Punk, metal and acoustic music in Dundalk's Toales this week

There's a host of live music in Toales on Crowe Street in Dundalk this weekend.

Thursday 31st October - Fireside Sessions presents Dez Murphy + Peter Rafter, free admission, show starts 9pm.

Toales' Fireside Sessions is an acoustic club that showcases the best in acoustic acts, always inside by the fire in the bar, always free admission, and is very proud to welcome back blues Singer/songwriter Dez Murphy, last seen in Toales supporting The Two Five Ones back in August.

Dez has long been involved with the music scene, from London in the eighties, to the present day, where he continues to sing, write & perform new material with the Moposogs local writers group based in Monaghan, and also hosts his own monthly 'Monaghan Blues Jam' which has been running now for over 20 years.

Support comes from Peter Rafter, with his acoustic collection of blues covers. This is a free event and starts at 9pm.

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Friday 1st November - Pizza Pizza Records present - Adore + I Dreamed I Dream - Doors 8pm, adm €10

Another of local Record Company Pizza Pizza Records' monthly showcases of the finest up-and-coming bands and artists from around the island of Ireland, this month featuring Adore, a 3-piece garage punk band hailing from Galway, Donegal and Dublin, with a sound that combines themes from surf, disco and pop which blends with their raucous, garage punk sensibilities, firmly grounded by crunchy guitar and a powerful drum and bass combo.

Although only formed in 2022, there's already an almighty buzz about Adore with London gigs and an appearance at Electric Picnic already under their belts.

Also on the bill are I Dreamed I Dream, an all-girl five-piece band from Cork.

Their sound has been described as an existential Leeside hellscape, taking in elements of post-punk, dreampop, Sean-Nós and 60s girl groups.... and that's only scratching the surface. Admission is €10 and doors open at 8pm

Saturday 2nd November - Fomorian + Killjoy. Adm €5, doors open 8pm

Just when you thought it was safe to take out your ear plugs, it's the return of Dundalk's very own Fomorian, a metal band that are new to the Irish scene, but have already made a huge splash with their Lamb Of God/Chimaira/Sepultura inspired progressive heavy metal.

This is the band's first gig in over six months as lead singer Albert has been abroad for a few months so this will be the noisiest of welcome-home parties!!

Special guests on the night will be Toales favourite Killjoy a Dundalk hard rock band who bring a powerful punch, soaring vocals and blistering twin solos to the stage.

The band’s music is influenced heavily by Van Halen, Thin Lizzy, Alice In Chains and Arctic Monkeys, to name just a few. They have been busy playing nationally and locally all year and were finalists in this year's Toales' Battle of the Bands.