Trans 2010 summer festival is set to be the best yet

Presented by Belfast Waterfront and the Ulster Hall, trans takes place every July in venues throughout Belfast and over the last five years has consolidated its position as one of Belfast's premier summer festivals.

Trans 2010 is proud to present two global champions of their chosen musical genres in co-festival headliners, Air and DJ Shadow. Legendary French electronic duo, Air, take centre stage at Belfast Waterfront on 8 July. Renowned for their uniquely catchy brand of electronica and widely acclaimed studio albums, Air's first ever Belfast gig is the band`s only Irish date on their current world tour. Internationally acclaimed American producer, DJ Shadow, plays the Ulster Hall on 4 July. DJ Shadow is widely credited as a key figure in developing the experimental instrumental hip-hop style associated with the London-based Mo' Wax label. His Ulster Hall gig will be his first Belfast date in over 10 years and his first live show here.

The Cathedral Quarter will come alive with international street art and music, courtesy of BASE at St Anne`s Square on 17 & 18 July with two days of live painting and live music featuring some of the finest underground street artists from across Ireland, Britain and Europe. BASE follows the success of last summer`s Eurocultured and winter BASE in the Ulster Hall in February.

Trans:mission - a unique mini-music festival within a festival - brings the cream of Belfast's resurgent music scene to the Crescent Arts Centre and Belfast Waterfront on 9 and 10 July respectively. Headliners Psycatron, Not Squares, Pocket Billiards and Kowalski share the spotlight with the pick of the up and coming Indie, rock, electronic, punk, hip hop, metal and dance acts from Belfast and beyond.

The trans 2010 Summer Games take place in the Waterfront Penthouse Bar: in Wiff Waff (6 July) competitors ping pong to the death with this ber edition of Killer Pong. Championship Gaming (20 July) is a knockout battle of classic Nintendo greats and their modern-day successors, including Mario Kart, Rock Band and Pro Evo. Music aficionados will find out how much they actually do know at the Really Hard Music Quiz on 13 July.

This year trans has joined with the Queens Film Theatre to present the WeeFT. The Ulster Hall Group Space will be transformed into a bespoke microcinema to show a series of cult classic films and new avant-garde productions with regular lunchtime and evening screenings taking place.

Trans 2010 present a series of 'must see' exhibitions in galleries and venues throughout the city. Photographic artist, John Baucher`s Through the Viewfinder at the Waterfront is a mosaic of individual photographs celebrating the diversity of Belfast's visitors and residents. Also at the Waterfront, Belfast, The Steady Generation documents a lifestyle that has endured both time and conflict. The Ulster Hall Group Space hosts Ciara Dunne's Dark Pictures: Recent Drawings while Danse Macabre by Heather Gabel and Martha Colburn explores the collaborations between art and music at the Catalyst Arts centre and at several city centre music venues.

Trans 2010 brings the best summer music gigs to landmark venues all over the city. Highlights include Grammy nominated DJ / Producer / Remixer, Sasha, who makes his long awaited Belfast dbut at the Ulster Hall on 3 July while DJ Format returns to The Spring and Airbrake (16 July) following his sell-out trans gig last year.

The Waterfront's signature trans venue, the Penthouse Bar, welcomes Gilles Peterson (24 July) - his globally renowned DJ sets are unmissable while his Radio 1 website page receives more hits than any other DJ at the station. Further Penthouse Bar highlights include British super-producer, John B (16 July) - one of electronic music`s most eclectic and unique practitioners - and worldwide phenomenon, Introducing (23 July), a band which has recreated live every sample on DJ Shadow's classic dbut album, Endroducing.

Among the trans events at Black Box are Belfast-based Reggae crew, Hydroponic Hi-Fi (16 July) and Money Back Guarantee (4 July) which does exactly what it says on the tin: musicians, comedians and puppeteers from across the city literally sing for their supper with the audience deciding which act, if any, merits the 5 entry fee.

Appearing at Stiff Kitten is two-time Grammy Award nominee and electro supremo, Felix Da Housecat (24 July) and London based DJ/producer, Caspa (3 July) who is among the most influential figures within the dubstep community.

Cashier No.9, who recently supported Snow Patrol on tour, play the Oh Yeah Music Centre on 16 July as do Sonic Boom Six (23 July) - described by Kerrang! as a hefty shot of ska-punk, hip hop, reggae and jungle. T?20 (21 July), is a special Oh Yeah event celebrating 20 years of local rock legends, Therapy?

The Lap Off, one of the most popular trans events, comes to The Managerie on 18 July: eight Lap Off musicians throw their soundcards in the ring for the ultimate battle of mouse mat mastery. Only one will emerge as Lap Off Champion 2010.

Belfast alt-pop four-piece, Escape Act, present their new album in an immersive performance at McHugh's basement bar on 18 July while Victoria Square's At the Dome showcases three of Belfast`s most promising new music acts in Amy McGarrigle & Band (7 July), Paul Pilot (14 July) and John Shelly and the Creatures (21 July).

The Waterfront`s Urban Arts Academy (5- 23 July) is where today's creative arts professionals - including musicians, designers, technicians, artists, street theatre performers, dancers, DJs and photographers - invest in the artists and performers of tomorrow through vocational music, design and technical courses. This year UAA is bigger and better than ever: as well as the week-long and some longer courses, this year Weekend Courses are also offered, giving beginners opportunities to learn new skills or explore new hobbies. All courses are available to everyone aged 15+ and are taught exclusively by today's practicing professionals - all specialists in their chosen fields.

Big Laughs at the Waterfront (Waterfront Penthouse Bar, 19 July) is another first for trans, showcasing some of Northern Ireland`s most talented rising stand-up comedy stars - watch out for a surprise special guest headliner!

Councillor Conor Maskey, Chairman of Belfast City Council`s Development Committee, said: "What started out five years ago as a pioneering solution to providing quality programming at the Waterfront during the quietest time of the arts and entertainment calendar now animates the entire city throughout the month of July. Trans engenders a terrific festival spirit, brings people together and builds a fantastic sense of community."

Colin Salt, Customer Manager, Britvic NI, said: "Club Orange is a fun and exciting brand that is delighted to link itself with this festival of similar character. It certainly will add to an already full and varied programme. As Club knows, the secret to success is about great taste and quality. Like our brand, the festival brings you that plus many `bits` more from the arts world! So ensure you keep up to date with all the `bits` of the Festival and its `juicy` news online at www.transbelfast.com."

Jennie McCullough, Chair of Trans Urban Arts commented: "We are so proud to be launching this year's trans programme, bringing not only the best of international and local music and art, but this year also incorporating film and comedy."

This is only a selection of the many and varied events taking place during trans 2010. Pick up a copy of the trans 2010 festival brochure for full details and event listings, available at Belfast Waterfront and the Ulster Hall. The trans festival brochure can also be downloaded at www.transbelfast.com

Tickets for trans 2010 events are available at www.transbelfast.com, from the Waterfront and Ulster Hall Box Offices and by calling 028 9033 4455.

There is a Credit/Debit card handling charge of 1.00 per ticket for bookings made by telephone.

A fee of 50p per booking is payable for tickets forwarded by post.

Online bookings attract a charge of just 1.50 per transaction.

Tickets for all events at Belfast Waterfront and the Ulster Hall are now also available from selected Xtra-vision stores across Northern Ireland. Full details are available from box office on 028 9033 4455 or online at www.waterfront.co.uk