It’s been in the offing for a while now, but the iconic Dublin event space is back open as a music and comedy space.
The Ambassador Theatre, on Dublin’s Parnell Street, was formerly the longest-running cinema in Dublin, on and off until 1999. The building itself dates back to 1764.
From the years, 2001 to 2008, it operated as a music venue (I saw Queens Of The Stone Age, The Beta Band, Death In Vegas and Godspeed You! Black Emperor among others there in that time, and my dad took me to my first cinema screening there of The Fox And The Hound sometime in the ’80s).
After that it was mostly used as an exhibition space for travelling exhibitions about Dinosaurs, lego and human bodies.
What’s happening to the venue since?
In the summer, The Journal reported that An Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission for a “rebranding” of the Ambassador Theatre, or “Ambo” as it was sometimes affectionately called.
The Ambassador Theatre is operated by concert promoters Denis Desmond (MCD) and Caroline Downey (Manager of Hozier and Lyra), whose Millennium Theatre Company was also refused planning permission to erect steeling railings around the venue. The pair also operate the Olympa Theatre and the Gaiety Theatre together.
There was also talk earlier this year within Dublin City Council of a “900-seat concert venue restoration,” and U2 used it for their Disney+ documentary in 2023.
Good news?
The good news – the venue now appears to be back in operation with a slew of seated shows put in by promoters MCD, starting this week.
This Thursday, the very first live event in the Ambassador takes place with comedian Paddy McDonnell performing on Thursday October 10th, while Lemonheads’ Evan Dando performs on Saturday October 12th.
Poet Brian Bilston performs on October 18th, with shows from singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, Talking Heads tribute band Playback and comedians Maisie Adam and Rachel Galvo among those listed on Ticketmaster.ie.
It’s mostly comedy shows for now but those three music gigs (Evan Dando, Ron Sexsmith and Playback) and listings until June 2025 at time of writing suggests that more is on the horizon.
Long live the Ambo.
