State of local Irish metal scene?

[Mooncat]

I'll be back in the summer for about 3 weeks in June/July (mainly in the north) and I was hoping to go to some local gigs. Having a quick browse through the forum though and it didn't seem like too much happening in general. The majority of the gigs in the gigs forum are international acts. The venues and promoters thread had like 6 suggestions in it. I'll be fine finding stuff but it did get me wondering, what is the current state of the local Irish metal scene? When I was playing around in it in the 2000s it was absolutely hiving. 100s of bands and gigs every night. Now I understand that the internet has moved on and the majority of bands probably use social media instead of a forum to promote, but what is the general view from the ground? Still healthy? Lots happening? Not losing too many venues?

As an aside, I'll be in Belfast mainly if anyone has specific recs for bands/venues etc.

[Mithrandir]

Everyone is at home listening to Gotham City

[Yung Led Zeppelin]

Good bands, venue situation is fucking atrocious alright though and if you wanna do anything DIY now it is a hell of a lot more expensive than it used to be even a few years ago. I think that's about the long and short of it.

[Necro Red]

Yea, I think Limerick and Cork have healthy scenes with local bands to be fair

[Paul keohane]

Ah local scene is still fairly healthy for sure!,obviously promoting gigs is nearly exclusively on social media now.The amount of international acts playing this year is as big as I can ever remember here,so the local scene probably not getting as much attention.

[StoutAndAle]

Good bands, venue situation is fucking atrocious alright though and if you wanna do anything DIY now it is a hell of a lot more expensive than it used to be even a few years ago. I think that's about the long and short of it.

Pre-COVID there were rumblings of local bar/venue owners being displeased about the DIY/BYOB venues around Cork and calling in fire inspectors etc.

I saw some great gigs in the CCPS before it was shut down.

Hubert Selby Jnr Infants did a BYOB (and all ages - if accompanied by an adult) gig in Rebel Reads recently which was really good fun.

[Paul keohane]

Good bands, venue situation is fucking atrocious alright though and if you wanna do anything DIY now it is a hell of a lot more expensive than it used to be even a few years ago. I think that's about the long and short of it.

Pre-COVID there were rumblings of local bar/venue owners being displeased about the DIY/BYOB venues around Cork and calling in fire inspectors etc.

I saw some great gigs in the CCPS before it was shut down.

Hubert Selby Jnr Infants did a BYOB (and all ages - if accompanied by an adult) gig in Rebel Reads recently which was really good fun.

never heard of that place?,

Was it Tom/Freds the main culprit with the demise of the Print shop gigs?

[StoutAndAle]

never heard of that place?,

Rebel Reads? It's a not-for-profit community book shop down by the Marina Market.

HSJI didn't want to do gigs in pubs so they played a few DIY shows in record shops and such. That was last year sometime, Christ - time is flying.

[Pentagrimes]

 Juat a correction: that's not strictly true. We will play gigs in pubs,  but if we have the option of playing somewhere that isn't,  especially if it's all ages, we will. As it happened Dec suggested us playing there and we were delighted to do it.

But sure we aren't a metal band so it's easier for a band like us

[StoutAndAle]

Juat a correction: that's not strictly true. We will play gigs in pubs,  but if we have the option of playing somewhere that isn't,  especially if it's all ages, we will. As it happened Dec suggested us playing there and we were delighted to do it.

But sure we aren't a metal band so it's easier for a band like us

I stand corrected. I thought that whole run of gigs was in places other than pubs.

[Faustus]

If you are in Belfast then you got two/three venues tops for anything heavy. It's nowhere near what it used to be and what's odd/worse is we used to complain about it back then when in comparison well...

[Mooncat]

If you are in Belfast then you got two/three venues tops for anything heavy. It's nowhere near what it used to be and what's odd/worse is we used to complain about it back then when in comparison well...

What are the venues now? I'm assuming Voodoo. Not sure I can think of anywhere else now, though I'm sure the Limelight complex still has local acts? Used to love Saturday afternoon's at Katy Dalys.

[Cursed Monk Records]

We are putting on Monk Fest in Limerick on July 6th if you are about. 8 bands, a bbq, and a raffle to raise money for Temple Street Children's Hospital. All info can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monk-fest-2024-tickets-765729105367

[jobrok1]

Good bands, venue situation is fucking atrocious alright though and if you wanna do anything DIY now it is a hell of a lot more expensive than it used to be even a few years ago. I think that's about the long and short of it.

Pre-COVID there were rumblings of local bar/venue owners being displeased about the DIY/BYOB venues around Cork and calling in fire inspectors etc.

I saw some great gigs in the CCPS before it was shut down.

Was it Tom/Freds the main culprit with the demise of the Print shop gigs?

I had a show scheduled there with Malthusian (if I remember correctly) which got shitcanned because of the closure.
I put a booking into Fredz with hopes of moving the gig there, but then the rumours started flying and the band didn't want to play there in the end.
Tom got well put out when he caught wind and got his back up with me as if it was me making the accusations.

[open face surgery]

Ya, I remember that. A few great nights in the CCPS. I remember people being confident that it was him that ratted so fuck him. Sorry it caused you bother.