SINGER-SONGWRITER
Patty Griffin
Whelan's, Dublin 8pm €28 whelanslive.com
At the age of 16, Patty Griffin bought a guitar for $50. She has never looked back as her career as a performer, songwriter and singer has seen her win much acclaim and many awards (including a Grammy, Best Traditional Gospel Album, for 2011's Downtown Church). Her fine new album, Servant of Love, is yet another reason to get to this gig.
TRAD
Kathleen MacInnes, Dermot Byrne, Brian Finnegan and Mike Vass
The Sugar Club,Dublin 8pm €20/€15 musicnetwork.ie Also Thurs, Louth
Scottish and Irish influences cross-fertilise in this inventive collaboration. Tonight’s gig kicks off an extensive Music Network tour, featuring widely admired Scottish singer MacInnes along with Altan’s original box player, Byrne. Flook’s flute player and composer Finnegan, and Scottish guitarist and fiddler Vass add further colour and shade to the mix.
CLASSIC ALBUM
St Etienne
National Concert Hall, Dublin 8pm €30 nch.ie
One of the classiest pop bands of the past 25 years is St Etienne, and their 1991 debut album, Foxbase Alpha, is one of the classiest albums. Prior to the concert, at 6pm, the band's Bob Stanley (left) will talk about the nature of pop music and his acclaimed 2013 book, Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop, with Irish Times music critic Tony Clayton-Lea.
OZ JAZZ
Jamie Oehlers Quartet
JJ Smyths, Dublin 9pm €10 jjsmyths.com Also Wed, Limerick
Inventive saxophonist Oehlers returned to his native Australia from Dublin a few years ago, to take up a post as coordinator of Jazz Studies at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Now he’s back with Perth pianist Tal Cohen in tow, hooking up with old friends Ronan and Conor Guilfoyle for a couple of dates in Dublin and Limerick – no prisoners will be taken.
