Top Belfast blues band 2.19 will perform in the Ballynahinch Market House
- Nahinch Notes concert welcomes the January blues!
Beat the January blues in Ballynahinch with the Nahinch Notes presentation of Belfast’s top blues rock band, The 2:19.
Fresh from the recent launch of their third album “Keep My Will Strong” to a packed Empire Music Hall in Belfast, this juggernaut of a band promises a monstrous night of R&B in Ballynahinch writes Gareth Gordon of the Ballynahinch Community Collective.
He said: “Since their live debut in 2022, The 2:19 has built a dedicated fan base with sold-out shows across Ireland, including a headline performance at the Guinness Belfast City Blues Festival and support slots for Elles Bailey in both Belfast and Dublin, as well as an appearance at last year’s Blues in the Bay festival in Warrenpoint.
“The band were nominated for Band of the Year at the 2023 UK Blues Awards and The 2:19’s previous album, We Will Get Through This, spent two consecutive months at #3 on the UK IBBA (Independent Blues Broadcasters Association) album chart and earned the band a nomination for “Album of the Year” at the 2024 UK Blues Awards.”
Hailing from Belfast and the surrounding areas, The 2:19 consists of Chris Chalmers (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Monty Sneddon (drums), Paul Wilkinson (guitar), Ady Young (guitar), and Marty Young (bass).
The band grew out of the restrictions in place during the Covid lockdown, as founder and lead vocalist Chris Chalmers explained. “I never thought I was capable of writing songs until Covid came along and one thing led to another.
“In January 2019, I started singing with a covers band. We had a gig in September of that year, which was quite near guitarist Paul Wilkinson’s home, so I invited him along to see us.
“He approached me afterwards and suggested we form our own band together, and we put the idea of a no-frills Chicago type blues cover band to Marty, he agreed and brought Ady on board.
“It wasn’t until March of 2020 that we got Monty Sneddon to play drums. Then Covid arrived.”
“After a few months of enforced separation, the band quickly developed the material for their first album, “Revelator”, released to widespread acclaim in the sector in 2021.
“Gary Burnett of the Down at The Crossroads blog described it as “a rare treat of a blues album. The musicianship is top-notch, the songs are all strong, and the arrangements just work” while Mike Bradley, of the “musiclovemusic” blog described the band as “full of the belief and swagger only a capital city can inspire” and that “Belfast-based blues rockers The 2:19 – a band of untapped potential – are fast becoming the sound of their city.”
“The band will be raising the roof of the Market House in Ballynahinch on Friday 24th January.
