What's on: Sunday, March 24
The Gables is home to the “Trad Session” for over 30 years. The session has been visited by travelling musicians from far and wide with many diverse cultures. They have been tutored in all forms of music, classical, jazz, folk and blues but in some way all are drawn to the allure of traditional Irish music. They are drawn to the allure of the session. The way in which a group of musicians can gather, some having met only for the first time, pick a set of random tunes and yet all know exactly when to start, change and stop, all in perfect unison. Yes the phenomena of the musical gathering that it ‘the session’.
One of the longest traditional music Sessions is in Charlie’s bar every Sunday. The Session is hosted by Cork’s own Sean O’Driscoll, both a sweet and rhythmic banjo player and a fine hand on the old style button accordion, along with his wife Mary O’Driscoll on the fiddle. To keep the Sessions fresh and real, each Sunday features a different guest musician, an ever-changing array from some of Cork’s and Ireland’s finest traditional players. It is equally popular with musicians, listeners and tourists with Sean keeping the Session friendly and fun but also making sure to keep the music swinging. You never know who will turn up for a few tunes, for the chat and the laughs, to sing a song or just to listen and have a few pints. It’s never dull.
A lively fun Sunday jazz session in the beer garden, joined by some of Cork's best swing dancers, this weekly event offers a relaxed end-of-weekend, with space to bop along too! With influences including Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, Oscar Peterson and a plethora of many other jazz giants, Pinky Trolley bring a classic approach to equally classic music.
Born in the Folk House and a neighbouring apartment in Kinsale in the hot summer of 2013, the Big Swingin' Mikies are a band that was set up as a "non-Saturday night" band.
Formerly known as 'The Newfoundland Trio', The Ill Winds are a 'traditional meets contemporary' folk band, based in Cork City, Ireland.
The Rivets are one of the most entertaining bands in Cork. Acoustic guitar and Electric base combine to pump out classic Rock and Roll in a high energy performance that lifts the roof off our little pub. Hits from the greatest era in music have long proved extremely popular with our faithful punters.
Jester are Colly Dempsey, Mark O’ Dwyer, Tomas Maher, Niall O’ Shaughnessy and David Fitzpatrick. They have recently signed a publishing deal with UK based independent record label Velvet Moron Records the brainchild of Dave White (Biffy Clyro, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Kasabian, etc.) and their debut album is set for release in March 2019 on the label. 2018 was a great year for the band with appearances at Electric Picnic, Feile Classical, headlining the Feile Beag festival in their home town to a sold-out audience as well as opening up for the likes of The Stunning and Aslan for good measure.
The Asylum Archive is an art, activist and academic platform that examines the notion of Direct Provision Centres; the localities and sites where asylum seekers are being held while in the process of seeking refugee status.
