8 Best Performing Arts in Dublin, Ireland

Home to the grandest, big-gig concerts by rock stars and dance luminaries, the 3Arena is a high-tech, 14,500-capacity venue.

A long-established, tiny, get-close-to-the-band venue upstairs, the International also hosts theater in the afternoon and comedy on weekends.

Everything from rock tribute bands to country greats is presented at the Olympia, which is noted for its intense atmosphere and great acoustics.

Set in a striking, glass-front building, Opium hosts regular rock gigs or bass-thumping international DJ sets. There's a Pan-Asian restaurant out front if you get peckish.

Under its glorious "pepper canister" cupola, St. Stephen's Church stages a tempting program of choral and orchestral events.

Just off St. Stephen's Green, the National Concert Hall is Dublin's main theater for classical music of all kinds, from symphonies to chamber groups. The slightly austere Neoclassical building was transformed in 1981 into one of Europe's finest medium-size concert halls. It houses the cream of Irish classical musicians, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. A host of guest international conductors and performers—Maxim Vengerov, Radu Lupu, and Pinchas Zukerman are just a few of the soloists who have appeared—keep the standard very high, and performances continue throughout the year. The concert year picks up speed in mid-September and sails through to June; July and August also get many dazzling troupes. The smaller, more intimate John Field and Carolan rooms are perfect for chamber music, and also host some interesting talks with musicans, writers, and artists.

Across from Christ Church Cathedral, Vicar Street is a venue for intimate concerts. It often plays host to folk music, jazz, and comedy, as well as rock performances.

It might look a bit shabby around the edges, but Whelan's is one of the city's best—and most popular—music venues. Well-known performers play everything from rock to folk to traditional music.