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nightlife · Friday 14 August 2026 · 6:00pm 
Ben Hemsley at Custom House Square Belfast
At Custom House Square · Custom House Square, Belfast, Co. Antrim
At Custom House Square · Custom House Square, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Ben Hemsley sold nearly 30,000 tickets across nine venues in 2023, launched an Ibiza residency, and has had releases on Ministry of Sound and Calvin Harris’s Trick imprint. His 14 August show at Custom House Square is one of the headline electronic nights in the 2026 CHSq summer series, and follows a sold-out Belfast show at the Telegraph Building earlier in the year. Denis Sulta and Belfast-linked artist Locklead open, making this a strong card for anyone who leans toward house, techno, or anything close to either.
Hemsley builds sets around euphoric melodies and old-school rave influence - 90s dance nostalgia is baked into his sound without feeling retro for its own sake. His breakthrough came in 2021 with tracks including “Through 2 You,” and he has since become one of the more in-demand live DJs on the UK circuit.
Custom House Square is transformed into an outdoor arena each August for the CHSq series. The 2026 programme runs from 8 August to 1 September and includes Tom Jones, Faithless, Wolf Alice, and IDLES across other nights - it is a broad booking policy, and the electronic nights sit comfortably within it. The square itself is framed by the facade of Belfast’s 19th-century Custom House, which makes for an unusual backdrop for a high-energy dance show. Expect a strong production setup - lights, sound, and crowd are all scaled for a big outdoor event.
Denis Sulta opens - the Scottish DJ and NTS Radio associate whose sets tend to blur between techno, house, and the more experimental edges of club music. Locklead plays alongside him. Doors are at 6:00pm; the headline set will come later in the evening.
Age restriction is 17+. Tickets from GBP 35 via Ticketmaster.
Custom House Square sits in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, a short walk from the city centre. If you are coming by train, Great Victoria Street and Lanyon Place (Central Station) are both walkable, roughly 10 to 15 minutes on foot. Translink Metro buses serve the city centre from most directions; the Cathedral Quarter is well connected on Friday evenings. Taxis and ride apps run throughout the night.
Parking is available in a number of multi-storey car parks near the city centre, including Q-Park at Donegall Square and the Cathedral Quarter car park on Gordon Street. Bear in mind that parking can fill quickly on a summer Friday evening - public transport or a taxi is usually the simpler option.
The Cathedral Quarter around Custom House Square has a good run of bars and restaurants for a pre-show meal or post-show drink. St. Anne’s Cathedral and the MAC arts centre are both a few minutes’ walk. There is more to see in Belfast and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Custom House Square in Belfast? Antrim has plenty more to see. Read the Belfast area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.