Starting a thread for 2025 gigs as they'll likely start rolling in.
I'll arbitrarily throw in Rob Beckett playing the Olympia on the 26th September 2025 which went on sale today.
Surely there is 0-**** all money to be made in a 200 cap venue, even with the hotel connected.
it’s a way to get the hotel planning permission.
There is no Dublin equivalent capacity-wise to the Hammersmith Apollo or Brixton Academy. 3000 - 5000. You're either at the Olympia (or similar size) or you're 3 Arena.
There's so many acts that fall between those two stools - not huge but not small. Must make it difficult for touring managers and promoters.
A lot of bands want the summer outdoor shows anyhow. So those acts playing trinity, fairview, iveagh etc wouldn’t want a summer indoor show anyhow even if venue around.
Macklemore for Cork and Dublin
A lot of acts using those venues would be able to play during the winter and many of us could forego the pleasure of being soaked through in a mucky field watching bands who are lost in the likes of 3 Arena .
Plenty who prefer summer touring would do Trinity and Iveagh Gardens but they are really painful in wet summers which seems to be more frequent these days .
Fairview uses a tent at least but even that has it's drawbacks .
I think you argue this point for no good reason except to disagree with another at this stage.
Dublin really needs a mid size venue .
There is one, the RDS Simmonscourt.
An awful, soulless place.
Tbh artists don't care if it rains or not during their outdoor shows once they get their fee, plus its down to their touring plans/schedules what time of the year they play. Now the fact its so expensive for bands to tour they may only do one trip over to Europe so that could be summer where they can do a mix of headline/support/festivals depending on their size or other parts of the year.
Even though we know the 3Arena can be amend their capacity to fit smaller shows and from a money side I can see why LN dont invest in a mid sized venue. However, I would love to see one built as the atmosphere would be a lot better than a 1/2 empty curtained off 3Arena
I was talking about the punters in the rain!
I can understand why some like summer touring alright .
Yes, 3 Arena fenced off is echoey and soulless .
There will likely never be a 3000-5000 venue because Live Nation/MCD already own the big venue that can be converted to mid-size (as well as owning the Olympia, The Gaiety, The Ambassador and others). There's no incentive for them to build or support one as they'd be cannibalising their own venues. And if someone else built one, MCD simply wouldn't use it. So you can blame Live Nation for having the market by the balls in that respect.
That doesn't mean that Ireland doesn't need one as a cordened off 3Arena is just crap and soulless. It's total bollocks (and ultimately pandering to Live Nation) to suggest that Ireland doesn't need a venue of that size. Sure, you can "fit" them into the 3Arena but only someone who's a shill for Live Nation would ever claim or infer that a cordened off 3Arena is as good for fans or music as a packed out 3000-5000 venue.
It's such a shame that we'll never have one.
The indirect solution is to convince the Boxing association that they need a new larger National Stadium which can double as a 3-5k music venue.
I can't see a new music venue getting built in Dublin but I could see multi purpose sporting facilities built with gov funding.
Vue 2 weeks ago
We do need a mid sized venue like, at the moment is either Olympia or the 3, not sure about anyone else but nothing worse than going to a gig in the 3 and it's curtained off and the standing is raised forward because you know immediately it didn't sell particularly well, when it's sold out it's a class venue, but it does add to the atmosphere of the gig, saw Black Keys last year and I reckon not even half full and it was noticeable..
Nobody wants to be at a gig in a half empty venue like, it's a multipurpose venue granted but it's not exactly discrete it's very noticeable if something sells well or not, and some acts are put in there that simply will never fill it.
Just comes down the the live Nation monopoly unfortunately
from a quick look at Olympia and vicar st calendars they both have about 130 upcoming events each, only 40 or Olympia and about 30 for vicar are actual concerts. Olympia has a lot of theatre, comedy and podcasts shows which accounts for 90 plus nights, vicar has 90/100 comedy shows upcoming. truth is live music cannot even justify keeping those two venues busy, the rely on comedy to keep the lights on.
Been to loads of gigs in Simmonscourt. Definitely has "big square shed" vibes to it.
What's the Bord Gais like for gigs?
I've been to countless theatre/comedy/musical shows there but never for an out and out gig. My gut would say it really feels a bit sitty downy for a music gig. Am I right in saying the set up would be mostly acoustic sets?
People don’t like cause you can’t bring booze into auditorium. It suits the odd show. Kraftwerk 3-D show there was great. It doesn’t have a PA system suitable for live music, sound system for theatre playback so promoters have to bring in speakers which means someone’s sound isn’t perfect.
I wasn't overly impressed by Kraftwerk 3D but I saw Joan Baez there doing an acoustic set and it was wonderful - although a beer would have been nice alright.
Its very sitty downy yeah but seen a few good ones. Brian Wilson, Tony Bennett, Alison Krauss & Union Station.
Defo not a place for a boozy one. A bit stiff.
Was at Deathcab there last year or that. Suited that pretty well. Sound was good. Would have like a pint though!
Have seen Brian Wilson, Ray Lamontagne, Gary Barlow and a few others there and it's a very good seated venue. The crowd were standing up for a few of the livelier gigs (which weren't acoustic) and getting into it but for the more acoustic ones (like Ray Lamontagne) it was certainly more of a theatre atmosphere. Lack of bringing a drink in is a bit of a bummer though.
decent line up in London
I've been to a few gigs in Bord Gais.
I thought Pet Shop Boys were great because the stage design for that tour was more minimal. Mind you, no one was sitting down, we were up dancing the whole time.
Kraftwerk were also great, again a lot about the visuals. I think their music is better suited indoors, though the gig at Trinity was also very good.
Suede were less suited I thought.
I missed on Dead Can Dance years ago, but my understanding is that it was an ideal gig for the theatre.
Got Pulp pre-sale tickets. A fair old hike on their St Anne's gig, about €30 higher (€85) but they do put on a show and I think Pulp are more suited to indoors.
Speaking of Pet Shop Boys
Apparently announcing a UK & European summer tour soon
Watch another June show here, would they be big enough for Royal Hospital Kilmainham
3 arena greatest hits tour wasn’t far off sold out but would a non greatest hits tour might not be as big as a draw
Same, great gig and actually enjoyed having sitting in comfy seats
It is another greatest hits lap of honour, Dreamworld keep going strong. They've been doing it for a few years now.
they Dublin, Belfast and cork on that tour so we are probably tapped out for own show then
Being front row centre for Gillian Welch and David Rawlings in 2011 and leaning on the stage for Suede in 2018: two of my favourite gigs of all time.
