The IMRO Live Music Venue Of The Year Awards took place tonight for the eighth time and the winners included Whelan’s in Dublin, Levi’s in Cork and The Set Theatre in Kilkenny.
The Set Theatre won the public vote award for National Live Music Venue of the Year 2015.
Regional winners included Whelan’s (Dublin), Spirit Store, Dundalk (Rest of Leinster), Levi’s, Ballydehob in Cork (Munster), Allingham Arms Hotel, Bundoran (Ulster) and Monroe’s, Galway (Connacht)
Longitude and Other Voices won IMRO Live Music Festival of the Year and IMRO Best Small Live Music Festival 2015 respectively/
For the first time, Best Live Music Crew was presented to the gang in Vicar Street while Una Molloy of Turning Pirate was presented with her award for Outstanding Contribution to Live Music 2015.
The Academic, Saint Sister and Rocstrong performed on the night.
Special commendation awards went to Coughlans (Cork), Dolans (Limerick) and the Hot Press People’s Choice Award for Live Venue, Dublin’s Olympia Theatre.
Photos by Ruth Medjber.
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.
Congrats to all the winners on the awards for 2015.
As a stong lover of live music and indeed an avid gig goer, I can only feel puzzled at the omission of one of the best venues in the country – Mc Grory’s in Culdaff, Co. Donegal – from even the nominees. I moved to Donegal in 2012 and have been to many many gigs in McGrory’s. Few venues staged a programme as impressive as them in 2015 – taking in a wide range of genres, artists and different events I attended several gigs there this year, and aside from Whelan’s, there are few venues as impressive for its size. The sound, atmosphere, history – everything! The Backroom played host to sold-out shows from established Irish Acts like Declan O’Rourke, Hudson Taylor, Paddy Casey, Cara Dillon, Brian Kennedy, country music star Derek Ryan, Irish-American traditional group The Willis Clan and upcoming Irish acts, Triona, The Logues, Little Hours, Ciaran Lavery. Add to this the various original gigs (In The Round, NXNW and Across the Atlantic) and the programme has been as impressive as the venue itself.
I feel that IMRO’s decision to omit McGrory’s from even the nominees is a glaring error on their behalf, and in my opinion it really gives out mixed signals as to what exactly is involved with being listed as one of their best venues.
Once again – congrats to all involved, and especially The Spirit Store – a wonderful setting in my hometown!