Myriad Things EP Launch

Myriad Things return following their two highly successful 2022 singles, ‘Let It Come Down’ and ’10,000 Miles Away’. New EP ‘Sanctuary’ finds the band taking a giant step forward in sound and production, the result is a blistering piece of 70’s prog rock that nods to heritage but feels entirely contemporary and vital. Previous singles won the band acclaim with press and fans alike. Alongside selling out Belfast’s iconic venue The Empire, previous singles caught the sharpened ears of taste makers such as Hot Press, RTE Entertainment, Chordblossom and Rock N Load. Over the course of three tracks on ‘Sanctuary’ the band further expand their sound and consciousness, moving between to swirling psychedelia of title track ‘Sanctuary’, to the Zeppelin-esque stomp of ‘There is Nothing There’ to the expansive ‘Colours of the World. Lyrically the EP addresses themes of existential pressures and the desire to escape, drawing on Buddhist and Taoist philosophies to help try and make sense of a world that never seems to switch off.

“Think Led Zeppelin after experiencing a draining pandemic.” Hotpress Magazine

Forming in 2018 the band are made up of Jonnie Rice on guitar and vocals, Brendy Doran on bass and Jimmy McCrory on drums. Shortly after their first foray out onto the live scene, the world fell into lock down, but the band tended the flame, meeting when possible to dial amps to ten and put their instruments to the test. Once the world re-opened singles and a slew of live dates followed cementing the band as one of the most exciting voices in their genre.

“A glorious trip” Daily Mirror

The EP opens with title track and first single ‘Sanctuary’. In search of some clarity, Johnnie decamped to a cabin in the Welsh woods, in the isolation and detachment he found inspiration that led to a prolific period of writing. ‘Sanctuary’ was born of this session. The track opens with and is driven by a seemingly endless flurry of notes that come courtesy of Johnnie’s Fender Strat and delay pedal. It’s not long before Johnnie’s vocals join acting as a shamanic call amidst the frenetic instrumental. Brendy’s bass is a lead instrument in itself, moving between frantic hammer-ons and melodic passages that counter point the vocals. Jimmy’s drums are the anchor for our sonic journey, adding colour and accents to sections. Johnnie says that the time spent in the cabin and the ‘hermit at the end of his tether’ lifestyle directly informed the lyrics.

“Ones to watch” Chordblossom

Second track ‘There is Nothing There’ despite its modest openings of a simple guitar and a tingsha bell (a traditional Tibetan instrument) opens up to become a galloping behemoth. The hands of Page, Plant, Bonham and Jones are definitely felt here with a Zeppelin-esque stomp being the heart of the track. Gone is the swirling psychadelia of ‘Sanctuary’, this song is about power and drive. Guitar accents become their own hook, while the drums pummel us with a relentless kick and snare pattern, Brendy’s bass keeps everyone locked in, allowing the band to push through barriers of space and time here. The sonic sound scape created is the canvas for ideas to rise and fall. As we hurtle towards the end an incendiary guitar solo rips from the speakers while huge explosive percussive elements add even further weight to the peaking crescendo. Again, this song was written during Johnnies time spent in the Welsh countryside. Lyrically the song touches on the Taoist and Buddhist idea of emptiness and impermanence. Johnnie says, ‘Nothing is capitalised here, as a challenge to the monotheistic notion that some transcendent, supernatural entity is watching and judging or caring for that matter.’

On final track ‘Colours of the World’ Myriad Things are at their most expansive, using the studio to full effect, allowing the band to experiment with a plethora of different instruments and sounds to create a sonic journey across the 6 minute run time. Lending to the Eastern feel to the track the band used several traditional eastern instruments to create the ethereal and spacey atmosphere; utilising chimes, Tibetan singing bowls, tingsha bells and a tank drum which runs throughout the track. Closing your eyes allows the music to wash over you and run through you, as you float away across a starry canvas into whatever cosmic reality your mind chooses. Unsurprisingly with a track of this nature lyrically it delves into the endless, unanswerable questions of how we've come to be here, destiny and what divides and unites us in our sojourn through the world.

Myriad Things go far beyond any genre tropes, making it almost a disservice to refer to them as 70’s rock/prog. The influence is there and strong, but the band continue to stretch for and reach new heights both in songwriting and sound. The production here, by Neal Calderwood of Manor Park, is massive, fully capturing the gargantuan sound the band make, while still creating space for conscious to wander in. Myriad Things bring a contemporary approach to a genre, dragging it kicking and screaming into 2025, and in doing so send up a sonic flare that is sure to draw old and new fans a like to their call.

Show Info

In-Person

Venue: 12-13 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast, BT2 7DB

Access: Directly from Shaftesbury Square

Performance(s): Saturday 20th September 2025

Start Time: 8:30pm BST

Doors: 8:00p BST (Book Bar* will not be open)

Run Time: 2.5 hours.

Disabled Access: Theatre (ground floor) is fully accessible. Toilets & Book Bar (1st floor) are accessible via a wheelchair platform lift. Carer tickets available: Call 028 9032 5881

Ticket Info

£7 - WATCH IN PERSON TICKET - a standard ticket that gives you access to the live stream on the night.

£12 - DONATION TICKET - a special ticket that gives a little extra to the exceptional and hardworking artists running the workshop.