Mini Mansions
Musical side projects can often turn up unexpected results, but the sweaty, sold-out throng that packed Dublin’s Workmans Club last Monday to see Queens of the Stone Age bassist Michael Shuman’s “other” band were well aware that blistering rock riffage was not on the agenda. The Los Angeles trio take the stage to the strains of the Platters’ The Great Pretender — a nod to the title of their recently released second album — but make no bones about their genre of choice.
Played live, these keyboard-assisted indie-pop tunes are given an anthemic rock swagger. Shuman is assisted by gaudily-suited bassist Zach Dawes and keyboardist Tyler Packford, while he supplements programmed drums with guitar and vocals. At first, their muddled sound is comparable to a less psychedelic MGMT, but they find their groove with the slouchy Creeps, a stealthy cover of Blondie’s Heart of Glass, and the easygoing electropop melody of Vertigo.
Nevertheless, there’s a nagging sense Mini Mansions’ sound is rather too shamelessly cribbed from their favourite bands. Neutral onlookers need something more well defined and imaginative — not to mention original — to be convinced. Lauren Murphy
The Workmans Club, Dublin, August 24
ROCK/POP
Advertisement
BELFAST
Frank Iero and the Cellebration
Frank Anthony Iero’s musical project. Bar Sub, Mon-Tue 7pm, £16.50
0844 277 4455
Academy, Dublin, Wed 6.30pm, €18.50
0818 719 300
CORK
10cc
English pop-rock veterans. Opera House
Today 8pm, €32.50
021 427 0022
DUBLIN
Havana Che
Salsa band. Sugar Club, today 8pm
sugarclubtickets.com
Thomas Leeb
And Gary Lutton. Whelan’s, upstairs, today 8pm, €10
1890 200 078
Grace Wilde
Dublin outfit. Whelan’s, today 8pm, €5-€10
1890 200 078
Polyphonic Spree
With No Monster Club. Academy, Mon 7pom, €23
0818 719 300
Limelight, Belfast
Tue 7pm, £19.50
0844 277 4455
Song Cycle
Showcase for emerging singer-songwriters. Whelan’s, Mon 8.30pm,
1890 200 078
Richard Thompson
London folk-rock veteran. Vicar Street, Tue 8.30pm, €39.05
0818 719 300
Fuzz
Featuring Ty Segall. Whelan’s, Wed 7.30pm, €18
1890 200 078
Alan Kelly Gang
With Eddi Reader and John Douglas. Whelan’s
Thu 8pm, €20
0818 719 300
CC Smugglers
With Cry Monster Cry. Whelan’s, upstairs, Thu 8pm, €13
0818 719 300
Lee Fields and the Expressions
American soul artist and band. Sugar Club, Sat 7.30pm, €25.40
0818 719 300
The Delines
Portland retro country outfit. Whelan’s, Sat 8pm, €16.50
0818 719 300
GALWAY
Parquet Courts
With Cian Nugent and the Cosmos. Roisin Dubh, Wed 9pm, €14-€16
091 586 540
Brian Kennedy
Belfast singer. Roisin Dubh, Sat 8pm, €18-€20
091 586 540
Advertisement
KERRY
Spirit of Ireland
Featuring the Celtic Kings. INEC, Killarney, today-Thu, various times, €15-€26
0818 719 300
MEATH
Rockathon
Tribute band show. Fairyhouse Racecourse, Sat 12.30pm, €34.50
0818 719 300
CLASSICAL
DUBLIN
Virginia Kerr
Soprano with Aisling O’Dea and Veronica McSwiney. NCH, John Field Room, Fri 1.05pm, €13.50-€15 01 417 0000
RTE National Symphony Orchestra
Tchaikovsky Favourites concert. NCH, Fri 8pm
€13.50-€35
01 417 0000
Advertisement
RTE Concert Orchestra: The Two of Us
Performing hits by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. NCH, Sat 8pm, €10.50-€39.50
01 417 0000
JAZZ
DUBLIN
Richie Buckley
QuintetIncluding John Moriarty and Phil Ware. JJ Smyth’s, today 5pm, €10
01 475 2565
Toot Sweet and the Shadow Man
New Orleans band. JJ Smyth’s, Thu 9pm, €10
01 475 2565
FOLK
Advertisement
DUBLIN
Folk Club
Trad and folk. Whelan’s, Tue 8.30pm,
1890 200 078
Declan Sinnott
Veteran guitarist and singer. Seamus Ennis Centre, Naul, Sat 8pm, €14-€16
01 802 0898
DANCE
BELFAST
Twenty Years of Shine
ClassicsWith Dave Clarke, Darren Emerson and others. Queen’s Students Union, Sat 9.30pm, £20
0844 277 4455
DUBLIN
Sonntags
Weekly dance event. Whelan’s, today 11pm,
1890 200 078
Advertisement
GALWAY
Strange Brew
With Gugai. Roisin Dubh, Thu 11.30pm,
091 586 540
FESTIVAL
ANTRIM
Gig’n the Bann
With the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Phil Coulter and others. Portglenone, Thu-Sat,
028 796 31510
BELFAST
Tennent’s Vital
Featuring the Script, Kodaline and others. Boucher Playing Fields, today 4pm, £43.50
0844 277 4455
DUBLIN
Proms on the Pier
Including Air Supply and Johnny Logan. Dun Laoghaire Harbour, today 4.30pm, €49.50-€69.50
0818 719 300
LAOIS
Electric Picnic
Friday gigs include Florence and the Machine, Belle and Sebastian, Dawes and Ham Sandwich. Saturday gigs include Blur, Róisín Murphy, George Ezra, the Riptide Movement, the Staves and the Lost Brothers. Stradbally Hall, Fri-Sat, €90-€229.50
0818 719 300