Trinity will host six concerts in July, promotions company MCD has announced today, with Pixies, alt-j and Two Door Cinema Club set to perform.
The series of concerts will take place on Trinity’s College Park, often referred to as the Cricket Pitch, and will run from July 6th to 11th.
The series will be opened by a concert by Grammy award-winner Gregory Porter, who will be followed by a performance by Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow on July 7th.
On July 8th, veteran Irish group Bell X1 will appear on the back of their recently released album Arms. Bell X1 will be followed by alternative rock icons Pixies, who will make their return to Ireland on July 9th, performing songs from their extensive back catalogue.
Monday July 10th will see Irish band Two Door Cinema Club take to the stage along with special guest Circa Waves, an English indie-rock band who will perform off the back of the release of their second album late last year Different Creatures.
Mercury Music Prize winners alt-j will bring the series to a close on July 11th, making their first Irish appearance since performing at Longitude in 2015.
In an interview with The University Times last year, Provost Patrick Prendergast welcomed the idea of Trinity hosting gigs and concerts over the summer: “When we have the opportunity to make money from events, we do need to do it. Every university is doing it. American universities are very good at it as well. And this is generating revenue we can use for academic purposes.”
The summer concerts following Trinity’s hosting of an American Football Showcase last year, where, as part of the College Football Classic between Georgia Tech and Boston College in the Aviva Stadium, high school teams from Georgia, Florida and New Jersey were hosted and celebrated by Trinity over several days.
Commenting on the visit, Prendergast said: “It profiles Trinity and Trinity becomes a space within the city for hosting events, why not?”
Tickets go on sale on February 9th, with tickets for Two Door Cinema Club, Gregory Porter, James Vincent McMorrow and Bell X1 priced at €44.05, including booking fee, and tickets for alt-j and Pixies priced at €54.65, including the booking fee.
Trinity is already famous for hosting its annual Trinity Ball, which is organised by MCD, and is one of the largest private parties in Europe. It has seen numerous artists and performers, including the Kooks, Bastille and Ellie Goulding, headline the ball in the past.
In recent years, Trinity has widened its sources of revenue as state funding has declined, with a renewed focus on boosting tourism and commercialisation. In a speech to Trinity staff to mark his mid-term as Provost, Prendergast said that the future of higher education was in “fees, philanthropy and commercial activities”.
