Live Music at The Spinnaker Bar — Videos

Some of Ireland's best live acts have played The Spinnaker Bar in Dunmore East. Watch the recordings — the bands, the atmosphere, the crowd — and see what a real live music night looks like on the Waterford harbour.

Live music is not an add-on at The Spinnaker Bar. It is woven into the identity of the place. Since the bar first opened its doors on Dunmore East harbour, music has been part of what makes a night here different from anywhere else in the south-east. These videos are proof of that — recorded over the years, capturing the energy, the talent, and the genuine spirit of live performance at The Spinnaker.

Dunmore East is a village that has always attracted people who appreciate quality — quality seafood, quality scenery, quality pubs. The Spinnaker sits at the top of that list. And when you add live music to a harbour setting on a summer evening in Waterford, what you get is something close to perfect. The videos on this page give a flavour of that.

The Green Floyd — July 2013

The Green Floyd arrived at The Spinnaker in the summer of 2013 and delivered one of those nights that people in Dunmore East still bring up in conversation. A Pink Floyd tribute act with serious musicianship and serious stage presence, they played to a packed bar that spilled out onto the harbour. The Spinnaker's sound, the harbour backdrop, and a crowd that was there for music — it added up to something special. Watch the footage and you'll understand why nights like this have made The Spinnaker's reputation.

Bending the Strings — 2011

Bending the Strings brought their distinctive sound to The Spinnaker in 2011. This recording captures one of the earlier documented live nights at the bar — a reminder that the tradition of quality live music at The Spinnaker has deep roots. The performance, the response from the crowd, and the venue itself all come through clearly in the footage. It's the kind of act and the kind of night that The Spinnaker does best.

Redwater at The Spinnaker

Redwater performing live at The Spinnaker Bar. Another strong act, another great night. The Spinnaker's programme draws from a wide pool of Waterford and Irish talent, and Redwater represent the quality of what consistently turns up here. The harbour setting adds something that no indoor city venue can replicate — there's an openness and a connection to the environment that makes music feel different in Dunmore East.

Tell Me Ma — Live at The Spinnaker

Tell Me Ma — a song that needs no introduction in an Irish bar — performed live at The Spinnaker. There is a reason this kind of music works so well in a harbour pub setting: it connects directly to a tradition of seafaring, community and celebration that is very much alive in a place like Dunmore East. When a song like this is performed well, with a crowd that knows the words and means every one of them, it captures something genuinely Irish and genuinely Waterford.

What Makes Live Music at The Spinnaker Different?

The Spinnaker Bar is not a purpose-built music venue. It is a harbour pub — a proper one, with real regulars, real food, and real character. That matters when it comes to live music. The acts that play here are performing in a space with history and personality, for an audience that has come because it wants to be there. That combination produces something that manufactured venues simply cannot replicate.

The harbour adds to it. On summer evenings, with the windows open and the sound of the sea underneath the music, The Spinnaker offers an experience that is uniquely Dunmore East. The fishing boats, the cliffs, the salt air — they are all part of what makes a music night here feel different from anywhere else in Ireland.

The bar team takes its music programme seriously. Acts are chosen for quality and fit. The sound is managed properly. The crowd is looked after. And there is always food available, which means a live music night at The Spinnaker is a proper evening out rather than a rushed drinks stop before somewhere else.

For upcoming music, check the live music page and follow The Spinnaker on Facebook for weekly updates on who's playing and when. Or ring the bar on (051) 383 133 to find out what's on when you plan to visit. The team is always happy to let you know what's coming up.

And if you haven't been to Dunmore East before — make it this summer. There is genuinely nowhere like it in the south-east of Ireland, and The Spinnaker Bar is the centrepiece of an evening on the harbour that you won't forget.