Waits close to confirming Dublin dates

Hot Press has learned that rival promoters have been furiously bidding to bring legendary American singer Tom Waits to Dublin this summer.
A number of different options have been explored, including a brace of outdoor shows in a limited capacity city centre venue. However, Hot Press understands that the artist may well decide to do the shows in a marquee – a move that would sync neatly with the circus-cum-vaudeville aspect of his persona.
The likely dates for what would be a hugely anticipated return to Ireland for the California-based singer and actor are at the end of July and the beginning of August. It’ll be interesting to see what tickets will cost, given that when Waits was rumoured to be playing the Olympia a few years back, the expected asking price was e150. It is, notwithstanding the cost, likely to be one of the hottest tickets of the year.
After a quiet musical 2007, the 58-year-old kicked the New Year off with a guest appearance at an LA fundraiser for a poverty law centre.
He’s also playing Mr. Nick in the Terry Gilliam film that Heath Ledger was working on at the time of his death, The Imagination Of Doctor Parnassus.
After receiving the green light from Ledger’s family to finish the movie, Gilliam hopes to have it in the cinemas early in ‘09.