Emergenza is the world's biggest festival for unsigned bands, with an average of 6,000 bands participating every year in 200 different cities all over the world. Every year the national finalists gets to spend three days in Germany at the Taubertal Open Air festival, where the world final takes place, with an average of 30,000 people showing up over the weekend. This is where, every year, the best band wins a professional production for their first album and where plenty of other musicians are rewarder for their skills with prizes from the festival's sponsors.

 

First hosted in 1992, Ireland’s most established new band showcase has provided a live platform for scores of up and coming Irish acts over the years. Recent acts to have featured include Fight Like Apes, Declan O’Rourke, Halves and Delorentos to name but a few. Ronan Yourell from Dublin band Delorentos said of the tour “It was an important step in the development of our band as we gained invaluable experience through the gigs and also met some really cool people!” A number of artists will be chosen from the tour to perform in a ‘Best of Showcase’ gig which will take place in Dublin venue The Academy on May 1st.

 

The cult American will be plugging his Little Moon album, which came out last October and was one of the year’s most underrated gems.

 

Having performed at President Obama's inauguration, the Choir were signed by Universal Music and released their critically acclaimed first album; 'The Spirit of Africa'. The choir has a wide-ranging repertoire comprising a variety of popular chants and songs from across Africa, they dress in tribal costumes and perform choreographed dance routines. They have made their influence felt internationally, especially in the United States where the choir has toured many times to rapturous acclaim.

 

 

 

An unknown name has been found in the records of our history. Why haven’t you been told about him? Why was he kept a secret? And who is Fergus Kilpatrick? A re-imagining of Irish history. Theatre, video and stories filled with white lies and conspiracies clash with old footage, old documents, old heroes to uncover new answers, a new company and a new truth – or do they? Winner of the Absolut Fringe Best Production Award 2009.

 

 

 

 

Nobody has ever seen a living dinosaur, but scientists can give us a good idea of what they looked like and how they moved. We often imagine dinosaurs as colossal flesh-eating beasts that lived on our planet for an incredible 160 million years. Some were indeed gigantic, but many were only as heavy as a Labrador dog and many were vegetarian! Did you know that the Ornithomimus could run faster than an Olympic sprinter? See how the sociable Triceratops lived in herds, caring for and protecting their young. Meet Dilophosaurus, a relative of the first dinosaur found in Scotland. Come face to face with the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, one of the fiercest land predators ever known. This massive animatronic model, 4 metres tall and 7 metres long, is so lifelike you’ll think it’s the real thing! Walk past the head of a hungry Tyrannosaurus and watch as his terrifying jaws go SNAP!

 

 

Featuring some of the most famous and inspiring stage music ever written, Evita includes the classic songs "Don't Cry For Me Argentina", "On This Night of a Thousand Stars", "Oh What A Circus" etc.

 

Weekly event. Indie / Electro / Classic Pop DJs.

 

 

Sit back and enjoy a selection of dramatic extracts, poetry, mime, dance, drama and recitals presented by talented young people from 6 to 18 years and introduced and stage managed by senior Voiceworks students. VoiceWorks – a drama school established by Maeve O’Donoghue in Dublin 15 in 1978 – will showcase a term’s work in aid of The LauraLynn Hospice Foundation. After six years of fundraising, work officially began early this year on the building of Ireland's first children's hospice LauraLynn House on the grounds of Children's Sunshine Home on the Leopardstown Road.

 

Freelance photographer Hazel’s first solo show, specially commissioned by The Mill. From live music to fashion shoots, Hazel’s energetic work captures the essence of the moment, creating scenes of high drama juxtaposed with her stylized compositions and settings.

 

Soul, ska and indie.

 

The World Premiere of Oscar Wilde's The Birthday of the Infanta. The twelfth birthday of the Infanta, the Princess of Spain, is a grand and marvelous affair. Snake charmers, Egyptian musicians, puppets, bullfighters, monkeys and bears all come to entertain the Infanta and her friends. But the one that makes her laugh loudest is the open-hearted little Dwarf brought in from the forest to perform a wild woodland dance for her. She is so delighted that she throws him a white rose and insists that he dance again after dinner. The innocent young Dwarf is over the moon and he is sure that the Infanta has fallen in love with him. Determined to declare his devotion to her, he decides to sneak into the Palace to find her... ...but what he finds in the Palace will break his simple heart. Cover charge includes a light lunch.

 

 

 

Indie and electro.

 

Houston has had a significant impact on the music industry. According to The New York Times, Houston had "revitalized the tradition of strong gospel-oriented pop-soul singing". A number of artists have acknowledged Houston as an influence. Mariah Carey, who was often compared to Houston, said, "Houston has been a big influence on me." She later told USA Today that "none of us would sound the same if Aretha Franklin hadn't ever put out a record, or Whitney Houston hadn't".

 

‘It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood’ Over 400 years after it was written, Shakespeare’s dark depiction of ambition, guilt and murder continues to send a shiver down the spine. Macbeth’s sword is still wet with blood when he returns victorious from battle, a loyal servant to his King and a hero amongst his comrades. But when three weird sisters cross his path with mysterious prophecies, Shakespeare’s fearsome tragic hero comes face to face with his most fierce opponent yet – his destiny. Swayed by promises of greatness and the demands of a power-hungry wife, Macbeth swathes his way to power – and moral decay. Rooted in the Irish landscape at the time of Cromwell, this muscular new production from director Jimmy Fay (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, The Playboy of the Western World, Ages of the Moon) lays bare the darkest side of human nature. Macbeth continues our commitment to presenting the work of William Shakespeare and follows our productions of Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar and The Comedy of Errors. We are delighted that Aidan Kelly will play Macbeth and Eileen Walsh will play Lady Macbeth in this thrilling new production.