I do not know how easily one could imagine the members of a Rock / Metal band dressed as knights.
Especially to give a concert in a castle!
Our imagination may be raging, but there really is a castle that hosts the biggest names in the Rock / Metal scene.
This is a magnificent castle in Ireland, namely Slane Castle, located in the village of Slane, in the Boyne Valley of Meath County.
It is the family home of the Conyngham family and was built in the late 18th century on land purchased for the first time in 1703.
It overlooks the River Boyne, just a few miles from Newgrange, and the site of the famous “Battle of the Boyne”.
It is located in the middle of a 1,500-acre estate in the heart of the Boyne Valley, just 30 minutes from Dublin Airport.
The Slane Natural Amphitheater has a capacity of 80,000 people.
Since 1981, the Castle premises have been used to host Rock and Metal concerts.
The artists…
- 16th August 1981: THIN LIZZY
U2/Hazel O’Connor/Rose Tattoo/Sweet Savage/The Bureau/Megahype
- 24th July 1982: THE ROLING STONES
J.Geils Band/The Chieftans/George Thorogood and the Destroyers
- 8th July 1984: BOB DYLAN
UB40/Santanta/In Tua Nua
- 1st June 1985: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
- 5th July 1986: QUEEN
Chris Rea/Bangles/Fountain Head
- 11th July 1987: DAVID BOWIE
Big Country/Aslan/The Grove
- 16th May 1992: GUNS N’ ROSES
Faith No More/My Little Funhouse
- 10th July 1993: NEIL YOUNG
Pearl Jam/Van Morrison/Saw Doctors/James/ 4 Non Blondes/ The Blue Angels
- 22nd July 1995: REM
Oasis/Spearhead/Sharon Shannon/Belly/Luka Bloom
- 29th August 1998: THE VERVE
Manic Street Preachers/Robbie Williams/Finlay Quaye/The Sea Horses/James/Junkster
- 26th August 2000: BRYAN ADAMS
Moby/Macy Gray/Melanie C/Muse/Eagle – Eye Cherry/Dara/Screaming Orphans
- 25th August 2001: U2
Red Hot Chili Peppers/Coldplay/Kelis/JJ72/Relish
- 1st September 2001: U2
Moby/Ash/Nelly Furtado/The Walls/Dara
- 21st August 2002: STEREOPHONICS
The Charlatans/Nickelback/Counting Crows/Ocean ColourScene/Doves/The Revs
- 23rd August 2003: RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS
Foo Fighters/Queens of Stone Age/PJ Havey/Feeder
- 18th August 2007: ROLLING STONES
The Charlatans/The Hold Steady/Tinariwen/Frankie Gavin
- 20th June 2009: OASIS
The Prodigy/Kasabian/Glasvegas/The Blizzards
- 28th May 2011: KINGS OF LEON
The Whigs / Mona /White Lies / Thin Lizzy / Elbow
- 15th June 2013: BON JOVI
Cοronas/Bressie/Ham Sandwich
- 30th May 2015: FOO FIGHTERS
Kaiser Chiefs/Hozier/Ash/The Strypes
- 27th May 2017: GUNS N’ ROSES
Royal Blood/Mark Lanegan/Otherkin
- 8th June 2019: METALLICA
Ghost/Stiff Little Fingers/Bokassa/Fangclub
***
We hope it opens its gates again soon and why not, let’s all go on a trip to Ireland and Slane Castle …
Even if we do not see the bands as knights and/or bards!