This year’s Belfast Festival throws up a couple of interesting events for music fans, including Sunday’s sold out gig by Josh Ritter at the Empire Music Hall.

Ritter will be joined by a brand new string band, featuring upright bass, mandolin and acoustic guitar, and including his friends from Love Cannon.

The American folk rocker will reinterpret some of his older material from the acoustic re-issue series — Golden Age Of Radio, Hello Starling and The Animal Years — as well as previewing new material from his forthcoming sixth studio album, which is due early next year.

Another much-anticipated event is Monday’s all-star evening, The Unforgettable Choir, at the refurbished City Hall. The evening will feature the Inishowen Gospel Choir with the likes of Henry McCullough, Bap Kennedy, Nell Bryden, Joe Echo (Ciaran Gribben), Brendan Murphy (The 4 Of Us) and Rea Curran.

Outside of the festival, Richmond Fontaine/Lost Brothers will be appearing at The Empire on Monday, Anthony Toner takes to the stage at The Errigle on Thursday, and Brian Houston will be performing at The Empire on Thursday — all of which are worth a look.

damien.murray@hotmail.co.uk