Kristen Sinclair

The review originally appeared in the now-defunct GiggingNI in 2016. Along with the likes of Rio , Dare! and True , ABC ’s 1982 debut The Lexicon of Love ranks high among the most quintessential albums of the eighties. Boasting no less than four Top 20 hit singles, the band’s magnum opus deals with the themes of heartbreak and searching for meaning in relationships, all whilst filling dancefloors throughout the decade. Now thirty-four years on from their debut, Martin Fry, lead vocalist and the only remaining original member, is touring The Lexicon of Love II , released this year as the impressive follow-up to the record that changed his life. The Limelight is plastered with posters for tonight’s gig and the venue is steadily filling under the soft colourful lights of the opening DJ set. Playing genre-appropriate music to a crowd of predominately eighties kids, the likes of Depeche Mode, Pet Shops Boys and The Human League transition seamlessly into one another in prepa...

This review originally appeared in the now-defunct GiggingNI in 2016. Source: GiggingNI   It’s not often that nine of the country’s most exciting new musical acts can be found on the same bill, playing the same venue and all for one ticket. However, Spectrum Festival 2016 created just that. Saturday night saw the highlight of Sound of Belfast 2016’s programme of events, culminating with an incredible line-up of local talent at Elmwood Hall. The iconic venue played host to a range of bands and solo artists from an array of genres to showcase the very best Northern Ireland has to offer; that’s everything from indie rock to folk and classical. Headlined by Lisburn-based alt-rockers Mojo Fury, local favourites Gnarkats and Radio 1 Big Weekend’s Hot Cops also shared the stage for a noisy night. Beginning the night’s proceedings in the sparsely packed hall, Letterkenny-born Joel Harkin plays a short set of harmonious lo-fi, armed with his acoustic guitar. The 22 year-old se...