Max HeyraudWe caught up with the team behind Steelworks ahead of Four Four hosting a stage at the debut edition of Belfast’s newest one-day electronic music festival.
Arriving in a city already renowned for its thriving festival culture, Steelworks isn’t attempting to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it represents the natural evolution of a movement that has been steadily building within Belfast’s grassroots club culture for years. Founded by a group of like-minded friends and promoters, the festival is the culmination of countless DIY parties, community-led events, and a shared commitment to championing emerging local talent.
Operating within a city where stringent licensing laws have historically made it difficult to establish and sustain independent club culture, the team behind Steelworks has remained unwavering in their dedication to creating opportunities and nurturing new communities around electronic music. Their inaugural festival feels less like the crystallisation of a moment, capturing the energy, creativity, and momentum that have been coursing through Belfast’s underground and giving it a platform on a larger scale.
With a lineup that places local artists front and centre, a unique location overlooking Titanic Dock, and a vision for the future of electronic music culture in Northern Ireland, Steelworks arrives as a celebration of the present and a statement of intent for what comes next.
You can purchase final tickets here.
Congratulations on the first edition of Steelworks, it’s now less than two weeks away. How are you feeling as the big day draws closer?
You know, this is the first edition of Steelworks Festival, and the amount of work that’s gone into it from the whole team has been massive. We’re genuinely excited to finally show people what we’ve been building. Up until now, we’ve been putting on shows for 300–500 people, but this is a completely different level for us in terms of scale and ambition. It’s a huge challenge, but one we’re embracing and we can’t wait to see people experience it for the first time.
Belfast already boasts a strong and thriving festival scene. What do you think Steelworks brings to the table that sets it apart?
I completely agree. At the moment, there are only a couple of major festivals in Northern Ireland, so what we’re trying to bring is something fresh. Over the last 5 years, we’ve built communities through Powerhouse and our other event brands. We know how passionate people are for electronic music here. If you look across the UK and Ireland, most cities have 3, 4 or even 5 festivals, each with their own identity and culture. Steelworks is our contribution to that. This is year 1, but we’re already thinking about how it can grow and evolve in the years ahead.
A significant portion of the lineup, in fact, the majority of it, is made up of local artists. How important was it for you to showcase homegrown talent as part of the festival’s identity?
Showcasing local talent is huge for us. The 3 of us were DJs before we became promoters, and we know how important it is to get that first opportunity. Whether that comes from another promoter taking a chance on you or by creating your own events, those moments can completely change your trajectory. We wouldn’t be where we are today without them. That’s why creating opportunities for emerging artists has been at the heart of what we’ve been doing for the last few years. We’re excited to show people just how much talent exists across Northern Ireland, while also bringing in some amazing artists from the South.
The project feels representative of a new generation within Northern Ireland’s club culture, from the promoters behind it to the artists on the lineup. Is that a fair reading of what Steelworks aims to represent?
There’s definitely a gap and an opportunity for the 3 of us to develop our own brand, bring in artists we’ve always wanted to see in Belfast and build a community that grows together. Over the past few years, we’ve given artists some of their first opportunities and watching them progress has been incredibly rewarding. As promoters, Steelworks is a chance for us to establish ourselves as one of the most exciting festivals to watch in the UK and Ireland. That means making the right bookings, staying true to our vision and putting our own culture and identity into everything we do. That’s really important to us.
The lineup reflects a broad spectrum of emerging talent from across the North. Was championing the next wave of artists and creating opportunities for them a key objective from the outset?
Local talent development is crucial for the long-term sustainability and growth of the scene. We’ve got artists playing disco, house, garage, techno and trance sets. There’s such a broad spectrum of sounds coming through right now. We’re already looking at expanding in the future, potentially over two days, with bigger capacity and more stages. That would allow us to showcase even more artists and genres, but honestly, I’m already really proud of the lineup we’ve put together for this first year.
We were delighted to collaborate with Steelworks on hosting a stage. What made Four Four Magazine a good fit for the festival, and why was that partnership important to you?
The partnership with Four Four was hugely significant for us. They’ve done so much for underground music across both Northern Ireland and down South, and it just felt like a natural fit. They’re taking over Stage 2 and have built strong relationships with many of the artists on the lineup. For us, it was a no-brainer. It’s a partnership that benefits everyone involved and shows the importance of collaborating with people who genuinely care about the scene. We believe it’s going to make this first edition of Steelworks even more special.
For those attending the debut edition, what can they expect from the Steelworks experience, and what are you most excited for people to see when they arrive?
Honestly, I’m just buzzing for people to finally experience it. Not only have we put together a stacked lineup, but we’re also the first festival to use this incredible space. Overlooking Titanic Dock and Harland & Wolff at sunset, the setting is going to be unreal. The atmosphere around Titanic Quarter is always special, and if the sun decides to stay out for us, although we are aware we get two weeks of sun per year in Ireland, it’ll be something really memorable. We can’t wait to see new faces, familiar faces and the ever-present members of Belfast’s rave community come together on 27th June for what we believe will be an unmissable event. This is what Steelworks is all about: class music, a great crowd, and even better craic. We want this to become a fixture on Ireland’s festival calendar for years to come.
