Ireland’s lockdown is continuing until at least early May, and people across the country have begun to settle into the routine of working from home, including musicians and songwriters. Recently, many artists have begun to livestream music from social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitch. Here are my recommendations for five live online gigs to “attend” this weekend.
D. Cullen Instagram Live today 7pm
Co. Wicklow-based songsmith D. Cullen is doing a gig on Instagram Live today at 7pm. He has taken requests and will be playing covers and originals from throughout his career so far. You can find him on Instagram as @dcullenmusic.
Improvised Music Company ‘Piece by Piece’ #3 with Seán Mac Erlaine YouTube today 8pm
Improvised Music Company (IMC), a not-for-profit supporting jazz music in Ireland, are hosting weekly live improvisation sessions by solo performers. This week, saxophonist and producer Seán Mac Erlaine will be adding his expertise to the pieces composed in previous weeks of the series.
Pieta House Livestream gig in aid of their ‘Sunrise’ appeal Facebook Saturday 5-10pm
Pieta House are launching their ‘Sunrise’ appeal to compensate for the loss of the Darkness into Light campaign due to restrictions to suppress Covid-19. This online gig, which will take place on Facebook from 5-10pm this Saturday, will feature many artists, such as Aslan’s Christy Dignam, Paddy Casey, and Steve and Joe Wall of The Stunning.
Kelly Anne Byrne DJ set Twitch every Saturday 6-8pm
Not exactly a gig, but DJ Kelly Anne Byrne is broadcasting live from her Twitch channel every Saturday from 6-8pm. If you missed it, on her Twitch you can also check out her broadcast of Prince songs to commemorate his passing four years ago.
Pathway to Paris Earth Day 50: A Virtual Festival for Our Planet Instagram Live Sunday 9pm
Pathway to Paris, an organisation which aims to bring artists and activists together to promote the importance of climate action, is hosting a festival this Saturday at 9pm Irish time (4pm EST) on Instagram Live. The festival celebrates Earth Day, which took place earlier this week, and will include performances by Flea, Cat Power, Patti Smith, and many others.
Photo by Kyrylo Kholopkin on Unsplash