Galway International Arts Festival and Róisín Dubh are delighted to announce that pop legends Madness will play the Festival Big Top at GIAF 2018 on Friday 27 July.
Madness, or The Nutty Boys as they are commonly known, are one of the most prominent bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Emerging in 1979, they became one of the most successful British acts of their generation, enjoying huge acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic.
Their knock-out live shows are filled with infectious tunes and chart-topping hits, interspersed with hugely impressive new tunes and a back catalogue of hits and timeless anthems, including One Step Beyond, Our House, It Must Be Love, Embarrassment, Baggy Trousers and their Number 1 smash-hit House of Fun.
A constant presence in British culture and with a seemingly endless stream of hits, the music of Madness is a hugely popular soundtrack to many families lives. Unlike many other bands of their vintage, they continue to write and record new music and have as much to say about the world today as they did in 1979. Following a hiatus for a few years, Madness reformed in 1992 and since then have performed everywhere from the roof of Buckingham Palace to the London Olympics, the ever popular House of Fun Weekender becoming one of most popular live acts on the circuit.
Full House, The Very Best of Madness a brand new compilation was released in November of last year. Their latest studio album Can’t Touch Us Now the band’s 12th, which includes the poignant Amy Winehouse tribute Blackbird, put them back in the Top 5 in the charts in 2016 and demonstrated why Madness are as relevant today as ever as their musical odyssey continues.
Madness presented and headlined The House of Common Festival in London’s Clapham Common in 2016 and 2017, and wowed audiences when they played the main stage at Electric Picnic last September, proving why they enjoy an unrivalled reputation as one of Britain’s greatest and most enduring live acts.
The Nutty Boys’ huge appeal continues across the generations and this GIAF 2018 concert promises to be one of the gigs of the year for young and old alike.
Tickets for Madness go on sale on Monday 05 February at 9am, priced at €59.50 from www.giaf.ie and roisindubh.net.
Galway International Arts Festival’s Festival Big Top 2018 line-up is set to be the biggest in the festival’s 41-year history, with acts already announced, including alternative rock band Walking on Cars, indie sensation Caribou and the hugely popular Kodaline.
Galway International Arts Festival would like to acknowledge the support of its principal funding agencies the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland, its Festival Partner Ulster Bank and Education Partner NUI Galway.
