Imelda May « Raised on Songs & Stories »

On 9 June 2026, Imelda May brings Raised on Songs & Stories to Vicar Street, Dublin. Born in the Liberties, she has built a path that threads rockabilly, swing, rhythm and blues, jazz, soul and folk. From the raw edge of Love Tattoo and Mayhem to the more stripped Life Love Flesh Blood with producer T Bone Burnett, she has widened her palette; Slip of the Tongue marked a spoken word turn, while 11 Past the Hour featured collaborations with Noel Gallagher and Ronnie Wood.

With Raised on Songs & Stories, May leans into that arc. The show weaves poems, memories and songs, moving from 50s‑tinged rock’n’roll and blues to folk contours. Her voice stays at the centre, shifting between spoken cadence and melodic lines, carried by a band that leaves space for words and rhythm. It’s a homecoming that taps into Dublin’s storytelling tradition while drawing on two decades of writing and performance. The set draws across her catalogue and recent work, in a format that puts narrative and groove on equal footing.