Greetings from Third Castle
Dublin City Centre turns up this week. Gemma Hayes is at the National Concert Hall on Tuesday, playing Night on My Side in full for the first time in years. Derren Brown opens five nights at the Gaiety. BIIRD take over Vicar Street Thursday through Saturday. Tricky is in on Tuesday night. The International Literature Festival opens Friday with Tana French and more than 200 events across the city. The Boo Radleys bring their In Spite of Everything tour to Whelan's on Sunday. And on Sunday afternoon, Ireland host Scotland at the Aviva in the first standalone Women's Six Nations match the stadium has ever hosted.
This is our pick of what's on this week. As always for a full event list check out the link at the bottom of the email.
Let's dive in 👇
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
NCH Landmarks: Gemma Hayes
Tuesday 12 May · 20:00 · National Concert Hall
From €22
Twenty-five years since Night on My Side came out and the Mercury Prize nomination followed, Gemma Hayes is performing the album in full for the first time in years. It's part of NCH's new Landmarks series, built around leading Irish artists and the records that defined them. The album's atmospheric guitars and emotional directness have held up. Tickets are running low, and with a running time of nearly two hours, it's a proper evening.
Derren Brown: Only Human
Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 May · 19:30 · Gaiety Theatre
His 11th show, and the content is still under wraps, which is exactly how Derren Brown prefers it. Five Olivier nominations and two wins, a track record of shows that genuinely surprise people who were sure they couldn't be surprised. Five nights at the Gaiety, with matinee and evening performances on Saturday. These sell out fast wherever they go.
Guinness Women's Six Nations: Ireland v Scotland
Sunday 17 May · 15:00 · Aviva Stadium
Ireland host Scotland at the Aviva in what is the first-ever standalone Women's Six Nations fixture at the ground. Round 5, Super Sunday, and Ireland need the win. For most of the history of this fixture it would have been played at a club ground in front of a few hundred. It is happening at the Aviva now, and that matters.
Tricky
Tuesday 12 May · 18:30 · Vicar Street
The Bristol trip-hop pioneer is touring with vocalist Marta Zlakowska, whose album Out the Way is out on his False Idols label. The set pulls from across his career in a new live format built for this tour. A Tuesday show that will repay the effort.
ISSUE 0.7 ft. Sheriff, D_Abdu & Mischa And The Bear
Wednesday 13 May · 20:00 · The Grand Social
The no-frills music discovery night is back with three acts: Sheriff, D_Abdu, and Mischa And The Bear. The kind of bill that has the feel of catching things before they get bigger.
BIIRD
Thursday 14 May to Saturday 16 May · 20:00 Thu / 18:30 Fri & Sat · Vicar Street
The all-female trad supergroup of 11 musicians are taking over Vicar Street for three nights. They sold out their debut Irish and UK tour before releasing a note of recorded music. This is the reason Vicar Street is the venue it is.
Swords of Light: Horslips Tribute ft. Indeceltic
Sunday 17 May · 18:30 · The Grand Social
The country's leading Horslips tribute act brings Irish-Indian duo Indeceltic as special guests. An unusual pairing that works better than it has any right to.
Organ Freeman: Weekly Jazz Sundays
Sunday 17 May · 18:00 · The Big Romance, 98 Parnell Street
Free entry
Free entry, live jazz, Sunday evening. Organ Freeman's residency at The Big Romance is one of the better-kept weekly habits in the city.
The Boo Radleys
Sunday 17 May · 20:00 · Whelan's
The In Spite of Everything tour arrives at Whelan's, named for their forthcoming ninth studio album. The 90s Britpop stalwarts are back with new material and old songs, and Whelan's is exactly the right room for this.
The Dublin Story Slam: Nine Lives
Wednesday 13 May · 20:00 · The Sugar Club
The Story Slam returns with a Nine Lives theme. Real people, real stories, no notes, five-minute limit. The standard tends to be higher than you'd expect.
Dear, Dirty Dublin
From Wednesday 13 May · Museum of Literature Ireland
A 3D exhibition exploring James Joyce's Dublin through the sights and sounds of the city he spent most of his life writing about. Worth the visit if you haven't been to MoLI yet.
Soft God: Dublin Dance Festival
Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 May · 19:30 · Abbey Theatre
World premiere of choreographer Emma Martin's new commission, co-produced with the Abbey Theatre and Dublin Dance Festival. Eight performers, 50 minutes, no interval. The piece moves through a rambling house, a creation myth, a dream sequence, a folk dance. The press release calls it "mongrel, messy, superstitious, uncouth." Premieres at the Abbey tend to land.
International Literature Festival Dublin
Friday 15 to Sunday 24 May · Merrion Square Park and venues, Dublin 2
The festival opens Friday with more than 215 events running across ten days. Tana French is on Friday night. Colm Tóibín, Jay McInerney, Elif Shafak, Tayari Jones, and Helen Oyeyemi appear later in the run. There are family events, film screenings, walks, a trad session with District Magazine, and a wellbeing programme for those inclined.
Ivo Graham: Orange Crush
Tuesday 19 May · 20:00 · Whelan's
The Orange Crush tour has been extended across the UK and Ireland on the back of a sellout run. Graham's material covers parenthood, his football team, colour-coordination, and whether Hare Krishnas are better than Hobnobs.
Beginners Pottery Making: Kids Morning
Saturday 16 May · 12:00 · This Must Be The Place
€22.42
A Saturday morning pottery class for kids. Time to roll up the sleeves and see where you’re creativity takes you!
Dublin City Half Marathon
Friday 15 May · 08:30 · Dublin City
The half marathon routes through the north side from early Friday morning. The atmosphere at the marathon events is genuinely top class so if you’re not running head down and shout abuse cheer them on 😉
For a full overview of all events on this week in Dublin City check out our event listings page
UNTIL NEXT WEEK
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