2025 Irish Gigs (Confirmed & Rumoured Events)

Like Counting Crows in reverse (theatres and clubs in the UK, 3Arena in Dublin), Catfish and the Bottlemen are playing massive outdoor venues in the UK (Heaton Park, Principality Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium), and they're in a tent here. Is there that much of a difference in their fanbase across the water, or are those UK venues just ludicrously ambitious? If they are that scale in the UK, surely people would kill to see them in Fairview.

Almost every section is still in blue (indicating availability) and the stage is set quite deep into the pitch area.

Well what do I know - looks to be sold out.

Doesn't mean they're not taking the piss.

Oh, I forgot about that! Not good…

These kind of bands are the heirs to the Picture This throne, but admittedly have a more authentic vibe.

Yep plus all their managerial/drug/record issues. Supposedly they have an album done that's in label limbo and the shows cancelled last year were never even acknowledged

If Van McCann feels bothered to show up. If people think Sam Fender is bad for the no-shows, he is another level worse.

They have a good UK following, but the recent hiatus/breakup/no-show years have left that crowd dwindling. They got a great crowd at Benicassim a few years back.

aikenpromotions posting stuff about Ed Sheeran new stuff on their story, could mean a tour announcement soon with an Irish date

Oh Boland and Soft on Crime both on the bill for the Tubs tonight. That's a bit of a bonus, I must say. I know Oh Boland around for a good while now but I've seen neither before. Anyone who has? On way now so I'll certainly give both a look.

Belfast show at Boucher fields

I've seen Oh Boland 5/6 times, local crew (Tuam & Galway). Niall Murphy is a fine guitarist and frontman but the band have gone through several changes. He ditched his hometown pals and former bandmates and moved to Dublin circa 2019 and I've only seen them once since. Feedback please, and I hope they still rock out as much as they used to. Noisy sods, had a fan in Steve Lamacq who gave them a bit of airplay. Once again UK radio doing more for an Irish act than local stations.

Rumours of Kneecap being one of two local supports for the Fontaines Belfast announcement tomorrow morning. I’m inclined to bet against it considering they just sold out the SSE themselves hence would probably do their own Belsonic gig instead but Belfast Vital do tend to go big with the support acts at those gigs (CMAT for Sam Fender, Kasabian for Liam G, Johnny Marr for The Killers).

What do we reckon lads?

Depending on the gig the Belsonic capacity for some has been well over 20k the last few years. Vital is close to if not just over 40k.

I'd say Fontaines wouldn't have been far off selling out had they been at Belsonic, Vital will be a push for them, but with it being the last big outdoor gig of the summer up here you could well get a lot of people going along as event junkies as much as anything else and making an evening of it.

Seen them a few times in support slots and found them enjoyable enough. Pavement, Undertones, Buzzcocks is what i remember. Sounds like they're still in that wheelhouse. Just remembered i also saw Soft On Crime supporting someone in the Grand Social not too long ago. I wasn't so keen on them tbh.