Dublin ready for Music Live show

The finest Irish musicians of the past 30 years as you've never heard them before - that's what's on offer at the Dublin venue…

The finest Irish musicians of the past 30 years as you've never heard them before - that's what's on offer at the Dublin venue, HQ, tonight. And it's what has enticed the BBC to include Dublin in its line-up of 38 live music events around Britain and Ireland.

The BBC's Music For The Millennium weekend winds up tonight with everything musical being celebrated by Nigel Kennedy live from the Isle of Sark, an ongoing live performance of Figaro, an outdoor Top Of The Pops from Sheffield and also a mammoth celebration of Irish rock live from Dublin.

Embracing all things cross-Border, Northern Irish music-makers Therapy?, the Undertones, Paul Brady and the Four Of Us will be joined by southern cousins the Corrs, Ronan Keating, the Chieftains, Mary Coughlan, Jack L, Gavin Friday and Sinead O'Connor. They will play their own numbers but will also cover a track of their choice from another Irish band. The result, says Mike Edgar, master of tonight's ceremonies, "should be fabulous".

Expect Paul Brady singing Thin Lizzy's Whiskey In the Jar, the Chieftains belting out U2's Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World and Therapy? singing Rory Gallagher's Shadow Play.

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It's being called "Hotpress Uncovered" as each of those taking part have in their time appeared on the cover of the music magazine. Mr Edgar insists there will be no headline act, though undoubtedly the highlight of the night will be the live performance, starting in New York and making its way across to Britain, of Lou Reed's Perfect Day.

Reed will sing the first few lines live from New York, handing over to Ronan Keating in Dublin, who will hand on to Heather Small at the Millennium Dome in London - and on it will go to up to 38 locations.

BBC Music Live from Dublin will be included on BBC 1 tonight at 9 p.m. and BBC 2 at 10 p.m.

Kitty Holland

Kitty Holland

Kitty Holland is Social Affairs Correspondent of The Irish Times