Could you do a gig in Dublin a day in May?

Dublin is a major stop over for touring bands in Europe and we have a reputation as one of the best music audiences in Europe.

Next month is absolutely packed with quality acts, from small indie groups making their first appearances ,such as Brooklyn based Yeasayer and ambient punks Deerhunter, to the big boys of rock n’ roll making glorious returns (Nick Cave, Bruce Springsteen).

The smaller gigs are pretty good value for money (mostly all under €20) and a good way to see the some low-key bands before they explode into everybody’s favourite band, driving up the price and demand.

The gigs themselves tend to be great, as the new artists are trying to make a name for themselves.

Classic acts (re)playing small venues to watch out for are: new wave favourite Jonathan Richman, playing solo on May 10 and punk poet John Cooper Clarke, on May 16, both in Whelans.

Ex Lemonhead Evan Dando plays the Village on May 24, and legend John McLaughlin will be noodling his jazz guitar on the May 30 in Vicar St.

New bands to catch are the manic, Balkan inspired, Hawk and a Hacksaw, playing in Crawdaddy on May 11, and Broken Social Scene (pictured above) return to Ireland on May 20 in Vicar St.

In fact we have so many gigs, you could, technically, nearly make one a night for the whole month (see below). All you need is roughly €730 – just for tickets).Plus another €1000 for booze, ciggies, kebabs, taxis, and liver transplants.

THE LIST: A GIG A DAY IN MAY (nearly)

03 May – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ Dublin Castle €49.50
05 May – Kooks @ Dublin Castle €30
06 May – MTV: The Zutons/ One Night Only/ The Script @ The Academy €25.50
07 May – MTV: CSS/ The Futureheads/ MGMT @ The Academy €25.5
08 May – Deerhunter/Health @ Whelans €17
10 May – Jonathan Richman @ Whelans €20
11 May – Hawk and the Hacksaw @ Crawdaddy €15
11 May – Iron & Wine @ The Olympia €26
12 May – Dinosaur Jr. @The Academy €28
12 May –  Williams @ The Button Factory €17
13-15 May – The National w/Two Gallants @ The Olympia €30/27.5
14 May – And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead @ The Academy €23
14 May – Battles @ Vicar St. €27
16 May – John Cooper Clarke @ Crawdaddy €15
18 May - Caribou @ Whelans €16
19 May – Animal Collective @ Tripod €24.50/20
20 May – Broken Social Scene @ Vicar St. €28.50/24.50
22-25 May – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @ RDS €91.25/81.25
23 May – Peter Hook (DJ Set) @ The Academy €15
24 May – Evan Dando @ The Village €22.50
25 May – Jens Lekman @ The Village €19.45
26 May – Martha Wainwright @ Vicar St. €25
27 May – Tapes’n Tapes @ Tripod €17
28 May – Spiritualized @ Tripod €26/22
29 May – Autamata @ The Button Factory €??
30 May – John McLaughlin @ Vicar St. €49.50
31 May – Dirty Pretty Things @ The Ambassador € 31.50