On the last weekend before the apocalypse, four bands associated with the legendary Warehouse venue (1994-96) in Belfast – one band reunion, one new band of old hands, one one-off assemblage of all-stars… and Brian Houston, the ‘Belfast Elvis’ – played a ‘Warehouse Remembered’ show at the Pavilion. Proceeds went to FASD AWARE NI, a foetal alcohol support group run by Brian & Alison McNamara. It was the second Warehouse Remembered event, and there will hopefully be more…
A version of Dave McLarnon’s Hat Band came together for WR#1 in September 2019, and we simply had to have the man in the hat back! This time, Dave ‘The Hat’ (Peacefrog, Shock Treatment) was joined for a set of Ulster rock classics by Norman Boyd (guitar, Stonefish / Protext), Billy Shovel (guitar, Ghost of An American Airman), the one and only Ali MacKenzie (bass, Bush Turkeys / everyone) and the Legendary Petesy Burns (drums, Stalag 17 / Outcasts / ARSE). At very short notice, Warehouse legend Cormac O’Kane (New Brontes, now running RED BOX RECORDINGS, Belfast) filmed the show on two cameras, with ambient sound. Enjoy!
1. Heart of Stone (Peacefrog, 1994)
2. Broken Land (The Adventures, 1989)
3. Belfast (Energy Orchard, 1990)
4. Big Time (Rudi, 1978)
5. Gloria (Them, 1964)
Here is the one-off Brian Houston Power Trio set from the same show. Given the present circumstances, it looks likely that this will prove to have been Brian Houston’s last performance as a professional musician/recording artist of 25 years. It wasn’t planned that way – but going out on a spontaneous jam of ‘Johnny B. Goode’ isn’t a bad way to end a career.