Me & Mrs Jones

Got your mother in a whirl…

aving swung by Dublin’s Olympia back in September 2016, the one agus only Grace Jones is now set to bring her androgynous groove thang to sunny Wicklow.

In something of a coup, the organisers of Glendalough’s annual 3-day Beyond The Pale festival have snagged the 74-year-old sci-fi soul icon as their 2023 headliner.

Be. The. Jiggles.

The Jamaican-born began her career modelling in New York and then Paris for the likes of Yves St Laurent and Kenzo before signing with Island records in 1977, breaking through with 1980’s Warm Leatherette, which featured the global hit Private Life. It was 1981’s acclaimed Nightclubbing, and the huge success of Pull Up To The Bumper, that would establish Jones as a cultural icon, her reputation cemented with the stripped-down Living My Life (1982) and 1985’s Trevor Horn-produced Slave To The Rhythm (featuring several interpretations of a song initially intended as Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s follow-up to Relax).

From there, it all gets a little blurry, and Hollywood, but that hardly matters. Over the ensuing years, the lady has remained a wizard, a true star. And, hey, you better treat Grace Beverly Jones as such. Or else.

Also getting the big font treatment at Beyond The Pale this year are Hot Chip, Jon Hopkins, Leftfield and Thundercat, whilst buried down among the curiosities is Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh. The mad feck.

Running from Friday, June 16th to Sunday 18th at the Glendalough Estate, you can find out more right about here.