IMPROV
The Necks
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Also Derry, Saturday and Belfast, Sunday
Cult Australian improv trio The Necks have won admirers around the world with their uncategorisable, spontaneous creations. Utterly fresh, original and wonderful. Cormac Larkin
POP
Ed Sheeran
3Arena Dublin 8pm €42.55 3Arena.ie Also Sat/Sun/Mon, Dublin; Wed/Thurs, Belfast
Four nights in Dublin’s 3Arena and then two nights at Belfast’s Odyssey? Oh, he’s popular, all right. There appears to be no getting away from the tousled, red-haired singer-songwriter who is by no means as bad as certain tastemakers would have us believe. All shows are sold out, so best of luck nabbing a ticket. Tony Clayton-Lea
CLUB
Cyril Hahn
Button Factory, Dublin. 11pm, €15, soundcloud.com/cyrilhahn
If life had proceeded differently, Swiss native Cyril Hahn would be quietly at work as an archivist now. Instead of books, though, the Vancouver-based dude’s focus is on deep, delicious redos, remixes and solo productions combining punchy r’n’b and dizzy house. Support from Hidden Agenda DJs. Jim Carroll
WEEKENDER
Prima Volta
Various venues, Limerick, Fri-Sun facebook.com/ pages/Prima-Volta-Weekend
A three-day bash with the focus on adventurous electronic music, Prima Volta will feature performances, clubs and screenings. It kicks off tonight with Manchester's Hoya:Hoya club night at Dolan's, with Eglo Records in situ tomorrow featuring a performance from the awesome Fatima. There's also the Irish premiere of Looking for the Perfect Beat, Matthew F Smith's look at the LA beat scene, and a block party on Sunday with Junior Spesh, Peter Curtin, Bap to the Future and MynameisjOhn. JC
CLUB
Skream
The Savoy, Cork. 10.30pm, €13.95 savoycork.ie
Ollie Jones initially hit the limelight as one of dubstep's first bass ambassadors, but his sounds have come a long way from Midnight Request Line. In 2014, you'll find Jones helming a great BBC Radio One show, still a member of the Magnetic Man crew and spinning bumping house and disco sets when he gets loose in a club. JC
FESTIVAL
Hard Working Class Heroes Dublin Various venues/times/ prices hwch.net Also Sat, Dublin You know the drill. See pages 6-7.
SONGWRITER
Strand of Oaks
Whelan's Dublin 8pm €16 whelanslive.com
Strand of Oaks is a thrilling side project developed by Indiana- born songwriter Timothy Showalter following a near- death experience on Christmas Day last year. The resulting album, Heal, is one of the year's best, loaded with guitars, grit, heartbreak, and more damned guitars. Gig of the week? TCL
THEATRE
Spinning Smock Alley Theatre 7.30pm
The last few years have been good to playwright Deirdre Kinahan, whose work has found productive alliances with Landmark, The Bush Theatre, the Royal Court and BBC Radio. Here Fishamble stage her new work, about the meeting of disintegrating father and the mother of a murdered daughter. What can be explained and what can be forgiven? Peter Crawley
