Shows You Can't Sleep On: Dublin's Upcoming Gigs This Season

Dublin's live music scene doesn't slow down. Whether you're deep in the underground or just now discovering what's been bubbling under the surface, there's no shortage of reasons to get out of the house this season. We've put together the essential list of shows worth your time.

SELL EVERYTHING — The Grand Social

Mon, May 11

SELL EVERYTHING have been one of the most talked-about acts in Dublin's DIY circuit, and for good reason. Raw, confrontational, and impossible to ignore — this is one of those shows you'll be telling people about for years. The Grand Social is the perfect room for it. Intimate enough that there's nowhere to hide. Get there early.

MIKE — Vicar Street

Wed, Aug 26

New York rapper MIKE brings his introspective, lo-fi world to Vicar Street this August. If you've been sleeping on his catalog — Weight of the World, Disco!, Beware of the Monkey — now is the time to catch up. MIKE performs with a rare quiet intensity that feels completely out of step with the noise of everything else. That's the point. Don't miss it.

Freak Slug — The Grand Social

Thu, Sep 3

Freak Slug is exactly the kind of act PaperMedia exists to write about. Weird, genre-defiant, and entirely their own thing. Back at The Grand Social for what promises to be one of the more chaotic and brilliant nights of the autumn. If you were there last time, you already know. If you weren't — this is your chance.

Bricknasty — IMMA

Sat, May 30

Bricknasty at the Irish Museum of Modern Art is a pairing that makes complete sense once you hear it. The setting adds something — the courtyard, the stone, the sense that music and art are occupying the same space. Bricknasty brings the energy to fill it. One of the more unique live experiences you'll get in the city this year.

Also On Our Radar

Mac DeMarco — Collins Barracks

Sat, Aug 29

Mac DeMarco returns to Dublin at one of the city's most atmospheric outdoor venues. Collins Barracks has a way of making shows feel cinematic, and DeMarco's laid-back, meandering live sets are made for a night like this. Expect deep cuts, extended jams, and the kind of looseness that makes his shows feel genuinely unrepeatable.

Puma Blue — Opium

Mon, Jun 1

Puma Blue's late-night jazz-influenced soul is built for intimate rooms, and Opium is a natural fit. His recordings already feel like 2am in a city that won't quite let you sleep — live, that feeling only deepens. This one will sell out. Act accordingly.

We'll be covering these shows as they happen. If you're going, let us know.