Event of the week
David Byrne
Friday, March 13th, 3Arena, Dublin, 6.30pm, €61.85 (sold out), ticketmaster.ie
The former frontman of Talking Heads has long since consolidated his position as one of the smartest performers in contemporary music – and since his 2018 album, American Utopia, and accompanying tour, he has also led the charge when it comes to show-stopping concerts. Nodding to the theatrical, incremental build-up of not only the American Utopia shows but also his former band’s groundbreaking Stop Making Sense tour of 1984, Byrne blends meticulously arranged choreography with solo material (from his latest album, Who Is the Sky?) and a bumper crop of Talking Heads songs (including Psycho Killer, Burning Down the House, Heaven, Life During Wartime and Houses in Motion). There is no support, but with such a set list, we can’t see anyone complaining. Also, Sunday, June 7th, St Anne’s Park, Dublin, 5pm, €107.45/€97.10.
Gigs
Rave Against Racism
Monday, March 9th, Grand Social, Dublin, 10pm, €10, ra.co/events
Come together to stand against the rise in racism and far-right activity in Dublin with a night of community and dancing, featuring up-and-coming DJs Rory Sweeney, K1llnov4, Jonahbabb, Lunaks, Talinho, Callum O’Néill, Raro, Hunteryx. Tickets are at a very friendly price and all proceeds go towards United Against Racism and The Movement Of Asylum Seekers Ireland.
MGK
Thursday, March 12th, 3Arena, Dublin, 6.30pm, €90.80/€75.25/€63.95, ticketmaster.ie
The artist formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly has, in the past five years, tumbled from hip-hop to pop rock/punk, and in doing so has become one of the most successful artists on streaming platforms. Named after his latest album, MGK’s Lost Americana tour concludes its European leg with this show, which will feature all aspects of MGK’s creative persona, from his early rap albums (General Admission, from 2015, and Bloom, from 2017) to his pop/punk phase (including Tickets to My Downfall, from 2020, and Mainstream Sellout, from 2022). Special guest is the US singer-songwriter Julia Wolf.
Kojaque
Thursday, March 12th, and Friday, March 13th, Workman’s Club, Dublin, 8pm, €28 (sold out), ticketmaster.ie
“I’ve missed you, let’s get intimate,” Kojaque, aka Kevin Smith, posted on Instagram over four weeks ago. As soon as tickets went on sale for these small-venue gigs, chosen so the Dublin rapper and songwriter “can show you what I’ve been working on”, they were snapped up within minutes. While the shows are listed as being part of Kojaque’s What’s the Mystery? mini tour, little is known about the shape and style of the new material. What we can shrewdly guess, however, is that each gig will have work-in-progress surprises disguised as pop/hip-hop bangers.
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Literature
Dublin Book Festival Celebrates International Women’s Day
Sunday, March 8th, Powerscourt Estate, Co Wicklow, 10.30am-1.15pm, €28.85, dublinbookfestival.com
An offsite event as part of this year’s Dublin Book Festival’s Spring Series (the festival itself runs from November 4th to 8th), several writers participate in discussions and interviews on topics such as community, wellbeing, reflection and life stories. Authors include Rosanna Cooney, Oona Frawley, Clare McKenna, Julia Kelly and Edel Coffey. Following the author events, there will be a walking tour at 2pm.
Stage
The Talented Mr Ripley
From Tuesday, March 10th, until Saturday, March 14th, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, 7.30pm, €57.95/€52.30/€46.70/€35.45, ticketmaster.ie
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 psychological thriller, this play arrives as part of a Britain and Ireland tour that runs until May. As with the 1999 film and the 2024 Netflix series, the premise of one man’s deceit, avarice and ruthless ambition is present and correct. Small-time grifter Tom Ripley is handed the opportunity by a wealthy stranger to travel to Italy to locate his equally well-heeled wastrel son, Dickie Greenleaf. Ripley soon wearies of detective work, however, and slips into Greenleaf’s lavish, easygoing lifestyle, his obsession with this world generating thoughts of identity theft, layers of deception and much worse. Ed McVey, Bruce Herbelin-Earle and Maisie Smith star. Mark Leipacher directs.
Comedy
Sophia Wren: The Princess of Melancholy
Saturday, March 7th, Coughlan’s, Cork, 7pm, €15, coughlans.ie; Sunday, March 8th, Whelan’s, Dublin, 8pm, €16 (sold out), whelanslive.com
With a tagline of “Is Sophia performing stand-up comedy or are we just witnessing an acute psychotic episode?” draped around her neck, you might expect Sophia Wren’s shtick to fragment in front of your eyes. Factor in the Co Kildare woman’s skills as a writer, director and actor (her directorial debut, Jellybabies, was released in 2019; she also directed and featured in the 2020 music video for Mariana, by the Limerick songwriter Emma Langford) and you can tell there is more to Wren than the usual comedic tropes. Topics addressed include mental health, alcohol consumption and sex. “Hilariously filthy stand-up”, noted The Scotsman at last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Also, Sunday, March 15th, Whelan’s, Dublin, 8pm, €16 (sold out), whelanslive.com; Saturday, March 28th, Cleeres, Kilkenny, 8.30pm, €20, cleeres.com.
Visual art
Fisherwoman Fisherwoman: Camille Souter & Alberta Whittle
Until Sunday, September 13th, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, free, imma.ie
Two distinct artists, two distinct art practices, yet the reactive approaches of both Camille Souter (1929-2023) and Alberta Whittle continue to inspire. The thematic exhibition focuses on ecological and humanitarian concerns, including land use, migration, climate and industrialisation. Covering a period of 70 years, the work ranges from collage and watercolours to live performance, sculptural installation and film. Whittle makes her Irish exhibition debut, while Souter’s work receives one of its largest presentations to date.
Still running
Oonagh Hurley: The Weight of Love
Until Sunday, March 15th, Signal Arts Centre, Bray, Co Wicklow, free, signalartscentre.ie
The Cork-based artist’s solo exhibition of ink on paper paintings/drawings investigates the ordinary moments and the triumphs and sorrows of the female condition. The work, depicted with humour and despondency, was prompted by the 2024 referendum to revise the wording of article 41.2 of the Constitution, on the place of women within the home.
Book it this week
- Jacqui McShee’s Pentangle, National Stadium, Dublin, June 13th, foggynotions.ie
- Keep It Tight podcast, 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, November 29th, ticketmaster.ie
- Andy Fairweather-Low, Irish tour, November 29th-December 4th, andyfairweatherlow.com
- Sex Pistols, featuring Frank Turner, 3Arena, Dublin, December 7th, ticketmaster.ie
