22 gigs and clubs to see in Cork this weekend
COMPETITION TIME: We’ve got two pairs of tickets to give away for The Shacks and Elaine Malone, happening this Saturday at 8pm at Cyprus Avenue (more info below). To be in with a chance of grabbing the goods, email your full name to [email protected] with ‘The Shacks’ in the subject line!
THURSDAY MAY 24TH
The Underground Youth @ The Roundy (8.30pm, €10)
Mancunian psych-rockers hit Cork on Irish tour in support of last year’s ‘What Kind of Dystopian Hellhole is This?’ album.
Fleece @ Dali (9pm, free)
Thursdays at Dali continue with tunes from house collective Fleece’s crew of residents. Drinks deals all night.
Just Mustard @ The Roundy (9pm, €10)
The Roundy’s monthly Signal night returns with Dundalk genre-hoppers Just Mustard headlining, with support from L’arry and Transmission Club.
Paul Tiernan & Interference @ DeBarra’s (9pm, €15)
Legendary Cork outfit, led by singer-songwriter Paul Tiernan, revisit songs old and new after a string of sellout shows last year and an acclaimed Electric Picnic sojourn.
FRIDAY MAY 25TH – REFERENDUM DAY
Other Choices IV @ Together for Yes HQ, Father Mathew St (12pm, donations)
Get out and vote. Do it early, bring ID and voting card, no selfies or glitter or any such at the polling station, and mark the paper with an ‘X’, not a tick. Then get down to the quays and let off the steam of a very hard few weeks for our generation in the company of DJs and live performers at T4Y HQ until the late hours. Check the link above for full line-up.
Townlands Carnival Battle of the Bands @ The Tanyard, Skibbereen (8.30pm, free)
Competing for a slot in the BOTB finals next month and the chance to play the festival’s Rising Sons stage: metallers For When It Awakens, funk lads The Big Lovin’ and psych-rockers Crome Yellow.
Damo Suzuki @ Triskel Arts Centre (7.30pm, €17)
Legendary improviser, Can man and frequent visitor to Ireland continues his non-stop tour of the world with an evening on Tobin St.
Shhh and Dance @ An Spailpín Fánach (8.30pm, €5)
Technomermaids return to the South Main Street music stronghold for another bop with guest DJ Mati. Early dancing, early closing.
Lauren Guillery @ DeBarra’s of Clonakilty (9pm, free)
French rocker launches debut album ‘Disaster in La-La Land’ with a gig at the Clonakilty musical stronghold.
The Great Balloon Race @ The Corner House (10pm, free)
A new series of free gigs for original bands at one of the city’s trad strongholds begins with a live excursion from prog/jazz/psych heads The Great Balloon Race.
Not How, When! @ Dali (10pm, €tbc)
Jean-Luc and the crew return to their night’s original home upstairs on Carey’s Lane. Dancing music all night long.
SATURDAY MAY 26TH
Africa Day @ Fitzgerald’s Park (1pm, free)
Free open-air tunes, dancing and family fun at Fitzy’s, courtesy of Irish Aid and Cork’s Afro-Irish community.
Mammothfest Best Band – Final @ The Poor Relation (8pm, €10)
The final fatal four-way to decide who goes to Brighton this October to represent Irish metal at Mammothfest: God Alone, Coroza, Grey Stag and Jenova slugging it out, with special guest headliners Bailer providing further beatings.
The Shacks @ Cyprus Avenue (8pm, €13.50)
NYC indie/rock younglings pass through Cyprus Avenue while on Irish excursion. Support from Elaine Malone.
One Horse Pony @ Coughlan’s (9pm, free)
Corkonian blues auteurs launch their new album with a free gig in the back room on Douglas Street.
Vinyl Below @ Dali (9pm, €tbc)
The mighty Vinyl Below finally have the chance to go out and play in resident Stephen O’Byrne’s new house.
Mystic State @ An Spailpín Fánach (9pm, €tbc)
Bristol drum’n’bass crew head to Cork for local crew Evolution’s monthly blowout. Support from Nick Fury and Evolution residents.
Africa Day @ Amp Venue (11pm, €10)
Stevie G, Grillz and Cheddar are joined at the decks by South African special guest DJ Junior de Rocka to complement Africa Day celebrations around the city.
SUNDAY MAY 27TH
Sundown Sunday @ The Sextant (3pm, free)
DJ Gwada Mike and guests kick off a recurring residency at the quayside bar. Open invitations for reggae heads of all stripes to come down and commandeer the decks!
Gatch @ The Kino (3.10pm, free)
In association with MusicGeneration Cork, much-fancied young rhymer takes to the stage at the Kino as part of the venue’s Sunday sessions.
BeatLab Social @ The Roundy (4pm, free)
Ye know the drill. Show up with a device and a DAW, get samples from the Headcutters, make tunes and hang out upstairs in the Roundy, playback yr ideas after. Sound.
Townlands Carnival Battle of the Bands @ Ocana’s, Mallow (8pm, free)
Competing for a slot in the BOTB finals next month and the chance to play the festival’s Rising Sons stage: loop enthusiast Stuck on Repeat, folk-rockers Stay, troubadour David Skinner and indie youngfellas Atlas Zero.
While you’re here, check out Red on Red, your writer’s weekly podcast focused on Cork music and the personalities behind it, via Cork’s RedFM. This week’s episode drops tonight at 7pm.
This week on the podcast, we’re talking with Cork psych-folker Elaine Malone (@Elai_Malone), about songwriting, the Cork scene, and the relationship between art and activism. Listen, download and subscribe in your favourite podcast software.
