There’s been some absolutely brilliant gigs at the Iveagh Gardens so far this summer from the likes of troubadour Damien Dempsey, Irish rock legends Aslan, The Villagers, Garbage and Canadian superstar Mac DeMarco.
And the series of summer gigs at the Iveagh Gardens is certainly wrapping up on a high note with the iconic Burt Bacharach performing there today, while Mullingar outfit The Academic strutted their stuff at the outdoor venue on Friday.
You’d well imagine this will probably be the last ever time an Irish audience will get the opportunity to see Burt perform his hits (such as Walk on By, The Love of Love, I Say A Little Prayer) in the flesh seeing as he’s now 91.
We shouldn’t be surprised, I recently read elsewhere, if one of his past collaborators such as Boyzone’s Ronan Keating or Elvis Costello make a surprise guest appearance for a song or two, which would be a nice touch.
Burt can obviously claim he’s the oldest musician to have performed here this year – but only just. He’s actually only six months older than the legendary Italian Ennio Morricone who also visited our shores back in February.
Even some of the other acts that recently performed at the Iveagh Gardens reckon the Burt Bacharach concert is one of the highlights of this summer’s gigs at the popular outdoor venue.
Aslan’s frontman Christy Dignam, who gave a brilliant performance there himself only last week, told The Beat: “Just playing the same venue as Burt Bacharach is the highest honour of my career. He’s absolutely and without question solid gold genius.”
Damien Dempsey, who also played the same venue two weeks ago, said he’s kicking himself that he won’t be in town to catch Burt in action.
Damien told The Beat: “When a 91-year-old songwriting genius comes to the fair city of Dublin in July to perform in the hallowed hollow of the Iveagh Gardens, it’s time to warm up the throats and get along there to serenade the mighty oak trees that surround the grounds and communally sing them beautiful melodies in beautiful unison together.
“I’m in Kilburn but wish I was there. Enjoy, a chaired. I’m jealous as f***!”
While Billy McGuinness of Aslan told us: “The Legend that is Burt Bacharach and the music that he has written down the years with artists such as Dusty Springfield Aretha Franklin, to hear him perform in the beautiful venue that is the Iveagh Gardens is a match made in heaven.”
“Do not miss this gig. It’s not often you get the greatest composer in the world playing in Dublin. Unmissable.”
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
