Prob already too late if yer not already queuing, but sure, thought I'd say anyway: in person ticket sales only, at Olympia.
https://www.facebook.com/mcdproductions/posts/pfbid02UCiPge2pUEKKatLkxH7ajS7pYoWVMp5ftYFFFa7ejqrQRyerjDkoM4YdDJsNGxnWl
Presume it's chaos on Dame Street.
They brought people into the auditorium to wait.
Saw them do a surprise gig in the Ambassador when they were playing Witness, good show, to be fair
No interest in seeing the Foo Fighters but a hundred squids is fairly steep like, you'd think if they wanted to do something 'totally punk rock man' they'd take the hit and do it for a tenner.
It's steep but I'd imagine it's more to see them on a big screen from 60m away in a stadium, no?
That played in Dingle last night, the Other Voices church.
Quote from: ldj on February 22, 2026, 05:55:06 PMNo interest in seeing the Foo Fighters but a hundred squids is fairly steep like, you'd think if they wanted to do something 'totally punk rock man' they'd take the hit and do it for a tenner.
Punk rock prices don't pay child support
Zing!
Grohls PR team working their magic.
Have had no interest since their 2nd album but a great size venue to see a 'stadium band' in.Wish more big acts would do something like this.REM did something like 3 nights in a row in the Olympia as a live rehearsal for a tour once upon a time.
It was actually 5 would you believe! Got to see one of them - it was great.
Honestly think they are the world's blandest band since 2 albums in but doing something like this is still fairly cool. Was only chatting with a mate after the Deftones gig the other night and saying it's a bit of a pity that they've gotten so big they'll never be seen in a small place again. So very good for the fanatics who got tickets for this, and being a fanatic of the world's blandest band, well they surely deserve something.
Jesus they're awful fucking bland aren't they like seriously it's actually awful but it's not so it's brilliant but it's not so it's just right there, as mediocre as possible.
Like the lad in Father Ted with the boring voice it just doesn't matter what they do really it's still just the blandest band possible.
Wait, who is it that's playing again or what is it they're doing
Quote from: HeartWorm on February 23, 2026, 09:40:27 PMWish more big acts would do something like this.REM did something like 3 nights in a row in the Olympia as a live rehearsal for a tour once upon a time.
I saw Metallica play in a venue slightly bigger than the Academy in Canada back in 2016. They did 2 nights in the same venue and similar to this the shows were only announced a few days beforehand but at least in that case they sold the tickets online.
Quote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2026, 09:52:49 PMHonestly think they are the world's blandest band since 2 albums in but doing something like this is still fairly cool. Was only chatting with a mate after the Deftones gig the other night and saying it's a bit of a pity that they've gotten so big they'll never be seen in a small place again. So very good for the fanatics who got tickets for this, and being a fanatic of the world's blandest band, well they surely deserve something.
Jesus they're awful fucking bland aren't they like seriously it's actually awful but it's not so it's brilliant but it's not so it's just right there, as mediocre as possible.
Like the lad in Father Ted with the boring voice it just doesn't matter what they do really it's still just the blandest band possible.
Wait, who is it that's playing again or what is it they're doing
Grohl sounds completely out of ideas to me and has done for about two decades. Like just utterly dry. Given the Foo Fighters punk and alt rock style that's surprising given there's a fairly enormous and diverse array of bands to draw influence from. I mean Pat Smear is right there, is he not contributing? I guess Grohl is reported to be a complete control freak...
Quote from: Mooncat on February 23, 2026, 10:45:43 PMQuote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2026, 09:52:49 PMHonestly think they are the world's blandest band since 2 albums in but doing something like this is still fairly cool. Was only chatting with a mate after the Deftones gig the other night and saying it's a bit of a pity that they've gotten so big they'll never be seen in a small place again. So very good for the fanatics who got tickets for this, and being a fanatic of the world's blandest band, well they surely deserve something.
Jesus they're awful fucking bland aren't they like seriously it's actually awful but it's not so it's brilliant but it's not so it's just right there, as mediocre as possible.
Like the lad in Father Ted with the boring voice it just doesn't matter what they do really it's still just the blandest band possible.
Wait, who is it that's playing again or what is it they're doing
Grohl sounds completely out of ideas to me and has done for about two decades. Like just utterly dry. Given the Foo Fighters' punk and alt rock style that's surprising given there's a fairly enormous and diverse array of bands to draw influence from. I mean Pat Smear is right there, is he not contributing? I guess Grohl is reported to be a complete control freak...
Quote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2026, 09:52:49 PMSo very good for the fanatics who got tickets for this, and being a fanatic of the world's blandest band, well they surely deserve something.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
They seem like rock music for people who don't really like music.
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on February 23, 2026, 09:44:39 PMIt was actually 5 would you believe! Got to see one of them - it was great.
Class.Had the pleasure of seeing them live twice and one of the few 'big' bands who bowed out gracefully rather than flogging a dead horse.
Quote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2026, 09:52:49 PMHonestly think they are the world's blandest band since 2 albums in but doing something like this is still fairly cool. Was only chatting with a mate after the Deftones gig the other night and saying it's a bit of a pity that they've gotten so big they'll never be seen in a small place again. So very good for the fanatics who got tickets for this, and being a fanatic of the world's blandest band, well they surely deserve something.
Jesus they're awful fucking bland aren't they like seriously it's actually awful but it's not so it's brilliant but it's not so it's just right there, as mediocre as possible.
Like the lad in Father Ted with the boring voice it just doesn't matter what they do really it's still just the blandest band possible.
Wait, who is it that's playing again or what is it they're doing
Coldplay: "hold my wheatgrass smoothie, peasant".
:laugh:
Quote from: Carnage on February 24, 2026, 12:04:37 AMQuote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2026, 09:52:49 PMHonestly think they are the world's blandest band since 2 albums in but doing something like this is still fairly cool. Was only chatting with a mate after the Deftones gig the other night and saying it's a bit of a pity that they've gotten so big they'll never be seen in a small place again. So very good for the fanatics who got tickets for this, and being a fanatic of the world's blandest band, well they surely deserve something.
Jesus they're awful fucking bland aren't they like seriously it's actually awful but it's not so it's brilliant but it's not so it's just right there, as mediocre as possible.
Like the lad in Father Ted with the boring voice it just doesn't matter what they do really it's still just the blandest band possible.
Wait, who is it that's playing again or what is it they're doing
Coldplay: "hold my wheatgrass smoothie, peasant".
:laugh: Brillant
I liked the first album. Very catchy stuff. But they have become the definitive radio rock b(l)and. Easy on the ear, toe tapping and completely uninspiring. Maybe useful as a gateway for teenagers to get into guitar based music. Guitar based music. A gateway to dogshit.
Quote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2026, 09:52:49 PMHonestly think they are the world's blandest band since 2 albums in but doing something like this is still fairly cool. Was only chatting with a mate after the Deftones gig the other night and saying it's a bit of a pity that they've gotten so big they'll never be seen in a small place again. So very good for the fanatics who got tickets for this, and being a fanatic of the world's blandest band, well they surely deserve something.
Jesus they're awful fucking bland aren't they like seriously it's actually awful but it's not so it's brilliant but it's not so it's just right there, as mediocre as possible.
Like the lad in Father Ted with the boring voice it just doesn't matter what they do really it's still just the blandest band possible.
Wait, who is it that's playing again or what is it they're doing
I think this is your finest work
Quote from: Eoin McLove on February 24, 2026, 09:32:31 AMI liked the first album. Very catchy stuff. But they have become the definitive radio rock b(l)and. Easy on the ear, toe tapping and completely uninspiring. Maybe useful as a gateway for teenagers to get into guitar based music. Guitar based music. A gateway to dogshit.
The first album is superb, wall to wall bangers,still one I'd happily listen to on repeat if you stuck it on now - and that first gig they played her in the SFX 30 years ago they were on fire. Still have a lot of time for the Colour and th Shape as well, some great tunes on that, saw them a fair bit around that time and they were always highly entertaining. Couldn't care less about anything since.
Yep, was bang into the first 2 as a gosser. The girl that taped me Nirvana albums in 4th class also gave me the first FF and then I bought The Colour and The Shape when it came out. Good times. Such innocence.
Yep - no arguing with the first two. Unfortunately didn't catch them until the In Your Honour tour, literally remember looking at the watch for most of the gig.
I'd have no problem arguing with the first two :laugh: They came along right when the only kind of grunge I'd have dug was something heavier/rawer than Nirvana, so, right out the gate, they sounded bland compared to what I was looking for.
I thought they were shite from day one.
First one is top pop-rock, second one is a watered down version of the first. A few decent tunes but average overall. Utterly forgettable since. That Pocketwatch album also had a couple of decent songs on it but again - average overall.
I guess I just don't like 90s pop-rock. Hadn't dug Dookie or Weezer's debut either (which I guess are pop-rock too..?), but the Foo Fighter's debut impressed me even less when it came along after them. At least part of that was down to having Nirvana-high expectations at the time, but even in retrospect I'd have more time (though still very little) for early GD or Weezer.
First two Weezer are tops too!
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on February 24, 2026, 04:10:36 PMFirst two Weezer are tops too!
I couldn't warm to Pinkerton but I'd struggle to find a bad moment on the debut.
Edit: Buddy Holly, perhaps.
Green Day are appalling, as are all of their pop 'punk' ilk. Always found Weezer to be very overrated but they definitely have their moments. Like Emphyrio, I couldn't get into Pinkerton but albums 1 and 3 have sone great tracks.
Pinkerton is a tough listen, it's not a fun record like the first and third, took a while for me to appreciate it fully
Yeah never liked Green Day.
There's a sprinkling of decent songs across the first three FF records, maybe enough to pull a decent album.
Similar boat with ye for Weezer - debut is tops, bounced off Pinkerton.
Have great nostalgia for Green Day, particularly Dookie and Insomniac (lovely bass tone on the latter). Just good, bouncy pop music, and great drumming too. Pity they went all U2 self-serious with American Idiot.
Pinkerton shits on the rest of the Weezer discography from quite a height. Blue album is cool but Pinkerton is their masterpiece. Rawer, better songs, ballsier.
I'd be reaching for the Posies' "Frosting on the beater", Wool's "Box Set (Pete Stahl from Goatsnake's finest hour in a considerable discography to my ears). Tripping Daisy or the first Veruca Salt album when the ould 90s MTV alt rock need kicks in nowadays though. Which it does surprisingly often.
Honestly, there were far better and far more sophisticated Pop Punk bands than Green Day. All you really need in that genre are the Descendents.
Quote from: Pentagrimes on February 24, 2026, 05:43:32 PMPinkerton shits on the rest of the Weezer discography from quite a height. Blue album is cool but Pinkerton is their masterpiece. Rawer, better songs, ballsier.
I'd be reaching for the Posies' "Frosting on the beater", Wool's "Box Set (Pete Stahl from Goatsnake's finest hour in a considerable discography to my ears). Tripping Daisy or the first Veruca Salt album when the ould 90s MTV alt rock need kicks in nowadays though. Which it does surprisingly often.
Honestly, there were far better and far more sophisticated Pop Punk bands than Green Day. All you really need in that genre are the Descendents.
It wouldn't fall in to pop punk but Copper Blue by Sugar is a forgotten 90s classic.Some great riffs and melodies.Tends to get overlooked in the Bob Mould cannon in comparison to Hisker Du.
given it just got reissued and they're playing here soon it may get a rediscovery hopefully
I only referenced GD trying to find contemporaneous "pop-rock" bands (i.e. pop-ular) against which to measure the Foo Fighters' debut. Dookie and Weezer's blue album both came out year before it, both consisting of massively MTV-pushed pop-rock music (read: distorted guitar, not arsed distinguishing pop-punk and pop-rock...they were all more pop than anything else) that I wasn't into and never listened to by choice. It was to my surprise, since I loved Nirvana, that "Dave Grohl's new band!" ended up being closer to GD and Weezer than they were to anything I wanted to hear. And weren't even better at it, as far as I could hear. Even the barrel-scraping candy stuff: like, Buddy Holly over Big Me, any day, no doubt about it :laugh:
Quote from: Pentagrimes on February 24, 2026, 05:43:32 PMAll you really need in that genre are the Descendents.
Coffee Mug is probably the only pop punk song I like (it's not all that poppy TBF):
Quote from: HeartWorm on February 24, 2026, 06:22:18 PMQuote from: Pentagrimes on February 24, 2026, 05:43:32 PMPinkerton shits on the rest of the Weezer discography from quite a height. Blue album is cool but Pinkerton is their masterpiece. Rawer, better songs, ballsier.
I'd be reaching for the Posies' "Frosting on the beater", Wool's "Box Set (Pete Stahl from Goatsnake's finest hour in a considerable discography to my ears). Tripping Daisy or the first Veruca Salt album when the ould 90s MTV alt rock need kicks in nowadays though. Which it does surprisingly often.
Honestly, there were far better and far more sophisticated Pop Punk bands than Green Day. All you really need in that genre are the Descendents.
It wouldn't fall in to pop punk but Copper Blue by Sugar is a forgotten 90s classic.Some great riffs and melodies.Tends to get overlooked in the Bob Mould cannon in comparison to Hisker Du.
Another shout out here for Copper Blue...the first time I heard it was about 10 years ago, can't really remember why it entered my "listening sphere" (prob on the back of some glowing retrospective review) but it's absolutely class and the sheer amount of bona fide earworms are staggering. Funnily enough, I've never been tempted to revisit anything I heard by Husker Du but maybe
that's my loss.
As for the Foo Fighters debut, similar to BSC i was huge into Nirvana at the time and it definitely leaned more into the pop side of things than I had wanted or anticipated. Anything I've heard from them since is as bland and inoffensive as, say, the likes of Coldplay or Imagine Dragons, but that shit sells well and i can certainly appreciate that the announcement of a small, intimate gig was a huge thing for the fans. Whatever about the Ambassador, its still kind of cool to think of a band with that profile playing a gig to maybe 80 or so people in a small church in Kerry. Grohl is a bit of an enigma to me, I do think he has a genuine interest in heavy music and he seems like a decent lad, it's just a shame his day job is peddling such beige music.
First Foos album is brilliant. Everything else is just a downward spiral. As for Weezer Pinkerton is class but the Blue album is their masterpiece. It is flawless. If only they could have kept some quality control on later albums as theyre fucking awful.
Pinkerton ist krieg, lads. Fuck sake, like.
My favourite Grunge band was Gruntruck. So FF meant absolutely nothing to me back then, and now.
It's grand to hear a tune of theirs once a year on a radio station in the background somewhere.
Quote from: John Kimble on February 24, 2026, 07:00:01 PMQuote from: HeartWorm on February 24, 2026, 06:22:18 PMQuote from: Pentagrimes on February 24, 2026, 05:43:32 PMPinkerton shits on the rest of the Weezer discography from quite a height. Blue album is cool but Pinkerton is their masterpiece. Rawer, better songs, ballsier.
I'd be reaching for the Posies' "Frosting on the beater", Wool's "Box Set (Pete Stahl from Goatsnake's finest hour in a considerable discography to my ears). Tripping Daisy or the first Veruca Salt album when the ould 90s MTV alt rock need kicks in nowadays though. Which it does surprisingly often.
Honestly, there were far better and far more sophisticated Pop Punk bands than Green Day. All you really need in that genre are the Descendents.
It wouldn't fall in to pop punk but Copper Blue by Sugar is a forgotten 90s classic.Some great riffs and melodies.Tends to get overlooked in the Bob Mould cannon in comparison to Hisker Du.
Another shout out here for Copper Blue...the first time I heard it was about 10 years ago, can't really remember why it entered my "listening sphere" (prob on the back of some glowing retrospective review) but it's absolutely class and the sheer amount of bona fide earworms are staggering. Funnily enough, I've never been tempted to revisit anything I heard by Husker Du but maybe
that's my loss.
As for the Foo Fighters debut, similar to BSC i was huge into Nirvana at the time and it definitely leaned more into the pop side of things than I had wanted or anticipated. Anything I've heard from them since is as bland and inoffensive as, say, the likes of Coldplay or Imagine Dragons, but that shit sells well and i can certainly appreciate that the announcement of a small, intimate gig was a huge thing for the fans. Whatever about the Ambassador, its still kind of cool to think of a band with that profile playing a gig to maybe 80 or so people in a small church in Kerry. Grohl is a bit of an enigma to me, I do think he has a genuine interest in heavy music and he seems like a decent lad, it's just a shame his day job is peddling such beige music.
If you like Copper Blue then check out Beaster. It's a mini album but has some serious heavy riffs on "JC Auto" and "Judas Cradle".I personally prefer Sugar to Husker Du.
I heard Sugar before Hüsker Dü and would take Beaster over anything else Mould's done, but both that and Copper Blue are fantastic. And leagues ahead if anything Grohl's been involved in.
Which is funny because Grohl has often talked about Husker Du being his biggest influence. I wish he tried to sound a bit more like them.
Couldn't give a hoot about Foo Fighters or Weezer.
But great to see Sugar getting some love. Copper Blue and Beaster were huge for me in my teens. The second album FUEL is great too, but didn't have the same impact.
Kept up with some of Mould's solo albums for a time too. But always fall back to Copper Blue and Beaster.
Tried and failed to get into Hüsker Dü.
I picked up that Bob Moukd boxset that came out during covid, well worth getting. All of his (then released) solo albums, plus all the Suger, Loudbomb and Blowoff material with a few discs of live and rare stuff. Mighty altogether. Beauty & Ruin is the pick of the solo albums IMO, a good mixture of everyrhing he's done.
Footage from Dingle.........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USUMBHzF4JI&list=RDUSUMBHzF4JI&start_radio=1
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on February 25, 2026, 12:54:42 PMFootage from Dingle.........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USUMBHzF4JI&list=RDUSUMBHzF4JI&start_radio=1
That new drummer is fantastic.He played with Nine Inch Nails at the 3 Arena gig.Obvioulsy getting a nice paycheck from "the nicest man in rock" but will be wasted playing that sanitised radio rock.
Shout out to Sunny Day Real Estate's "Diary". A perfect example of that style of poppy rock. And sure didn't Grohl nick Mendel and Goldsmith from them, only for him to be an insufferable cunt with Goldsmith. Apparently his drumming wasn't good enough for "The Colour and The Shape", which I find hard to believe as his drumming on "Diary" eats anything Grohl has ever recorded for breakfast.
Quote from: HeartWorm on February 25, 2026, 01:00:31 PMQuote from: Pagan Saviour on February 25, 2026, 12:54:42 PMFootage from Dingle.........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USUMBHzF4JI&list=RDUSUMBHzF4JI&start_radio=1
That new drummer is fantastic.He played with Nine Inch Nails at the 3 Arena gig.Obvioulsy getting a nice paycheck from "the nicest man in rock" but will be wasted playing that sanitised radio rock.
Having a quick goo at Wikipedia about him, this is the third time he's replaced Josh Freese in a band.
Quote from: Ducky on February 25, 2026, 04:12:53 PMShout out to Sunny Day Real Estate's "Diary". A perfect example of that style of poppy rock. And sure didn't Grohl nick Mendel and Goldsmith from them, only for him to be an insufferable cunt with Goldsmith. Apparently his drumming wasn't good enough for "The Colour and The Shape", which I find hard to believe as his drumming on "Diary" eats anything Grohl has ever recorded for breakfast.
"Diary" is fantastic but "Pink" is absolutely essential, a perfect record, and Goldsmith and Mendel are stellar throughout.
I love that this is now essentially a Sugar thread. Won't be making it to the National Stadium gig later in the year but seeing them in dalymount was a real mindblower. If you can't get into Husker Du but haven't heard "Zen Arcade" then that's the place to start. As I said, bang of Bob Mold off so much of the first FF album - "Good Grief" is basically a Grant Hart song
Quote from: Carnage on February 24, 2026, 09:36:58 PMI heard Sugar before Hüsker Dü and would take Beaster over anything else Mould's done, but both that and Copper Blue are fantastic. And leagues ahead if anything Grohl's been involved in.
Exactly. Foo Fighters haven't released a half-decent album since 1997 whereas Bob Mould is still putting out great music. Blue Hearts from 2020 is a belter of an album.
Quote from: Maggot Colony on February 26, 2026, 09:52:42 AMQuote from: Carnage on February 24, 2026, 09:36:58 PMI heard Sugar before Hüsker Dü and would take Beaster over anything else Mould's done, but both that and Copper Blue are fantastic. And leagues ahead if anything Grohl's been involved in.
Exactly. Foo Fighters haven't released a half-decent album since 1997 whereas Bob Mould is still putting out great music. Blue Hearts from 2020 is a belter of an album.
Yeah I was surprised how good it was. A real throwback to the harder punk and anger days.
And of course now Sugar have reformed and announced a tour that includes Irish dates and I'm stuck in Edmonton. Fuck sake!
Quote from: Mooncat on February 27, 2026, 04:03:13 PMAnd of course now Sugar have reformed and announced a tour that includes Irish dates and I'm stuck in Edmonton. Fuck sake!
yep, mentioned this earlier and found it odd no-one else picked up on it? And J.Robbins (Jawbox/Burning Airlines( is opening the Euro dates with them now too, presumably including Dublin. Might have to go after all..
While we're on the subject of alternative rock.Hole/Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf Der Mar is doing a book signing and Q&A in Easons Dublin on April 13th.She had some great solo stuff and had a brilliant duet with Dmazig on one of her albums.
They haven't put out anything that got me particularly worked up in over 25 years, but jaysus I'd have been all over this if I was still in Dublin.
Saw them in the Olympia in December 2000, at the height of my obsession with them and it was amazing.
The new drummer (Ilan Rubin) seems to have an MO:
- Replaced Josh Freese in Lost Prophets (albeit Josh was just a session drummer in the studio)
- Replaced Josh Freese in Nine Inch Nails
- Replaced Josh Freese as live drummer for Danny Elfman
- Replaced Josh Freese in Foo Fighters
;D