Five gigs to get to in Cork during December
Pillow Queens play Cork in December. Picture: Rich Gilligan
- Cyprus Avenue; Wednesday December 8, 7pm; €17.50
Debut album 'In Waiting' represented a huge moment for Dublin punk four-piece Pillow Queens and the community they'd built around themselves - but in a relatively quiet way, necessitated by circumstance. Expect this affair to be the polar opposite.
- Cyprus Avenue; Sunday December 12, 7pm; €25
The Northern Irish power-poppers have been teenagers for over 25 years now, with their now-annual Christmas swing revisiting 1996 debut album '1977', and its timeless singles... alongside a barrage of other, also-timeless singles.
- Cyprus Avenue; Friday December 17, 7pm; €22.50
If you're following Downtown recommendations, these lads will (likely) need no explanation - sunny, eternally optimistic jangle-pop in a Cork accent, that's become as much a part of the Leeside musical lexicon as Jimmy Crowley or John Spillane.
- Live at St. Luke's; Sunday December 19 & Monday December 20, 7.30pm; sold out
Having been glorious company over their lockdown livestreams in 2020 and 2021, it's going to be a session to remember at St. Luke's when Dundalk no-gooders The Mary Wallopers come to town in search of sheep to steal and landlords to use as target practice.
- Live at St. Luke's; Wednesday December 29, 8pm
If you're a hen-pecked Declan, or a forever Brenda, you'll be glad to know that Blindboy's taking some time from writing his new book and composing improvised music inspired by videogame NPCs to swing over to St. Luke's, his usual Cork haunt. No word yet on guests, but his Cork excursions thus far have never fallen short of the mark.
