A packed weekend of music at the Eastside Arts Festival

On Thursday August 11 at 8pm Cash Returns will be bringing the music of the legendary Johnny Cash to life in CS Lewis Square.

Cash Return has been hailed as the most exciting Johnny Cash & June Carter Tribute in the UK, Ireland and beyond by Man In Black fans. It is regarded as one of the best touring live music shows in the country with a fan base that grows daily. The show was recently awarded Best Tribute Band at the Hot Country TV Awards, and Best Tribute Show at the 2022 ‘Northern Ireland Country Music Awards’, for the second year running.

​The show stars the award-winning JP Mac as Johnny Cash and Karen Martin as June Carter.

The music continues in CS Lewis Square on Friday August 12 when Dig with It magazine presents New Pagans, Lemonade Shoelace and Winnie Ama, who represent some of the most inspiring, alternative voices from the local music scene.

New Pagans recently completed a European tour with Skunk Anansie, celebrating the latter act’s 25th anniversary. New Pagans won the Best Live Act award in the NI Music Awards in 2020. Their shows are intelligent, loud and visceral, showcasing the immense songs from their debut album, The Seed, The Vessel, The Roots and All.

Lemonade Shoelace was instigated Ruairí Richman, a vivid, leftfield composer who merges dance culture with pop fizz. He recently won an international contest, Musicians Wanted, led by Vans, the skatewear company. The prize was a gig in Mexico, opening for Yungblud. Lemonade Shoelace is a fully-developed act now, expanding beyond the debut Autopilot Paradise and fixing to further that international profile.

Winnie Ama was this year’s artist-in-residence at Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. Raised in south Belfast, she currently works out of London. During a youthful visit to New Orleans, she came to understand and love America’s jazz legacy. She travelled to Budapest where there was a random meeting with the Belgian DJ and music entrepreneur, Francis Groove. Her music combines soul, R&B and jazz with outstanding songwriter smarts.

After a sold-out inaugural event with EastSide Electronics in 2021, The Night Institute returns to C.S. Lewis Square on August 13 with a sterling line-up of quality local talent. This year, Timmy Stewart & Jordan Nocturne are joined by queer party-starters Ponyhawke and new talent, Buru.

The weekend of musical entertainment rounds off on Sunday August 14 with The Ultimate 80s Party night – pure 80s musical heaven closes the festival.

READ MORE: A variety of entertainment takes to the stage of the Strand

If you remember MTV, leg warmers, Lady Diana marrying Prince Charles, mix tapes, Jane Fonda’s workouts,The Boys of Summer, VCR’s, Cabbage Patch Dolls and calling someone to ask them out...then this is the night for you.

Gary Myles (Downtown Breakfast Show) will be spinning the greatest tracks of the 80s before introducing the mighty Maurice Jay’s Pleasuredome in C.S. Lewis Square to close out the 2022 festival.

For further information or to book tickets visit https://www.eastsidearts.net/eastside-arts-festival-2022/