Strength NIA - Ulster is Dance Master

Strength NIA are an unorthodox pop band from Derry in the North of Ireland. Led by singer Rory Moore they describe their music as 'Werewolf Pop'.

“'Werewolf Pop', I think it’s a pretty good term actually." -STEVE LAMACQ BBC6 Music-

They use thick bass lines, organ and beats to accompany the lyrical narratives of Moore's voice. Strength NIA are heavily influenced by the disco grooves of Boney M; Charles Bukowski's poetry written on topics such as the social, cultural, and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles; and arguably the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, The Doors.
The resulting music nods to the past in a familiar way, but has a personality that is immediate, fierce and now.

"I really like the sound of Strength NIA, reminds me of The Stranglers." - Gideon Coe BBC6 Music -

Strength NIA's songs have featured on Steve Lamacq and Gideon Coe at BBC6 music.
The band has also been featured by Vice/NOISEY, Hot Press, The Thin Air, The Belfast Telegraph and The Irish Mirror.
They have received air time on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Foyle, BBC Radio Ulster ,RTE 2FM, An Taobh Tuathail, and Absolute Radio with Frank Skinner.
Their song 'Northern Ireland Yes is currently being used in the award-winning contemporary dance show, 'Hope Hunt', by choreographer Oona Doherty.

They released their second album, Ulster Is Dance Master, on Bandcamp on May 14th 2021 and saw a successful pre-order campaign for the album on vinyl. Ulster Is Dance Master is an album of songs set in and around Rory Moore’s childhood in Derry city.
The album title was an honour bestowed upon Rory's younger brother for winning the under 9s disco dancing championships in Ireland in the 90s.
"These, with others, are a cycle of songs celebrating, in passionate or in pensive mood, the unspoken communal history of the arts and parts he [Rory Moore] comes from. Original, startling, sui generis. Impossible to locate in any musical genre or measure on an ideological scale." - Eamonn McCann, Hotpress

Following the release of Ulster Is Dance Master they have been featured on The Stephen McCauley Show on BBC Radio Ulster for his Shutdown Session.
“A band who, in a sea of facsimile, are a true original. Driven by songwriter Rory Moore and limited to largely old and almost obsolete musical machinery the songs are anchored locally but presented with an otherness which hints at something more universal.” - Stephen McCauley BBC Radio Ulster -
Their song Margaret has also been added to the BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle playlist 'Where Music Matters' for the month of June.

Throughout the lockdown, faced with a disconnect between themselves and their audience, Strength NIA took to the road and live streamed a series of intimate shows from their car. The 'Car Sessions' saw Rory in the front seat, Brendan and his bass in the back. With over a thousand view on each of the car session videos it truly made an impact in the community around Derry. Rory tells Stephen McCauley, “At one point we passed Kevin Magee (Derry based journalist) and he was actually watching the live stream from his phone as we drove past him in the car!”

“1956 Olympics" is a mad song. Totally awesome !”
- VICE / NOISEY-

"The Genuine article "
- HOT PRESS-