Jess Murray

As he releases his 11th studio album Holywell, Damien Dempsey talks about singing as Gaeilge, Miriam Margolyes, Sinéad O’Connor, the power of a singsong, and more. “I joined in doing the Charleston but they cut it out. Fuckin’ bastards.” So says Damien Dempsey with a grin, when I meet him in O’Donoghue’s pub in Dublin. Referring to the video for his new single, ‘The Mickey Dam’, Damien is in flying form. The polished promo marks quite a different direction for him.

Having been lucky enough to be at his Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour back in 2018, getting to see Paul Simon one more time, for a completely different show, is something very special. This tour, aptly named A Quiet Celebration, comes off the back of Simon’s sudden hearing loss in 2023, while recording his fifteenth solo studio album, Seven Psalms. With only 6% hearing in his left ear, Simon can no longer play louder, full-band performances.

Released in May 2004, The Streets’ chart-topping album A Grand Don’t Come for Free is an era-defining record of the 21st century, so getting to hear it live from start to finish for the very first time ever is truly special. Walking out on the stage to a sold-out 3Olympia Theatre, Mike Skinner and his band are given a rapturous welcome. An identical, life-size bus shelter from the iconic album artwork stands at the centre of the stage, flanked by Skinner’s bandmates.