Bumper weekend of gigs and events in Cork to bring massive crowds to the city
Some of the acts performing in Cork this weekend include Bell X1, CMAT, Zach Bryan, and Kodaline
Cork is readying itself for one of the biggest-ever weekends on the cultural calendar, with summer music gigs competing with a major arts festival to attract huge crowds to the city.
On Friday night, Kodaline bring their farewell tour to Musgrave Park (Virgin Media Park), marking the end of the rock band’s 13 years performing together. Their final album, will be released in October, but the Cork gig is one of the last opportunities their fans will have to see the group perform live.
At the other side of the city on the same evening, Irish rock band Bell X1 take to the stage at Live at the Marquee, fresh from the release of their newest single, Their fans will be excited to hear new music from Bell X1’s forthcoming ninth studio album, alongside well-known hits.
Live at the Marquee takes a breather on Saturday and Sunday, which is no surprise as its organisers Aiken Promotions will be concentrating on nearby Páirc Uí Chaoimh, where country music star Zach Bryan will perform two nights of his Heaven On Tour set, attracting more than 100,000 ticket-holders.
Bryan played to 180,000 people over three nights at Phoenix Park last year, and his star is still on the rise, with Munster fans eager to see the singer in Cork.
Bryan won’t be the only country singer attracting legions of cowboy hat-wearing devotees, however, as CMAT will hold court with her Euro-Country tour in Musgrave Park on Saturday night.
The last year has been one for the books for the Co Meath singer, whose stage name is made of the initials of her own name, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson.
In the past 12 months, CMAT performed at Glastonbury and Coachella, saw her third album debut at number one on the Irish Albums Chart, and won an Ivor Novello Award for best album for
On Sunday, the music focus is solely on Bryan, with his second night the only major concert on that day. A limited number of seated tickets are available for his Sunday evening gig.
However, Cork Midsummer Festival is also in full swing, and this weekend sees many headline events unfolding and drawing another demographic to its events. Sold-out performances of take place in an empty swimming pool beneath The Metropole Hotel, with star Evanna Lynch leading the cast.
Teac Damsa will perform at Cork Opera House until June 20, while THISISPOPBABY’s queer musical odyssey ends its two-night run on Friday at the Everyman.
A massive Solstice Céilí will take place at Elizabeth Fort on Sunday night to mark Midsummer’s Day and draw the festival to a close.
Luckily, the weather forecast for the weekend is looking positive for gig-goers, with Met Éireann’s yellow warning for rain in Cork ending earlier than originally expected and dry spells stretching from Friday evening into the weekend.
