The Vox Set at Mussenden Temple
Presenting the Vox Set - a new series of music gigs inside Mussenden Temple. We've struck a chord with Stunt Double Music to bring a wealth of local singer-songwriters inside the Temple's 200 year old walls for a series of special shows. With views across the Atlantic Ocean, enjoy an experience like no other as well-known and up-and-coming artists share cherished classics and new compositions.
Christmas Special- Benjamin Amos, David C Clements & friends
Christmas Special - Benjamin Amos and David C Clements individually draw a big crowd, we’ve brought them together to get us in a perfect festive mood. The atmosphere will be divine - Christmas classics alongside own songs. You’ll regret missing this!
Benjamin Amos is a songwriter from the north coast of Ireland. Last year, Amos released Letters, his debut solo release, an intimate and honest collection of letters in musical form. The album's singles received airplay across BBC stations. 'Romario' went on to be selected by Tom Robinson as the BBC Introducing Mixtape track of the week and had multiple plays on BBC 6 Music, while HotPress selected Amos as one of their 'Hot for 2023'. Amos’ lush musical tones will appeal to fans of Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes and Local Natives.
David C Clements has been grabbing the attention of music lovers through his exceptional live performances for quite some time. His is an epic indie folk with swelling melodies and vocals touched with the ache of experience retelling tales that feel at once both insightful and familiar. He has performed with Ed Sheeran and Passenger well as collaborating with Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol) and Two Door Cinema Club.
Episode 1: Duke Special with Kevin Murphy [Sold-out]
Saturday 2 September, 6pm to 7.30pm
Experience one of Northern Ireland’s most well-known musicians, Duke Special, performing in one of Ireland’s most recognisable locations. Joined by songwriter and cellist Kevin Murphy, this intimate performance promises to be unforgettable experience.
About Duke Special
By nature, Duke Special (aka Belfast’s Peter Wilson) is a curious person. He is curious about music, theatre, books, poetry, art, love, life, redemption, death and 78RPM records. All of this is evidenced by the variety of musical adventures throughout his career. He has released 16 albums and EPs, toured all over the world and has been involved in a diverse array of other projects. In 2023, to celebrate the release of his first EP 21 years ago, he embarks on a series of live shows - Adventures in Belfast and Adventures in Ireland - showcasing songs from across his remarkable career.
Episode 2: ferna with Trad Quartet
Saturday 16 September, 6pm to 7.30pm
On a mission to amplify quiet sentiments and shift focus to background characters, ferna delivers a remarkable sound that merges the organic and the electronic, filled with mixed emotions, fragile beauty and powerful hooks. From the North Coast of Ireland, ferna tells the stories that otherwise get lost in the noise.
About ferna
The musical alias of composer and singer-songwriter Hannah McPhillimy, ferna took home the NI Music Prize for Single of the year 2022 for her first official release 'Wasting' and has already performed alongside Saint Sister, JC Stewart and Foy Vance. Her debut album understudy was released in May 2023 to a packed-out Belfast Empire and received multiple rave reviews including four stars in The Irish Times.
Episode 3: Rory Friers, Michael Keeney and Arco Strings
Saturday 14 October, 3.30pm to 5pm and 6pm to 7.30pm
Fresh from Ireland's first Dolby Atmos show at SARC, Rory Friers collaborates with Michael Keeney (Van Morrison/David Holmes) and Arco String Quartet (Foy Vance/SOAK) at Mussenden Temple for two special shows.
One of the North Coast’s most prolific musicians, Rory Friers, returns home with famed composer Michael Keeney and the sublime Arco String Quartet to bring their magnificent immersive project to Mussenden Temple. Dive into Rory's signature pieces and film scores. Having toured globally with "And So I Watch You From Afar" for 15 years and boasting compositions on Lakeshore Records, anticipate a glimpse of his 2024 debut album in this breathtaking venue. This project is perfectly suited to the space, so come expecting something extraordinary.
Virtual Reality Experience
One thing ticketholders might notice when they come to the gigs is something that looks a bit like an orb on stilts. That will be the Virtual Reality camera. We're working with Stunt Double Music, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Ulster University to record these concerts in this cutting edge film format.
With VR you get far more of an experience of actually sitting in Mussenden Temple for the concert than traditional video allows, and it's far more accessible than it used to be. This material will be released later on in the year for more people to get a flavour of this one-of-a-kind experiences.