Highlight of the Week
Tommy Tiernan
Running until Saturday, 30th March at a variety of venues and showtimes, tickets from €28 at ticketmaster.ie
Numerous Irish comedic figures venture on national tours to try out new material, but not many have the popularity of Tommy Tiernan. In the past five years, he has proficiently transitioned into an erudite and inquisitive interviewer role through his RTÉ talk show, and also shown his comedic versatility through his part in Derry Girls. Performing before a live audience brings out his mischievous, amusing side, so his tour of intimate spaces, described as “rough around the edges, incomplete and totally unpredictable”, is widely awaited. The tour kicks off at Spirit Store in Dundalk, Co Louth on Thursday, 14th March and comes to a close at Abbey Tavern, Howth, Co Dublin on Saturday, 30th March. If you managed to get your hands on a ticket, congratulations.
Live Concerts
The Sultans of Ping
Saturday, 9th March, Vicar Street, Dublin, 6:30 pm, tickets from €33.50 at ticketmaster.ie
No one predicted the vocalist behind the lyrics “Eat natural foods, bathe twice daily, fill your nostrils up with gravy” would venture into scholarly pursuits, but Niall O’Flaherty – the spontaneous lead singer of The Sultans of Ping, is full of surprises. O’Flaherty is momentarily leaving his role as a history of European political thought tutor at King’s College London to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their inaugural album, Casual Sex in the Cineplex, with his sporadic crew. Their performance will surely stir up some excitement, as it’s the band’s first gig in Dublin since 2016.
Jason Derulo
Thursday, 14th March, 3Arena, Dublin, 6:30pm, tickets from €61.65 at ticketmaster.ie
With an estimated wealth exceeding $100 million, Jason Derulo has the liberty to not concern himself with album sales, performance tours, or streaming statistics. However, with the release of his newest album – Nu King, his first in nearly a decade boasting an impressive 27 songs – comes a subsequent global tour. Anticipate polished dance routines (courtesy of Derulo’s background in ballet, jazz and tap) and generic but crowd-pleasing pop and R&B.
The heavy metal band Judas Priest will be performing their new album, Invincible Shield, at Dublin’s 3Arena at 6:30 pm on Friday, March 15th. This legendary group, born and bred in Birmingham, has been active in various capacities since 1969. Throughout its turbulent history, which includes moments of controversy, the band has remained profoundly influential. Their long-lasting success culminated in their 2022 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Saxon and Uriah Heep, both storied British metal acts, will be special guests for the evening. Tickets can be purchased from ticketmaster.ie for €69.75.
Meanwhile, at the Civic Theatre in Tallaght, Dublin, Roddy Doyle’s short story The Five Lamps is adapted into a stage play. The narrative, a part of his 2021 collection Life without Children, depicts a father’s sporadic search for his long-lost son. Doyle’s characteristic blend of humour and empathy is on full display, with actor Eoin O’Sullivan playing the lead. This adaptation, staged Tuesday through Thursday, March 12th-14th, from the directing prowess of Joe O’Byrne, can also be seen on March 22nd and 23rd at the Liberty Hall Theatre, Dublin. Tickets available at civictheatre.ie.
From a different artistic perspective, the theatrical dance performance Palimpsest will be on from Wednesday, March 13th to Saturday, March 23rd at the Complex, Dublin. Led by David Bolger, the artistic director of CoisCéim, the show combines dancers, singers and artists who interpret significant events in Irish history. This vibrant spectacle is one of the culminating events of the Decade of Centenaries commemorations, and a noted feature of this year’s culturally eclectic St Patrick’s Festival’s One City programme. See thecomplex.ie for ticket details and showtimes.
For a dose of humour, catch Frank Skinner’s stand-up comedy show at Vicar Street, Dublin at 7 pm on Wednesday, March 13th. Skinner, an established comedian, is renowned for his humorous reflections on everyday life. Grab a ticket for €35 at ticketmaster.ie.
Frank Skinner, renowned for his comedic genius since securing the Perrier award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1991, possesses an intellectual flair as well, penning books on prayer and poetry and hosting his own poetry podcast. His stand-up tour, “30 Years of Dirt,” which debuted in Edinburgh the prior year, is said to be sprinkled with sharp witticisms, intelligent humour and flawless comic timings. You can catch him when he includes Dublin in his tour.
Shifting to the realm of cinema, the Cork French Film Festival has a slate of Irish premieres in line for its closing weekend. Among them are “Ride Above”, a gripping family drama by Christian Duguay symbolising the aspiration of a young woman to be a jockey, starring Mélanie Laurent, Pio Marmai and Danny Huston; “Mars Express”, a nuanced sci-fi animation by Jérémie Périn; and César-nominated duo of “D’Artagnan and Milady”, directed by Martin Bourboulon, featuring Vincent Cassel and Eva Green. For exhaustive details, visit the festival’s online platform.
In the world of visual arts, Samuel Laurence Cunnane’s “Late Spring” is ongoing at the Kerlin Gallery, Dublin until April 6th. The itinerant photographer’s exploration of Europe through his lens render raw and unadorned photographs of both rural and urban landscapes, imbuing them with a unique charm. The exhibit also displays intimate snapshots of solitary individuals, captured in their most nonchalant moments.
Meanwhile, the Disrupt Disability Arts Festival continues its run at the Project Arts Centre, Dublin until March 11th. The festival attempts to establish a connection between the Irish disability community and the wider public by offering diverse artistic disciplines, from visual arts and dance to theatre, literature-based and hybrid events.
Among the other performances lined up are the Watch What Crappens Podcast at Dublin’s Liberty Hall Theatre on May 25th, and Pearl Jam’s concert at Marlay Park, Dublin on June 22nd. Tickets can be booked via Ticketmaster.
Rob Beckett is set to perform at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin on September 26th, tickets can be found on ticketmaster.ie. Additionally, Lizzie McAlpine is scheduled for a performance at the 3Arena in Dublin, with the show slated for Halloween, October 31st, and tickets available through ticketmaster.ie.