Gig Guide Highlights: Keeley Forsyth, Still House Plants, PsyCare, The Cyclist, Wes Banderson, ILF Dublin, Music & Mental Health Festival, The Road To The Great Escape, $ona Blu€, Vaticanjail, Brawni, Susan O’Neill, Gag Reflex, Sun Club, For Nina, Delivery Service, Stella and the Dreaming, Seisiún Mór Traidisiúnta, Áise Agus Éire, James Yorkston.
The Gig Guide is published weekly every Tuesday and features the best gigs in Dublin city, curated by Nialler9. All door times are 7:30pm/8pm unless stated. Follow links for ticket prices.
What gigs are on in Dublin tonight?
Tuesday May 13th
The Road To The Great Escape @ Whelan’s, The Grand Social, and The Workman’s Club.
Morgana / Dug / Chloe Slater, Curtisy and more.
Metronome: Keeley Forsyth @ NCH
Hand to Mouth Tour with Matthew Bourne. Experimental and minimalist music composer. Support Ellie O’Neill
Jeff Cohen & Alicia Witt @ Arthur’s
6-time BMI Award-winning, Grammy & CMT-nominated songwriter based in Nashville invites the singer/actor to perform ahead of a headline show tomorrow. Also performer Anna Krantz, Mairead Carlin , Ronan Scolard.
What is Social Media’s Role in Music in 2025? @ The Big Romance
District host a panel discussion.
Echo Exchange @ Pawn Shop (10pm – 3am)
Free in. A new regular Tuesday weekly night, featuring House, Garage, Techno and Bass.
Wednesday May 14th
Press Play: Grace Jones ‘Nightclubbing’ @ The Big Romance
Shrem returns with a full album play through of the iconic Grace Jones Nightclubbing.
Still House Plants @ Bello Bar
London alternative rock band that everyone shit their pants about last year.
Alicia Witt @ The Grand Social
Singer-songwriter and actor in The Walking Dead, Nashville, Orange Is the New Black, Twin Peaks and Longlegs.
James Yorkston @ The Workman’s Cellar
Scottish folk singer-songwriter.
Cultúr 17.0 @ The Sound House
The 17th edition of a monthly series that showcases Ireland’s and special guest Grace De Gier best aspiring bands, poets and artists.
Someday Club @ The Grand Social
New mid-week indie club. Free in.
Thursday May 15th
Áise Agus Éire @ The Workman’s Club and Cellar
A Celebration of Asian-Irish Talent: Kendido, Touzai, Telekura, Raining In December, Shallo, Khidyie.
$ona Blu€, Vaticanjail, Brawni @ The Grand Social
District Magazine hosted Future Of Irish Music 01 gig sponsored by Hennessy.
Bernard Butler @ Whelan’s
Former Suede guitarist plays a solo show with his band. ‘Stay’
Chief Keegan @ Arthur’s
Instrumental funk and jazz band.
Projective @ The Cooler / The Complex
Irish Neo-Soul, Jazz, and Hip-Hop collective.
Niall McCabe @ Button Factory
Album launch concert from Mayo folk singer-songwriter and full band. Support: Alannah Thornburgh, Eva Carroll, Sean Lyons.
Susan O’Neill @ Vicar Street
Clare singer-songwriter with guest and collaborator Mick Flannery.
The Necks @ The Sugar Club
Australian avant-garde jazz trio. Sold Out.
Hyphen @ Whelan’s
UK rapper and songwriter who makes political punk music.
Skip to day: Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon
Friday May 16th
Rob de Boer @ The Big Romance (6:30pm)
Launch of the soul/jazz artist’s debut album Man to You with a listening party, performance + DJs.
The Mary Stokes Band @ Arthur’s
Irish blues vocalist.
Peter Richardson @ BelloBar
Dublin singer-songwriter. ‘The Coast’
Stuart Murdoch @ Merrion Square Park (8pm)
International Literature Festival Dublin. Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian playing some of the band’s classic hits, and talking fiction, songwriting, and x his debut novel Nobody’s Empire.
Lemoncello @ Merrion Square Park (8pm)
International Literature Festival Dublin. Spotlight sessions. Irish folk duo.
PsyCare Ireland Benefit Concert @ Hen’s Teeth
Derry electronic “tape-throb” artist The Cyclist’s first Dublin gig in a long time, with Kaycee and Governess DJing too. Proceeds from the event will directly fund PsyCare Ireland’s 24-hour welfare services at festivals and events. Raffle on the night
Dogs @ Whelan’s Upstairs
Nick Kelly / Seán Millar’s songwriting duo project.
Wes Banderson @ The Sugar Club
As the name suggests they play songs and score featured in Wes Anderson films like The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs and more.
CAOIMHÍN @ The Sound House
Mystically-subscribed Irish folklore inspired trad musician.
FANTAZEE presents Toronto Hustle @ Hang Dai (11pm)
Mark Kufner is the founder of the Selections label, is a true luminary in Toronto’s underground house music scene.
Inpar presents Nídia @ Yamamori Tengu (11pm)
Afro-Portuguese producer and DJ from Lisbon’s kuduro scene. Baliboc on support.
Sam Alfred @ Index (11pm)
Australian DJ known for mixing jazz-tipped house with deep cuts & UK garage. Boiler Room.
Dance Rink @ Wigwam (11pm)
High energy electro and more from Melbourne DJ Bella Claxton + High Fidelity, Lucas Thompson.
CJ Bolland b2b DAVE the Drummer @ Block (11pm)
Opium hosts acid rave long-standers.
The Girl’s Room: Feels Like Summer @ The Workman’s Cellar (11:30pm)
The Girl’s Room is a club for women and nonbinary folks.
Saturday May 17th
Irish Youth Music Awards @ Axis Ballymun (10am – 4:30pm)
Annual all-ages music event aimed at young people.
OMNI open Air @ Secret Location (2pm – 11pm)
Day party with DJs Gaskin, L.P. Rhythm, Luke Dean, Luuk van Dijk, Jade Carney, Jake Fitz Viki Dos Santos, Tara Casey, Derv and more. Afterparty at Block.
We Are An Archipelago: Erin Fornoff @ Merrion Square Park (6pm)
International Literature Festival Dublin.Live poetry performance with a full band including renowned pianist Patrick O’Laoghaire, Dominic Mullan on drums, and Oisín Walsh-Peelo on double bass.
Seisiún Mór Traidisiúnta @ Merrion Square Park (8:15pm)
International Literature Festival Dublin. An evening of contemporary Trad with some of Ireland’s finest and most talented players presented by District. Featuring SexyTadhg and Ispíní na hÉireann.
Gag Reflex, Puck, Delivery Service @ The Workman’s Cellar
‘Man Enough’ Release Party from Dublin noise-rockers.
Terrorvision @ Whelan’s
90s UK rockers play Ireland for the first time in over a quarter of a century.
Gemma Cox & Rachel Grace @ Little Whelan’s
Kildare and Wexford singer-songwriter pals.
FEJKA @ The Workman’s Club
Brian Zajak blends dreamy ambient & punchy techno.
Christy Moore @ NCH
The Kildare legend’s latest album A Terrible Beauty is really great.
Refractor x Blue Night Jungle @ Tengu (11pm)
Spanish festival and French party comes to Dublin for a night of bassy techno.
Vibez Emotion presents Loulou Players @ Opium Gardens (11pm)
Belgian house DJ + SOUZAC, Campello, Soulnezz.
Sunday May 18th
Mystify Takeover @ The Racket Space x Eatyard (Noon to 8pm)
DJs in the yard (free), Dublin Modular Synth workshop, vinyl DJ workshop with Cailín (€50 each)
Sun Club @ As One (1pm-4pm)
A new DJ daytime café party. The €15 entry ticket includes a SynerChi Kombucha, “a hot, easy-to-eat” brunch dish, soundtracked to a set from Dublin-based Brazilian melodic house DJ Souzac.
Music & Mental Health Festival 3.0 @ The Workman’s Club (4pm – close)
In the evening live performances on two stages from artists such as Qbanaa, Tolü Makay, Calum Agnew, Trinkets and Skull The Pierre will take place. The afternoon sees panel discussions and a workshop around the topic of music and mental health.
Aoife Nessa Frances @ Merrion Square Park (7:30pm)
International Literature Festival Dublin. Spotlight sessions. Irish singer-songwriter.
Strength NIA @ Anseo
Litle Gem’s experimental weekly Sunday night. Derry alternative artist.
The Selector @ Opium Rooms
U.K Two-Tone Ska Revival band 45th anniversary show.
Macsteady, Yurmah @ Whelan’s Upstairs
A jazz and contemporary music ensemble lead by guitarist and composer Shaun Garry. ‘Shesa Bove’
Monday May 19th
For Nina, Delivery Service, Stella and the Dreaming @ The Grand Social
A fine three act live bill this one. For Nina were recently featured.
Holly Munro @ Merrion Square Park (7:30pm)
International Literature Festival Dublin. Spotlight sessions. Irish singer-songwriter.
Song Cycle @ Whelan’s
Whelan’s singer songwriter night ‘Song Cycle’ offers a platform for acts to experiment, sing and share in the friendly informal setting of Whelan’s front window.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
