The Anchor Bar

31/08/2026

WE HAVE OUR WINNERS!

What. A. Night.

An amazing crowd, an incredible atmosphere and six brilliant finalists who absolutely gave it everything on the Live at the Lighthouse stage.

Unfortunately, there could only be one winner…

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALCHEMIE!

Joe, Oscar and Daniel have been crowned the winners of our inaugural EATS & BEATS – BATTLE OF THE BANDS! 🔥

At just 15 years old, these three young musicians delivered another incredible performance, lifting the coveted GOLDEN MIC and earning themselves a very special prize…

Listen to Alchemie on Spotify…

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1roSRAtRy7yqgauwEahIGA?si=NpmHNfUiQuCGhq1r8cyYxQ

🎤 ALCHEMIE WILL OPEN EATS & BEATS FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY AT DONARD PARK!

What a way to kick off the festival and what an opportunity for three incredibly talented young musicians. We cannot wait to see them take that next step onto the Eats & Beats stage!

A massive thank you to all six of our Grand Finalists – Alchemie, Kayden Sloan, Renegade Kings, TRIST, Matthew Loughran and Lunacy. The standard throughout this competition has been phenomenal and every one of you played your part in making last night so special.

And there are a lot of people to thank for making it happen…

🎤 Our host – Matthew Grainger
🎚️ Sound – Steve Fearnley
📸 Photography – Rey Gouws

And our judging panel:

👏 Martin Manley
👏 Darcy McCarten
👏 Rey Gouws
👏 Cormac Cushnan
👏 Laoise Cruise
⭐ Special guest judge – Grammy Award-winning Ruadhri Cushnan

Most importantly, THANK YOU to everyone who came through the doors, supported the artists, cheered them on and helped create such an incredible atmosphere.

The whole idea behind Battle of the Bands was to give emerging artists a platform to perform their own music, reach new audiences and create a genuine pathway onto a major festival stage.

Last night showed exactly why that matters.

Congratulations, Alchemie. The Golden Mic is yours.

Next stop… EATS & BEATS!



Visit Mourne Gullion Strangford

31/08/2026

ANNOUNCING ROY WALKER!

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that comedy and television legend Roy Walker is coming to Live at the Lighthouse this February with his new show, Catch Yourself On!

One of the true gentlemen of comedy, Roy has enjoyed an incredible showbusiness career spanning more than five decades. From the old-school comedy clubs and sharing bills with some of the biggest names in entertainment, to becoming a household favourite as the legendary host of ITV’s Catchphrase, generations have grown up with Roy’s unmistakable wit and impeccable comic timing.

Warm, clean and effortlessly funny, Roy proves that great comedy never goes out of fashion.

Catch Yourself On! promises an intimate evening of stand-up, hilarious stories, showbusiness memories and, of course, a few nods to Catchphrase along the way.

📅 Friday 19th February 2027
📍 Live at the Lighthouse, The Anchor Bar, Newcastle
🎟️ Tickets on sale now

www.anchorbar.co.uk/events/2026/roy-walker

A rare chance to see a genuine comedy and television legend up close and personal.

Say what you see... and catch Roy while you can! 👀

BOOK NOW

30/08/2026

🏆🎤 EATS & BEATS – BATTLE OF THE BANDS GRAND FINAL 🎤🏆

TODAY’S THE DAY! 🔥

Six finalists. One Golden Mic. One coveted performance slot on the Homegrown Stage at Eats & Beats 2026.

And completing our Grand Final line-up, we meet a band who absolutely brought the energy to Heat #1…

👑 MEET RENEGADE KINGS

Hailing from Moira, Renegade Kings are a five-piece rock band with BIG songs, BIG choruses and the kind of energy built for a festival stage.

Blending contemporary and alternative rock, their original songs take on the trials, tribulations and realities of modern life, all delivered with driving guitars, infectious hooks and plenty of opportunities to sing along.

Their high-energy performance in Heat #1 earned them a deserved place in tonight’s Grand Final – and now they’re coming back to Live at the Lighthouse for one more battle!

Could Renegade Kings be crowned our inaugural champions, lift the Golden Mic and take their place on the Eats & Beats stage next weekend? 👑🏆

There’s only one way to find out…

COME JOIN US TONIGHT!

📅 SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST
🚪 Doors 5pm
⚔️ Battle commences 6pm
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY FRIENDLY
📍 The Anchor Bar, Newcastle

29/08/2026

EATS & BEATS – BATTLE OF THE BANDS GRAND FINAL

Tomorrow, six incredible finalists take over Live at the Lighthouse at The Anchor Bar, battling it out for the Golden Mic Trophy and a performance slot on the Homegrown Stage at Eats & Beats 2026!

Next up, three young musicians who made a BIG impression in Heat #2…

⚡ MEET ALCHEMIE

Hailing from Belfast, Alchemie are a three-piece rock band made up of Joe, Oscar and Daniel – all just 15 years old!

But don’t let their age fool you. These guys can seriously play.

Alchemie delivered a confident, high-energy performance in Heat #2 that earned them a well-deserved place in tomorrow’s Grand Final, showcasing musicianship, original material and a stage presence well beyond their years.

They’re already building an impressive live CV too, with performances at HMV Belfast and the Oh Yeah Music Centre, radio airplay and gigs beyond Northern Ireland.

This is exactly what Battle of the Bands is all about – giving the next generation of homegrown musicians a stage, an audience and the opportunity to take that next step.

Could Alchemie lift the Golden Mic and take their music onto the Eats & Beats stage? 🏆⚡

Come down tomorrow and get behind them!

📅 SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST
🚪 Doors 5pm
⚔️ Battle commences 6pm
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY FRIENDLY
📍 The Anchor Bar, Newcastle

29/08/2026

EATS & BEATS – BATTLE OF THE BANDS GRAND FINAL

The countdown continues! Tomorrow, six incredible finalists take over Live at the Lighthouse at The Anchor Bar, battling it out for the Golden Mic Trophy and that coveted performance slot on the Homegrown Stage at Eats & Beats 2026.

Next up, one of the youngest artists in our Grand Final…

🎤 MEET KAYDEN SLOAN

Hailing from Kilkeel, 17-year-old singer-songwriter and guitarist Kayden Sloan earned his place in the Grand Final after a fantastic performance in Heat #2.

Blending influences from rock, folk, country & western and Irish traditional music, Kayden is already developing a sound and songwriting style very much his own.

Armed with just his guitar, original songs and bags of potential, Kayden showed exactly why competitions like this matter – giving young, emerging homegrown artists the opportunity to step onto the stage, perform their own music and be heard.

Now he gets to do it all again in the Grand Final!

Could Kayden be taking the Golden Mic back to Kilkeel and earning himself a place on the Eats & Beats stage? 🏆🔥

Come down tomorrow and get behind him!

📅 SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST
🚪 Doors 5pm
⚔️ Battle commences 6pm
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY FRIENDLY
📍 The Anchor Bar, Newcastle

29/08/2026

We’re delighted to announce our next Comedy at the Lighthouse! 🎤

This November, two of Northern Ireland’s finest comedians, Lianne McCooey and Darren Matthews, take to The Lighthouse stage for another brilliant night of live stand-up.

Expect sharp observations, hilarious storytelling, quick wit and plenty of laughs in the intimate surroundings of The Lighthouse.

🎟️ Tickets on sale now:
https://www.anchorbar.co.uk/events/2026/lianne-darren

29/08/2026

🏆🎤 EATS & BEATS – BATTLE OF THE BANDS GRAND FINAL 🎤🏆

It’s almost time! Tomorrow, six incredible finalists take over Live at the Lighthouse at The Anchor Bar, all chasing the coveted Golden Mic Trophy and a performance slot on the Homegrown Stage at Eats & Beats 2026.

And our next finalists really are HOMEGROWN…

🎻 MEET TRIST

Hailing from Newcastle and Downpatrick, TRIST bring something genuinely different to the Battle of the Bands Final.

With soaring vocals, haunting violin melodies and driving guitar rhythms, the band have created a distinctive original sound that refuses to fit neatly into one box. Their performance in Heat #1 showcased exactly what they’re about – atmospheric, powerful and packed with musicianship.

Now they’re back for the Grand Final and ready to take another shot at that Eats & Beats stage!

Can TRIST lift the Golden Mic and represent County Down at Eats & Beats? 👀🏆

Come down tomorrow, get behind our homegrown artists and find out!

📅 SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST
🚪 Doors 5pm
⚔️ Battle commences 6pm
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY FRIENDLY
📍 The Anchor Bar, Newcastle

29/08/2026

HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE BOXING – LIVE TONIGHT!

The countdown is on for a huge night of boxing as Moses Itauma takes on Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF World Heavyweight Title.

Itauma is bidding to become the youngest heavyweight world champion since Mike Tyson, but standing in his way is the giant Croatian and former world title challenger Hrgovic.

Can Britain’s explosive young heavyweight make history tonight?

Catch all the action LIVE at The Anchor on our big screens.

🥊 Itauma vs Hrgovic
🏆 IBF World Heavyweight Title
📺 Live at The Anchor

Prelims from 7pm

The Anchor | Home of Live Sport

27/08/2026

EATS & BEATS – BATTLE OF THE BANDS GRAND FINAL

As our six finalists prepare to battle it out Live at the Lighthouse this Sunday, we’re delighted to introduce a very special addition to our judging panel…

MEET OUR GUEST JUDGE – RUADHRI CUSHNAN

Grammy Award-winning mix engineer, producer and A&R executive Ruadhri Cushnan has spent more than three decades working at the very highest level of the international music industry.

Beginning his career at London’s legendary Metropolis Studios, Ruadhri went on to build an extraordinary catalogue of work spanning pop, rock, indie and folk – working on records by artists including Ed Sheeran, Mumford & Sons, George Michael, Shawn Mendes, Snow Patrol, Foy Vance and many more.

His work on Mumford & Sons’ multi-platinum ‘Babel’ earned him a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, while his credits include numerous worldwide No.1 and multi-platinum records.

Now based in Dublin and also working as Record Label Manager for Rubarb Music, Ruadhri brings a wealth of recording, production, A&R and music industry experience to our Grand Final.

For our finalists, it’s not only an opportunity to compete for the Golden Mic and a slot at Eats & Beats – it’s a chance to perform their original music in front of someone who has spent his career helping shape some of the biggest records of the past three decades.

We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Ruadhri to Newcastle this Sunday!

🏆 SIX FINALISTS • ONE GOLDEN MIC • ONE EATS & BEATS SLOT

📅 SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST
🚪 Doors 5pm
⚔️ Battle commences 6pm
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY FRIENDLY
📍 The Anchor Bar, Newcastle


Rubarb Music

27/08/2026

EATS & BEATS – BATTLE OF THE BANDS GRAND FINAL

The countdown continues! This Sunday, six incredible finalists take over Live at the Lighthouse at The Anchor Bar, battling it out for the coveted Golden Mic Trophy and a performance slot on the Homegrown Stage at Eats & Beats 2026!

Next up, we meet a singer-songwriter who delivered one of the standout performances of Heat #1…

🎤 MEET MATTHEW LOUGHRAN

Matthew Loughran’s Heat #1 performance was nothing short of brilliant, showcasing a unique style and fusion of sounds that immediately caught the attention of our judges and audience.

Blending contemporary folk and acoustic pop with subtle hip-hop influences, Matthew moves effortlessly between heartfelt original songwriting and tracks built live with his loop pedal. He even put his own stamp on Eminem’s iconic ‘Lose Yourself’, demonstrating exactly why he earned his place in the Grand Final.

Original, engaging and full of personality – we can’t wait to see what Matthew brings to the stage this Sunday!

Can Matthew lift the Golden Mic and earn his place at Eats & Beats 2026?

📅 SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST
🚪 Doors 5pm
⚔️ Battle commences 6pm
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY FRIENDLY
📍 The Anchor Bar, Newcastle