Amateur band music scene in Northern Ireland (and a bit of rant)

[IBWT]

Hi there!

I arrived to Belfast a couple of years ago from Spain and have been actively looking for joining or form a band. So far I've joined two bands, but it feels to me almost like a miracle, because my search has been really fruitless most of the time.

Back in Spain I was used to put ads on local shops, practise rooms and regional/national online forums with great success, but in Belfast I don't feel like any of that works.

I don't see ads in rehearsal spaces or shops, the only NI specific forum I could find (fastfude) is almost dead and the Facebook groups for musicians and bassists in Belfast are mostly silent all the time. To make things even worse, most of the people I've contacted have ended up being time wasters that won't even show up or leave a project with no excuses whatsoever, showing little to no interest in making any progress (sometimes even on their own material!).

Moreover, most of the ads I see on JoinMyBand (the only active place I could find) are posted with restrictive age ranges (I'm 33); that's something unheard of where I come from, I remember playing in bands with a 20+ year difference between members with no issues!

I really feel lucky for the two bands I'm in (although one is still more of a project) because at one point I was almost giving up on music in this city. All I see when I go around are acoustic sets playing slow melancholic versions of pop hits and gigs with really small audiences for 3 or 4 bands whose name I only hear once in a year.

So my question is... how are you supposed to find musicians to form or join bands in NI/Belfast? Is there a hidden amateur scene that I'm missing? Do I have to go to pubs and ask anyone who looks like a musician? My social skills are terrible so I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to that...

Cheers guys and thanks for reading.

Edited March 8, 2016 by IBWT

[Roger2611]

Sorry I can't help you being as I am based in Northampton, but it is sad to hear if that is the state of affairs in Belfast, there have been some fantastic bands that have come out of that city over the years, good luck, I hope you can find something decent

[neepheid]

Can't help you with Belfast-y advice, but here in the frozen northern fortress of Aberdeen, I have never used any of those find a band websites. All bands I've been in have been organically grown* by good old fashioned luck, circumstance, talking to people, networking, hearing about opportunities, going for them. I think working behind the bar in a music venue helped - got to meet some of the contributors to the local scene long before I got properly involved.

* I did once use Gumtree to look for a singer, we got one guy who we auditioned but passed on.

[torby]

I'm surprised you're having difficulty finding a band to join or start. If you have your own gear and transport ( not every band is city based) there are people looking for bass players, keyboard players and drummers. The scene in Northern Ireland went bad a few years ago, basically those of us that played in a 5 piece saw our bands get cut down to 2 piece because venues offering decent gigs dried up ( or didn't want to pay the rate ) . Country music is big here, and there's no shortage of bands doing the circuit. If you want to play something heavier, the south offers more.
By the way, pop into Harry Bairds on the shore road and ask, they used to have a notice board....lol....but check out the music shops in Belfast.

Edited March 9, 2016 by torby

[acidbass]

What sort of band are you trying to put together? I guess it is a case of networking with the right people. Fastfude is a dead duck! Facebook have a few local music groups - might be worth a try?

[Bigwan]

Gumtree (under musicians in the community section) or Join My Band are the only resources I've really used with any success Javier. MetalIreland also useful if that's your thing. Fastfude has been a waste of time for years...

I know what you mean about the age thing. Just turned 39 and had the same issue. There are still folk out there though! I put up an ad before Christmas and just last week got contact from a band (via Join My Band).

Edited March 9, 2016 by Bigwan

[IBWT]

I guess it all comes down to networking then... It gets a bit complicated when you come from a different country with a different language and you're too old to be a student. Also my terrible social skills don't help either. I do have transport but only since last April, but that has never been a problem to me.

Coming from a poorer country I expected a much more vibrant and dynamic scene but now I'm actually jealous of my old friends back in Spain, the amateur band scene there is better than ever and miles away from Belfast's (no offence intended).

[elephantgrey]

I've been in Belfast for 6 months now, and have only met bassists. Having no interest in either metal or trad (or any mixture thereof) doesn't help though.

[IBWT]

Where did you meet them?

I've met musicians, but most of them have been time wasters or just too inexperienced. At some point I tried to start my own project (I even have 20+ fully recorded songs) and failed miserably to find anyone suitable.

Back in Spain I even got to form and run a local musician society for several years and organised gigs, festivals and promotion, but I didn't think that would be necessary in the United Kingdom.

Edited March 9, 2016 by IBWT

[machinehead]

I think it takes time to find your way into a music scene. Don't give up. Go to open mike nights and keep advertising for band members in all the places suggested above.

I had a 10 year break from playing, starting again about 2003. It took me 5+ years to get enough contacts to get regular gigs. I now play in a couple of blues/rock bands and another occasion function band that does only a handful of gigs a year. I also get called for the odd dep gig.

If you're wanting to play original stuff it might be different and I can't really help there as I've only played in one originals band in the last few years.

I hope this encourages you even a little.

Frank.

[IBWT]

Thanks Frank for your support. What I've been looking so far are originals band that seek bassists or musicians to form one; I've been in an originals band for a year a half or so. Luckily I found an originals project although it's my own songs what I really wanted to develop.