Belfast Waterfront Hall

Pretty impressed with the new look Waterfront. Attending the Professional Beauty Show… pretty amazing use of exhibition space. Some fab stands and it really increases the floor space for exhibitions in Belfast!!!

Had the pleasure of attending a huge event here last night, and had an absolute ball!
The staff were lovely & very pleasant
The food was absolutely delicious!
The event was attended by over 1000 people, so I was expecting the food to be a bit lacking as this can happen at big things like this… but I was pleasantly surprised!
The from itself was well catered for with plenty of room to mill about, as well as not feeing too cramped or warm, I’ve been told this was a new extension that had been added on, if so, it works well!
The downside was the price of the drink… I expected that it would be a bit more pricey than some places, but charging £3 for a red bull? Scary business! Our first round of drink cost £72!
So all in all, whilst the price was the only negative, the waterfront did & looked well!

Have only been in it a few times but every time I go I love it! The service is always good, every helpful. Plus they have a little coffee shop which is lovely and clean and have a cracking vanilla latte can’t wait to take my daughter in two weeks time! !

I’ve been to quite a few events in the Waterfront Hall, both in the main auditorium and also the smaller ‘studio’. I’ve also been to wedding shows that were spread over all the floors — the layout was affective for these but it did get a bit busy. Both the auditorium and studio are great for watching events such as concerts or speakers. The rooms are smaller than the auditoriums in bigger venues, which gives more of a personal feel and a nicer atmosphere. It is also easier to see the speaker/​singer/​band! The only bad point I have is that you can’t bring your drink into the room with you!

I had the pleasure of attending the Waterfront on Friday evening as part of Belfast Film Festival — the evening was billed as an opulent one and the Waterfront suited the occasion perfectly, they even rolled out the red carpet.
This was the first time I had been to the Waterfront to watch a movie and I was a little skeptical about how the acoustics and seating would suit the cinema experience. The sound was perfect and the seating was fine– it was a bit strange looking down at the screen rather than up but this was the only place, in terms of size, that was able to accommodate the movie premier.
The mingling areas outside the main theatre is bright and spacious and equipped with ample seating — if you’re attending an event at The Waterfront I would recommend getting there a little earlier and enjoying a beverage from one of the fully stocked bars whilst you look over the Lagan.
The arena is well signed — you shouldn’t have any hassle finding your seat no matter what event you’re attending. A tiny thing that stops me giving the Waterfront 5 stars is the fact that you can’t take drinks in to the arena — the event I attended wasn’t exactly rowdy yet they still banned any form of drink.
Overall The Waterfront is an excellent venue and we are lucky to have a hall that can act as a showpiece for the city and host a wide variety of events.

A night out at The Waterfront always feels like a treat, like all good theatres should. I’ve seen dancers and dance bands and rock stars and comedians and even a night of footballers (which was surprisingly good).
There isn’t a bad seat in the house, even at the interval, where you can enjoy a full bar overlooking the lights of Belfast and the river.
While the main events are obviously the shows, there are often some really good art exhibitions on the various levels which you can view at various times during the day. Be sure to check opening hours on the website first to avoid disappointment, as I went to view one and was sent (politely) on my merry way as a private event was on.
Also there is a handy multi-​story car park next door, but it is pretty small, so I’d say leave the car at home and make a night of it theatre darlings!

Great venue, I was there for a concert and it was wonderful!

I’m not completely sure how old this venue is but I think it was built sometime around the mid nineties. I remember it was one of the very first signs of major investment in Belfast and it was quite a sight.
The first time I was ever in the waterfront was for a local band I think in studio B. There is the main hall and a smaller studio for smaller productions.
The Waterfront is host to concerts, conferences, graduations and what not and it seats I think close to two and a half thousand people. They cater well for kids but parking is not its best feature… however if you are just resigned to paying you can just go to the multistory car park.

I love this spacious, airy light filled dome placed almost spiritually on the edge of the river Lagan.
The building plays host to big bands, orchestras, conferences, comedians, art exhibitions and graduations.
I had a wonderful experience recently when I graduated and had my degree presented to me on stage in the hall while the Belfast Youth Orchestra played in the background. It was a truly magical moment.
Parking is not great, you will have to find a space in the nearby multistory which can be expensive. The outside of the building is magical looking with big glass fronts and lots of marble and granite.
The views from the upstairs bar are very nice indeed and I enjoyed a few stiff ones here before the ceremony to curb my nerves.
A lovely venue and a great spot for the Belfast economy.

One of the nicer of the modern buildings gracing Belfast’s quite short skyline.
The Waterfront holds pride of place as one of the best venues for all things music and of artistic merit. It tends to draw a lot of classical performers and acoustic sets, but is also partial to a bit of sharp black comedy at times.
The last time I was here was for the fantastically satirical Dara O’Briain — one of the best live performances I’ve seen to date.
The venue has superb acoustics and is set out in such a way as to feel spacious and airy.
Certainly a place well worth going to if you see something interesting on.

This venue has been adequately covered in terms of it being a concert hall; I intend to concentrate on its history and architecture. It was built in 1997, costing £32m and was designed by ‘Robinson McIlwaine’ a local architecture company. It took fifteen years to finalise planning and about three years to complete the building work. The Waterfront is located (did you guess … on the water front) in Belfast’s Lanyon Place. If you’ve read my previous architecture reviews it will come as no surprise to you that this area was named after Sir Charles Lanyon who was responsible for many of our cities great and beautiful buildings. I only recently learnt that the roof of the Waterfront is coated in copper so eventually it will turn green and mirror that of many buildings around the city; notably the dome of the City Hall. All in all, a great venue in a great city!

The Waterfront stands proud as an iconic building overlooking the river Lagan.
The building is modern and architecturally sophisticated and is a firm favourite for music fans of all genres.
It hosts everything from concerts to comedy to art exhibitions to business conferences.
Last month it hosted some seriously cool gigs as part of the forward thinking Trans festival and there were good reviews all round.
A stunning venue right in the hub of Belfast.

The Waterfront Hall is a cracking concert hall and conference centre right on the banks of the river Lagan. I’ve been to lots of gigs here and have never been disappointed. The acoustics are fantastic and due to the unique way the seating is arranged, you would have to crawl under a seat to hinder your fantastic view. The bar facilities are also fantastic. Considering where it is, I assumed the drinks would be seriously expensive but that wasn’t the case. The floor to ceiling windows provide some of the best views of Belfast in the city.

Top notch venue, great service always and a special mention for the security g4 lads.
Marty
Gav

The Waterfront has become a pretty iconic building on the Belfast skyline, being one of the first symbols of New (or bomb-​free) Belfast, so it’s pretty special for that reason. Personally, I’m not a fan of the building itself. I once heard a comedian describe as looking like it came flat-​packed from Ikea and he was a little bit right!
As a venue, it’s ok. I don’t think the sound is particularly great for music. Having seen the Ulster Orchestra play there lots, I much prefer the sound in some of Belfast’s other venues. However, I do like to see comedians in the Waterfront. It’s exactly the right size for a comedy show — intimate without being awkward and big without being swamped (as you sometimes find when comedians play arenas or stadiums).
The smaller Studio theatre is also a good wee venue for small gigs or plays.
It’s a very well run venue too. No matter how many people are there (which can be close to 3000 if both auditoriums are full), it never feels cramped or chaotic, which is a real credit to the design of the interior and the efficiency of the staff.
Overall, not my favourite venue, but still a place I’m happy to go see lots of different performances!

The Waterfront is one of the buildings which has really helped to transform the scope of Belfast and help set a president for others to follow to help us get the cosmopolitan city feel that matches London, Cardiff or Newcastle. It sits right on the Waterfront (funnily enough) of the river Lagan and it really is beautiful down there both during the day and at night when the river is all lit up.
As for gigs here it really is great! I love the comedy nights and the venue is warm, clean and comfortable. I would recommend Taxi’s or walking though as the parking is really a spoiler for this place and multistories in Belfast cost an absolute bomb. The drinks are a little pricier but are as you’d expect as a big venue. Overall worth a visit if you see anything on that you fancy– the Waterfront doesn’t disappoint!

I have seen everything from concerts to stand-​up to Derren Brown (not quite sure how to categorize it), to even performing once (that is for a whole other evening) and it is one of the cleanest and friendliest places to watch any show. The building overlooks the Lagan (if my geography serves me correctly but when it comes to rivers and seas and things it just bamboozles me) which looks amazing at night time. The alcohol is slightly more than the usual price you would pay but it is a concert venue so don’t expect anything else. The building looks stunning both outside and inside. Trying to get to it usually means taxis so in that respect it’s a tad annoying but all in all its a fantastic venue and somewhere I would love to work as it seems like such good fun.

Having seen many shows here and having also performed on the stage here in some amateur shows, I would definitely recommend the Waterfront for a good experience. They have all sorts here, from pantos, to musicals, to psychic shows, and pop/​rock concerts (JLS were there the last time I did a show and it was bedlam!).
Belfast was proud of the Waterfront when it was first built, it seems to have been a symbol of the first spurts of ‘post-​trouble’ regeneration and development. It was like Belfast silently giving the finger to places like Liverpool and London and saying, yeah — we can do it too! For this reason, I like the Waterfront a lot — and also because its a really pleasant venue for seeing a show, concert or a play. It’s much warmer and more comfortable in the foyer and in the auditorium than, let’s say the Odyssey arena, and it’s cleaner and easier to get to also.
Couple of negatives, the drinks are kind of pricey, and the parking is a bit of a pain. If you can get parked (legally!) over beside St. George’s market, great — if not you will spend a pretty fortune in the multi storey next door… it might even be cheaper to split the cost of a taxi there and back.
Apart from that — there are always plenty of staff on hand to help out, and the seats always have good viewing in the main auditorium. I went recently to see Mika in concert (don’t judge me!) and it was a great night. The audience was well looked after and the acoustics were very good. I would have hoped for more seating in the foyer due to being in killer heels, but you can’t have everything…

I have to say that every time I have been to the Waterfront Hall it has been absolutely excellent.
The staff are so helpful in the box office and in the auditorium which is so nice.
The main auditorium is a fantastic venue to see music being played live and if you can get seats close to the stage it is great, you are so close to the performers.
An excellent venue.

I’ve been to so many events here, (including my own graduation!) and can’t find a bad thing to say about it. Apart from not having a car park, there is one next door but if it’s raining you get wet.
There isn’t a bad seat in the auditorium as it’s not massive. Toilets are plentiful so you don’t have to queue during the break and the bar staff are friendly and helpful.