Weekender: |wiːkˈɛndə|– noun – what to do in Dublin this weekend.
SUN KIL MOON
Thursday 6 August | National Concert Hall | 8pm, €30
Unflinchingly sincere, heartbreakingly sad, and somewhat unhinged, the music of Ohio-native Mike Kozelek, aka Sun Kil Moon (after Korean boxer Sung-Kil Moon), is an intense experience. Kozelek will be playing material from his 10+ year career, including his critically lauded Benji, in his National Concert Hall gig as part of their This Must Be the Place series. Whether profound or tragic (probably a fair dose of both) it’s sure to be a deeply moving performance. Get your tickets here.
MAEVE RECORDS SHOWCASE
Saturday 8 August | Tivoli/District 8, Francis St. | 2pm, €30
Maeve Records are having a special showcase celebration in District 8 and the grounds of the Tivoli this month. In association with Red Bull Music Acamdey, the the label are putting together a line-up of big names like Maeve founders Mano Le Tough, The Drifter and Baikal, as well as always welcome appearances John Talabot and New Jackson who’ll be bringing a synth and vocoder laden live set. The Francis Street venue will be opening at 2pm to fit in a day’s worth of both live and DJ sets. Tickets are available from Resident Advisor. –IL
CHAMPIONS OF VOCAL HARMONY
Friday August 7 | National Concert Hall | 1:05pm, €12/€15
A Cappella, because who needs instruments anyway? Acclaimed Irish barbershop quartet 4 In A Bar will be tossing the cellos, trumpets, and violins out of the National Concert Hall’s John Field Room this Friday to perform a tribute to the power of human voices, and just human voices, throughout the centuries. Ranging from 15th century monastic tunes to modern day barbershop numbers from the quartet’s latest album, the show is a rare opportunity to hear all that we’ve managed to achieve with the instrument we were born with. The show will also feature the vocal talents of another up-and-coming quartet, Autotunes. More info here.
DUBLIN HORSE SHOW
Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 August | RDS | 8am-8pm, €15 – €53
The Dublin Horse Show has been a staple in the Irish summer calendar since 1864. The annual celebration of Ireland’s horsey heritage runs for 5 jam-packed days of competitions, with everything from Pony Club games to international show jumping events taking place. Don the most outrageous fez or fascinator you can get your hands on for Ladies’ Day and come back on Friday to see teams from all over the world battle for the coveted Aga Khan cup. If you get bored of watching the magnificent horses doing their thing (unlikely) you can grab a bite to eat on the Band Lawn or go shopping for some equestrian gear in the Main Hall. Tickets here.
TARANTINO WEEK
Thursday August 6 – Sunday August 9 | Sugar Club | 7:30pm, €8-€10 (plus group deals)
The Sugar Club closes their violence, obscenity, and fun-filled Tarantino season this weekend with four of the director’s earlier urban crime films, before genre-idolatry and historical revisionism became his primary deal. On Thursday they’ll be screening True Romance, his first major screenwriting credit, followed by Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction on Friday and Saturday, and closing with the smooth, sexy, and under-appreciated Jackie Brown. What all these films have in common – aside from the fact that they’ll happen on the fantastic Sugar Club screen along with food, drink, and gourmet popcorn – is situating their flawed protagonists up to their knees in dangerous, wacky, and very bloody criminal business, just an absent-minded trigger-pull away from painting a gangster’s car upholstery with their brains. Take the path of the righteous man and stop on by. Tickets here.
