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2024-12-02 Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - The Academy, Dublin

Christmas came early this year for me.  Never did I think that  Me First and the Gimme Gimmes  would be playing Dublin, and never did I ever think I'd get to shoot one of their shows! Well, that all changed last week when they played the Academy in Dublin on a cold, damp, Monday night! I've been a fan since 1997, when one of the lads I worked with, brought in a copy of Have a Ball . It was love at first listen! I did manage to catch them live back in 2019 when they played the O2 Forum in Kentish Town , London, and it was every bit as good as I'd hoped, but it paled in comparison to Monday night in Dublin. So, how did it come about?  Well, back in 2013, I interviewed the band for a now defunct Irish website called Chunk.ie .  Over the years, I've stayed on their PR roster, so I took a chance and emailed my contact there.  Lo and behold, a few emails later and all was sorted, I was down to photograph the show. How was it?  Brilliant, amazing, fantastic,...

2023-10-27 King Kong Company - Dolan's, Limerick

I had planned on going to see King Kong Company in the Olympia Theatre earlier in this month, but it clashed with a photoshoot at charity gig and, when the charity gig is for a friend, there was only ever going to be one winner.  So, arrangements were made to head to Dolan's in Limerick to see them live over the Bank Holiday weekend.

I hit the road late Friday afternoon.  Not an ideal time to travel, made even worse because it was a bank holiday weekend here in Ireland.  I made it in time though, 15 minutes before doors opened!  Happy days.  I only wish I'd made it down a bit earlier, I was starving and the food there is always superb, but alas, it wasn't to be and I starved.

Support on the might was from a local band called T.A. Narrative.  How can I describe them?  Well, picture the style of Human League, the attitude of Sisters of Mercy all mixed with sweet synth pop sounds!  I really enjoyed their set and I'd love to see them live again.

Then it was time for the headliners, King Kong Company.  There have been, as I said on other posts, a few changes in personnel over the last couple of years, but they are still on top form and superb live.  Bobby Fingers makes one hell of a front man when called upon!

Anyway, was it worth 350 km road trip, sitting in rush hour traffic on a bank holiday weekend, just to catch them live again?  Oh hell yeah!

Anyway, on to the photos, first T.A. Narrative:








And now for the headliners, King Kong Company:














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