The Christmas and New Year’s Eve Cork gig guide
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 18TH
- Fiona O’Connell & Etáin Collins @ Alchemy (7pm, free)
A double-header of local singer-songwriters for the Barrack Street coffee shop.
- Delorentos @ Cyprus Avenue (7.30pm, €15)
Dublin indie lads give big single S.E.C.R.E.T. an entire national tour on its tenth birthday, including upstairs on Caroline Street. - Jack O’Rourke @ Coughlan’s (9pm, SOLD OUT)
A pre-Christmas excursion to the back room on Douglas Street, for Cork’s homegrown singer-songwriter success.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 19TH
- The Nightmare Before Mockie Ah! @ Cyprus Avenue (7pm, €12.50)
The season is approaching, and the drag family of the Haus of Mockie Ah! has come over all Tim Burton… - The Art Crimes Band @ Crane Lane Theatre (9pm, free)
Genre-straddling jazz quintet does the business in the back room of the Phoenix Street venue. - Lisa O’Neill @ Coughlan’s (9pm, SOLD OUT)
An intimate session on Douglas Street with a contemporary-folk force of nature. - Boa Morte + Laurie Shaw @ PLUGD/The Roundy (9pm, €10)
A holiday set from ambient-indie veterans Boa Morte, after a 2019 that saw them release album #3, ‘Before There Was Air’, and singer-songwriter Laurie Shaw, after a 2019 that saw him release multiple albums.
- Paul T & Steven Forde @ Dali (10pm, €5)
Pre-holidays, post-college-exams house and techno session at the former cinema on Carey’s Lane.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 20TH
- Jimmy Crowley @ Nano Nagle Place (7pm, €10)
The city’s great folk song collector presents ‘Songs from a Beautiful City’ in the Douglas Street convention centre’s Goldie Chapel venue. - The Frank and Walters @ Cyprus Avenue (7.30pm, SOLD OUT)
Cork’s well-loved and well-dressed indie-pop outfit finish up their thirtieth year with a sold-out anniversary gig upstairs on Caroline Street.
- David Keenan @ Live at St. Luke’s (8pm, €22.50)
Emerging singer-songwriter headlines at the Northside sonic temple, having shared stages with a variety of Irish legends. - Maria Somerville @ PLUGD/The Roundy (8.30pm, €10)
Connemara post-folk songwriter (pictured) returns to PLUGD, with Sunshine Cult’s Mark Waldron-Hyden and Mantua in support, and DJ Cáit Fa ’til close. - Liam O’Maonlaí & Brendan O’Regan @ The White Horse, Ballincollig (8.45, €20)
Hothouse Flowers man shares the White Horse stage with composer and multi-instrumentalist. - Horrenda, Dirty Casuals and more @ Fred Zeppelin’s (9pm, €8)
Dublin death-metallers make their headline Cork debut at Fredz, with local riffers Dirty Casuals, punx Audible Joes and grindcore outfit Aborted Earth in tow. - Hope is Noise, Horse & God Alone @ The Kino (9.30pm, €15)
It’s a triple bill of homegrown heft: Leeside post-hardcore godfathers Hope is Noise, death-punk four-piece Horse, and post-metallers God Alone. DJ set til late from the Ping Pong folks. - Techno All Night @ Dali (10pm, €tbc)
Cork ‘melodic dark techno’ specialists provide a night that does what it says on the tin.
- The Kates @ The Brú (11.30pm, free)
A supergroup of West Cork women come together to celebrate their influences and woman-penned tunes: Liz Clark (gtr), Eve Clague (elec gtr), Mide Houlihan (drums), Roisin Kilgannon (keys) and Paula K O’Brien (bass).
SATURDAY DECEMBER 21ST
- Vinyl Below @ Dali (8pm, €tbc)
It’s the annual Xmas party for Dali’s resident house/techno evening, with the usual suspects keeping it going to the wee hours.
- RISEUP! Christmas Party @ The Poor Relation (8pm, €7)
BASS! How low can you go? Find out as a killer line-up of selectors puts the RiseUp rig through its paces. - mynameisj0hn @ PLUGD/The Roundy (8pm, €8)
County Vinyl are on the lash for the evening, and Rusangano beatman John is the man of the hour for their holiday jollies. - Tír na nÓg VI @ Connolly’s of Leap (8pm, €10)
A night of house, techno and related sounds, as the TNNG residents go back under the hammers for a winter special.
- Ophelia’s Yes I @ Crane Lane Theatre (9pm, free)
Legendary rapper and musician Ophelia McCabe leads an all-woman selection of players through the finest in roots reggae classics.
- Faddak @ Edison (9pm, free)
House collective Faddak round up their debut year with a gig on Washington Street, with Steven Forde shoring up the lineup. - Yenkee & Actualacid @ The Kino (9pm, €10)
Graham Cooney & company headline at the former arthouse on Washington Street, plus HAUSU project Actualacid present a live set.
- Fleece @ The Kino (11.30pm, €5)
The proceedings continue at the Kino, as the Fleece collective mark four years of house in Cork city.
SUNDAY DECEMBER 22ND
- Cork Penny Dinners Fundraiser @ DeBarra’s of Clonakilty (2pm, €tbc)
An absolute rake of West Cork’s musicians and bands are out in force to raise funds for the city’s soup kitchen (and newest social housing partner).
- LOWmountain @ Levis’ of Ballydehob (7pm, €tbc)
Long-running alt-country trio play a special early gig at Ballydehob’s village venue. - Sunday Times! @ The Bowery Rooftop (8pm, free)
It’s a residents’ reunion for the monthly dancing upstairs in the Tuckey Street nightclub complex. - Fragments @ Edison (8pm, free)
NATMAC & REFLUX on deck duties at the Washington Street cocktail establishment, hosted by the Underground Ovation folks. - The Burma @ Cóbh Ramblers’ Bar and Lounge (8pm, €10)
Local-born indie outfit make their hometown debut with a special gig at the home of Cork’s ‘other’ domestic soccer team. - Crazy P Soundsystem @ The Kino (8pm, €20)
Nottingham dance innovators bring their best tunes to the Kino for a Christmas party, with DJ Eddie Kay in support. - Beoga @ Live at St. Luke’s (8pm, €22.50)
Crossover folk phenomena take in the splendour of the former Northside church.
MONDAY DECEMBER 23RD
- Tiny Dancer with Dónal Dineen @ (3pm, €8/10)
Give your wee ones a better first disco than you ever had, with a special session from the This Ain’t No Disco legend. - Backstory with Dónal Dineen @ The Kino (8pm, €15)
A six-hour, globetrotting, storytelling DJ set from the man that brought a generation their alternative tunes via (This Ain’t) No Disco and a legendary radio show. - Stevie G’s Old School Party @ Cyprus Avenue (10pm, €5)
Cork’s living hip-hop legend brings the nineties and noughties beats, with an on-stage show from Andrea Williams and the Hot Sauce Dancers.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 26TH – ST. STEPHENS’ DAY
- EndUp @ The Brú (2pm, free)
What’s that? You want twelve c0ntinuous hours of house? To McCurtain Street with you. Jon Barry mans the decks alongside the residents.
- Bongo Steve @ Cyprus Avenue (10pm, €10)
After years of live-percussion DJ sets and the like, local drummer Bongo Steve unveils his debut tranche of original material, including live marimba and loop-station antics.
- Paradox @ Crane Lane Theatre (11.30pm, free)
Cork grunge loyalists play a special set of the genre standards for Stephens’ Night at the Crane, following their own recent singles releases.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 27TH
- The Blizzards @ Cyprus Avenue (7.30pm, €20)
Bressie and the lads head upstairs on Caroline Street for a headliner at the newly-renovated venue.
- The Tan Jackets & Friends @ The Kino (8pm, €10)
Cork psych-rock worshippers kick out the jams that influenced them, with a heap of local guests getting involved. All proceeds to Cork Penny Dinners. - Talos @ Connolly’s of Leap (8pm, €15)
Eoin French and collaborators go under the McNicholls’ famous hammers, for a winter gig out West.
- Declan O’Rourke @ Live at St. Luke’s (8pm, €28)
Veteran Irish singer-songwriter headlines at the former church on St. Luke’s Cross. - Elly O’Keeffe @ Coughlan’s (9pm, €10)
An annual Christmas show for Cork singer-songwriter, and a launch for new EP ‘You’.
- Mockie Ah! Winter Ball @ PLUGD/The Roundy (9pm, €10)
The Haus’ holiday proceedings continue with their end-of-year ball being headlined by Mother/PlayIrish DJ Kate Brennan-Harding.
- The 4 of Us @ The White Horse, Ballincollig (9pm, €27)
Nineties indie hitmakers-turned-acoustic duo play a selection of tunes new and old. - Jenny Greene @ Cyprus Avenue (11pm, €20)
2FM evening jock and dance-music veteran brings a late-night set of house, electro and old-time floorfillers.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 28TH
- The Stunning @ Cyprus Avenue (7pm, SOLD OUT)
‘Paradise in the Picturehouse’ Galwegians continue fine-honing the eighties and nineties classics that made them part of daily life for a generation of Irish people. - CXNT @ PLUGD/The Roundy (9pm, €5)
Hard-drum exponents and Flood collective members Syn and Doubt are joined for their second instalment this month by collaborator Capricorn.
- R.Kitt & Dim the Lights @ The Kino (9pm, €10)
Boiler Room-featured DJ and producer presents his full live show at the Kino. Dim the Lights selectors on hand for complementary selections.
- TABOO @ Dali (10pm, €tbc)
Stevie, Chedder and Grillz make with the last turn-up of 2019, a night packed with Afrocentric beats and hip-hop smashes.
- Fish Go Deep @ Cyprus Avenue (11pm, €10)
Greg and Shane’s first of two Xmas-season sessions takes place upstairs on Caroline Street, just off the duo’s 31st anniversary night (which makes their act the same age as your writer).
SUNDAY DECEMBER 29TH
- And So I Watch You From Afar @ Cyprus Avenue (7.30pm, €17.50)
North Shore post-rock/metal quartet play their 2009 self-titled debut from start to finish for its tenth anniversary. A limited 4LP box-set of the album, plus a live recording from last year, will also be on sale.
- Brian Deady @ The Kino (8pm, €26.50)
Homegrown soul success story Deady plays an intimate session at the Washington Street venue to cap off a busy year.
- Hothouse Flowers @ Live at St. Luke’s (8pm, €28.50)
Liam O’Maonlaí and crew bring decades of pop hits to the pulpit at St. Luke’s.
- Strange Attractor @ Crane Lane Theatre (9pm, free)
Dingle funkers load up for another Cork excursion, this time to the former house of burlesque on Phoenix Street.
MONDAY DECEMBER 30TH
- Myles Gaffney @ Cyprus Avenue (7.30pm, €12.50)
Northside folk balladeer plays his annual big show upstairs on Caroline Street. - Fish Go Deep @ Connolly’s of Leap (8pm, €15)
Greg and Shane’s holiday excursion finishes with a now-annual night under the hammers.
- Jerry Fish @ The Kino (8pm, €25)
A night for musical fish in Cork, it seems: Jerry Fish presents his theatrical ‘Songs and Tall Tales’ show to the Kino.
- The Light Runners @ Crane Lane Theatre (9pm, free)
Afro-Caribbean sounds aplenty from a finely-honed squad of world-travelled reggae and soukous musicians.
TUESDAY DECEMBER 31ST – NEW YEARS’ EVE
- Bauld Lang Syne @ The Kino (7pm, €15)
A big, bold session of alternative music from Cork City for the NYE proceedings at the Kino: Lowlek, Laurie Shaw, Arthur Itis and Elaine Malone are live, while Cathal & Elaine of The Altered Hours co-person the decks. - The Service @ Crane Lane Theatre (8pm, free)
Cork ska veterans help the Crane Lane Theatre ring in the New Year with a helping of genre classics, alongside doses of reggae and two-tone. - TPM & The Mary Wallopers @ Connolly’s of Leap (8pm, €30)
The brothers Hendy bring both their projects, hip-hop and trad alike, to a special session at Connolly’s, that also sees marauding Mams cleaning the gaff up and generally cramping your style around the venue, courtesy of the MyHouse DJs.
- Jack L. @ Cork Opera House (8pm, €30)
That’ll be Mr. Lukeman and crew framing that silky-smooth croon for the big stage at the Opera House, then.
- Evolution DnB @ An Spailpín Fánach (9pm, €tbc)
The only game in town if its drum ‘n’ bass you’re after: Aussie selector/producer Tamen headlines the Evolution collective’s NYE proceedings. - New Jackson @ Dali (9pm, €12)
David Kitt shores up the Carey’s Lane venue’s NYE celebrations with his first live set of electronica under the New Jackson name there, following previous deejaying appearances. - Wired Deep @ Cyprus Avenue (10pm, €12.50)
Cork collective assemble on Caroline Street to welcome 2020 along with wall-to-wall house and techno.
