Hard Working Class Heroes
4 - 6 October
This indie showcase for Irish bands and musicians could be the bargain of the festival season. With 100 bands over 3 days at 6 venues for just one ticket – that’s 45 cent a gig!
With the right cherry picking you might just catch the next BellX1 or U2. Or just enjoy the charged atmosphere of music festival without the field and mud.
Now in its tenth year, the gigs are peppered with panel discussions on the music industry, acoustic sets and a photography exhibition. Dublin’s coolest venues provide the backdrop, with Button Factory, The Workman’s Club, Grand Social, The Mercantile, and Twisted Pepper on board.
It's a must for Irish music fans, and a great bet for a blistering weekend in October.
The line-up
The 100 acts have been announced. Do not miss the brilliant live antics of Le Galaxie and the sounds of Grand Pocket Orchestra and Heritage Centre. Grab your €45 ticket now. Those with an interest in the workings of the music industry can drop into one of the panel discussions. The Irish Times was delighted with the debates of former years.
Follow your ears
The venues for all this ‘binge-gigging’ are dotted around the city. Start in The Mercantile – get to the front row beside the A&R man before stopping into the Button Factory in Temple Bar. Stop into The Workmans Club before crossing the river to the Twisted Pepper or Grand Social.
A bit on the side
The most rock’n’roll lunch in town is the 'pizza and a pint for €10 in The Bernard Shaw. Some of Dublin’s usually closed doors are open thanks to the Open House festival so indulge your curious cat there. Stay in music mode by clinking glasses at the Clarence Hotel and see if owners The Edge or Bono are knocking about.
