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HERE’S OUR TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORK THIS WEEK
NORTH MEETS SOUTH IN NEW LEESIDE MUSICAL
A NEW show featuring original songs written and performed by one of Cork’s favourite musical sons, the inimitable John Spillane, will make its première at the Cork Opera House next Thursday night.
Age old rivalries come to the fore, as north and south edge ever closer to complete isolation. As the light fades, a northside boy and a southside girl emerge from the shadows.
Against all the odds, can their love for each other lead to the rebirth and renewal of a great city?
‘Leeside Story’ will take the audience on a rollercoaster ride through the city’s rich and vibrant cultural heritage with typical Cork humour as two tribes eye each other suspiciously across the River Lee.
Tickets for the show are available from the Cork Opera House box office on 021 427 0022 priced at €25.
‘ALL FOR ME GROG’ AT THE EVERYMAN PALACE
THE music, songs and stories of The Dubliners will be brought to life on the state of the Everyman Palace Theatre on Sunday evening by The Liberties with their wonderful ‘All For Me Grog’ show.
In replicating the original line-up of Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, Ciaran Burke and John Sheehan with the same instrumentation, songs and vocals, the band bring to the stage a show of uncanny similarity to the original Dubliners.
The ‘Black Velvet Band’, ‘McAlpines Fusiliers’, ‘ The Spanish Lady’ and the song that made The Dubliners international stars - ‘ Seven Drunken Night’s’, will have the audiences stomping their feet and singing along during this uplifting two-hour show.
Tickets from the venue on 021 427 1673 priced at €25.
ANDY DOING THE ROUNDS AT THE OLIVER PLUNKETT
Popular Cork singer/songwriter Andy Dunne will continue acclaimed his ‘Full Circle’ residency at the Oliver Plunkett Bar with a free late-night gig at the Cork City venue this coming Saturday night.
Not a man to be stereotyped in any particular genre, Dunne performs possibly the most eclectic set of covers and original tracks you will ever hear from a solo performer, with his genial wit and onstage banter adding another dimension to his live performances.
He has developed a style of guitar playing that is powerful, full and rhythmic yet when required it can also be tender and touching.
The same can be said for his vocals and seems impossible that the rough and almost angry voice that belts out ‘Psycho Killer’ could be coming from the same person who you’ve just heard pouring his heart out singing Ron Sexsmith’s ‘Gold in them hills’.
LIR QUARTET AT THE TRISKEL ARTS CENTRE
THE acclaimed Lir Quartet will deliver a lunchtime recital at the Triskel Christchurch Arts Centre on Saturday as part of the venues Spring Series of concerts.
The Lir Quartet is comprised of four of Ireland’s finest young musicians, Siun Milne ( Violin), Siobhan Doyle (violin) , Ed Creedon (viola) and Chris Ellis (cello)who are based between France, Germany and Ireland, and individually enjoy busy careers as soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral players.
All four members have previously been prize winners at the Clandeboye Festival Young Musicians’ Platform and this year were invited back to the festival to perform quartets by Ravel, Debussy and Faure.
Saturday’s repertoire will feature Britten’s String Quartet No.3 Op.94 and Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in D major Op.44 No.1.
Admission will be €16/13. SEE YOU ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - LIVE THE Pink Floyd Experience will return to the Cork Opera House on Friday week (March 15) with their new show ‘Dark Side of the Moon – Live’.
The group features the cream of Ireland’s sessions musicians who have played with top artist including Sinead O’Connor, The Commitments Donovan, Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy), Jack L and Gavin Friday to name just a few.
The two hour show emulates and recreates in full the distinctive sound of Pink Floyd’s seminal ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ album as well as selected tracks from other LP’s - from 1971’s ‘Meddle’ through to 1983’s ‘ The Final Cut’.
Accompanied by stunning visuals, this is a show that no true Pink Floyd fan will want to miss.
Tickets from the venue on 021 427 0022 priced at €25/€28.
CURTAIN SET TO COME DOWN ON ‘PRIMAL’ DRAMA
THE Cork Arts Theatre’s run of ‘Primal’, the latest play by award-winning Cork writer Ciarán Collins and author of best-selling novel ‘ The Gamal’, will draw to a close on Saturday night.
Starring Jack Walsh (The Tudors, Killinaskully, Fair City) and Tommy Harris (The Young Offenders, Rebellion), Set in the offices of academia, the story begins with a professor, a student, and a simple accusation of plagiarism.
But, as the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that there’s much more at stake — for both parties.
A brutally honest examination of male relationships and power hierarchies, exploring the potential for darkness inside everyone and how easily the veneer of civility can be wiped away when someone is pushed to their limits the tense dram builds to a stunning conclusion that will leave audiences discussing it long after the performance has ended.
Tickets €15 from www.corkartstheatre.ie.
LEGEND OF LUKE KELLY SHOW AT THE INEC
MEMORIES of the late and still much lamented Luke Kelly, one of Ireland’s cultural treasures and perhaps the greatest folk singer of the 20th century, will be rekindled during a tribute concert taking place at the INEC in Killarney on Friday night.
In his critically acclaimed ‘ The Legend of Luke Kelly’ show singer Graham Kavanagh perfectly encapsulates the sound, atmosphere and excitement of a live performance by his boyhood hero.
As well as bearing a striking resemblance to Kelly, Kavanagh also captures the raw emotion, depth and sheer passion that Kelly put into his music. Kavanagh has sang for the Kelly family and appeared on stage with The Dubliners.
Tickets from 066 667 1555 priced at €25.
CROW BLACK CHICKEN TO PLAY CHARLIE’S GIG
ONE of Ireland’s top live blues bands, Crow Black Chicken, will peel the paint off the walls of the Charlie’s Bar on Cork’s Union Quay when they play a free late night gig at the venue on Saturday night.
Formed in 2009, the power-trio of Christy O’Hanlon (vocals/guitar), Stephen McGrath (bass) and Gev Barrett (drums/backing vocals) combine elements of folk and hard rock with Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd inspired blues to produce their unique ‘ greasy blues’ rock sound.
Described as ‘ the Irish ZZ Top’, the band played even supported their heroes when they played their 2015 Live at the Marquee gig. With four studio albums and a live LP under their belt the band has earned a deserved reputation as one of best live acts on the vibrant Irish rock scene.
For more visit www.crowblackchicken.com.
‘JOE DOLAN - AS IT WAS’ AT THE GLENEAGLE
FOND memories of the late, great Joe Dolan will be rekindled on Friday. Night as the ‘Joe Dolan – As It Was’ show takes to the stage of Killarney’s Gleneagle Ballroom.
“There’s No show like a Joe show’ was the catchphrase used to described Dolan’s enigmatic live performances, with this nostalgic show recreating the electric atmosphere and sheer joy of spending an evening in his company.
Featuring Joe’s brother Ben, his children Sandra, Ray and Adrian, Karen Carroll and the original Joe Dolan Backing band, the show will have audiences members up on their feet and singing along to hits spanning the great man’s career including ‘More and More’, ‘It’s You, It’s You, It’s You’, and ‘Goodbye Venice, Goodbye’.
Tickets from www.inec.ie priced at €25.
SERVING UP PURE SKA SOUNDS AT COUGHLAN’S
CORK Ska six-piece band The Service will play a free gig on Saturday night at Coughlan’s Live on Douglas Street next Saturday night.
The band has been playing Ska, Reggae, 2-Tone and Rocksteady to appreciative audiences since 1994, packing out venues across the country with their easy sound and enigmatic stage presence.
Their two-hour set pays homage to some of the great Ska and Reggae legends covering songs by Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals, The Specials, The Beat and Madness.
The band has also been recognised by some of their heroes, playing support to The Specials, The Selecter and Bad Manners.
A live performance by The Service is guaranteed to get people’s feet stomping, head’s bopping and pulses racing.