OUTDOOR GIGS:THE PICTURESQUE setting of Marlay Park at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains is the scene for some of the most anticipated gigs of the summer, starting tonight with British stadium rockers Muse.
Muse achieved commercial and critical success with their ambitious fourth album Black Holes and Revelations and, as Oxegen fans will attest, they have the live show to match its ambitions. Their 2007 Oxegen performance was voted best international live performance at this year’s Meteor music awards.
Muse are playing few concerts this year so it’s a rare chance to see them play a full gig. Expect giant video screens, huge light installations, dry ice and musical and visual pyrotechnics.
The Killers, on the other hand, let their music do all the talking as they did with their headline set at Oxegen last year. Their upcoming August 20th concert in front of 600 fans at Dublin’s Academy sold out in a matter of minutes and all 30,000 tickets for their concert on August 21st are also sold out.
Another band that will probably showcase new material at their Marlay Park gig are perennial metal legends Metallica, who are regular visitors to Ireland and play the venue on August 20th supported by Jack Black’s band Tenacious D.
Metallica’s new album, Death Magnetic, is out next month, and fans who have been underwhelmed by their studio output in the last decade or so will be hoping for much better things.
Lenny Kravitz plays Marlay Park on August 19th. Kravitz will have particularly strong support from Alanis Morissette, One Republic, and the Irish band of the moment, The Script.
On Saturday 23rd, Marlay Park will play host to the annual Lovebox festival which this year features Maximo Park, N*E*R*D, Paolo Nutini, Sam Sparro, Gorillaz Sound System, Kid Creole and the Coconuts and the Plain White Ts.
This Sunday, August 17th, a more family-friendly event takes place in Marlay Park. Orchestral Manouevres in the Park includes “family fun” from 2-6pm, movies on the big screen from 3-7.30pm and a performance from the Slovak Festival Orchestra at 8pm, followed by fireworks.
