Things what are on in Limerick

MUSIC TAKES centre stage in Limerick this weekend, with everything from poignant classics through haunting melodies to cacophonic funk on offer. You can also take in a night of wonderfully introspective theatre with a bit of comedy thrown in and see the world's finest stop-motion film on the big screen!

Thursday (October 31)
Pianist Finghin Collins is at the Belltable this Thursday for a solo piano recital. He's one of the few people on this island who can play the piano well enough that the instrument thanks him after he's done.

The highlight of the concert is likely to be the opener - Mozart's Sonata No. 11, which includes the charming and punchy three minutes of Rondo Alla Turca. He'll also be playing some Schubert and selections from the Ros Tapestry Suite. 8pm, tickets are €18 / €16 concession.

Limerick's vaudeville and burlesque night The Cabaret is in 1314 Cecil Street this Thursday with a special Trick Or Tease Night for Halloween. It's a colourful evening of dance, comedy, magic and assorted quirkiness. Life is a cabaret, as Sally Bowles sings, so put down the knitting, the book and the broom. Actually, as it's the spooky time of the year, maybe bring the broom. Doors open at 7pm, tickets are €20.

Friday (November 1)
The biggest event this weekend is undoubtedly Sinead O'Connor's appearance at the Milk Market this Friday night.

It's been four years since we've had a hint of her singing in public and, even on the first day of the month, this is the gig you shouldn't miss in November. The €46 tickets have long since sold out so if you can't beg or steal one, I recommend that you vault the market walls after 7pm and experience the show in any way you can.

The spirit of Joe Dolan is reanimated this Friday night at the Lime Tree Theatre, as broadcaster Ronan Collins visits to sing songs by Mullingar's favourite dead son. This isn't just a whim on his part - throughout his life while playing charades on Irish TV and playing records on Irish radio he's also kept going with his first career as a showband drummer.

I typically get in trouble for saying that certain shows are for old people but if you have an ageing swinger in your house, bring them. 8pm, tickets are €30.

Tiny Ruins' lead vocalist Hollie Fullbrook plays Dolan's Upstairs this Friday night as part of her European tour. She's just released a solo acoustic version of the band's last album Olympic Girls and if you're in the mood for some quietly haunting and introspective music and don't have tickets for Sinead O'Connor, this is a great substitute. It's quite a pity that both gigs are on the same night as if you like one, you will definitely like the other. 9pm, tickets are €15.

Saturday (Nov 2)

Crowman, at the Lime Tree Theatre this Saturday night, is an exploration of loneliness, connections and the love/hate relationship we all have with crows. Sure, the bottom-feeding birds are grand but would you lend them money or let your sister marry one? Thought not.

Katie Holly's play stars Jon Kenny as lone farmer Dan Lonergan, reflecting on his existence and finally confronting the demons he's been ignoring for his entire life. Older readers might remember Jon Kenny as half of 1990s country'n'mucker comedy duo D'Unbelieveables but for the past two decades he's taken on rather more dramatic stage roles. The man certainly has the acting chops to portray anguish and joy in equal measure.

There are precious few tickets left for this show so if you want to go (and you should), get on that right away. 8pm, tickets are €22 / €20 concession.

Funk, blues and rhythm. These are the things that separate us from the animals. Except for parrots and sea lions, both of which have as much rhythm as Catholic family planning. Eight-piece funk and blues band Stomptown Brass are in Dolan's Upstairs this Saturday night and what separates them from other brass bands is that they bleed and sweat rhythm.

Don’t get too close. Any band that travels with two drummers is not to be sniffed at and the sound will be bouncing off the walls in the intimate upstairs room. They're cheeky, fun and polished. Tickets are €11 in advance or €12.50 on the door.

Dublin experimental rock band Percolator headline a DIY LK night at Pharmacia this Saturday. They've just released their latest track, Freshin', a deliciously laid back affair that also comes with a remix of Squishy Future by Limerick's scratch master Naive Ted. They'll be supported by the riff-driven Jogging and sound artist Olivia Furey. Doors at 9pm, tickets are just a fiver.

Sunday (November 3)
The Christmas season kicks off earlier every year in a way that should be banned by law but for some reason isn't.

The only movie that is allowed to bridge the gap between Halloween and Christmas is the The Nightmare Before Christmas, Henry Selick's crowning achievement as a stop-motion director, and you can see it at the University Concert Hall this Sunday. If you have a child who has never seen this film, you're a terrible parent. Bring them. 3pm, tickets are €7.50 or a fiver if booked online.

Aussie alt-punk outfit Tropical F*ck Storm are upstairs in Dolan's this Sunday, giving me the perfect chance to find out if the good folks of the Limerick Leader will print the word "f*ck" uncensored. Alrighty then.

TFS are one of the finest noise bands on the planet, offer a fantastic live show and their 2018 debut album was a riotous blast of a eulogy to a planet doomed to destruction. Their most recent record, Braindrops, suffers slightly from sophomore album syndrome but they still reign supreme as one of the finest punk / post-punk experiences you can have. Doors at 8pm, tickets are €15.

All weekend
Mariele Neudecker's Sediment exhibition is at the Limerick City Gallery until November 17. The Open Minds exhibition at the Hunt Museum runs till November 24. Both free to see.
That's your lot for this weekend and, as always, if you go to things, there will be more things!