IrishMJ

I'm more than a few days late getting this post up! But anyway, here we are, The Vamps , live in Dublin! This gig was not my idea and, to be honest, I didn't know what to expect.  My niece messaged me and asked if I'd go to see New Hope Club and The Vamps (her two favourite bands) when they play Dublin.  I, obviously, said yes and she went and booked flights! So anyway, here we are, it's late summer in Dublin, the skies are grey and the threat of rain is never far away.  As we sat having a pre gig bite to eat in Smithfield, the heavens opened and the thunder clapped.  This was not looking good, but YR.no assured me that the rain would stop before 7:00pm, and it did. So anyway, on to the gig.  It's safe to say that New Hope Club and The Vamps fans are generally young ladies in their late teens to early twenties, and they are loud!  Screams rang around the courtyard of Collins Barracks all night long, I was glad to have my earplugs with me! Local band, ModernLove

It's The Playing Fields Festival time again!  TPFF23, it's third outing, is back and it's the same, but a little different also. For the first time, it's not just an Irish affair.  The legendary Basement Jaxx headlined the Sunday night.  Also, for the first time, it's under canvas.  Not a big circus type tent, a more low rise, stretched canvas affair, as per TribFest a few weeks back.  Given the state of the Irish summer, it was a great decision.  The final difference was that I was only there for Day Two as I'd already arranged to bring my niece to see The Vamps , and that clashed with Day One. So, along with Basement Jaxx , who else was playing Day Two of TPFF? Well, we had:     The Flavours      Altered Lines      Diversion      Raging Sons      Spring Break      Roisin O      and      CamrinWatsin I think we can agree, that's a pretty good mix of rock n' roll, party time and dance music!  Even under canvas, the stage was pretty big and sounded good

I have no proof of this, and my memory is not great, but I believe my first conversation about TribFest went a little something like this: DM: Hey, are you coming to TribFest this year? MJ: Ehhh... If I can make it, I will.  Do you want me to bring the camera? DM: Ah yeah, that'd be great! And that's how I ended up in Maynooth last weekend in the rain, watching 1800 people sing along to Jolene! Who played MJ, who played? I hear you ask...  Well, on Day One of the TribFest, we got to see: Oasis , George Michael , Elvis , Dolly Parton , Johnny Cash , Michael Jackson and ABBA . Day Two of TribFest brought us: ELO , Rod Stewart , Joe Dolan, Ed Sheeran , Bob Dylan , The Beatles and Queen . Hold on a second, half of those acts are dead!!!  Well yes, yes you are right.  I lied a little bit, these weren't the actual acts I mentioned, but some of Irelands finest tribute acts!   I honestly didn't know what to expect, but when the first act up, Oasis, had the audience singing a