Snow Patrol & Ash: They Built This City On Rock N Roll!

While Sigur Ros is busy de-constructing highways, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody and Ash's Tim Wheeler are dispersing their energy into the opening of the 'Oh Yeah Building'. NME reports: The building, an old whiskey bonding building in the heart of Belfast's resurgent Cathedral Quarter, will be home to rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, performance space, a café and office units to incubate new music businesses. The brainchild of former NME assistant editor Stuart Bailie, is it has been called 'Ground Zero' for Northern Irish music.

"What is needed is a nexus to focus musical energy into and to unite the Belfast music scene in a way that has been elusive until now," said Lightbody. "What the Patrol would have given for the advice of professionals; the space to rehearse or cut demos; a place to hang out and listen to music and meet people that might one day change your life."

Meanwhile, Tim Wheeler says the following about the project:

"I think this is a fantastic, long-overdue idea for Belfast...The music scene in Belfast needs a hub like this. As a musician from Northern Ireland I remember how difficult it was starting out. Finding places to play and meet like-minded musicians was incredibly hard. We had no idea how to get the attention of record labels, our options seemed very limited in Northern Ireland at the time. Luckily for us we got a breakthrough, a contact in London and got a record deal over there."

Sounds pretty good, eh?

*Read our review of Ash's brilliant show @ The Annex back in October, here!*

MP3: Ash - Meltdown