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2024-07-05 Sugababes - Iveagh Gardens, Dublin

I've been a Sugababes fan since I first heard Overload way back in 2000.  It was, and still is, a pop classic.  Over the years, I managed to catch them live a couple of times.   The first time I caught Sugababes live was way back at Creamfields 2002.  Unfortunately Siobhan had left the band by then and been replaced by Heidi, so I never got to see the original lineup.  Did it matter much at the time to me?  No, not at all, I was just their to party!  As a side note, post Sugababes, Siobhan went on to release two solo albums, Revolution in Me in 2003 and Ghosts in 2007. The next time I saw them was at Oxegen 2008, and by then Mutya had left the band and was replaced by Amelle, leaving Keisha as the only remaining original member.  It was a tad strange seeing the band with only one remaining member, but again, it was a festival and all we were looking for was a good time, which we definitely got! Another side note, just like Siobhan, Mutya went on to release her own solo work, a gr

2022-04-22 Chuck Ragan - Whelan's Dublin

Back at the start of March '21, I got a message from through Instagram from and old friend, that a guy called Chuck Ragan was going to play Whelans in April '22 and that I should buy a ticket!

Although the gig was 13 months away and I'd no idea who Chuck was, this friend would rarely steer me wrong when it came to music, so I trusted him and I bought the ticket that day.

Fast forward 13 months and the gig finally came around this week, so off I set to Whelan's of Wexford Street to meet up friends and and enjoy the gig.  

Now, because I was meeting up with friends, I decided I'd leave the old DSLR at home. It's big, it's a tad bulky and, well, you never know what's going to happen or where you'll end up when you meet up with old friends!  Not liking to leave home without a camera, I took my small, pocket friendly, Sony DSC HX60 with me.  In hindsight, that was a bad idea!

Anyway...

The gig was superb.  I knew nothing about the guy or his music, apart from he was / is in a punk band called Hot Water Music, but this looked like it was going to be an acoustic gig, so I was confused!

It was neither, Chuck came with a full band, but punk, at least in style, was off the menu.  It was more Americana, Country Rock and it was fantastic.  The years of singing punk has given Chuck a very distinctive voice, but it adds so much to the songs. It turns what could just be run of the mill Americana into something raw and beautiful.

Would I recommend going to see him live?  Oh hell yes, and I'm looking forward to catching him live again also!

As I mentioned, in hindsight, I should have taken the DSLR, but sure, we all make mistakes.  Anyway, there are some photos, and even a brief video clip!





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