Tickets are on sale now for Independent.ie’s annual Rock Against Homelessness concert that will be streamed from Dublin’s Olympia Theatre and Windmill Lane Recording studio next month.
The annual charity concert raised more than €70,000 for Focus Ireland last year and while it will be held virtually this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, organisers promise a “great night of music” as well as “a night of hope, love and support for Focus Ireland, from Dublin to London, Belfast to New York.”
Renowned entertainer Panti Bliss will be the mistress of ceremonies along with Laura Whitmore for the event streaming from both venues on June 20th at 8pm.
Her guests will include rising Irish stars the Pillow Queens who recently appeared on the CBS Late Late Show with host James Corden. They will perform a four song set from the Windmill Lane recording studio in Dublin.
Veteran Irish rockers Christy Dignam and Aslan will take to the stage at the Olympia and will perform a duet with Gilbert O’Sullivan and Paul Walsh, frontman for Tipperary indie rockers Royseven.
Filmmaker Jim Sheridan will also make an appearance as he discusses the plight of the homeless in an onstage interview.
"With the homeless, it’s almost like you need to see scenes of them being driven out of their homes for it to really strike a chord with Irish people. You don’t see that, how they lost their home. All you see is the result; you’re not seeing whether it was the banks, or what caused them to be on the street. We need to examine the roots causes of homelessness and what it was that brought them to that place,” he said.
Other performers include Tolü Makay and Wyvern Lingo as well as Lesley Dowdall, Rodrigo Y Gabriela performing from Mexico, Ryan McMullan who will perform from Belfast, while Ken Griffin, formerly of Rollerskate Skinny, will showcase his new band, The High Leaves, from New York.
Blindboy Boatclub will also have a few words to say, filmed from his living room.
Meanwhile, Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said: ‘Focus Ireland needs to raise nearly 40pc of our annual budget through donations so we really need people to support this great event again this year. Rock Against Homelessness raised over €70K last year. These funds were vital to help Focus Ireland support the most vulnerable families and individuals and keep them safe during Covid19.”
"We cannot thank Mediahuis Ireland enough for this incredible support. This is the sixth year of Rock Against Homelessness and it will be a different year as the concert will be streamed online due to Covid restrictions. The show looks great and it will also feature some of the people we have supported, so it is a chance for people buying tickets to the event to really hear how their kind support is helping our work challenging homelessness and changing lives. I’d also really like to say thank you to all the artists for giving their time to support our work.’
Tickets cost €23 and are available from Ticketmaster.
