Latest news with #LeonBridges
Irish Examiner
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Leon Bridges review: Soul power of Texan star shines through at rain-soaked Iveagh Gardens, Dublin
Leon Bridges, Iveagh Gardens, Dublin ★★★★☆ A newspaper in his home town of Fort Worth, Texas once described Leon Bridges as someone whose 'music sounds like he looks' and they were bang on. When he appeared to a sold-out Iveagh Gardens resplendent in a light blue demi safari suit and oversized shades, the handsome 36-year old looked like he'd just stepped out of an early 1970s episode of Soul Train. Even if you happened to be wearing earmuffs, you could've still hazarded a fair guess at what he was hawking. Bridges has released four excellent albums in the last ten years, veering from Motown stomp to progressive R&B, and last year's Leon is his best yet, a rich southern soul stew with even a hint of Van Morrison about it. He got down to business with two of its strongest cuts, the Marvin Gaye-ish When A Man Cries and a marvellous 'trip down memory lane' with Panther City, a tune which evoked the Isley Brothers at their breezy best. His superb seven-piece band were groovier than a new set of tires from the off but Bridges voice was equal to them, smooth as silk at the mic in between bouts of rug cutting to the Hammond swirl of Better Man or the bass-driven Northern Soul chug of Flowers. Leon Bridges and his band on stage at Iveagh Gardens, Dublin. 'What's up Dublin? Make some noise,' was pretty much the extent of his inter-song patter, and even though Leon isn't quite up there with his idols in the showman stakes, it didn't really matter as he testified his way through songs as great as Coming Home. Sadly, while every soul present was on Bridges' side, the weather wasn't. Once the serious rain got started, it didn't let up which always puts a damper on an outdoor show. Still, two of his collaborations with fellow Texans (and hipster Shadows) Khruangbin – Mariella and a well-received, if unfortunately titled, Texas Sun – did their best to keep spirits up. Better again was a three-song run from 2018's Good Thing. You Don't Know, Bad Bad News, and If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be) all proved irresistible, taking us from the discotheque to a head-nodding jazz club to a Pharrell Williams/Nile Rodgers rump shaker. The latter even had his two guitarists temporarily going Disco Lizzy as they harmonised lines. Shapes were thrown by smiling faces despite the downpour. River, a moving, gospel-tinged plea for spiritual renewal, found the sodden crowd in fine voice, Peaceful Place reminded one of Paul Simon's world music forays, and the closing Beyond is a love song Sam Cooke would have considered a good day's work. Bridges offered his thanks for us putting up with the rain. He was worth a soaking.
Irish Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
The Guide: The Murder Capital, Cian Ducrot, Forest Fest and other events to see, shows to book and ones to catch before they end
Event of the week Live at the Iveagh Gardens 2025 Saturday, July 19th, The Murder Capital, 6.30pm, €39.90; Sunday, July 20th, Leon Bridges, 6.30pm, €49.20 (sold out), The sequence of outdoor shows at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin – surely Ireland's prettiest city-centre outdoor venue – comes to a close this weekend with two disparate music acts. The Dublin postpunk band The Murder Capital (Saturday, July 19th) are fast approaching mainstream attention with three critically acclaimed albums – When I Have Fears , from 2019, Gigi's Recovery , from 2023, and Blindness, from this year – and live shows that thrum with intensity. The US singer-songwriter Leon Bridges (Sunday, July 20th) is a cooler and calmer presence, with a silky rhythm and blues/soul sound not too far removed from the likes of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. Gigs Cian Ducrot Saturday and Sunday, July 19th and 20th, Live at the Marquee, Cork, 8pm, €67.40, Cian Ducrot. Photograph: Freddie Sinstead From studying classical flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London, busking, and playing pub gigs in his native Cork to travelling to Los Angeles, where he cowrote SZA's Grammy-winning song Saturn, Cian Ducrot has certainly put in the hours. Such commitment has paid off, not only winning support slots with Ed Sheeran and Teddy Swims but also reaching number one in Ireland and Britain in 2023 with his debut major-label album, Victory . A follow-up, Little Dreaming, is scheduled for release on Friday, August 1st, so alongside familiar multimillion-streaming tracks such as I'll Be Waiting, Part of Me and All for You, fans will hear new songs. Couldn't get a ticket for these shows? Ducrot is due to play his largest headline show so far at 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday, December 20th. The Doobie Brothers Monday, July 21st, 3Arena, Dublin, 6.30pm, €146.25/€111.25, After The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers are probably the best-known legacy US band on this side of the Atlantic. After forming in 1970, they surged in popularity five years later, when they were joined by the soul singer (and regular Steely Dan band member) Michael McDonald, who appears on many of their classic hits (including the soft-rock perennial What a Fool Believes). Regrouping in 1987, the current band features the original founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons; McDonald returned to the fold full time in 2019, just in time for their 50th-anniversary tour (delayed by Covid-19). Adult-oriented rock? Yacht rock? Whatever way you roll, take it easy. Wasp Tuesday, July 22nd, National Stadium, Dublin, 7pm, €43.50; Wednesday, July 23rd, Telegraph Building, Belfast, 7pm, £42.45, Songs titled Wild Child, On Your Knees, Chainsaw Charlie, Scream Until You Like It and Animal (F**k Like a Beast), a band name standing for We Are Sexual Perverts, and shock-rock stage theatrics influenced by Kiss and Alice Cooper. A hint more than 40 years after the release of their self-titled debut album, the US heavy metal act might be anachronistic to some, but Wasp's admirers remain steadfast. Expect the band's mainstay Blackie Lawless to deliver a show that is, according to the heavy-metal site 'the aural equivalent of a primal scream'. Festival Forest Fest Friday-Sunday, July 25th-27th, Emo Village, Co Laois, 1pm, €150/€125/€85, Franz Ferdinand. Photograph: Paul Owens A few years ago Forest Fest emerged as a something-for-everyone music festival, albeit with an emphasis on names familiar to many music fans who came of age in the 1990s. It has enhanced that offering year by year, adding stages to accommodate equally familiar names with lower profiles but plenty of loyal fans. Main-stage acts include Manic Street Preachers, Franz Ferdinand, Travis, Kula Shaker, Dandy Warhols, The Stranglers and Nick Lowe. Village-stage acts include The Farm, Alabama 3 and Reef. The Forest Fleadh stage includes performances by Sharon Shannon, Stockton's Wing, Mary Coughlan and Freddie White. Film Australian Dreams Until Tuesday, July 29th, IFI, Dublin, various times and prices, The resurgence of film-making down under in the 1970s led to the Australian new wave, which introduced directors such as Peter Weir, Ken Hannam, George Miller, Gillian Armstrong, Philip Noyce and Jane Campion, and actors such as Sam Neill, Judy Davis and Bryan Brown. The Irish Film Institute's Australian Dreams strand continues with a mix of critically acclaimed features (Breaker Morant, Mad Max 2, The Year My Voice Broke), influential indigenous work (My Survival as an Aboriginal, Bedevil, Radiance), cult (Bad Boy Bubby) and curios (BMX Bandits, featuring one of Nicole Kidman's first film roles). Comedy Paddy Power Comedy Festival Thursday-Sunday, July 24th-27th, Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, various times and prices, Fern Brady Irish names you'll know include Tommy Tiernan, Jason Byrne, Deirdre O'Kane, Alison Spittle, Barry Murphy, Kyla Cobbler, Peter McGann, Justine Stafford, Tony Cantwell, Killian Sundermann and Emma Doran. Lesser-spotted comedians include Scotland's Fern Brady and Daniel Sloss, the Irish-Italian Vittorio Angelone (who, says Monocle, 'is at the coalface of comedy that pushes boundaries') and the American Rosebud Baker. Still running Riot Until Sunday, July 20th, Vicar Street, Dublin, 7.30pm, €41, Riot ensemble. Photograph: Ian Douglas A dazzling illustration of the links between insurgent artists and their equally committed audience, Thisispopbaby's award-winning cabaret/circus/spoken-word show returns by popular demand. Panti Bliss, Emmet Kirwan, Lords of Strut, aerialist Omar Cortez Gonzales, and surprise special guests snap, crackle and pop one more time. Book it this week Common Threads, Burren, Co Clare, October 10th-13th, Galway Comedy Festival, October 21st-27th, Púca Festival, Athboy/Trim, Co Meath, October 30th-November 2nd, Oxn and Richard Dawson, NCH, Dublin, November 20th,
Irish Times
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Leon Bridges at Iveagh Gardens in Dublin: Stage times, ticket information, support acts and more
American neo-soul singer-songwriter Leon Bridges is set to perform in Dublin this Sunday. Bridges achieved overnight stardom after releasing his debut album, the Grammy nominated Coming Home , in 2015. Since then he has continued to record and release music which blends elements of gospel, R&B, soul and country. He released his fourth studio album, Leon, which he described as his most personal album yet, in October last year. If you are heading to see Bridges this Sunday, here's everything you need to know. When and where is it? Leon Bridges is performing at the Iveagh Gardens on Sunday, July 20th. What time should I arrive? Doors for the gig open at 6.30pm, with the music expected to begin at 8pm. Iveagh Gardens concerts tend to be finished up by 10.30pm. Traffic and entry delays are inevitable, so make sure you give yourself a couple of hours' leeway getting to and from the venue. READ MORE Who is playing? Support for all UK and Ireland gigs comes from British band Gotts Street Park. What songs will Leon Bridges play? This is a recent set list performed by Bridges at the Spruce Meadows in Canada. It might give an idea of what to expect at the Dublin concert. When a Man Cries Panther City Better Man Flowers Laredo Coming Home That's What I Love Never Satisfied Mariella Steam Ain't Got Nothing on You Texas Sun You Don't Know Bad Bad News If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be) Hold On Can't Have It All God Loves Everyone River Peaceful Place Smooth Sailin' Lisa Sawyer Beyond How do I get to and from the gig? The venue is located right beside St Stephen's Green in the heart of Dublin city, so concertgoers are advised to use one of many public transport options to get to the venue. Travel by bus: A wide variety of Dublin Bus routes service the city centre. The 37 route, for example, runs along the northside of the quays and will drop you an eight-minute walk from the Iveagh Gardens. You can plan your journey with Transport for Ireland here . Travel by Luas: The St Stephen's Green Luas stop is a seven-minute walk from the venue. If you are heading southbound, take any green line Luas towards Sandyford or Brides Glen. If you are heading northbound, take any green line Luas towards Broombridge or Parnell. Travel by train: If you are arriving in Dublin by train, you can hop on the red line Luas from Heuston Station to Abbey Street. There, transfer to the green line Luas from the stop on Marlborough Street, hopping off at St Stephen's Green and walking seven minutes to the Iveagh Gardens. Travel by car: The closest car park to the venue is the Q-Park at St Stephen's Green. You can pre-book a parking space here , though it is recommended you use public transport as traffic delays before and after the gig are inevitable. Are there any tickets left? There are no tickets available but keep an eye out for resale tickets which can be purchased from Ticketmaster here . Remember to download your tickets to your phone in advance, as there may be internet or connectivity issues at the venue on the day. Do not rely on screenshots, as Ticketmaster often use live or dynamic barcodes that update regularly. What is security like? The event is for over-14s only, and under-16s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. Make sure to bring an official form of identification with you such as a passport, Garda age card or driving licence. Bags size A4 or more will not be permitted entry, and all bags will be subject to a search on arrival. Prohibited items include glass, cans, alcohol, garden furniture, umbrellas, flares, illegal substances or any item that could be used as a weapon. Recording and taking pictures using a camera phone is no problem, but professional recording equipment will not be allowed inside the venue. How is the weather looking? At the moment Sunday is forecast to be noticeably cooler than last weekend with highest temperatures of 17-21 degrees. Spells of sunshine are expected, along with isolated, heavy and possibly thundery showers.
The Age
06-06-2025
- General
- The Age
Why this family-friendly eatery is one of WA's most important food stories
Come for the kids' playground, petting zoo and open spaces; stay for brunch hits cooked with care and pristine estate-grown produce. Previous SlideNext Slide 14/20How we score If it looks like a cafe, sounds like a cafe and sells banana bread and house-made granola like a cafe, then it's probably a – do I really need to write it? In many ways, Cubby Cafe fits the description for your garden-variety, neighbourhood coffee and brunch destination. Which is exactly why it has the potential to become one of Perth's most important hospitality operations. Young mothers in athleisure are a common sight, babies in arms, their half-finished alt-milk lattes slowly cooling nearby. Mary Street Bakery doughnuts wait by the till for the weak of will and harried of parent. The playlist includes Leon Bridges, Sault and other bubbly, late-morning favourites. It's only when you zoom out that you'll start to see the bigger picture. Cubby Cafe is part of 11 Acre Farm: an ambitious mixed-use property in semi-rural Forrestdale that's been established according to the principles of permaculture: a holistic, environmentally minded philosophy developed in Australia during the late '70s. Writing in his authoritative permaculture guidebook Retrosuburbia, the movement's co-originator David Holmgren describes permaculture as 'a design system for resilient land use based on universal ethics and ecological design principles'. For Stephen and Joyce Erceg, daughter Erin Erceg, and Erin's husband Rowan Keilar – the core team behind 11 Acre Farm – permaculture thinking involved buying a former equestrian centre in August 2019 and using clay, compost and manure from other farms to turn lifeless soil into fertile garden beds; rehoming unwanted fruit trees and farm animals for said gardens and a petting zoo respectively; plus scouring Facebook Marketplace for building materials and cubby houses – hence the cafe's name! – to build Cubby Lane: a toddler-sized play-village that boasts its own fire station, theatre and disco. While it's clear that permaculture treasures the trash of others, equally important is making the most of what's at hand. In this instance, that meant converting an existing home into a farm-based childcare centre, plus rebooting the former hay shed into a folksy, largely al fresco cafe where heat lamps and throw blankets help keep guests warm. Sadly, planning issues with the City of Armadale have left the childcare centre in limbo, but the cafe was able to open in September. Team Erceg-Keilar, it would seem, have plenty of can-do spirit. 'It's one giant experiment,' jokes Erin about her family's decision to start the farm and scale up their own permaculture efforts. 'We don't have a background in farming or hospitality, but what the farm has done is attract amazing people that are interested in what we're doing and have the knowledge and experience to bring everything together.' These collaborators include the cafe's industrious, seemingly omniscient manager Kelly Pitman who does everything from take photos for the QR code menus, to mix zippy whisky highballs: one of many sharply priced options on the unexpectedly contemporary booze menu. Bonus green stars, too, for serving drinks with metal straws. Cheery barista Krittika 'Blue' Nunthasrirat is your go-to for beverages that aren't so potent, while former Millbrook Winery gardener Mitchell Seward tends to all the plants and trees on the property. While the gardens, for now, aren't productive enough to supply all the cafe's fruit and veg, Indonesian-born head chef Fendi Bong makes the most of his opportunities to showcase ingredients from the farm. The foraged harvest bowl made with sweet potato and fermented brown rice, for instance, is a chance for our man to cook whatever Seward has picked for him in sensitive, thoughtful ways. Maybe he'll char vast parasols of silverbeet before serving them at room temperature slicked with confit garlic oil. Or maybe chunks of pumpkin will get a light roasting to accentuate the versatile squash's latent richness. Gentle grillwork accentuates the verdant sweetness of just-picked runner beans. Weekly soups offer further opportunities to connect eaters to what's been happening on the farm. A warming roast fennel and butter bean soup strewn with gauzy nasturtium petals and torn herb leaves combines the abundance of now – the sweetness and grassiness of the fennel! – with the frugality of then (the beans were picked last winter and dried). Add sourdough toasts golden with melted cheese and kiss those cold weather blues goodbye. Often, the homegrown element might be a sauce or preserve. The sharp romesco sauce served with golden tiles of fried polenta cake hums with the zip of fermented ancho chillies. Waxy skin-on chips seasoned with a dried herb salt taste terrific as is, but only a fool would say no to the accompanying condiments of thick garlicky aioli and a tangy barbecue sauce. While Bong knows flavour, he also understands the assignment and realities of running a 100-seater attached to family-friendly attractions. But even for those visiting largely, so the kids can coo at dwarf Norwegian goats, cool flourishes like crowning spiced apple muffins with pistachio praline inject some special into an everyday luxury. (I'm not sure how many muffins Bong baked while working at Icebergs in Sydney or Charlie's in Darwin, but he's good at it.) Farm-to-table dining isn't new, yet it's often pitched and, understandably, priced as a special occasion meal. Cafe Cubby, however, serves carefully grown, seasonal ingredients in an accessible format that should be familiar to anyone that's ever gone out for coffee in the last three decades. (The cafe also hosts seasonal dinners, classes and workshops.) As Erin said, this is an experiment that needs amazing people to make it work. Do I really need to tell you who the amazing people are?
Sydney Morning Herald
06-06-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why this family-friendly eatery is one of WA's most important food stories
Come for the kids' playground, petting zoo and open spaces; stay for brunch hits cooked with care and pristine estate-grown produce. Previous SlideNext Slide 14/20How we score If it looks like a cafe, sounds like a cafe and sells banana bread and house-made granola like a cafe, then it's probably a – do I really need to write it? In many ways, Cubby Cafe fits the description for your garden-variety, neighbourhood coffee and brunch destination. Which is exactly why it has the potential to become one of Perth's most important hospitality operations. Young mothers in athleisure are a common sight, babies in arms, their half-finished alt-milk lattes slowly cooling nearby. Mary Street Bakery doughnuts wait by the till for the weak of will and harried of parent. The playlist includes Leon Bridges, Sault and other bubbly, late-morning favourites. It's only when you zoom out that you'll start to see the bigger picture. Cubby Cafe is part of 11 Acre Farm: an ambitious mixed-use property in semi-rural Forrestdale that's been established according to the principles of permaculture: a holistic, environmentally minded philosophy developed in Australia during the late '70s. Writing in his authoritative permaculture guidebook Retrosuburbia, the movement's co-originator David Holmgren describes permaculture as 'a design system for resilient land use based on universal ethics and ecological design principles'. For Stephen and Joyce Erceg, daughter Erin Erceg, and Erin's husband Rowan Keilar – the core team behind 11 Acre Farm – permaculture thinking involved buying a former equestrian centre in August 2019 and using clay, compost and manure from other farms to turn lifeless soil into fertile garden beds; rehoming unwanted fruit trees and farm animals for said gardens and a petting zoo respectively; plus scouring Facebook Marketplace for building materials and cubby houses – hence the cafe's name! – to build Cubby Lane: a toddler-sized play-village that boasts its own fire station, theatre and disco. While it's clear that permaculture treasures the trash of others, equally important is making the most of what's at hand. In this instance, that meant converting an existing home into a farm-based childcare centre, plus rebooting the former hay shed into a folksy, largely al fresco cafe where heat lamps and throw blankets help keep guests warm. Sadly, planning issues with the City of Armadale have left the childcare centre in limbo, but the cafe was able to open in September. Team Erceg-Keilar, it would seem, have plenty of can-do spirit. 'It's one giant experiment,' jokes Erin about her family's decision to start the farm and scale up their own permaculture efforts. 'We don't have a background in farming or hospitality, but what the farm has done is attract amazing people that are interested in what we're doing and have the knowledge and experience to bring everything together.' These collaborators include the cafe's industrious, seemingly omniscient manager Kelly Pitman who does everything from take photos for the QR code menus, to mix zippy whisky highballs: one of many sharply priced options on the unexpectedly contemporary booze menu. Bonus green stars, too, for serving drinks with metal straws. Cheery barista Krittika 'Blue' Nunthasrirat is your go-to for beverages that aren't so potent, while former Millbrook Winery gardener Mitchell Seward tends to all the plants and trees on the property. While the gardens, for now, aren't productive enough to supply all the cafe's fruit and veg, Indonesian-born head chef Fendi Bong makes the most of his opportunities to showcase ingredients from the farm. The foraged harvest bowl made with sweet potato and fermented brown rice, for instance, is a chance for our man to cook whatever Seward has picked for him in sensitive, thoughtful ways. Maybe he'll char vast parasols of silverbeet before serving them at room temperature slicked with confit garlic oil. Or maybe chunks of pumpkin will get a light roasting to accentuate the versatile squash's latent richness. Gentle grillwork accentuates the verdant sweetness of just-picked runner beans. Weekly soups offer further opportunities to connect eaters to what's been happening on the farm. A warming roast fennel and butter bean soup strewn with gauzy nasturtium petals and torn herb leaves combines the abundance of now – the sweetness and grassiness of the fennel! – with the frugality of then (the beans were picked last winter and dried). Add sourdough toasts golden with melted cheese and kiss those cold weather blues goodbye. Often, the homegrown element might be a sauce or preserve. The sharp romesco sauce served with golden tiles of fried polenta cake hums with the zip of fermented ancho chillies. Waxy skin-on chips seasoned with a dried herb salt taste terrific as is, but only a fool would say no to the accompanying condiments of thick garlicky aioli and a tangy barbecue sauce. While Bong knows flavour, he also understands the assignment and realities of running a 100-seater attached to family-friendly attractions. But even for those visiting largely, so the kids can coo at dwarf Norwegian goats, cool flourishes like crowning spiced apple muffins with pistachio praline inject some special into an everyday luxury. (I'm not sure how many muffins Bong baked while working at Icebergs in Sydney or Charlie's in Darwin, but he's good at it.) Farm-to-table dining isn't new, yet it's often pitched and, understandably, priced as a special occasion meal. Cafe Cubby, however, serves carefully grown, seasonal ingredients in an accessible format that should be familiar to anyone that's ever gone out for coffee in the last three decades. (The cafe also hosts seasonal dinners, classes and workshops.) As Erin said, this is an experiment that needs amazing people to make it work. Do I really need to tell you who the amazing people are?
