Irish people are fond of the familiar. We like the predictable and the safe. We find comfort when Joe says "I know" five times in a row on Liveline; we enjoy predicting the punchline to the Mrs Brown's Boys joke about women's knickers; we like Galway Girl, Supermacs and Copper Face Jacks and we like Kings of Leon.
No, we really do. Ireland has so much love for the Followill clan that they are decamping to Dublin for three nights but they could probably stretch out their stay to a month and still have people moaning that they couldn’t get tickets (it’s a scandal, Joe).
Ever since the band went from prickly, ramshackle garage fuzziness to polished, pulsing man-rockers who know their way around anthemic choruses, Irish audiences have held them in the clutches of their air-pumping fists. It is practically a traditional Irish rite of passage for a young boy to screech the chorus of Sex on Fire into a young girl's face at the height of summer like some terrifying mating call.
It seems that when the boys became dedicated modelizers and Caleb Followill's face went from scraggly dustbowl raggamuffin to Wayne Rooney's American cousin, we couldn't get enough of them. They became just normal enough to be acceptable to us. After previously selling out Slane and Marley Park, this three-night stand in Dublin's 3Arena in support of their latest album Walls is probably an average weekend at an enormo-venue for the lads.
Are tickets still available?
The three dates (July 1st, 2nd and 4th) were all sold out, but this week MCD managed to source some "production tickets" from down the back of their couch and they are back on sale but be quick about it. They are priced at €85.50 (plus booking fee) for standing and €100.50 (plus booking fee) to have a sit.
What time does it kick off at?
Doors open at 6.30pm with support from Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats: a bourbon-soaked, old school Americana outfit that are sure to appeal to any Black Keys fans in the venue. Kings of Leon will take to the stage at around 8.30pm.
How do I get there?
The 3Arena is located in Dublin's Docklands and there is car parking available in the Point Village car park, which costs €13 and must be pre-booked from the Ticketmaster website.
The 151 bus will leave you to Castleforbes Road, which is but a few skips from the venue.
Although the easiest way to get to the 3Arena is the Luas Red Line from Heuston Station or the city centre to the Point stop. Please remember (especially on weekdays) that during rush hour, the Luas is filled with non-concert going members of the public on their way home from work. Let them off at their stops before you crush on. It’s just common decency and they’re not off anywhere exciting like you. Relax, the Luas won’t head off without you.
Security
Large bags and backpacks are out for any gigs this size these days, so leave them at home if you don't want to run the risk of being denied entry. A4 bags and purses are fine but you will be subjected to a few routine searches before you get in so be warned and wear some nice deodorant.
What are they likely to play?
A veritable Banquet of Leon, the set list is spread out over their back catalogue but with the last couple of albums getting the lion's share of the setlist, although fans of the Mechanical Bull album may be disappointed. As Moodymann dropped Sex on Fire into his Field Day set a few weeks ago, with mixed results, there is no word yet whether the boys will return the favour and throw in a cover of Don't You Want My Love on one of the nights, but we live in hope.
For those who want to see exactly what they’re getting for their money or what they’re missing out on, here’s a recent setlist from Berlin, for those who don’t, in the grand tradition of the football results: look away now.
- Over
- The Bucket
- Mary
- Eyes on You
- Manhattan
- Slow Night, So Long
- Around the World
- Milk
- Fans
- Use Somebody
- Walls
- Find Me
- On Call
- Supersoaker
- Reverend
- Knocked Up
- Pyro
- Crawl
- Notion
- Radioactive
- Sex on Fire
- Waste a Moment
