Capital Capers and Elsewhere Escapades April 25th-May 1st
It is difficult to look past The Magnetic Fields in the Olympia on Saturday as the gig of the week – so let’s not. Stephen Merritt returned to using his beloved synths on Love At The Bottom of the Sea so it will be interesting to see what kind of live show the clever clogs will bring to Ireland at the end of the week.
One record store day 2012 purchase that had me as giddy as a schoolgirl was Gretta Gunn‘s 10″ white vinyl which you can probably get your hands on when the electro angel plays Pygmalion on Thursday with former Rollerskate Skinny man Ken Griffin playing an acoustic set upstairs in Whelan’s that same night.
After all the Record Store Day madness last weekend you would forgive Tower for taking a weekend off but the excellent Glimmermen (on Friday) are the latest in a long line of instores that have taken place in the Wicklow Street store. The Dublin postrockers play a late show the following night in Cassidy’s on Westmoreland Street.
Other highlights from the capital include Popicalia #14, a superb line-up – including Katie Kim – in The Grand Social as part of a Trocaire fundraiser, Norwegian ice queen Ane Brun in Vicar Street and a certain band of bicycle enthusiasts in the Olympia (Monday).
Wednesday, April 25th
– Dry The River in Whelan’s
– Max Greenwood in Whelan’s (Upstairs)
– Duke Special and Foreign Slippers in The Workman’s Club
– Okkyung Lee, Gavin Prior and David Lacey in Twisted Pepper
Thursday, April 26th
– Gretta Gunn in Pygmalion
– Favourite Sons (Acoustic) in Whelan’s (Upstairs)
– Odessa Sessions featuring Vyvienne Long in Odessa Club
– Drunken Boat (album launch) and Bouts in The Mercantile
Friday, April 27th
– Glimmermen in Tower Records (6pm)
– Mick Flannery in the Olympia Theatre
– Ane Brun in Vicar Street
– Musicmaker Social in The Mercantile
– The Gandhis and You Kiss By The Book in Whelan’s
– The Koubas in Whelan’s (Upstairs)
– Joinery Fundraiser feat. Patrick Kelleher, Legion Of Two, Donal Dineen & Niwel Tsumbu and Gentleboy in The Joinery
Saturday, April 28th
– The Subways in The Academy
– Trocaire Live with Fred, Katie Kim, The Hot Sprockets and more in The Grand Social
– The Magnetic Fields in the Olympia Theatre
– Banquet featuring Le Galaxie in the Button Factory
– Glimmermen in Cassidy’s (Westmoreland Street)
– Russian Circles and Enemies in the Button Factory
– Popicalia 14 w/ So Cow, No Monster Club and Skelocrats in Eamonn Doran’s Tavern on the Green
– Vyvienne Long, Jerry Fish, Toot Sweet and more in Whelan’s
– Blue Rose Code in Whelan’s (Upstairs)
– Statues of Us in Whelan’s (Midnight)
Sunday, April 29th – Charlene Soraia in The Sugar Club
– John Spillane in Whelan’s (Upstairs)
Monday, April 30th
– Bombay Bicycle Club in the Olympia Theatre
– Michael Chapman & Hiss Golden Messenger and Amanda Shires in Whelan’s
Tuesday, May 1st – Will Stratton and Paleo in The Grand Social
– Alejandro Ziegler Quartet in Whelan’s
– Stacey Earle & Mark Stewart in Whelan’s (Upstairs)
Elsewhere around the country
There is no need to be situated in either of Ireland’s largest cities to get your gig kicks though; Róisín Dubh host a trio of homegrown talent on Thursday with the visit of Windings, The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock and Glimmermen to the west; Terror Pop pay one of their regular visits to Limerick with a stint in The Blind Pig on Friday; country heartbreaker Amanda Shires heads to Meath (The Venue Theatre) on Saturday ahead of her visit to the Rhythm & Roots; with Yawning Chasm – and his/their ever-growing reputation – in Róisín Dubh on Monday.
Wednesday, April 25th
Thursday, April 26th
– Windings, The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock and Glimmermen in Róisín Dubh (Galway)
– Mick Flannery in The Ruby Room, Castlebar (Mayo)
Friday, April 27th
– The Frank & Walters in Róisín Dubh (Galway)
– Russian Circles in Dolan’s (Limerick)
– RunawayGO in Dolan’s (Limerick) (Upstairs)
– Terror Pop in The Blind Pig (Limerick)
Saturday, April 28th
– The Frank & Walters in Dolan’s (Limerick)
– Mick Flannery in Crowne Plaza (Dundalk)
– Drea in The Blind Pig (Limerick)
– Amanda Shires in The Venue Theatre (Meath)
– RunawayGo in O’Keefe’s, Clonmel (Tipperary)
Sunday, April 29th
Monday, April 30th
– Milan Jay, Driftwood Manor, Yawning Chasm and more in Róisín Dubh (Galway)
Tuesday, May 1st
– Duke Special and Foreign Slippers in The Dock (Leitrim)
– Wicked Pickin’ in The Wicked Chicken (Limerick)
*Yep you’ve guessed it, I forget lots! Feel free to leave a comment below to add gigs to the guide.
