The Empire Laughs Back Comedy Club

What to Expect

The Empire Laughs Back has been running every Tuesday night since 1992, making it one of Ireland’s longest-running comedy clubs. Housed in the Belfast Empire Music Hall’s converted Victorian church building on Botanic Avenue, the night features a rotating lineup of acts from the Irish, UK and international comedy circuit. Shows are traditionally compered by Colin Murphy or Jake O’Kane, both familiar faces from the BBC television show The Blame Game, though the exact host and support acts change from week to week. Admission includes a free pint of Harp Irish Lager for the first 50 people through the door each week, a tradition the club has kept since it started. The room holds a large standing and seated crowd across the venue’s balcony and main floor, and the atmosphere is loud, informal and unmistakably Belfast.

Good to Know

• Runs every Tuesday night, year round; doors open at 7:30pm, the show starts at 9:00pm and usually wraps by around 10:45pm.

• Admission £12 on the door, £10 for students with valid ID. The first 50 people through the door each week get a free pint of Harp.

• Venue: Belfast Empire Music Hall, 42 Botanic Avenue, Belfast BT7 1JQ.

• Lineups are announced closer to each date on the club’s own website and social media; book in advance where possible, as shows regularly sell out.

• Over 18s only, as the Empire operates as a licensed bar throughout the night.

Getting There

Belfast Empire Music Hall is on Botanic Avenue in south Belfast, close to Queen’s University and a short walk from the Botanic rail halt. The venue is well served by Ulsterbus and Metro routes along the Ormeau Road and Botanic corridors, and there is metered on-street parking nearby, though spaces can be scarce on a Tuesday evening near the university.