20 years in stand-up for the Taskmaster cheeky texts icon, multi-award winner, YouTube cult figure, Radio 4 favourite and recently ‘Baby Reindeer’ actor: Watson returns after seasons at the Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Edinburgh comedy festivals. A recent encounter with a stranger caused Mark to spend some time pondering the uncertain future facing humanity. He explores this – along with equally pressing matters like the worst word he has ever said in public, the current state of the UK sausage industry, and much more – in a typically frantic and fun-packed new show.

Having reassessed her life through the prism of an ADHD diagnosis in last year's funny and moving memoir, one of Britain's most beloved and most scatterbrained stand-ups lets you back into her mind (warning: it's cluttered in there). Among other things, this show will be a love-letter to letter-writing, a trip back through her early years as a comic and woman-about-town, and a whirlwind tour of a chaotic, hilarious brain.

Mike Massé is an internationally acclaimed artist and arranger who performs epic acoustic classic rock. He is a YouTube icon with over 160 million channel views. Legends of rock like Toto, Boston, Sarah McLachlan, Styx, Rush, Berlin, Asia, and others have expressed love and gratitude for his acoustic renditions of their songs. Toto cites his acoustic cover of “Africa” as their favourite.

An idiosyncratic, challenging and richly lyrical singer/ songwriter, Junior Brother is the pseudonym of Co. Kerry, Ireland singer Ronan Kealy. Chosen as The Irish Times’ Best Irish Act of 2019 and nominated for the 2019 Choice Music Prize for Album of the Year, Junior Brother has built a rabid following thanks to unmissable live shows, and music both excitingly forward-looking and anciently evocative. His strange stories unfold with reckless abandon upon a distinctive guitar and foot tambourine accompaniment, influenced as much by the avant-garde as music from the Middle Ages and his home place in rural Ireland.

Get ready for an electrifying night of MOTOWN MAGIC! Hailing from South Africa, the sensational Darryl Hendricks, Bongi Lolwana, and Wesley Adams are bringing the house down with their spectacular tribute to the legendary sounds of Motown. Expect to dance, sing, and groove to timeless hits by: The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye and many more! With jaw-dropping vocals, smooth harmonies, and dazzling choreography, this is more than just a showits a journey straight to the heart of Hitsville USA! Feel the rhythm. Relive the magic. Be part of the history.

Kristin Hersh brings the Throwing Muses live show to Europe in Spring 2025. Their first tour since 2011, the Muses will embark on a 2025 European tour as a three-piece, fronted by Hersh. Hersh remains one of the most unique and singular talents of her generation, a celebrated and gifted writer as well as a relentlessly touring musician. Throwing Muses finds Hersh going back to where it all began, with nearly 40 years of Muses history behind them. This year marks a new chapter in the project. A very rare opportunity to witness one of the great cult American rock bands, we look forward to presenting the Muses on their intimate European adventure.

Kieran Hodgson: Voice of America The four time Edinburgh comedy award nominee returns. America. What happened, man? Ever since he was a little loser kid in a little loser country (yes, England), Kieran Hodgson has been putting on an American accent and dreaming a big American dream. But nowadays it's not so simple. Didn't America go completely bananas? Didn't he get too old for dreaming? And when Hollywood comes calling, does Kieran actually sound American after all? Join one of Telegraphs 50 funniest comedians of the 21st Century as he explores how a scared world feels about the USA and impersonates a bunch of old prospectors and former Presidents.

A brand new show from award-winning comedian, star of Live at the Apollo, and co-host of award-winning podcast Trusty Hogs - Helen is back and is struggling. She has spent the last year being forced to hang out with someone she doesn’t like and who honestly does not like her. It’s tense, it’s uncomfortable, they won’t leave.

"Hank Williams, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Gram Parsons, Merle Haggard, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt. "Im so lonesome I could cry, Witchita Lineman, Love Hurts, Always on my mind, Help me make it through the night, Brass Buttons, Tonight the bottle let me down. Just some of the names and songs that have built the foundations of country music and the craft of great songwriting. Bearing little resemblance to the so-called country music of today, classic country tended towards the big emotions: tortured romance, despair, hard work, yet more heartbreak and hard-won truths. Hats and trucks are notable by their absence. These are lyrics and music that has survived and will continue to survive because they speak to the heart.Beautiful melodies, touching words, soaring harmonies and intricate solos are the core of great country music. Its musically closer to it roots in bluegrass rather than the pop music it is today. Anthony Toner (vocals, electric and acoustic guitar) , Mark Crockard (vocals and acoustic guitar) and Marcus McAuley (acoustic guitar and mandolin) have come together as The Boondocks to play the old school country songs they love playing together and hope you do too. Why not join them for an evening of the greatest country music ever produced in the good ol' US of A.

Katie Gregson-MacLeods unique blend of deeply personal lyricism and folk-influenced sound have earned her a dedicated global audience.

Juxtaposition is a key theme in Martyn's work. The simplicity and the complexity of the human condition and all that it encompasses is underpinned with a heady promise of hope. There is a versatility to Martyn's music that is hard to categorise. Many have tried, resulting in labels such as folk, rock, soul, folk-funk and Americana; all of which somehow miss the mark. But sometimes music doesn't need a defining genre and with the ability to articulate a sense of the bigger picture, Martyn's music and social commentary manage to empower and speak for many. His songs are pictures, and stories, and feelings all put to music and delivered by a master craftsman. Martyn Joseph. A unique talent driven by passion and love for his trade, continues to write, sing and play from the heart.

Kavanagh was born to Irish immigrants in Houston, Texas, thus absorbing an eclectic mix of early influences, from Hank Williams to Prefab Sprout. As a boy, the family moved back to Portlaoise in the Irish midlands, and Kavanagh ended up at Trinity College in Dublin, studying law.

Join us for a special night honouring two landmark albums by Sufjan Stevens the 10th anniversary of Carrie & Lowell and the 20th anniversary of Illinois! Local musicians will take to the stage to pay homage to the quiet beauty, intricate storytelling, and profound emotional depth of these seminal works. Expect a carefully curated setlist traversing the jubilant sounds of Illinois and the raw, confessional tenderness of Carrie & Lowell, with a few additional gems scattered in between.

Join Fuego Fatale as we take over the black box for an iconic Halloween night, including all your favourite female horror icons. Expect pole, drag, burlesque, circus and GORE. Hosted by none other than Drag king icon Dick Von Dyke and produced by Maiya Moo. Early bird and pay in instalments tickets available.

Transcending beyond the generic idea of what a hip-hop producer can do, Infinity Knives (Tariq Ravelomanana) frequently demonstrates his oft-discussed love of contemporary classicalists such as Max Richter and Jóhann Jóhannsson. Hidden deftly amongst the hard-hitting beats and Ennals' lyrical dexterity are moments of blissful orchestration that betray an abundance of musical talent. The precise control over the cleverly formed layers of melody and harmony provides a relentlessly inventive backdrop for Brian Ennals' righteous poetry of vitriol, rage, philosophy, humour, and myth-making. Since partnering in 2020 for the album Rhino XXL, Knives and Ennals have built a global fanbase almost entirely on word of mouth. Their follow-up album, 2022's King Cobra, was released by taste-making UK label Phantom Limb, named #1 album of the year by Loud and Quiet, #5 album of the year by Spin, leading to Knives and Ennals' invitation to open Irish hip hop trio Kneecap's US tour. The duo's latest album, A City Drowned in God's Black Tears, was released in April 2025 to rave reviews from The Needle Drop, Rolling Stone, Wire Magazine, The Quietus, FD Signifier, and more. "City Drowned… is most definitely their boldest work yet together." - The Needle Drop "In this patchwork of ideas and visions in sound, is something completely captivating." - The Quietus

MOBO nominated drummer and composer David Lyttle has performed in almost 50 countries since entering the Irish jazz scene almost 20 years ago. He has collaborated with icons such as Joe Lovano and Kurt Rosenwinkel and released 11 albums, as well as featuring on countless other recordings. In his first NI tour since 2018, David will feature US trumpet icon Terell Stafford in an all-star quartet of leading jazz musicians. A long-term member of the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Terell has worked in the groups of jazz greats such as McCoy Tyner, Benny Golson and Kenny Barron and released 9 albums as a leader. This is a rare opportunity to hear music of this calibre and it’s coming to a town near you! “One of the world’s great contemporary drummers” - All About Jazz “One of the best listening experiences you’re likely to have this year” - Rolling Stone

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The New Leaves Return to Belfast for a Magical Night of Modern Irish Folk Belfast, Northern Ireland County Downs rising folk sensation The New Leaves are returning to Belfast for a captivating live performance at The Black Box. This highly anticipated show promises a unique blend of modern Irish folk, rich harmonies, acoustic noodling, atmospheric electric guitar, and tribal rhythms. Following the release of their critically-acclaimed debut album A Sketch of Home, The New Leaves will perform standout tracks including Donaghaguy Reservoir, East Coast Daydream, and the hauntingly beautiful Maggies Island.Their sound has been described as both nostalgic and forward-thinkingrooted in Irish tradition but full of fresh, cinematic energy.

Back by popular demand, Ross Mitchell presents a bold new lineup of Northern Irelands finest up and coming neurodivergent and disabled comedians. Ross has been performing standup across the island of Ireland for 13 years, with sets that often draw on his own experience with autism. This years lineup includes Mustafa Said, Katriona Kirwan, Tiff Minson, William Callahan, and Leo Lardie. Each comic has carved out their place in the United Kingdom and Irish comedy scenes with their original voices and unforgettable humour. Get ready for a night of comedy thats insightful, unapologetic, and refreshingly different.