Corey Kent // The Black Bandana Tour // Live Review // The Limelight // Belfast
Corey Kent was born in Bixby, Oklahoma and hit the road from the ripe old age of eleven, touring with a Western Swing group, fast forward to the 2022 post-pandemic, and Kent signed to RCA Records Nashville, releasing his major label debut Blacktop with his follow-up Black Bandana in September of 2024. Here we are at the start of 2025 and Kent & co are a long way from home, from the early days of wondering if life in country music was for him to travel the world and share his recordings with crowds far and wide, I am confident Corey now knows the answer to that question. We are back at The Limelight in Belfast, a venue that covers every genre of music under the sun. Still, more and more often it plays home to some of the finest names in modern country music and tonight is no different—three artists, one venue, and a packed out room ready to party.
In tow, we have Lori McKenna, a highly experienced Grammy award-winning country musician who has seen and done it all. McKenna has become “one of the industry’s most in-demand songwriters.”[11] She has written songs for artists including Sara Evans, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban to name but a few. So it is an absolute pleasure to have an artist of her calibre in our humble city this evening. Alongside her, we have local talent Colin Graham opening up proceedings which is always a nice touch, allowing a local artist to shine on such a stage alongside such experienced peers. We were here at The Limelight recently with the magnificent Kameron Marlowe and if tonight is anything near the quality of that night, it is going to be as the kids say “Fire”
So a lovely paced drive from the countryside where I live into the big smoke and I arrive at The Limelight, pleasantly surprised to find the gig is on at the LL1 the larger of the two venues, and rightly so with a big-ass tour bus parked outside you know there rock n’ roll royalty inside! As I arrive inside and get my photo pass I head up front as Colin Graham takes the stage, Colin gets the room warmed up with a collection of originals and the odd cover thrown in, his new single ‘The Farmer’ just released is an insight into his own roots and a passionate plea about the importance of the agricultural sector here in N.I constantly under pressure from the government in one form or another, the bedrock of any society, the hard grafting blue collar workers who keep us fuelled each and every day, the other guys the hard working musicians who fuel our passion and with songs like “Nashville On My Mind” Colin reminds us why. Colin had the crowd eating our of the palm of his hand by halfway through his set, which is no mean achievement for a local artist supporting two big Nashville artists, it’s great to see, we do love our own, “Well played big Lad!”
Photography: Mark McGrogan
A short interlude and the man of the hour himself (Corey Kent) comes into the stage to introduce his support act, that’s not something you get everyday! But it is a sign of the mutual respect he has for the fabulous Lori McKenna and the legacy and DNA she has imprinted on modern day country music. Lori takes to the stage and thanks Corey for the introduction and gets stuck right in. Making her way through a lifetime of glorious songwriting, name dropping as she does, but in reality she is merely sharing stories of exchanged with friends, a lifetime of rubbing shoulders with country royalty, As she is herself.
The audience burst into rapturous applause as each song ends, many of these tunes are personal favourites of so many in the crowd, Lori is as lovely as she could be, complementing the crowd everytime she can thanking everyone for coming up and supporting as she calls it “A housewife from Massetuchets who writes country songs for people in Nashville” as she goes to wrap up her set she says once again “A big thank you to Corey Kent for taking an old lady like me on the road with him” Lori is clearly one of the greats and why country is adored by so many, music by the people for the people.
Photography: Mark McGrogan
So with another quick change over we’re ready for the man of the hour, Corey has been to Belfast before supporting Ashley McBride but tonight he’s rocking this joint all his own. he kicks off with a slow burner in AGL and it gets the crowd in the mood right away, before he kicks the doors off with Highways, Tumbleweed and This Heart. By the end of the first four songs The Limelight is absolutely rocking, so he throws in a cover of The Beatles classic “Cone Together” and he does it more than justice.
The band rocking black boiler suits and Corey like a sharp dressed man keeping it country with his baseball cap on, sharing stories of time spent with Willie Nelson, at a mere 16 years of age asking for advice from one of the greats, and after years of trials and tribulations Corey is here, back on the road doing his thing for the people who really appreciate it. I say it everytime and I’ll say it again, one thing I absolutely love about a country gig is the musicianship, the way these bands just build up a tune takes your breath away and clearly Corey has some great guys by his side. Corey’s easy on the earl Melodie’s are being done justice by a fine band playing alongside him, it’s like listening to a soundtrack in your home, all the subtle nuances the guys toss out at will is just a joy to behold.
Kent plays a blinder of a set, packed with all his fan favourites as I can see far and wide, delerious faces light up the stage light singing along to every word, hanging on every chorus and living for the next verse. A fantastic nights music, three very talented artists, culminating in a magical nights music, I say it every time, a night of country music is just good for the soul, what a way to end your weekend and what a way to kickstart your week. Ireland represents the start of a run of UK dates now for Corey & company, do yourself a favour and pick up a ticket, you can thank me later.
Corey Kent’s Black Bandana 2025 UK & Ireland Tour Dates Include:
February
1st Dublin, IE The Academy (Green Room)
2nd Belfast, NI The Limelight 1
4th Glasgow, UK SWG3 TV Studio
7th Manchester, UK Manchester Academy 2
8th Birmingham, UK O2 Academy 2
9th Bristol, UK The Trinity Centre
11th London, UK Electric Ballroom
Get Your Tickets Here
Photography: Mark McGrogan
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