THE MAIN STAGE SUPPORTING LINEUP IN THE CITY'S CUSTOM HOUSE SQUARE INCLUDES THE MAGIC NUMBERS, BELL X1, JERRY FISH & THE MUDBUG CLUB, DAVID KITT AND DAVID FORD AMONG OTHERS.
Dukebox will kick off at 12pm on Saturday 29th at the stunning backdrop of St Anne's Cathedral.
Also from 1pm, upstairs at The Spaniard, there will be spoken word from various special guests, including Aqualung’s Ben Hales and our local Slam Poets, with more to be announced.
Out in the streets expect to run into the odd surprise, with for example, sometimes Duke Special band member Rea Curran playing at the base of The Albert Clock from 245pm
12, a 50 minute film by Gyz La Rivière about the Fret Click, a legendary Amsterdam and Rotterdam skateboard gang documented in a fast, humorous and moving way. There’ll be two screenings, at 115pm and 230pm. Custom House Square’s regular Saturday afternoon skateboarders are invited to come along, showing their skateboard for entry!
From late morning and through the afternoon demonstrations, workshops and hands on activities will be happening at SpaceCRAFT - a shop, gallery and exhibition area above The Fountain Centre owned and managed by the Craft & Design Collective. The ringing of some bells is rumoured!
Traditional Irish Music for the afternoon has been provided at The Duke Of York with a lively open air Street Ceili in Commercial Court with The All Set Group from 2pm, and at McHughs with a traditional music session from 330pm
Two further stages of invited musical guests are also announced from 1pm at venues close to the main arena. The heart wrenching melody of London’s Dan Michaelson and the Coastguards, Dublin’s beautiful wordmiths One Day International and Belfast’s Queer Giraffes will be appearing at The Black Box. Whilst New York singer/songwriter and madcap inventor of musical instruments Thomas Truax, former Watercress frontman currently residing in Brighton Dan Donnelly, and Belfast newbies Katie and the Carnival will perform at McHugh’s Basement.
The Belfast City Blues Festival have some great afternoon music in the area as well, evoking the spirit of the city’s great Blues tradition, and Dukebox goers are welcomed for free at their afternoon gigs in some the Cathedral Quarter’s best pubs and small venues: Oh Yeah Centre - The Pontiax Blues Band; The John Hewitt - Speedy Mullan + Shit Hot Helicopters; The Roost - Rab McCullough Blues Band; The Cloth Ear - Lee Hedley Band
The main arena in Custom House Square opens at 3pm, with the first performance by The Voluntary Butler Scheme (3.30), and the day proceeding with Panama Kings (4.15), David Ford (5.00), David Kitt (5.55), Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club (6.55), Bell X1 (8.10), The Magic Numbers (9.35) And the day will end with the only Northern Ireland headlining appearance of 2009 by Duke Special (11.00)
