Highlight of the Week
Mitski
Set for Saturday, the 4th of May, at 3Arena in Dublin, starting at 7pm, Mitski’s show is completely booked out (ticketmaster.ie), with tickets going for €54.85. Mitski is growing in popularity due to her daring approach and commercial savvy, epitomising the steady success of those who prefer consistently advancing their craft. This seated performance at 3Arena signifies her successful rise in Ireland as the culmination of a series of concerts gaining in size. This evolution is a testament to her natural innovation and sophisticated branding as an artist. The most recent album from the American songwriter, “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” (2023), demonstrates her expanding artistry in various styles, from desolate country to folk, Americana and pop-rock. Early spectators from shows in venues like the Workman’s Club (2016), Cyprus Avenue (2017) and Vicar Street (2022) may boast of predicting Mitski’s eventual stardom. Joining the concert as a special guest is British singer Richard Dawson.
Upcoming Gigs
Jane Weaver
Jane Weaver is set to perform on Thursday, May 9th, at Whelan’s in Dublin at 8pm, tickets cost €24 (whelanslive.com); and Friday, May 10th, at Róisín Dubh in Galway, 8pm, tickets go for €25/€23 (roisindubh.net). Despite modest commercial recognition over her twenty years within the Manchester music circle, Weaver’s music is on par with the finest intermix of folk, pop and psych. The concert will primarily feature her recent well-acclaimed album, ‘Love in Constant Spectacle’. Other shows include Saturday, May 11th, at Dolans in Limerick (dolans.ie), and Sunday, May 12th at the Ulster Sports Club, in Belfast (ulstersportsclub.com).
Roamer
A Thursday night gig at Billy Byrnes in Kilkenny, the 9th of May at 8.30pm, tickets are €15 (eventbrite.ie); and on Friday, the 10th of May, Roamer will be performing at the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork from 8pm, tickets priced at €20/€18 (triskelartscentre.ie).
Irish jazz musicians don’t often embark on nationwide jaunts. However, Roamer – frontwoman Lauren Kinsella, sax player Matthew Halpin, guitarist Simon Jermyn, and percussionist Matthew Jacobson – break the mould with their brief tour of intimate venues in the east, south, and west. Most of their performances will feature tracks from their 2022 album, “Lost Bees.” They are also scheduled to play at the Model, Sligo, on Saturday, May 11th, and at the Courthouse Arts Centre in Tinahely, Co Wicklow, on Sunday, May 12th.
Bruce Springsteen and his E-Street Band
On Thursday, May 9th, the audience at Boucher Road, Belfast, should prepare for a 5 pm show, with tickets available on ticketmaster.ie for £120. After postponing dates for the remainder of 2023 due to Springsteen’s peptic ulcer treatment in September, he and his extraordinary band made a comeback with U.S performances in March and April. Echoing his U.S approach, Springsteen is also visiting places in Europe he has not frequented in years, including specific venues in Ireland. The concerts will thrill fans with a 30-song set featuring music from Springsteen’s prime (1973-1984), along with tracks from “The Rising,” “Wrecking Ball,” and “Letter to You.” It’s an exhilarating best-of show, including what Springsteen calls “themes of mortality and life.” Additional shows are lined up for Sunday, May 12th, at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny; Thursday, May 16th, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork; and Sunday, May 19th, at Croke Park, Dublin.
Visual Art
“The Dancing Grass” by Gerry Davis
The exhibit is open until Sunday, June 9th, from Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm at the Lord Mayor’s Pavilion, Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork.
Gerry Davis, a renowned Co Tipperary artist who won the Hennessy Portrait Prize in 2016 at the National Gallery of Ireland, is showcasing his experiments with AI-generated imagery in a solo exhibition. He attempts to question the authenticity of what is or isn’t considered genuine. Davis considers this exhibition as the conclusion of his current phase of work.
Riot Symphony, a classical performance, is set to premiere on Friday, May 10th at Ulster Hall, Belfast. It features the works of Conor Mitchell, intertwining texts from the 1940s anti-Nazi student activist Sophie Scholl and vocals sampled from Russia’s anti-government group Pussy Riot. The performance seeks to explore how art, protest and dialogue can positively impact society. The Belfast Ensemble and Ulster Orchestra will be collaborating with rising opera stars Rebecca Murphy and Michael Bell. Gabriel Beseşelea will be conducting while Gavin Peden will handle the video installation design.
On the comedy scene, a collection of top-tier Irish comedians will be performing on Monday, May 6th at Vicar Street, Dublin. The comedy event titled “Irish Comics for Palestine” aims to raise funds for Médecins sans Frontières’ Gaza Emergency Regional Fund, a noteworthy cause. The comedic line-up includes Ardal O’Hanlon, Deirdre O’Kane, Dylan Moran, David McSavage, Emma Doran, Chris Kent, Anne Gildea and Barry Murphy as the MC.
Also scheduled for comedy is the Bureau de Change Song Contest 2024 on Friday, May 10th at Vicar Street, Dublin. In this Eurovision parody, Irish comedians including Michael Fry, Justine Stafford, Kevin McGahern, Alison Spittle, Sean Burke, Ali Fox, Shane Daniel Byrne, and Tony Cantwell will participate. Each will select a country from the Eurovision Song Contest and create a song instantly. Lastly, “The Last Pearl” is still ongoing.
Blue Raincoat Theatre presents a drama with a dominant storyline featuring the fight for survival of a mother and daughter post a devastating storm. This influential visual production has been loosely based on concepts from James Lovelock, the late British environmentalist and futurist. The cast includes Aisling Mannion, Áine Ní Leoghaire, and Sandra O’Malley, under the direction of Niall Henry. The play will be held at the Dublin Project Arts Centre at 7.30pm, on Saturday, May 11th. Tickets are priced at €18/€16 and can be purchased from projectartscentre.ie.
Mark these dates in your diary. Don’t miss out on the Dalkey Book Festival in Dalkey, Dublin from June 13th to 16th. Visit dalkeybookfestival.org for further details. Save the dates of July 9th to 14th for the Galway Film Fleadh, information can be found at galwayfilmfleadh.com. Another must-visit event is the Kilkenny Arts Festival, happening from August 8th to 18th (kilkennyarts.ie). For music lovers, Fontaines DC will perform live on the 6th and 7th of December at 3Arena, Dublin. Grab your tickets from ticketmaster.ie.