Rod Stewart has returned to Ireland this weekend, delivering a concert at Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Renowned for his unique style, spectators can look forward to a notebook full of melodies from this Scottish singer-songwriter. Aged 79, Rod has been a consistent guest on the Irish Circuit, hailed as one of the greatest soloists in his peer group, with record and single sales topping 250 million globally. His latest album is a joint venture with Jools Holland, named Swing Fever.
Throughout his career, Stewart has been the recipient of several prestigious accolades within the music fraternity, including dual inductions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his solo work and his contribution to the 1970s group, The Faces. He has also penetrated the literary world, propelling his autobiography, Rod, onto the New York Times bestseller list in 2012. In 2016, Rod was conferred the title of Sir in recognition of his contributions to music and philanthropy.
For those attending the event in Kilmainham this weekend, here’s what you should know:
The concert date and venue: Rod Stewart will be performing at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 8, on Sunday, May 26th.
Ticket details: Tickets can still be purchased through Ticketmaster. Attendees have been advised to avoid buying tickets from untrusted sources, as Ticketmaster is the exclusive authorized seller. Your Ticketmaster digital tickets should be downloaded and stored in your iPhone Wallet or Google Pay before the concert day. Physical printouts or screenshots will not be accepted, and downloading at the venue could be problematic due to potentially shaky network coverage.
Show timings: The gates will be open from 5pm, accepting late entries until 9.30pm, with the concert likely to wrap up around 10.30pm.
Opening performance: The Trinity Orchestra will be stirring the crowd before Stewart’s grand appearance. They are known for their electrifying performances at Forbidden Fruit, All Together Now and Electric Picnic.
Travel recommendations are yet to be addressed.
It’s imperative to be aware that the premises doesn’t offer parking facilities and certain traffic regulations are applicable for Military Road and Kilmainham Lane. The closest available public car park is Park Rite, located at 7 Queen Street, Dublin 7. Kilmainham is predominantly a residential locality and concert attendees’ cooperation is sought to respect and consider the local residents – please refrain from parking illegally or in places meant for the local residents. Various routes are available to reach the gig using public transport:
Luas: Board the red line from The Point to Saggart or Tallaght – alternatively in the opposite direction – and alight at Heuston Station. The station is five minutes’ walk to the east gate entrance through Military Road.
Bus: Bus numbers 20, 123, and 13 stop at St James’s Hospital; numbers 79 and 79A halt at Saint John’s Road West; and the 25A at Heuston Station.
Train: Check timetables at irishrail.ie. Heuston station is a five-minute walk to the venue.
To be allowed into the concert arena, go through the east gate located on Military Road. Signs will be posted closer to the venue for guidance.
What can be expected from the performance?
Here is a probable set list based on his performance at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana, Slovenia, dated May 19th:
– Addicted to Love
– You Wear It Well
– Infatuation
– Love Train
– Forever Young
– Passion
– The First Cut Is the Deepest
– I Don’t Want to Talk About It
– Having a Party
– Maggie May
– Young Turks
– Downtown Train
– I’m So Excited
– People Get Ready
– You’re in My Heart
– Dirty Old Town
– Have I Told You Lately
– Lady Marmalade
– It Takes Two
– Some Guys Have All the Luck
Encore includes
– Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?
– Sailing
What about the security arrangements?
Minors under the age of 18 must be in the company of an adult who is at least 25 years old.
Large bags are not permitted. Smaller bags (A4 size or less) will undergo security checks upon entry, while those with no bags will have expedited entry into the arena.
You are instructed not to bring certain items into the venue, for example, glass containers, cans, alcoholic beverages, foldable chairs, garden furnishings, selfie apparatus, loud hailers, high visibility attire and flare guns. You should note additionally that the Royal Hospital does not handle cash transactions.
Regarding photography during the concert, it’s crucial to note that unauthorised professional photography or the utilisation of professional photographic/recording gear is strictly forbidden. Devices such as zoom lenses, audio-visual or film equipment will not be allowed into the venue.
Moving to weather predictions, it is anticipated that Sunday evening in Dublin will be void of precipitation, with temperatures oscillating between 13 to 16 degrees throughout the concert duration. However, given that this is an open-air occasion, it’s wise to be ready for the unstable nature of Irish weather conditions.