Walking on Cars have spoken of their love for Belfast ahead of their return to the city next month.
The Irish five-piece are now just days away from releasing their highly anticipated second album Colours ahead of their tour which kicks off on May 15 and includes a date at Belfast's Waterfont.
Belfast Live caught up with vocalist Patrick Sheehy who recalled the special place Belfast holds in his heart.
He said: "I think the first time we went to Belfast we never really realised that people actually knew who we were. So we played The Limelight and when we put the tickets on sale they sold out within a week, so we were like, 'OK- something's happening up in Belfast'. Then when we got there the queue of people was right away across the street, people just loved it.
"There's just something about the Belfast people and the music we make there's just a connection there, and the crowd was just amazing. They were so appreciative and just singing along to every gig, so yeah, The Limelight gig was a standout for us.
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He continued: "The Limelight is one of those venues too where it's big enough to carry, I dunno like what 600 plus capacity but it's also really intimate, there's a little bit of a stage but there's no barrier- like you're right next to the crowd and I guess it's easier to feel the energy in the room when the people are so close, I love it there."
Reflecting on his own struggles which he details in the band's latest single Coldest Water, Patrick admitted he wondered if he would ever break free from the clutches of alcoholism.
He recalled: "Coldest Water was actually written just after the first record was released so we've kind of been sitting on it for a while but it's about a time in my own life.
"I was down in Cork, at UCC and I was drinking three or four nights a week and was kind of in a really dark place and I knew if I was going to have any kind of life I had to give up the alcohol. It took me three or four years from when I decided to give it up until I actually gave it up and Coldest Water just talks about the relapses from day one until the last time I drank.
"I put a little note online about what the track is about and one hundred percent of the comments back were positive, they were very encouraging. I think when you show a level of honesty like that people just admire it, it maybe gives people inspiration to think 'maybe I can do it' if they're struggling.
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"I know for a long time I questioned if I would ever be able to do it and it's not just alcohol, for other people it's drugs, it's social media, it's any sort of addiction that people can find themselves struggling with.
"I think once people found out what the song was about it changed the way they listened to it. I hope it helped others, I suppose that's the aim."
Patrick also revealed a certain NI musician who he thinks is a 'huge, huge talent'.
"I went through so many phases as a teenager with music, when I first started playing it was rock bands like Green Day, Nirvana,it was that kind of vibe and then in my late teens I fell in love with the Damien Rice's, Snow Patrol, David Gray, James Morrison, singer-songwriter guys. But I love Foy Vance, he's such an inspiration, such a huge, huge talent."
The band's new album Colours is due for release this coming Friday, April 12 and Patrick admitted he still gets nervous ahead of its release.
"We're bang in the middle of rehearsals at the minute and it's going good, the songs are all sounding how we want and we can't wait for the world to hear them.
"We've had a lot of fun putting it together as well and it's been a journey and we're so excited it's finally here and time to share it with everyone.
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"I'm definitely nervous, I'm confident but I'm nervous, I think because you're putting a piece of your soul, a piece of you into the world and people can take it how they want, they might love it, they might hate it, so I suppose you're putting yourself in a vulnerable place but usually when you put your heart and soul into it, people are going to like it and people are going to connect with it."
Walking on Cars will perform at Belfast's Waterfront Hall on May 21, limited tickets remain from Waterfront Hall box office or via their website.
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