The Nigel Mooney Trio

Nigel Mooney is one of the most respected blues and jazz guitarists working in Ireland, a musician who has been playing the Dublin circuit long enough to have become part of its fabric. His trio at Arthur’s on Thomas Street is the kind of night that regulars at the venue look forward to: a known quality in a familiar room, which sounds less exciting than it is until you’ve been there and understood what it means.

Blues and jazz guitar in an intimate room on a Saturday night in the Liberties is one of those things Dublin does well and doesn’t always shout about.

What to expect

9pm Saturday at Arthur’s, which is a good hour for this kind of music: late enough to feel like an event, early enough that the night doesn’t become a commitment. The trio format means guitar up front with rhythm support; you hear the playing clearly without a horn section absorbing the detail.

The Liberties is a good neighbourhood for a Saturday night out. Thomas Street has food options before the show, and Arthur’s is the right destination after.

Getting there

Arthur’s Blues and Jazz Club is at 28 Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Bus routes 51B, 123, and 77A serve Thomas Street. Tickets on Eventbrite.