It’s a busy week in the capital for gigs with a host of top international and Irish acts hitting the stage. We took a look at the week ahead and picked our highlights for the coming week featuring four Plec Picks acts Ailbhe Reddy, Pillow Queens, Laoise and Fontaines D.C. Other highlights include Matt Maltese and Pip Blom.
Monday 19th
Florence Welch and her machine return to Ireland with latest album High As Hope for a sold-out show in 3Arena, Dublin.
Paris Monster make their Irish live debut in The Workman’s Club, Dublin. Tickets €15.00
Tuesday 20th
Matt Maltese’s debut album ‘Bad Contestant’ was one of the musical highlights of 2018. The Londoner will bring his vibrant, colourful and witty self-proclaimed Brexit pop to The Workman’s Club for what’s likely to be one of the best gigs this side of Christmas. Tickets €13.00. Check out or recent interview with Matt Maltese.
Wednesday 21st
Shame return to Ireland for their biggest headline show to date in the Tivoli Theatre. The group’s debut album has just been crowned ‘Record of the Year 2018 by Rough Trade. Read our interview will frontman Charlie Steen here. The sold-out show features support from two of Ireland’s most promising acts Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital.
Barq will bring their agro-soul sytlings of new single I’m Blaming You to The Button Factory on Wednesday for their biggest headline show to date. Support from Haiku and Chief Keegan. Tickets €10.00.
Thursday 22nd
Hitting Dublin’s Academy this Thursday on the comeback trail are Liverpool’s The Coral for what will no doubt be a nostalgia filled evening of Brit pop classics. Tickets €25.00
Friday 23rd
PictureHouse return for a celebration of their biggest release, 1998’s ‘Karmarama’ in The Academy. This show marks the return Duncan Maitland, who wrote many of the group’s biggest hits including Sunburst and Heavenly Day. Tickets €32.00
Ailbhe Reddy returns to Ireland for a headline show in Whelan’s. The London-based Dubliner has been making waves in the UK thanks to songs like Fingertips. We tipped Reddy for big things in 2018 in our Plec Picks series and she hasn’t disappointed. Expect big things from Reddy in 2019 as she has been hard at work with top music industry folk in London throughout the year. Tickets €16.35. Support from Basciville.
Saturday 24th
Another Plec Picks act playing Dublin this week is Laoise. The Galway singer-songwriter is fast becoming one of the most accomplished pop acts Ireland has to offer and will bring her brand of contemporary electro pop to The Grand Social this Saturday. Tickets €12.50
Pillow Queens have had an astounding 2018 opening for top international acts and wowing the festival circuit with their brand of girl power. Rubberbandits christened their new single and video Gay Girls one of the best Irish songs of the year. Pillow Queens play Whelan’s this Saturday. Tickets €16.00
Sunday 25th
Unknown Mortal Orchestra return to Ireland, having delivered one of the standout performances at Forbidden Fruit 2018 for a show in The Academy. The Portland, Oregon trio have just released their second album of 2018 ‘IC-O1 Hanoi’ which follows the hugely successful ‘Food & Sex’. Tickets €25.00
Boy George and Culture Club released ‘Life’ their first new album in over twenty years last month featuring the single Let Somebody Love You. The ’80s legends play 3Arena with support from The Thompson Twins Teddy Bailey. Tickets €49.00
Last but not least, Dutch indie quartet Pip Blom will bring their new EP ‘Paycheck’ to Whelan’s support comes from Irish act Shrug Life. Tickets €14.00