Our Electric Landlady Packs Her Bags

The freewheelin’ Ms Skay THURS19JAN20

t’s a venue that formed a very important bridge between the past and the future, The Hot Spot Music Club being both a platform for new artists and a night out to celebrate rock’s icons.

From giving Hozier one of his first ever gigs to having the likes of Christy Moore and Paul Brady swing by, Ailbhe’s place has proven the perfect mix of melting pot and soup kitchen for those who still like to rock agus roll.

And now, with their upstairs venue at The Beach House set to become a restaurant once again, electric landlady Ailbhe Skay is looking for a new home.

Having initially started out down on Mill Road in 2010 – where Zero One is now – the move to the harbour in August 2014 proved a perfect fit. Here’s hoping there’s another sweet Hot Spot HQ out there.

In the meantime, here’s the official statement…

We have recently been informed that the venue owners have an alternative business idea for the premises where the music club has operated for the past 9 years. From its early days as an internet café-venue (the former Chartbusters) on the main street to its present location above the Beach House, the Hotspot Music Club has been operating for over 13 years.

Aside from its early origins as an internet café, the Hot Spot initially offered a platform for emerging as well as established artists where there was none available – in addition to providing a much-needed community space. As you will know many of Greystones’ young musicians gave their first public performances at the monthly Open Mics in the old village cafe, including Hozier.

Since spreading its wings down to the Harbour in 2014, the Hot Spot has established itself as an integral part of the vibrancy and nightlife of Greystones; in fact, it has long been considered the ‘unofficial arts centre of the town’, offering an eclectic live entertainments programme, as well as providing a space for community events & life celebrations. Many musicians have described the music club as the best small music venue in Ireland.

We are now seeking an alternative venue to keep the club going.

If you know of any building – whether it’s a barn, a pub, an old house – that might be a fit for The Hot Spot, or, indeed, if you know of any storage spot until a new venue is found, you can let Ailbhe know right here.

In the meantime, you can jump back through the years here, including Hozier’s early appearance, Javanese hand jives, Elvis coming back to life, and those very high kings of Tara. Oh, and a so-so interview we did with Ailbhe in January 2020 here.

More importantly, go book yourself a seat at The Hot Spot before the final curtain falls on June 23rd here.