The Ultimate St Patrick’s Day Warm-Up: Pure Blarney Live at The Black Box
Ahead of St Patrick’s Day in Belfast, Pure Blarney are setting the tone with a high-energy live show at The Black Box in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, Monday 16th March— a festival-charged warm-up guaranteed to kick celebrations off in style.
Hailing from the vibrant musical landscape of county Antrim, the six-piece electro-acoustic folk/rock group has built a reputation for delivering vigorous performances complete with virtuosic arrangements and an infectious energy. Blending traditional instrumentation with a contemporary edge, Pure Blarney has built a sound to carry a crowd, leaving audiences requesting “one more tune!”
Featuring both male and female vocals, the band’s rich sonic palette includes acoustic and electric guitars, bagpipes, whistles, fiddle, bass and drums. Their approach offers a fresh traditional twist on contemporary favourites while staying rooted in the folk traditions that continue to resonate with audiences at home and abroad.
The band lineup features Declan Keenan (vocals/electric guitar), DJ McAteer (vocals/guitar), Rosie Smyth (vocals/fiddle), Andy McGregor (pipes/whistles), David Breen (drum kit) and Laurence Dugan (bass/vocals), each contributing to a tightly woven and dynamic live sound.
Pure Blarney’s live shows are driven by connection – between the musicians on stage and the crowd in front of them. That shared energy has seen the band welcomed onto major stages including Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Balver Höhle Irish Folk & Celtic Music Festival, and the Belfast St Patrick’s Day Festival. At a time when traditional music continues to enjoy renewed attention through landmark events such as Belfast TradFest and Fleadh Cheoil, Pure Blarney exemplify how the genre remains vibrant, evolving and very much alive.
Speaking ahead of the show, Andy McGregor said:
“We’re looking forward to our debut show in The Black Box which will bring an evening of tunes, craic and new arrangements to Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Join us to get your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations flowing this March 16th ahead of the city’s festivities.”
The night begins with a pre-concert drinks reception at 7:30pm in The Green Room Bar at The Black Box, with light food refreshments provided – Pre-concert tickets are limited, and attendees must enter the code DRINKS when booking to include access to the reception at no extra cost. Doors open at 8pm, with the band taking the stage at 9pm.
For further information on Pure Blarney visit www.pureblarney.com. Follow Pure Blarney on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and YouTube.