not because of any other reason than it sounds like a fun thing to do.
The Duncairn Arts Centre in North Belfast gets it though. And although the venue doesn’t hold 200 people, a quick glance at their gig listings might see a theatre production or a film screening mixed in with the smaller upcoming acts it supports with earnest.
Look at the listings today though and in nestled in amongst the rest you’ll see Snow Patrol headlining Other Voices, alongside The Academic, Joshua Burnside, Roe, Ryan Vail and Elma Orkestra.
Look again, yes, Snow Patrol who just a week ago played to 35,000 people, will be returning to play in front of 190. This isn’t a dream, this is the vision of Other Voices, and for a night we get to live in their world. This is what happens when artists do things because it sounds like a fun thing to do. Dream on.
Other Voices will take place in the Duncairn Arts Centre on 15th June.
On the same date there will also be an Other Voices fringe event in Belfast city centre at the Bullitt Hotel, featuring Rebekah Fitch, David C CLements, Arvo Party, New Pagans and Hot Cops.