Greetings from Third Castle
Dublin City Centre rarely gets three anniversary tours in a single week. Paul Simon opens with Seven Psalms at the 3Arena on Wednesday. Ray LaMontagne plays Trouble in full at the Olympia and Rodrigo y Gabriela bring a 20th anniversary of their debut album to the National Stadium on Monday. Doja Cat opens the week at the 3Arena on Tuesday. The Festival of Voice takes over the NCH from Friday. And the Luke Kelly Festival is free in Smithfield Square all weekend.
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
Paul Simon: A Quiet Celebration
Wednesday 20 May · 18:30 · 3Arena
Seven Psalms opens the show: the Grammy-nominated 2023 album that Simon recorded in a series of 45-minute improvised home sessions, performed here as a continuous acoustic suite with his 11-piece band. After the interval, the set opens to a selection of back catalogue rarely touched in decades of touring. That combination of newer, private-feeling material alongside the songs that have been following people around their whole lives promises to make this a great night!
Ray LaMontagne: Trouble 20th Anniversary Tour
Wednesday 20 May & Thursday 21 May · 19:00 · 3Olympia Theatre
Both nights are sold out. LaMontagne is performing Trouble in its entirety for the first time since the album came out in 2004: the set of songs that introduced him with "Trouble", "Shelter", and "Jolene" and established a sound he has been refining ever since. A remastered vinyl edition is out alongside the tour. Resale platforms are the best option at this point, but worth the effort.
Rodrigo y Gabriela: 20th Anniversary Tour
Monday 25 May · 20:00 · National Stadium
The self-titled debut album turned twenty this year, and the duo who made it in Dublin after years busking on Grafton Street are closing out their Irish dates at the National Stadium. They're playing it in full. The National Stadium is properly scaled for acoustic guitar work at this level, and this is a rarer occasion than it might look: two people, two guitars, a room full of people who know every track.
Doja Cat: Tour Ma Vie World Tour
Tuesday 19 May · 18:30 · 3Arena
Tour Ma Vie supports Vie, Doja Cat's fifth studio album released last September. This is a full production show early in a very long run that ends at Madison Square Garden in December. Dublin gets the European leg before it becomes a global phenomenon.
Music for Two Guitars: Paul Gregory and Simon Taylor
Tuesday 19 May · 19:30 · National Concert Hall
A classical guitar recital at the NCH. Two players, no amplification, nowhere to hide. If everything else this week feels like a lot, this is the quieter entry point to a very noisy seven days.
Dove Ellis
Tuesday 19 May · 20:30 · The Workmans Club
Limited detail on this one from the event listing — the Workmans Club page should have more.
Festival of Voice
Friday 22 May onwards · National Concert Hall
Across the weekend: Grammy-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre, Saint Sister, Clarissa Connelly, Hatis Noit, Rachael Lavelle, and a performance of Jóhann Jóhannsson's Drone Mass.
Favourite Worst Nightmare: The Ultimate Tribute to Arctic Monkeys
Friday 22 May · 19:00 · The Green Room
Arctic Monkeys tribute at The Green Room on Friday evening. The event listing doesn't add much beyond the billing — check the venue for full details.
Paul Van Dyk
Friday 22 May · 23:00 · Index Dublin
One of the architects of trance music, still doing it. Head to the Academy for a trip down memory lane
Luke Kelly Festival
Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 May · Smithfield Square
The Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Festival returns to Smithfield Square for its fourth year, free all weekend. Saturday brings Gemma Dunleavy and a lazarus soul; Sunday has Muireann Bradley, the young blues guitarist drawing serious international attention, and The Dubliners Encore to close. Film screenings at the nearby Lighthouse Cinema both evenings. The arts and crafts tent and the sports area make this feel like a proper community weekend, not just a gig.
The Magic of the Beatles
Sunday 24 May · The Helix, Glasnevin
Beatles tribute at the Helix on Sunday. The event listing shows no time — check the Helix website before heading out.
Waitress
Tuesday 19 May to Sunday 24 May · Various times · Bord Gais Energy Theatre
Sara Bareilles' musical runs all week at Bord Gais. The story follows a small-town waitress looking for a way out, set to an original score that holds up on repeated listening. Multiple performance times across the week; matinee and evening options available.
Shock Therapy
Thursday 21 May · 20:00 · Smock Alley Theatre, Main Space
Laylah Beattie's one-person show examines the impact of mental health treatment on queer identity through her own story. Smock Alley's Main Space is one of the better rooms in the city for this kind of close, personal work.
Pôt-pot
Thursday 21 May · 20:00 · The Workmans Club
Food and drinks event at the Workmans Club on Thursday evening. Thin description from the source — check the Workmans Club event page for the full picture.
What's So Special About Dragons?
Friday 22 May · 10:00 · The Ark, Temple Bar
Dance workshop for children aged 2 to 4, exploring the world of dragons through movement. The Ark is one of the best venues in the city for early years programming, and this is exactly the kind of thing it does well.
Peppa Pig's Big Family Show!
Saturday 23 May · 10:00 · 3Olympia Theatre
Peppa, George, and the whole family live on stage at the 3Olympia. If you have a toddler who watches Peppa, you already know whether this is necessary.
My Recycled Paper Garden: Family Art Workshop
Sunday 24 May · Collins Barracks
Hands-on family workshop at Collins Barracks using torn and recycled paper to create colourful gardens, inspired by William Morris' Flora tapestry in the museum's collection. Worth booking in advance.
Mindful Drawing
Tuesday 19 May · 18:45 · Segotia, Dublin
Five-week habit-building course using drawing as a creative alternative to meditation, starting this Tuesday at Segotia. Note: this is a course, not a single evening. Check the Segotia page for what booking a place involves.
Summer Calligraphy Workshop
Thursday 21 May · 18:00 · National Museum of Ireland: Archaeology
An evening calligraphy workshop at the National Museum of Archaeology, framed as a creative alternative to meditation. Unusual setting for a workshop, in the best way.
Bookbinding with Caroline Byrne
Sunday 24 May · 14:00 · National Print Museum
Hands-on bookbinding workshop using the Buttonhole stitch technique, led by Caroline Byrne. The National Print Museum at Beggars Bush Barracks is worth the trip on its own.
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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