In line with the annual, "Gigs for…" threads, where people post reviews and have general discussion about shows they see throughout the year, I'm starting this off, as we don't have one yet.
What is the story with GH showing up at gigs. Like who actually wants to hear ruin a few songs alongside the main act. He shows up random gigs and kills the vibe.
Was at the concert. Standing, near the front. Though it was really special. I think she was in great form and the crowd was great, no chatting and little phones appearing. It was the "smaller" version of the 3Arena which I think really added to the intimacy. Good mixture of ages. GH did appear for the final song to strum a backing guitar and sing backing chorus. Why and meh spring to mind. But not a deal breaker.
+1 on this. It felt like an experience, a sermon, therapy… I don't know. Just hugely cathartic and moving. Simply incredible.
Great pics!
I'd forgotten to check mine, I took one 🤣
Thought she was great, also standing but towards the back, I don't know what the animus towards GH is, he did a bit of playing on one song and that was it. Apart from that, god bless that womans voice and energy, the first half was ferociously good.
An innovative and powerful performance.
For Those I Love - 06 Oct 2025 - Olympia
As the poster above has put it, powerful. I've seen David Balfe perform before, so I knew this was going to be intense. I was curious to see how the new album would be received, with some searing social commentary on the likes of No Scheme and it didn't disappoint, in particular I found "Of the sorrows" the most impactful - "I have to leave, I can't leave" as a kind of modern day Beckett - "I can't go on, I'll go on".
I think David Balfe is a unique artist in Ireland right now - raging against a system that is failing a lot of people but also a chronicler of untold stories. I found the Brendan/Aaron section very moving.
Visually stunning, and deeply moving when he shows the images and videos of his friend - I think this is as personal as art can get.
The music may not be for everyone, and outside of a certain circle I'm not sure how visible he is, but I honestly think he is a really important Irish act. Gig of the year for me.
Never heard of him before. On my playlist now now, very good. Thanks all.
Same, loved it. Glen didn't spoil or add anything really.
Patti sometimes brings people on for People Have the Power. Saw Michael Stipe come on at a Patti gig before.
He is absolutely brill, didnt see this but yeah great performer.
why do a walkout?
yeah funny enough I remember with the Frames, there used to be some incredible shows in Vicar St back in the day but he seems to have turned into a bit of a caricature now. The Irish bard. When he starts singing the Aul Triangle, as he so often does, it is just cringe……
he is not popular in some online spaces but I don’t know if there is any real reason behind that. I won’t repeat what the girl said as she was leaving. The crowd did seem to thin a little as the encore started, which is the opposite of what you’d expect to happen.
cause a good few people are rightfully disgusted at GH for dating a teenager when he was in his mid 30’s
The introduction to the song Kimberly about her being 12 and having to mind her baby sister when she wanted to see the barn burn that was hit by lighting was funny and moving.
It was so quiet when she spoke ... you could hear the air conditioning machines. No one talking and people being very discreet with phones. Was lovely.
Patti is a force of nature, some power and energy for a 78 year old woman !!!
I wouldnt be a huge fan by any means but i was really blown away last night. The stripped down set (no back drop, no lighting system etc) it was a real 70s throw back, perfect for the 50th anniversary. As expected GLORIA and Land were the stand outs. I think they should have swapped 'people have the power' and finished with 'because the night'. I was hoping for pi$$ factory but hey :D
Shes a deserved legend in her own right, cool as fcuk!
Some people leave early at most gigs to beat the rush, get a taxi, bus etc. The rickshaws are handy though. Bit of craic too.
Special shout out to Lenny Kayes guitar playing during Birdland. Unbelievable tekkers.
if you are leaving early to avoid the traffic etc you would not wait until Patti came back out for the encore and then walk out
Patti Smith - a solid gig last night and it might have been the only time 3 Arena just felt like a big barn (I mean that as a compliment).
I also must add that her son, who was having the technical issues, looked like a guy who would get someone fired by the end of the night.
I gave it a miss because I didn't think she could top the Vicar Street show. Glad she was great.
What a lovely concert .
She played for nearly 2 hours notwithstanding a slight delay with the amp blowout later on which she handled with ease and charm and had the crowd's full support
She is some lady for 78 , singing and dancing and performing like someone 25 years younger.
The band were brilliant from the wonderful Lenny Kayes and Jay Dee Daugherty, two original.members , along with 30 year band member keyboardist/ bassist/ additional vocal, Tony Shanahan, and her son, Jackson Smith on guitar in place where her late husband Fred "Sonic" Smith played . Everything including Patti was monochrome and stripped back and very simple .
Patti's range as good as ever from deep snarly sounds to soft soulful tones.
My favourites were Land/Gloria Because The Night , Elegie , Peaceable Kingdom and the best for me Dancing Barefoot .
I loved the stories between some of the songs explaining how and why they were written , you felt like she was in her living room , talking and playing to you .
There was an interruption at one stage after was it Beds are Burning ? with a Pro Palestinian chant for a couple of minutes which Patti accepted with grace and her comments throughout were quietly delivered with the audience literally hanging on every word . An absolute pleasure ❤️
My only quibble and it was with the 3 Arena not Patti , was the awful breeze blowing in at our backs in the mid back seating. Many of us had to keep coats and hoods up to stay warm . I don't know what or why this was happening extremely uncomfortable.
+1 to all the earlier For Those I love comments. That felt like a special gig to be at.
the Brendan/Aaron song was powerful - has that been released anywhere?
Deacon Blue in the 3Arena last night.
Saw The Bluetones in Whelans tonight. It's been quite a while since I've been at a gig in Whelans (possibly 2014) having practically lived there for much of the naughties. So it was nostalgia on 2 fronts, the venue and the band.
I really wasn't sure what to expect from this. I'd never seen them live before and mostly familiar with their first 3 albums, last of those came out in 2000.
I don't think it sold out, but it was busy.
I really enjoyed the gig. They played a good mixture of old and new material. They've a new album coming out, but the new songs blended really well with the older stuff. The energy was brilliant and Mark Morriss is a great front man, and funny too! His voice is still the same as 30 years ago.
They included a lot of the expected songs, such as Slight Return, Bluetonic, Marblehead Johnson, and to finish they played If..., which to me anyway, is their standout song, and they didn't dissapoint.
Great gig.
I bypassed Whelan’s when I was heading to the Bello Bar for a night of folk music - desperation leads to desperate things.
Headliners Goblin Band are traditionalists, as in let’s collect English folk songs from 500 years ago and bring them to a modern audience. I saw and heard an English Bagpipe for the first time. They were very good and the audience loved them. Can’t say I get folk music humour but they were laughing their home-knitted socks off. The supports - Milkweed and Spitzer Space Telescope.
Not as interesting as my night of folk drone a few years ago but a good night of music all the same. Hopefully a bit of bone shaking is back on the cards tonight. I will let you know. 😉
GILLA BAND - Bank Lane ,Waterford
Nice addition to music venue for South East. Id say 300 ish capacity. Sound quality has been excellent 3 times ive been there.
First time seeing Gilla Band. Straight off the bat the loud distorted noise rock set the tone and remained engaged with it for the night. The heavier stuff boarded on the industrial at times - in a good way. The disorted( effect) on the vocal became a bit monotonous as the night went on and kinda lost me by the end. Fine energetic front man but just thought it need a bit of changing up for the gig not to blur into a sameness.
Fully agreed was an excellant gig and Mark is great craic. I did feel sorry for Richard Ashcroft though haha. Cracking night!
Haha yeah, the whole Richard Ashcroft comparison was hilarious.
Jack L in the Olympia last night. An excellent show with a great band and nice variety in tempo throughout the gig.
He still has the voice and stage prescence 😎
Thank goodness for Bedhead, supporting at Workman’s, they shook my bones. Great attitude.
Declan O'Rourke & Steve Wickham - "Since Kyabram" in Vicar St. pretty special.
