The Dublin experimental music series marks 10 years with three days at Project Arts Centre in October, handing a night each to Nyahh, Krimkram and Fort Evil Fruit.
Reception Weekend returns to Project Arts Centre from Thursday October 15th to Saturday October 17th, and it’s the biggest programme the series has put on to date.
Reception has been putting on concerts in Dublin since 2016, seeking out music that resists easy filing, work that sits somewhere between composition and improvisation, or performance and installation. This is the third Reception Weekend, and it doubles as a 10th birthday for the series.
This year’s programme gives over three of the five concerts to Irish labels. Nyahh, Krimkram and Fort Evil Fruit to each curate their own event.
There are Irish debuts throughout, from Chicago’s Bitchin Bajas (whose recent album I loved) and Portugal’s Rafael Toral to Berlin duo Beam Splitter, Daniel Löwenbrück, Dinosaurs with Horns, Seymour Glass and Teresa Riemann.
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Thursday October 15th
Nyahh presents Natalia Beylis, Joanna Mattrey, Seymour Glass and Ultan O’Brien, 8pm, Space Upstairs, €22.
Nyahh have spent five years building a catalogue that runs from exploratory underground music to Kurdish dabke to Irish traditional recordings, much of it hard-to-find material rescued through compilations and reissues.
The opening night has Natalia Beylis and Joanna Mattrey playing as a duo for the first time, the Irish debut of Butte County Free Music Society figure Seymour Glass, and a solo set from fiddle player Ultan O’Brien.
Friday October 16th
Reception presents Rafael Toral, Adam Campbell & Aonghus McEvoy, and Anna Clock, Space Upstairs.
Toral is the headline booking. Born in Lisbon in 1967, he came up alongside Fennesz, Jim O’Rourke, Mika Vainio and Oren Ambarchi in the 1990s, and builds his music from homemade electronic instruments and electric guitar into something that ends up sounding oddly choral. It’s his first Irish show.
Berlin-based Scottish synthesist Adam Campbell and Dublin guitarist Aonghus McEvoy launch Dazzle Incoherence, an album made over several years. Anna Clock opens with works for cello and electronics.
Saturday October 17th
Three concerts across the day, with a Saturday day ticket covering all of them.
- Fort Evil Fruit presents Teresa Riemann and Roslyn Steer, 2.30pm, €15. The label has over 180 releases behind it, spanning electronics, improvisation and metal. Percussionist Riemann makes her Irish debut alongside songwriter Roslyn Steer.
- Krimkram presents Dinosaurs with Horns and Daniel Löwenbrück, 5pm, €15. Löwenbrück’s first performance in four years, with the long-running duo of Rick Potts and Joseph Hammer.
- Reception presents Bitchin Bajas and Beam Splitter, 9pm, €30. Bitchin Bajas finally make it to Ireland, and Beam Splitter, the duo of Audrey Chen and Henrik Munkeby Nørstebø, bring their electro-acoustic improvisations.
Early bird weekend tickets have already sold out. Weekend, day and individual tickets are available through Project Arts Centre, and full details are at receptiondublin.com.
Reception Weekend 2026 runs at Project Arts Centre, Dublin from Thursday October 15th to Saturday October 17th. Tickets here.
Weekend tickets: €75 – Book here.
Saturday day ticket: €40 – Book here.
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, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
