My personal 10 best Gigs

 Revisiting this old post  My 5 best gigs from 2011, let's update this.

1. P.J.Harvey  September 2023 Dublin Olympia (see here )

2. Franz Ferdinand 2012 Limerick Dolans (see here)

3. In Rainbows - Radiohead - Marlay Park (see the other concert in Malahide Castle )

4. Ham Sandwich in Dublin Olympia (2023, 20 years birthday bash )

5. Robert Plant, The Helix 2018

6. R.S.A.G at the Electric Picnic , gig in Jerry Fish tent. 

7. Tryo 

8. Girl Band in Bourkes. ( now named Gilla Band )

9. Pulp - St Ann Park (2023 ) 

10. Rodrigro and Gabriella (Dolans, Limerick)

Joyous

20 years..

Ham Sandwich in the Olympia for their 20 years together. As always joyous and festive.

The setlist :

White poly jean

Another fantastic concert, with an artist I have long to see live for some time .... P.J.Harvey in the Olympia (Dublin). Haunting and theatric from the start, with some banger tunes to finish off

Haunting

guitar

Love

Update: see the setlist here: 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/pj-harvey/2023/3olympia-theatre-dublin-ireland-4ba2434e.html 

Franz Ferdinand - Collins Barrack - August 2023

 

Franz ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand owning Collins Barrack

So I went back to see Franz Ferdinand and they were fantastic like the last time I saw them almost 10 years ago back in Limerick.

You can see photography here.

[UPDATE] Franz Ferdinand setlit on the night

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/franz-ferdinand/2023/collins-barracks-dublin-ireland-7ba5724c.html
   

 The supporting act Pillow Queen  was good 

Pillow Queen

 

Pulp - St Ann Park Dublin - 9 June

Class

Some videos from the concert ( not my recording), the start here, and the end there.

last waltz live olympia

Living nostalgia's culture to the full

last waltz live gig in the Olympia,👌🥳🙂👍

My 5 best gigs

Coming back from the point after the legend that is Robert Plant

1. Franz Ferdinand in Dolans

magical
 

2. In Rainbows - Radiohead - Marlay Park
Opening double rainbow greeting

3. Robert Plant The point 2018
incredible, giving in to the public/exchange

Plus few months later Robert Plant SavingGrace

4. Ham Sandwich in Dolans
high energy, vocal

5. Tryo -
feel good

Special mention:
- Girl Band in Bourkes, une baffe
- Swimming Pool convert in Grenoble

Thanks for the memories

Last weekend, i was walking in Pery Square and my heart sunk when i discover that door...
fully repainted in black - how suiting, with a number nailed on it. 

The place is being reconverted into offices, peering though some window i could see the demolition work in progress. Sad day, the closing and reconversion happened months ago, but being away at that time, i did not notice it happening.
This place used to be "The Wicked Chicken", an iconic place of the limerick nightlife for many of us, and also for me a place of many fond memories, where i met many of my past and current friends.
Gone is the red door...

With the sign on the left side...

The little sign ...

The graffitis in the smoking area have been painted over... 

I still remember the first time i step into the place, the atmosphere was hypnotic, the music had my heart stopping, and the crowd looks genuinely friendly and happy, it was a mix of open minded different nationalities.

At one stage the place was the required meeting point for the start of any good night out. 

 
I remember going there on sunday night and monday night for a quiet chat, the barman preparing our drinks before we even ask, and looking surprised every-time we would change from our habitual drink of choice.

I remember the first time i saw people in that place, that i now consider my friends, the 3 sisters at the end of the bar, the ever wearing cap barman, the man from castlegregory ... etc ...

Maybe I should have taken more pictures of the place, as I am searching through my files, and being annoyed not to find a photo of this or this particular feature, like the headless chicken or the pictures on the wall, some picture of friends - some deceased. 

Like this Giger painting, which funnily i also had in my student bedroom, years ago back in France.
I shall not forget the DJ in that place, which made it came alive, when on a friday or saturday night all the bodies would come pouring in the tiny place around 11, for a good old bop.

In the basement

There was also a downstairs, were some gigs were held, from punk-rock, to hip-hop new-york singer. I saw DJ Andy Smith down there, for some of the nothern soul mix i've heard in a club, along with some amazing boppers.

Sadly everything must comes to an end, people moved on, to other countries, to having babies... and slowly there was less and less people. At one stage the place closed down - in 2011 I think, I am happy i was there for the party on that day, it was impressive to see some many of the old figures coming back to say goodbye to a place of so many memories.

Article from the limerick post ... when it closed initially

And after that there was an attempt to reopen it, I spend a memorable new year day in 2012 there, with the barman pouring Jaggermaster at midnight on the customer... on a personal point of view... that night in the wicked chicken, certainly kickstarted the journey i am now embarked upon till this day.


It is all gone in a blur...

And so now number 14 on the 99 reasons to visit Limerick is gone ( http://flipittv.tumblr.com/post/22412708706/99-reasons-to-visit-limerick ).
Anyway thanks for the memories to all the DJ, the barmen, the barmaid, the owner, and all the people who made that place what it was.

The flame is not dead, other venues in Limerick have been taking over, go checkout Bourkes, The Blind Pig, Dr John ... and make your own music memories.

Ham Sandwich in Dolans - December 2012

So i was in back in Dolans for another taste of the brilliant Ham Sandwich.

They had the nice addition of 2 trumpets this time, to go along with confettis and ballons antics, and they were amazing as usual.

The crowd was enthusiastic, or as Podge McNamee put it " a bizarrely amazing crowd"

Ham Sandwich on the main stage

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Additional pictures on Shane Serrano tumblr : here

R.S.A.G in Dolans for the Freeze Sessions

I got some free ticket for the Jägermeister Freezer Session organized by Hot Press, the program was interesting least to say:

• Leading Armies
• R.S.A.G
• We cut corners
• Toby Kaar

Welcoming giant bottle of....

Another brilliant performance from this very talented man:

R.S.A.G

R.S.A.G

R.S.A.G

R.S.A.G

R.S.A.G

More on him:

• http://www.rarelyseenaboveground.com/
• http://www.myspace.com/rarelyseenaboveground

Venezuela in UCH - Limerick

So this sunday, I went to the University Concert Hall to attend a wonderful performance from the Venezuelan Percussion Ensemble

 

You can see more of there stuff here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ensamblepercuve?feature=watch

Fantastic concert, funny, live, fully entertaining and giving you terrible envy to shake your body.

The ensemble is a product of "El Systema" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Sistema ), which is a wonderful idea to promote education through Music.

The idea expressed by the founder José Antonio Abreu:
"Music has to be recognised as an agent of social development, in the highest sense because it transmits the highest values - solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion. And it has the ability to unite an entire community, and to express sublime feelings."

The concert was organised by the Irish Chamber Orchestra ( http://www.irishchamberorchestra.com/ ) which is responsible for a wonderful project as part of the regeneration project in Limerick: Sing Out With String.

Note: I recommend that post about some of the concert: http://magicbulletin.me/2012/05/sing-out-with-strings-this-wednesday/

Ham Sandwich in Dolans

After missing them at the SeaSession and apparently 3 times at the Electric Picnic ( all this year ), I manage to see the band Ham Sandwich live... in the Dolans warehouse.
Brilliant and full of energy, your man was on drunken fire to the delight of the crowd....

instagram capture

guitar + bass 

I feel loved ...

Ham Sanwich

:D

Everybody all right ?

guitar hero ?

x

balloons and confettis

xxx

xxx

xxx

Playing with balloon

You can follow them here : http://hamsandwichmusic.com/





UPDATE:

• Another photographer of the nigght, picture can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/darraghcorrigan/sets/72157631552267605/with/7993441701/
• Gig Review from Paul O'Sullivan:
  http://www.thesoundout.com/2012/09/attending-ham-sandwichs-show-in.html