Belfast Vital: Thousands heading to Sam Fender gig

Excitement is building for thousands of music fans ahead of this year's Belfast Vital gigs which begin later in the south of the city.

Sam Fender is the headline act at the Boucher Road playing fields on Thursday night, supported by Irish singer-songwriter CMAT.

It is among a number of ticketed events which are expected to attract large crowds of music and sports fans, and increase traffic in and around the city centre.

Just over a mile away from the concert venue, crowds of football supporters will be gathering at Windsor Park stadium for a Linfield match.

But Sam Fender fan Grace McKenna will have no issues getting to Boucher - she works just across the road.

"I will take me 30 seconds to cross the road," she said. "I will not be joining any early queues but I will be going straight over once I finish work."

She has seen Fender three times - would have been four had it not been for the Covid pandemic - and she is just hoping it stays dry for him.

"The last time he played here, the weather was atrocious," she said. "The heavens opened in the middle of his set."

Grace is a serial concert goer and went to see Oasis in Croke Park earlier this month.

She admitted the energy and excitement of that concert will be hard to beat, but Fender is still her favourite.

Linfield are taking on Dublin side Shelbourne FC for the second leg of their UEFA Conference League play off at 19:45 BST.

Fifteen minutes later, Van Morrison will take to the stage at the Waterfront Hall in the city centre for a sold-out show, three days before celebrating his 80th birthday.

And prior to that, ice hockey fans will be travelling to the nearby SSE Arena to watch the Belfast Giants play Finnish side, KalPa Kuopio.

The doors open at 18:00 BST and the match begins an hour later.

Belfast Vital is a two-day event this year with the Boucher Road venue playing host to a sold-out show by Dublin band Fontaines DC on Friday night.

They will be supported by Belfast rap group Kneecap, who recently cancelled their US tour due to a court case involving band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh.

The 27-year-old rapper, who uses the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May, after allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a London gig last year.

Belfast Vital's gates open at 16:00 on Thursday but organisers advised ticket holders that they cannot camp overnight or start queuing outside before it opens.

"If patrons do turn up early, security and the PSNI will be on patrol in advance and will turn away anyone arriving early at the venue," they said.

"Queuing around the venue causes disruption and we appeal to patrons to heed this advice and respect the local community."

The show begins at 17:00, kicking off with Dublin singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe.

The promoters added: "Signs/flags bigger than A3, flag poles, flares, glass or cans, umbrellas, alcohol, garden furniture, selfie sticks, professional cameras and audio recording equipment will not be permitted inside the event site."