Jason Byrne
The thing about Jason Byrne is that he doesn’t ever seem to be trying too hard. He’s not so much pre-scripted as he is totally responsive. If Byrne has actually got something resembling a script, it’s in all likelihood pretty minimal. It’s the audience that really fuels a Jason Byrne show. His subject matter can appear to be anything but substantial, but maybe that’s the point! Why would Byrne bother making up jokes, when the audience themselves are so very funny!

It’s an approach that few can pull off, but Jason’s abilities have ensured much success for the Navan native. A Jason Byrne show verges on anarchy, with convention giving way to chaos before eventually descending into a unfocused but physically imposing distraction of gibberish proportions. If that sounds like a mess to you, your absolutely right. If it sounds like something that wouldn’t interest you, your probably wrong.

He has been a mainstay at the Edinburgh Festival for these past few years and has seen his star rise considerably through a number of critically acclaimed performances. Despite not being a ‘big name’, Jason is one of the festivals top draws for both fans and critics alike, his shows consistently selling out well in advance. Away from the festival circuit, Jason is an increasingly busy man, be it with his television work or his own tours. He’s found enough time to schedule two shows at the City Limits Comedy Club though on Friday, December 21 and Saturday, December 22. Get your festive bellylaughs right here!

Electric Underground stepped into that void and for the past year have delivering the electronic goods every Friday night almost without fail. Highlights this year have included the aggressive bass-heavy amalgamations of grime, dustep, techno, electro and raga that was Milanese, the electro-gabba-breakcore of Herv, the warped hip-hop infused electronica of Tycho and the lyrically roaming, eloquently verbose, dialectally dexterous, deft in delivery and metaphysically imposing hip-hop of Beans.

Super Extra Bonus Party also made their Cork bow at EU earlier this year and they make a welcome return to Cork for a festive Electric Underground blow-out! Coming straight out of Newbridge via Dublin they make music for parties and so accorded themselves a name that is perfectly apt. They have the high energy dance beats, the jangling guitars, the electro keyboards, playful electronica flourishes, big-ass hip-hop beats and a Brazilian MC and ringmaster occasionally fronting proceedings giving them a distinctly suburban sound that is not of this rainy isle of ours. They play the Liquid Lounge on Saturday, December 21.