Chris Jones

Writer and broadcaster

United Kingdom

Currently a full-time commercial writer with Reach - publishers of the Mirror and Live websites in the UK and Ireland.

As a freelancer, my byline has appeared in the Belfast Telegraph, Irish Times, NME, Buzzfeed, Vice, Hot Press, Totally Dublin and many more.

I have lots of broadcast experience as a music expert on BBC Radio Ulster and RTÉ 2FM, and once upon a time I was even a traffic reporter on Irish national radio.

Email - cmjones83 [at] gmail.com

Portfolio
InflytePlus
06/30/2025
Scene & Heard 01. Cape Town - InflytePlus

Cape Town-based Umgido Records represent the South African underground with their classy take on Afro-house, influenced by the likes of their countrymen Black Coffee and Siphe Tibeka and often incorporating the minimalist, jagged sound of gqom.

The Thin Air
10/17/2023
Arctic Monkeys at SSE Arena, Belfast

There's nothing like a sold-out arena gig to remind you that online discourse is only a small part of any artist's story. Viewed from behind a screen, Arctic Monkeys' headline set at Glastonbury this year appeared divisive. 'The new songs are boring', 'Alex Turner's affectations have gone too far',

Dublinlive
08/05/2022
Made in Dublin series

An archive of the Made In Dublin series that I devised and wrote for Dublin Live from 2019 to 2022. Each week I spoke to a different entrepreneur or spokesperson from an independent business, charity or organisation in the Dublin area. I covered a very wide range of subjects, including tech start-ups, fintech companies, fashion, sustainable retail, brewing and distilling, hospitality and more.

Totally Dublin
08/24/2023
Sounds Out: Stik Figa & The Expert - Ritual

"Ritual is a true meeting of minds, and so for hip-hop fans of a certain vintage, those that had lost touch with The Expert and anyone that likes to get lost in a rich sonic stew, it’s worth getting to know."

BelfastLive
05/26/2023
A season of success for Ulster rugby clubs in the Energia All-Ireland League

By any measure, 2022-23 was a season of huge success for Ulster clubs in the Energia All-Ireland League. Just 12 years since they restored their senior status after 14 years as a junior club, City of Armagh reached the elite of Irish rugby by winning league 1B and automatic promotion to 1A, where they will join Co Down side Ballynahinch.

BelfastLive
05/24/2023
The East Belfast entrepreneur who can repair your car in your driveway

We have mobile hairdressing, mobile car valeting and mobile coffee vans - so why not mobile car repairs? That's the question Dundonald man Mark Pronger asked himself just two years ago, when he founded the first Northern Ireland-based franchise of the UK car repairs company Revive!.

Irish Mirror
09/29/2022
Seven ways in which the ISI can help you tackle problem debt this winter

The cost-of-living crisis promises to put pressure on almost all of us this autumn and winter, even if we have never had cause to worry about our finances before. Energy bills are spiralling, food costs aren't far behind, and rising interest rates are a cause of dread for anyone on a variable rate mortgage, or whose fixed rate deal is about to expire.

BelfastLive
09/02/2022
The Open University's Martin Upton on surviving the cost-of-living crisis

Personal finance expert Martin Upton says that the current cost-of-living crisis is the worst he's seen in at least 40 years, when high interest rates and soaring unemployment were causing strife across the UK. However, he has some useful advice for the huge number of people in Northern Ireland that are likely to need it.

Irish Mirror
11/14/2022
13 signs that you may be struggling with problem debt

We're pretty much all feeling the pinch with the current cost-of-living crisis, and the skyrocketing prices of everything from home heating and electricity to food and fuel. There is a difference, though, between finding it harder than usual to make ends meet, and drowning in a sea of problem debt.

DublinLive
05/17/2022
Made In Dublin: Why the personal touch is key for QuickQuotes.ie

The north Dublin insurance brokerage QuickQuotes.ie is currently going through a period of change and expansion, testament to the growth of the company over the last number of years, as well as the esteem in which they hold customers and staff.

BelfastLive
03/26/2023
Newly-opened Newtownards fitness studio will have you working up a Sweat!

The recently opened Sweat! Fitness in Newtownards is the work of local woman Victoria Gill, who is drawing on her experience in the world of professional dance to offer something new in Northern Ireland. Victoria trained at some of the most prestigious dance colleges in London and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance, before launching into a successful career in teaching and events management.

BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
05/27/2015
Dr Alan Duffy: Why this Ballyclare boffin has stars in his eyes

In March this year, Ballyclare-raised astronomer Dr Alan Duffy found himself in Parliament House in Canberra, describing his work on dark matter and the origins of the universe to Australian prime minister Tony Abbott and lobbying for more government support and funding for science.

BelfastLive
08/31/2022
How TikTok helped Town Square become one of Belfast's most talked-about bars

Over the last couple of years, Town Square has made a name for itself as one of Belfast's most talked-about bars. Located on a prominent corner site on Botanic Avenue, it's become the go-to spot in the area for both locals and tourists in search of pints, cocktails and a tasty bite to eat - all served up with a generous helping of craic.

Belfast Telegraph
02/19/2016
Annie Nightingale: 'BBC Radio 1 bosses said openly there were to be no women DJs'

It says something about the fiercely independent spirit of radio presenter Annie Nightingale, who visits Belfast in March to speak and DJ at the Oh Yeah Music Centre, that when you ask her about her favourite people and memories of Belfast, she ignores the biggest names - Van Morrison, Snow Patrol, even local punk bands like Stiff Little Fingers, whom she knew and interviewed in the late Seventies - and instead focuses on the heroes of acid house, the dance music revolution that came along...

BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
25/07/2014
Boyzone: 'When we're together, Stephen Gately is still very much alive'

"People come quite early to our shows and have their blankets on the ground with their picnics and their bottles of wine and their cheese boards," says Shane Lynch of the open air shows the band often play now. "As the evening falls and we get on stage everybody gets up and starts bouncing around.

BelfastLive
10/19/2022
Meet the West Belfast family who are starring in an Irish language reality show

A family from west Belfast is among the colourful characters featured in the new series of the Irish language reality show Turas Bóthair on TG4. Now in its fifth series, the show allows us to eavesdrop on the in-car conversations of a set of charismatic drivers and their passengers from around Ireland, with moments of joy and sadness, comedy and tragedy, love and loss, friendship and romance.

AA Blog
01/04/2019
Fuel efficient driving - 10 top tips - AA Blog

There are lots of things you can do as a driver to reduce your fuel consumption - and lighten the load on your wallet! Accelerate gently The harder you accelerate, the more fuel you use. Use your right foot lightly to move off and get up to speed, and you'll make savings.

AA Blog
10/18/2018
What are my rights when my flight goes wrong? - AA Blog

As an airline passenger, you are covered by EU law if your flight is cancelled or delayed, or if you are not permitted to board the plane after you've checked in. You may be entitled to re-routing, refunds and, in some cases, compensation.

BelfastLive
03/23/2023
John Digweed on Belfast and the 'magic' of working with DJ partner Sasha

Dance music royalty returns to Belfast on April 8, as progressive house stalwarts Sasha and John Digweed team up for a special back-to-back set at the Telegraph Building. The UK duo have been at the top of their games since the 90s, the era of superstar DJs which in 1994 saw Sasha featured on the cover of the dance magazine Mixmag above the words, "Son of God?".

BelfastLive
08/25/2022
Barbecue safely this weekend, with star couple Jordan Humphries and Ben Arnold

It's been one long barbecue season this summer, as we've all taken to the great outdoors to bask in the rays and enjoy some delicious food with friends. But nothing is more likely to ruin a barbecue bash than someone getting food poisoning - especially when it's so easily avoided with some good food hygiene and the use of a handy and inexpensive meat thermometer.

BelfastLive
02/13/2023
Sky Glass and the new Sky shop in Belfast city centre: what you need to know

There's a new kid on the block in Belfast city centre, as Sky has opened a brand new shop - Sky Belfast - on Castle Lane, near Victoria Square. While Sky's new and existing Belfast customers may be used to dropping into their other outlets in Forestside and the Kennedy Centre, this is the company's first high street store in Northern Ireland - and their 14th in the UK.

BelfastLive
03/09/2023
Enjoy a cracking Easter weekend in Scotland with family or friends

For many of us, Easter is an ideal time for a first trip away of the year. Spring has sprung, the kids are off school and all that chocolate can help the journey fly by. Whether you're a family in search of a wholesome holiday, a couple looking for a romantic weekend away or a group of firm friends, Scotland could be the answer.

Thump
01/26/2016
How Dublin Became a Hotspot for Hard Hitting Techno

Irish lads Sunil Sharpe and DeFeKT are killing it right now. Whether individually or in their fearsomely intense collaborative project Tinfoil (whose third EP has just been released), the Dublin-based DJ-producers are at the forefront of a booming Irish techno scene that also features leading lights like Lakker, Kenny Hanlon, TR-One and Automatic Tasty -all of whom will be joining them on the bill at Bloc Weekend in March.

Rte
06/01/2016
Kieran Behan: The Power Within - Electric Ireland

For Kieran Behan, the fact that he is able to look forward to his second Olympic Games is little short of miraculous. Born in London to a father from Dublin and a mother from Monaghan, the gymnast who has partnered with Team Ireland sponsor, Electric Ireland is an athlete who will carry the nation's hopes in Rio.

AA Blog
11/20/2018
A very New York Christmas! - AA Blog

From Miracle on 34th Street to Home Alone 2: Lost In New York and Elf, there's always been something iconic about Christmas in New York. The city's sheer scale, glitz and glamour make for an unforgettable short break at the best of times - but when Christmas is around the corner, it's just magical.

AA Blog
12/19/2018
Electric Vehicles - should I buy one? - AA Blog

While hybrid vehicles - which have both a battery and a petrol or diesel engine - have been with us for a number of years, fully electric vehicles are still in their relative infancy.

Rte
06/01/2016
Fiona Doyle: The Power Within - Electric Ireland

In 2004, a 12-year-old Fiona Doyle was watching the Athens Games at home in Limerick when she made a decision - one day, she was going to be an Olympic swimmer for Team Ireland. It's taken 12 years, two near misses, a move halfway across the world and a lot of sacrifices but this summer in Rio, she will finally realise her dream.

Daily Mirror Ireland
05/15/2015
Villagers interview (1/2)

Conor O'Brien's Irish tour next week comes at a particularly poignant time, the shows arranged immediately before and after the Marriage Equality referendum, at the end of a long and at times gruelling campaign...

The Irish Times
08/01/2017
Mount Kimbie: Love What Survives - London Duo have fun in the studio

Once the archetypal post-dubstep outfit, Mount Kimbie have long since moved on, and they continue to plough a singular furrow on their third full-length album. Like its predecessor, Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, the London duo twist their arsenal of synths, bass and drums into colourful, inventive shapes.

The Irish Times
06/02/2016
Xeno & Oaklander: Topiary album review

Album: Topiary Artist: Xeno & Oaklander Label: Ghostly Internationa Genre: Electronic Minimal synth duo Xeno & Oaklander have been casting their moody spell for a decade, but their fourth album continues their very gradual journey from darkness to light.

Belfast Telegraph
05/27/2016
The Chemical Brothers' Tom Rowlands: 'Belfast's got a good musical appreciation so it's exciting...

Even from the sofa, The Chemical Brothers' set at last summer's Glastonbury Festival was a scintillating experience. More than 20 years into their career, the Manchester-forged dance duo can choose from a formidable arsenal of hits - Hey Boy, Hey Girl, Galvanize and Block Rockin' Beats to name just three - while their psychedelic visual and light show is utterly peerless.

Culture Northern Ireland
04/13/2016
Two Door Cinema Club review

There's no sign of new songs, but under the tongue-in-cheek guise of a tribute act the Bangor boys make a long-awaited reconnection with their roots...

Thump
03/24/2016
'Dumb Flesh' and Dancing, a Conversation With Blanck Mass

A couple of days after the final night of his debut, three-week North American tour Benjamin John Power, aka Blanck Mass, is in upbeat mood. Hopping in and out of an Uber as we speak on the phone, he's in LA and enjoying some downtime with his mate The Haxan Cloak, who lives there...

Irish Post
05/02/2016
17 old photos of Belfast...

In a little over a year, the Old Belfast Photographs page on Facebook has become a viral hit, racking up over 25,000 followers from all over Ireland, America, Australia, Europe, and Russia...

Irish Times
02/26/2016
Santigold - 99¢

Over the past eight years, Santi White has pulled off the admirable trick of becoming very popular indeed (350,000 Facebook followers, thank you very much) while staying under the radar of the mainstream. Good singles, no real hits...

Irish Times
11/06/2015
Floating Points: Elaenia

Sam Shepherd is best known for immaculately produced, oceans-deep house music, DJ sets that run the gamut from soul, disco and Latin rarities to slamming house tracks and - most recently - his close relationship with both Four Tet and Caribou...

Irish Times
12/10/2015
jennylee - right on!

Jenny Lee Lindberg has long been the best-known member of Warpaint - she's the subject of adoring 'fuckyeahjennyleelindberg' Tumblr pages and idolised by indie boys such as Birmingham band Swim Deep, who once sang, "I wanna pretend Jenny Lee Lindberg is my girlfriend".

Sunday Life
10/25/2015
Michael Palin interview

At 72, Michael Palin shows little sign of slowing down, even if in recent years he has begun to look backwards as well as forwards...

Irish Post
12/05/2015
Le Galaxie interview (1/2)

It's an age-old conundrum: the Irish acts that are household names or cult favourites at home, packing out the big venues and rubbing shoulders with global stars at the festivals – but when they cross the Irish Sea, it's a different story altogether...

Irish Times
10/16/2015
Deerhunter: Fading Frontier

Bradford Cox & co made the first misstep of a heretofore stellar career with 2013's Monomania, a claustrophobic garage rock romp that rather missed the point of Deerhunter: with this band the dreamier, the better...

Culture NI
10/27/2015
Requiem For A Scene

Following the end of Radar, former AU Magazine editor Chris Jones raises a final toast to a golden age for local music...

Belfast Telegraph
11/07/2014
Therapy frontman Andy Cairns on the highs and lows of the band's time at the top

Twenty-five years ago, three disillusioned, disaffected young men from Ballyclare and Larne formed a band and started a ripple that before long would become a tidal wave. For a time during the mid-1990s, Therapy? were feted as the next Nirvana, rubbing shoulders with Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers at festivals and in TV studios all over the world as their album Troublegum gatecrashed the top five of the UK album charts.

Belfast Telegraph
09/18/2015
Clown under: Comedian Jimeoin on making it big in Australia

A household name on both sides of the world, Jimeoin's career has been more circuitous than most. The comedian (49), born James Eoin Stephen Paul McKeown, lives with wife Catherine and their four children in Melbourne, Australia, but we catch him on one of his regular trips home to see his family in Portstewart.

Belfast Telegraph
07/03/2015
Bastille turned into a bunch of screaming fangirls

From scratching a living to headlining summer festivals, Belfast-bound rockers Bastille still can't quite believe how far they've come in such a short time, they tell Chris Jones.

Irish Times
09/04/2015
The Libertines: Anthems for Doomed Youth

So here we are. Eleven years after their last album, The Libertines return with 12 songs recorded in Thailand following Pete Doherty's latest period of rehab....

The Irish Times
06/04/2015
FFS: FFS | Album Review

You would think that calling a song from your own collaborative album Collaborations Don't Work provides ample opportunity for looking foolish, but for FFS their chutzpah is justified. The name stands for Franz Ferdinand and Sparks, and the combination results in a largely successful third way between two bands at different stages of their careers.

Irish Times
05/12/2015
Diagrams: Chromatics

Diagrams is an apt name for an artist who creates such pristine, precise pop music. Sam Genders used to be a member of Tunng, and while some of their psychedelic, bucolic folk sound permeates his second album as Diagrams, it has more in common with Super Furry Animals, whose influence is daubed all over Chromatics...

Irish Times
05/12/2015
Pearson Sound: Pearson Sound

As far back as 2008, David Kennedy (as Ramadanman) was a leading light in the second wave of dubstep as it mutated towards house and techno...

Irish Times
05/12/2015
The Knife: Shaken Up Versions

The Knife's final album, Shaking the Habitual, felt like an important artistic statement, but it wasn't always a great deal of fun to wade through its full 90-minute length...

Irish Times
05/12/2015
Blanck Mass: Dumb Flesh

Fans of Fuck Buttons, rejoice - we now have two acts for the price of one. The second album by Blanck Mass (aka Benjamin Power of FB) largely supplants the hazy synth wash of its predecessor with a supercharged sound that has much in common with his main band...

The Irish Times
07/03/2015
Grimm Grimm: Hazy Eyes Maybe | Album review

Koichi Yamanoha used to be the frontman of Japanese psych-punks Screaming Tea Party. He's turned down the volume, but the psychedelic strangeness remains.

Gigantic Club blog
04/16/2015
Deep Cuts: R.E.M.

R.E.M. have never been my absolute favourite band, but for almost as long as I can remember they have just been there, a constant in my life...

Belfast Telegraph
05/12/2015
Q&A: And So I Watch You From Afar

Rock band, And So I Watch You From Afar (Rory Friers, guitar, Johnny Adger, bass, Niall Kennedy, guitar, Chris Wee, drums), recently released their fourth album...

Belfast Telegraph
08/07/2015
Kelly's heroes: Stereophonics bassist Richard Jones

Richard Jones sounds sleepy. It's well into the afternoon when I phone the Stereophonics bassist, but his voice barely rises above a deliciously accented whisper throughout much of our half-hour chat. However, when he talks about the band's imminent return to Belfast to headline Belsonic for the second time, a mischievous grin is audible down the line.

Belfast Telegraph
07/10/2015
Editors: 'It doesn't feel like the same band anymore'

You may not think that rock stars and early mornings go well together, but after more than a decade in the business and with two small children to contend with, Editors drummer Ed Lay is unfazed by a 9am phone call.

Belfast Telegraph
06/27/2015
Dr Alan Duffy: Why this Ballyclare boffin has stars in his eyes

In March this year, Ballyclare-raised astronomer Dr Alan Duffy found himself in Parliament House in Canberra, describing his work on dark matter and the origins of the universe to Australian prime minister Tony Abbott and lobbying for more government support and funding for science.

Belfast Telegraph
05/26/2015
Victory lap for O'Brien as his journey has a happy ending

These are emotional times for Conor O'Brien. Fresh from releasing his most personal album yet, dealing with love, loss and homophobia, and having spent the last few months as an avid campaigner for marriage equality, the Dublin songwriter has laid himself bare.

Belfast Telegraph
05/08/2015
Malojian: 'Mention of the Troubles puts off radio producers'

The Malojian story so far is one of slow-burning success. The Lurgan singer-songwriter, real name Stevie Scullion, first came to the attention of local music fans with his band Cat Malojian before taking the second part of the name and breaking out on his own with debut album The Deer's Cry in 2012.

Popular Magazine
03/01/2015
Soak: this is our youth

At just 18 years old, Irish singer-songwriter SOAK already has the kind of career that music veterans dream of...