Dame Street venue The 3Olympia Theatre was given the coveted Hot Press Live Music Venue of the Year gong at last night's IMRO Awards.

The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO)'s yearly music awards were hosted at The Sugar Club in Saint Kevin's, Dublin. Crucial to fostering the vibrant musical community Ireland is known for, the Live Venue of the Year Awards offer an opportunity to recognise and give thanks to the amazing venues that host our favourite artists.

While the IMRO prizes went to outings like Workman's, Monroe's of Galway, Electric Picnic festival, Dolan's of Limerick, Dundalk's The Spirit Store, Donegal venue McCafferty’s and more; Hot Press gave our biggest nod to the 3Olympia Theatre for its outstanding array of shows over the last 12 months.

The building first opened as “Dan Lowrey’s Star of Erin Music Hall”, designed by John J. Callaghan, a well-known architect at the time, for Dan Lowrey. He opened the doors for the first time on December 22nd, 1879. Hosting the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen, Rina Sawayama, Maggie Rogers, Self Esteem, Young Fathers, Le Boom, Charli XCX, SG Lewis, Cavetown and CMAT in the past year; the breadth of talent and genres is truly incredible.

CMAT at 3Olympia Theatre, December 2022. Copyright Laura Klepeisz/hotpress.com

Meanwhile, Mike The Pies in Listowel and The Sound House in Dublin also earned Hot Press' Special Recognition of Excellence awards for the stellar smaller venue shows they put on in 2022. A highlight for the latter venue was Biig Piig's duel performances late last year, which saw her deliver spine-tingling bangers.

Since the beginning of lockdown, Mike The Pies has hosted a series of special gigs, run with the support of the Department of Tourism, Culture, the Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, as part of the Live Performance Support scheme. As part of the 'Backstage at Mike The Pies' podcast series, host Megan O'Donoghue chatted to some of the exciting up-and-coming artists who have graced the stage of the legendary Listowel venue, which has built up a reputation as one of Ireland's most beloved music halls.

This included the likes of Turnstiles, Bullet Girl, Junior Brother, Mick Flannery and Susan O'Neill exploring their craft on the podcast in the Kerry venue.

Turnstiles at Mike the Pies August 2021

Elsewhere, the Sound House 0n Dublin's quays worked hard on a renovation to round out a skyrocketing ascent. Sky Atlas, Femiii, Bricknasty, Somebody's Child, Aby Coulibaly, Gwenno and more performed there in 2022.

“Biig Piig sold out two shows here last month, which was incredible,” noted owner Ian Keogh in December's interview special. “She was a bucket of sweat coming offstage. The energy from her was palpable. Wild Youth also put on a seated show during Covid to 50 people, probably the smallest show they’ve ever done! But what a performance they put in. We were buzzing. Music is the ultimate barometer. That’s what these epic nights are all about – great music. And we’ll be delivering lots more of that in The Sound House.”

Located two minutes from O’Connell Street, the venue has a capacity of 220 for live music and 300 for club events. In December, The Sound House announced an innovative new approach, encompassing the installation of a superb, state-of-the-art Void Sound System; a bold new website; a bespoke e-ticketing system and a brand new logo. The government’s Live Performance Support Scheme helped them through the big squeeze, with unyielding results.

Biig Piig at The Sound House, Dublin. Thursday 9th of November 2022. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

"It is fantastic to have so many key players from the live music industry across the country gathered together in the one place again,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “A lot of people were through hell and back during the pandemic – but the good news is that live music has returned in style – and is thriving. And that’s reflected in the range and the breadth of the venues represented here tonight, at the IMRO Awards.

“It has been really encouraging for us in Hot Press to see the votes rolling in, for the Hot Press Readers’ Poll, in their tens of thousands – reflecting the fact that there is a fantastic appetite for music, and that our audience really cares. On behalf of everyone at Hot Press, I want to say a huge congratulations to everyone involved in the Hot Press Live Music Venue of the Year 2023 winner, the 3Olympia Theatre, which Hot Press readers clearly love as a venue. As we all know, it has been around for a very long time in different guises, but it has also housed some of the most sought-after shows in the city in recent months, with Bono’s one-man show, and the recent gigs by CMAT, Self Esteem and The Academic springing immediately to mind.

“In addition, we felt it was appropriate, on this occasion, to highlight the importance of smaller venues – and in particular ones where there is a commitment to both technical excellence and the vital art of making audiences and artists alike feel really welcome. It was with those qualities in mind, that our two awards – in Recognition of Excellence in Live Music – went to Mike The Pies in Listowel and The Sound House in Dublin. Long may they continue to thrive."

See the rest of the night's winners below.

• IMRO Best Technical Crew award presentation - Wexford Spiegeltent Festival
• IMRO Best Small Live Music Festival of the Year award presentation - Wexford Spiegeltent Festival
• IMRO Outstanding Contribution to Live Music award presentation - Dermot Lambert
• IMRO Live Music Festival of the Year award presentation - Electric Picnic
• IMRO National Live Music Venue of the Year award presentation - Allingham Arms Hotel