Lisa Hannigan, Iarla O’Lionáird & Aoife Nessa Frances to perform at Dublin's Pepper Canister Church

Renowned Irish musicians Lisa Hannigan, Aoife Nessa Francis, Iarla O’Lionáird are slated to take to the steps of the Pepper Canister Church for intimate outdoor performances this August.

Framed by the splendour of Dublin’s Georgian houses, ‘Am & Áit’, presented by Selective Memory, will be a near spiritual experience for music lovers. The Pepper Canister Church is known as the architectural jewel in the crown of the Dublin city centre’s South Georgian Core - making it perfect venue for performance.

In their first live gigs in Dublin since Covid broke out early last year, the ethereal Lisa Hannigan will take to the stage with her band on Saturday 21st August, while the velvet-voiced Iarla O’Lionáird and the brilliant Aoife Nessa Frances will come together to perform on Sunday 22nd August.

“The last 16 months or so have seen all our lives changed hugely by the onset of covid, and obviously the live music industry has been one of those most effected," Declan Forde of Selective Memory said.

"We’ve chosen to do an outdoor show partially to help create more employment with the infrastructure suppliers and employees who are the lifeblood of the outdoor events industry. And what better outdoor setting in the city centre than the spectacular beauty of the Pepper Canister Church. We have designed the shows and chosen artists that we feel appropriately reflect the unique setting. It must be said these shows are only possible with the funding from the Live Performance Support Scheme, which is helping keep our industry alive in these challenging times.”

St Stephen’s Church, better known as Pepper Canister Church: this landmark location was one of the last of the Georgian churches built by the Church of Ireland in the early 1800s. While still used as a place of worship, the venue has played host to some of Ireland’s finest musicians in the past, including The Gloaming, for whom Iarla O’Lionáird is the lead vocalist and lyricist.

Starting at 7.30pm each night and finishing by 10:30pm; there will be specially curated video art for each performance projected onto the front wall and dome of the church during the headline acts’ shows.

There will be only 400 tickets on sale for each show, which will be an exclusive and enthralling encounter for the audience who take in the show in comfort as both events are fully seated with socially-distanced pods.

Tickets are €20 plus booking fee and go on sale only on Selective Memory's website this Tuesday, 27th July at 9am.