Offaly music columnist selects his music TV highlights for this Christmas

MORE and more often we seem to find ourselves saying,  "Thank God for TG4", given its consistently reliable record of delivering the goods when it comes to programming. And if you happen to follow the station on Twitter, you'll appreciate them all the more! Anyway, the good news is that they're not going to let us down this Christmas either. The station has just announced  its line-up of late night concerts to feature in this year's festive schedule, and it's enough to get even the biggest scrooge  singing  'Ho, ho, ho!'  Check out the full listing below...

23.12.22 - REM: Live in Dublin 2005

Captured live at the Point Theatre, Dublin, in front of 10,000 screaming fans on the closing nights of the Winter European Tour in support of their thirteenth studio album Around the Sun. Songs performed include  The One I Love,  (Don't Go Back To) Rockville,  Great Beyond,  Imitation of Life, and  Losing My Religion.

Christmas Eve -  Westlife: The Twenty Tour - Live at Croke Park

The Twenty Tour -Live from Croke Park is a celebration of one of pop's most sensational comebacks.  Filmed at their homecoming gig in summer 2019, this spectacular live show features Shane, Nicky, Mark and Kian at their very best, performing their greatest hits to the backdrop of the iconic Croke Park stadium in Dublin, Ireland.Includes incredible performances of all their hit singles, including  Uptown Girl, You Raise Me Up, Flying Without Wings  and  World Of Our Own, along with brand new tracks  Hello My Love, Better Man  and  Dynamite  to a sell-out crowd with spectacular staging and lights. 

  Christmas Day -  Amy Winehouse: Live at Shepherd's Bush

Amy Winehouse performs live at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in 2007. This amazing concert features songs from her hit album,  Back To Black, and 2003's Mercury Music Prize nominated album,  Frank. Featuring songs such as:  Tears Dry On Their Own, Rehab, Back To Black,Take The Box, Know You Now, You Know I'm No Good, Just Friends...and many more.

  St. Stephen's Day -  David Bowie: A Reality Tour

David Bowie performs a selection of hits from throughout his career, live at the Point Depot in Dublin - newly-restored and for the first time in remastered High-Definition. Filmed over two nights during his enormously successful  A Reality Tour, the track listing includes many of Bowie's classic hits, such as  Rebel Rebel, Ashes To Ashes,  The Man Who Sold The World,  Changes,  Ziggy Stardust,  Fame,  Under Pressure  and  Heroes. The show also includes rare performances of  Five Years  and  Hang On To Yourself  as well as material from his  Reality  album. 

27.12.22 - Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws & Angels

Featuring Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Toby Keith, Kid Rock, Al Green, Ben Harper, Rickie Lee Jones, Carole King, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many more. A star studded line-up to celebrate Willie Nelson's legendary career filmed in May 2004 at Los Angeles' Wiltern Theatre.

28.12.22 - Pet Shop Boys: Live in Rio 

Filmed towards the end of their 1994 Discovery tour of Singapore, Australia and Latin America, Pet Shop Boys bring their mesmeric blend of songwriting and pure-pop melodies to the stage in front of a wildly enthusiastic Rio audience during their first visit to Brazil. 

  29.12.22 - Tina Turner: Live! 2009

An electric performance from Tina Turner live from Gelre Dome, Arnhem, Holland as part of the 50th Anniversary Tour. The tour took-in 90 shows over 40 cities across North America and Europe. In total, Tina performed to over a million adoring fans throughout the tour and the set included Tina Turner's most-loved songs including  What's Love Got To Do With It, The Best, Private Dancer  and  We Don't Need Another Hero.

30.12.22 -  Sting: Live from the Olympia Paris

Sting's 57th & 9th World Tour celebrates his first rock/pop album in more than a decade. This concert, filmed at the Olympia Paris in April 2017, reflects the impulsive   energy of the 57th & 9th album recording sessions. Blistering performances of new songs including the infectious, guitar driven  I Can't Stop Thinking About You, and the anthemic  50,000, alongside classics from The Police as well as Sting's illustrious solo career, showcase the full range of his musical styles and songwriting influences. 

  New Year's Eve - Queen: Live at Wembley Stadium

Filmed in 1986, this was Queen's first ever Wembley Stadium performance.  Performed, in front of a total audience of over 400,000 -   150,000 of which in just 2 nights - it broke all previous attendance records.  In their inimitable way it also proved to be the most spectacular show of their time, incorporating the largest lighting rig ever assembled for a live show and featuring the biggest stage.  Hits include,  A  Kind of Magic,  I Want To Break  Free  and  Bohemian Rhapsody.

  New Year's Day -  Rolling Stones - Rock and Roll Circus Live

Filmed before a live audience in London in 1968, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was originally conceived as a BBC-TV special.  Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, it centers on the original line up of the Rolling Stones, the show's hosts and featured attraction. "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" captured in vibrant full color alongside extraordinary performances by The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, Yoko Ono as well as The Dirty Mac, a supergroup comprised of Eric Clapton (lead guitar), Keith Richards (bass), Mitch Mitchell of The Jimi Hendrix Experience (drums) and John Lennon on guitar.

  2.1.23 - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live in NYC

The first ever major televised Bruce Springsteen concert documenting Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's highly successful Reunion Tour, their first concert tour together in 11 years. Filmed in July 2000, the film captures the final two shows in the band's ten-show tour-ending run at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

3.1.232 -  Dire Straits: Alchemy

Filmed over two nights in July 1983 live from the Hammersmith Odeon, London, the show features the band's best-known and fan-favourite songs from their first four albums, and the  Local Hero  soundtrack, as composed by Mark Knopfler.Includes  Once Upon A Time In The West, Romeo And Juliet, Sultans Of Swing  and the truly epic  Telegraph Road  with many of the songs featuring reworked arrangements andextended improvisational segments.

4.1.23 - Simply Red: Live at Montreux

Simply Red are one of the most successful British acts of all time with global album sales in excess of 50 million. Both the band and Mick Hucknall as a solo artist have been frequent visitors to Montreuxacross their 25 year career. This concert, filmed on 15 July 2003, was part of the tour in support of their multi-platinum album  Home. It features several tracks from that album, including three UK hit singles, along with many of their biggest hits and best loved album tracks. It's a typically polished and sparkling Simply Red performance with Mick Hucknall in excellent voice and the band in fine form. 

5.1.23 - Marvin Gaye: Greatest Hits Live

This classic performance was recorded on Marvin Gaye's first European Tour in 1976 and captures the legendary soul singer at his unparalleled best. Filmed at Edenhalle Concert Hall in Amsterdam before a sell-out audience, this show, preserved now for prosperity, was one of the rare live performances captured on film. Twenty three classic songs including:  You're A Wonderful One,  You,  It Takes Two  and  Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

6.1.23 - Shania Twain: Still the One - Live

The original queen of crossover country-pop Shania Twain invites you to kick up your cowboy boots and sing along to all her biggest hits in her  Shania: Still the One  spectacular. Known as the world's best-selling female country artist of all time, the groundbreaking residency show was filmed live at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.  Shania: Still the One  was created by Twain, produced by AEG Liveand directed by Raj Kapoor. 

Sam Smith

On Friday November 18th, pop giant  Sam Smith released a brand-new Christmas single, the beautiful festive love ballad,  Night Before Christmas. 

Night Before Christmas  will be added to  Sam’s  magical Christmas compilation  The Holly and The Ivy  and will sit alongside previous tracks  The Lighthouse Keeper, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Palace, River  and  Fire on Fire  - from Watership Down. 

This seasonal celebration comes as a precursor to  Sam’s  highly anticipated new album,  GLORIA, due for release on January 27th. Continuing to dominate the global charts with the lead single from the album, the megahit  Unholy  featuring  Kim Petras.    Spotify  streams for  Unholy  have surpassed  600 million  and is  Sam’s eighth UK Official Chart #1 as well as  hitting the top of the Billboard Hot 100 at #1.   

This week  Sam  and  Kim  were awarded an  MTV EMA  with the  Video For Good  Award  and having  sold out two headline shows at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall, Sam  will be preparing for their UK and European tour in the Spring. 

Indiependence Music and Arts Festival

As one year  nears its end, so another nears its beginning, and though we might well be feeling the winter chill right now, most of us already have at  least an eye on the summer to come!  And  that being the case, here's some news to whet the appetite for what's ahead. 

Indiependence Music and Arts Festivalhas announced the addition of  Anne-Marie  as one of the headliners for their 2023 bill. Anne-Marie  is one of the world’s most-loved and successful pop stars and heads to Cork off the back of a sold-out 3Arena show earlier this year.  Also revealed to be heading to INDIE23 today include  Inhaler, Raye, and Jax Jones;  who join the already announced  Two Door Cinema Club, Annie Mac, The Coronas,  and  Belters Only  , all in a weekend of fantastic music featuring many fan favourites.

INDIE23  takes place in  Mitchelstown, Cork, across August 4th, 5th, and 6th next year.  There are a limited number of tier-one tickets on sale now, with full-priced weekend camping/non-camping tickets available soon from Ticketmaster.

Along with The Coronas and Inhaler, many other Irish artists feature heavily on the bill, including,  HamsandwicH, Nell Mescall, Fya Fox & Chubby Cat, joining Cian Ducrot and King Kong Company  .

Back for 2023, the  Dance Arena  will be expanded following the success of this year's festival, with  DJs Paul Woolford, Arielle Free, Saffron Stone and Adelphi Music Factory all having been announced to appear.

Indie wouldn’t be Indie without the Beer Hall, the 80s vs 90s and all its most loved festival favourites! Want to make camping life easy? Good news:  Pitched Perfect Camping  is returning, get in quick and make festival life easier with online bookings now open.

INDIE23 is on the way, and with it, the music, magic, and memories that always make the festival one to remember!

~ Some Indie23 tickets are on-sale now, with full ticket release details coming soon.