THE Frames have announced a special run of intimate Irish shows for February 2026, returning to the grassroots venues that helped launch their career three decades ago. The Dublin band will perform at Dolans on Sunday February 8, with tickets going on sale at 11am this Friday January 16.
But the tour carries a message beyond nostalgia. Organisers say it is intended as a wake-up call about the mounting pressures facing small and medium-sized music venues across Ireland, many of which are struggling to survive amid rising costs and reduced touring circuits.
“These are the rooms where we learn to tell stories and learn the magic of the intimate spaces,” said frontman Glen Hansard. “Only from there can we take it to a bigger stage with any confidence.”
The shows mark a return to the cultural hubs that form the foundation of Ireland’s live music ecosystem. Ray Blackwell, co-organiser and proprietor of DeBarras in Clonakilty, described the significance of welcoming back The Frames almost 30 years after their first performance at the venue.
“Small and mid-sized venues have played a crucial role in nurturing Irish talent for decades, often without the recognition they deserve,” he said. “Today, many of these venues are struggling to survive. If they close their doors, they won’t reopen, taking with them the vital pathways for future artists, crews and entire communities.”
Grassroots venues serve as training grounds for artists, technicians, promoters and crews, while also functioning as employers, tourism drivers and community spaces. Yet across Ireland, as in the UK, Europe and the US, many operate on unsustainable margins.
The tour aims to spark a national conversation about protecting these vulnerable creative spaces. Organisers are proposing several practical solutions, including cultural status protection for established grassroots venues, a one euro levy on large-scale and stadium tickets to support a grassroots venue fund, VAT abolition on tickets for small independent venues, and business rates reform to better reflect the cultural and economic value these spaces provide.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan added, “I understand the vital role that grassroots venues play in Ireland’s cultural, creative and music ecosystem. In recognition of their importance, I launched the Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme last year to help protect and sustain these venues. I am committed to supporting this important network and a second scheme is due to operate in 2026 which again will be open to independent venues nationwide to support their vital cultural activity.”
The Frames’ live line-up features Glen Hansard on vocals and guitar, Colm Mac Con Iomaire on violin, Joseph Doyle on bass, Robert Bochnik on guitar and Graham Hopkins on drums. With strictly limited capacity, these shows offer fans a rare opportunity to see the band up close whilst highlighting the essential and increasingly precarious role small venues play in Ireland’s cultural life.