Mull It Over 041: The Cool Gift Guide
The first annual Cool Gift Guide. Featuring local artists and businesses that you can support this Christmas.
I’m not a regular gift guide, I’m a cool gift guide.
Slightly worried that this idea is placing me closer to the Substack writers and influencey type people that I generally can’t bear - as my newsletter feed was inundated from American ‘gift guides’ over their interminable Thanksgiving period, I had an idea to take the concept and make it infinitely cooler, which, after all, is the business we’re in here at Mull It Over. You get the inimitable Cool Gig Guide from me each month - so just think of it like that, but with shallow materialistic goods instead of cherished memories with friends. I’ve really nailed the Christmas spirit with this one I think.
To put my own spin on it, I’ve included below some local artists/businesses/products for your perusal. As this is a music-themed newsletter I’ve tried to keep everything in the music/arts/culture world, so you can make that hipster friend of yours very happy this Christmas.
Some housekeeping: Thanks to all of the readers and new subscribers over the past couple of weeks. A manic month for the local music scene with the Northern Ireland Music Prize and BBC Radio 6 Music coming to town. My reviews and recaps of both have been some of the most popular articles on Mull It Over to date. To be able to say that one year in, is fantastic. Thanks again. And if you haven’t caught up you can get them below.
The Cool Gift Guide - December 2024
Prints from Ciara McMullan
Northern Ireland’s roving live music photographer-extraordinaire Ciara McMullan is never in one spot for too long. Whether capturing the spirit of the local music scene, as she has been doing for well over a decade now (check out her brilliant ‘oldnimusicscenephotos’ Instagram page for a trip down memory lane) or shooting Tom Odell in arenas all over the world, she is a busy woman. Luckily for you, she has some high quality prints of her work up on her online store, featuring the likes of Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and current Northern Ireland Music Prize winners Problem Patterns. Get ‘em while they’re hot.
https://ciaramcmullan.bigcartel.com
Shop Dig With It
Head over to the Dig With It store to stock up on any of the back issues of Northern Ireland’s magazine for ‘Nordy Culture and Beyond’. A fantastic zine spearheaded by iconic industry figure Stuart Bailie, who as well as being a former Assistant Editor at NME, can count co-founding the vital Oh Yeah Centre to his name. Past cover stars include Joshua Burnside, David Holmes and SOAK. Also to be found in the Dig With It store are his last two books - Trouble Songs and Seventy-Five Revolutions. You won’t regret purchasing either, or both.
Sound Advice at Banana Block
The coolest record shop in the coolest area of the coolest city in the country, Sound Advice is the beating heart of East Belfast’s Banana Block. Run by Belfast’s own Marion Hawkes, who can be found behind the decks as part of immensely fun duo Ponyhawke or indeed behind the desk at Sound Advice, you will find the absolute cream of the crop here. Less AC/DC and more Warp Records rarities, you can also peruse the fine selection of gifts they have in store, just in time for Christmas.
A few cans of And So I Watch You From Afar
With the launch of their latest and greatest LP ‘Megafauna’ earlier this year (Read the Mull It Over review here), Northern Ireland’s band have only gone and launched their own Pale Ale. Packed with bright, fresh tropical fruit flavours is what they’re saying. Beats a Bailey’s, I would say. You can either go down to Boundary Brewing at Banana Block to grab a case or try at this link. Enjoy responsibly.
Vinyl from Starr Records
Now located inside the Oh Yeah Centre on Gordon Street in the middle of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, call in to the fabulously quaint but absolutely stacked Starr Records for a browse of the shelves. From stone cold classics to local acts, you’re bound to come away with something for your loved one, and yourself.
