Monday
Vibe for Philo
Vicar St, Dublin 7.30pm €40
Subtitled The Sun Goes Down, this 30th anniversary remembrance of the untimely death of Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott holds special significance. As such, there will be appearances from original Thin Lizzy members Eric Bell and Brian Downey. The line-up also includes jazz/folk band Mongoose, singer-songwriter Fiach Moriarty, and The Soul Brothers. Expect special guests, some cracking songs, and a few tears.
Tuesday
Hopscotch
Olivier Cornet Gallery, 3 Great Denmark St, Dublin Until Jan 31
This is a lively, thoughtful group show, first shown in the Vue and now given the space it deserves. Annika Berglund, Michelle Byrne, Conrad Frankel, Hugh Cummins, Jordi Fornies, John Fitzsimons, Jason Lowe, Eoin Mac Lochlainn (Halloween Apple, left), Yanny Petters, Kelly Ratchford and Adrienne Symes explore memories of childhood and children’s games. With texts in response by young writers in collaboration with Fighting Words, the creative writing centre established by Seán Love and Roddy Doyle.
Wednesday
Morning Gloryville
Hangar, Dublin 6.30am €20/€18/€15
You may not feel up to doing much during the first week of a new year, but a few hardy souls will always follow a different tune. The Morning Gloryville gang are the ones who believe the best way to greet the new day is with a rave, some yoga, a massage and a bit of reflexology. Their claim: “Nothing wakes you up more than a soul-shaking dance”. This morning event, in association with First Fortnight, may well be better for you than reaching for another cup of coffee.
Thursday
Placing the Word
Killarney Library and Gallery, Rock Rd, Killarney, Co Kerry Until Jan 31
A nice idea: painter Dolores Lyne traces the words of writers back to the locations they refer to in Kerry and, of course, many writers fit the bill, from Alfred Lord Tennyson to Nell Mc Cafferty. It’s a words and landscape fest. Also providing the former are Paddy Bushe, Ellen Cranitch, Mick Delap, Theo Dorgan, Breda Joy, John B. Keane, John Mc Auliffe, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Bernard O’Donoghue, and Eileen Sheehan.
Strange Brew
Róisín Dubh, Galway 11pm Adm free
Since 2002, Gugai’s Strange Brew night out has worked off a simple notion: put on a host of Irish and international acts in one of the best live rooms in the land and then lash out a bunch of indie anthems until it’s time to go home. That simple formula has worked a treat, giving Galway audiences the chance to catch new acts up close before they go onto bigger things.
Sketchy
Limelight, Belfast 11pm £5/£4
When it comes to big nights out in Belfast, Sketchy’s weekly carnival has been doing the business week in and week out for more than a decade. Helmed by BBC Radio Ulster’s alternative and indie music maestro Rigsy (above), with a galaxy of guests joining him on the stage, Sketchy is your one-stop shop when it comes to beats with bass, fun and the extra-large whopper factor.
