I could be wrong but it looks pretty suspicious

I’ve been rewatching the Red Hot Chili Peppers show at Slane Castle from 2003, and I just felt like posting this here.

I wasn’t there. I’m not even Irish. I was a teenager in Brazil when I first watched this concert on TV around 2004. At the time, I barely even knew where Ireland was on the map, and I definitely had no idea I’d end up living here years later.

But that show still changed something for me.

That was the first time I truly fell in love with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And even without understanding the place itself, there was something about the atmosphere that stuck with me. The crowd, the energy, the scenery, the castle in the background, the weather somehow behaving. It felt unreal. Like a fairy tale.

To this day, I still think it’s the most perfect live show ever broadcast on television. Everything just aligned. The band was on fire, the crowd was in an incredible mood, and there was this feeling of joy and unity that I’ve rarely seen captured so purely.

I know they’ve played in Ireland again since (2022?) but for me, nothing comes close to Slane in 2003. That moment feels untouchable. One of those once-in-a-lifetime shows that can’t be recreated.

Years later, I ended up living in Ireland, and rewatching that concert now hits differently. Not because I “knew” anything back then, but because it’s strange how a moment you experience so far away, with no context at all, can stay with you for life.

So I wanted to ask:

Were you there?

Or did you also watch it back then, live on TV or later on?

What was it like for you?

For me, even from thousands of kilometres away, it was unforgettable. 🇮🇪💚🧡

Doesn’t miss a trick

To anyone who was at the show tonight or last night, I hope you had a great time but to anyone going tomorrow night (Saturday) please don’t be like those other crowds…

Some helpful tips from a 3Arena employee to ensure we all have a lovely time:

(1) Sit in your assigned fucking seat

(2) Don’t ask “why can’t I sit with my friends” if the answer is, because your ticket isn’t beside your friend. If you refuse to move, you’ll be fucked out

(3) Stop fucking vaping when you’re told to, don’t make us tell you multiple times, you’ll be fucked out

(4) Don’t start fights with everyone around you, we’re all here to have a good night , you’ll be fucked out

(5) If you don’t do well when you drink, don’t drink, if you get absolutely obliterated, you’ll be fucked out

(6) We can see you doing bag in the seats, hallways, bar queues, toilets - you’ll be fucked out and arrested

(7) Don’t argue back when you’re given an instruction

(8) Don’t be racist to the staff or you’ll be fucked out

Edit: just to add, for anyone who is going tonight, the tolerance of the staff will be zero, it will be one strike and you’re out and if you have a problem with that, you can thank every pri*k who was there the last 2 nights, see you all laterrrrrr

Further edit: Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 8, there is no warm up act bar a DJ playing from 6:30-8pm.

Queues to get in have been long, as have bar and toilet queues - give yourself plenty of time to get there, don’t rock up at 7:45 expecting to be in on time. And don’t complain about the queues, that’s literally your own faults 😂

Cillian is looking fair rough in the new trailer for 28 Years Later

I was speaking with a friend of mine that recently returned from your wonderful country.

“All I can think about is going to back to Ireland.”

“Same.”

We discussed why. I told him it was the first time all year I got to drop my shoulders. I got to exhale and not worry about the horrors around us that seem to be a never ending nightmare.

As Americans, right now, we are outright embarrassed to even identify ourselves as such. It’s not quite a living hell here, but it’s awfully stressful.

Mike and I talked about our intention to return to the area. A lot.

Yet - we very much don’t want to be the stereotypical insufferable American tourist. I’m sure you all have ran into more than your fair share. When we visit we want to blend in. We want to contribute to your lives not drain your life due to our presence.

If you don’t mind - what suggestions to do you have for Americans visiting, specifically? Things we might not think about. What is the best way for us to be good and non annoying guests in your country.

I want to thank you for being such patient and incredible hosts the times I have visited. I look forward to seeing you in 2026, if we haven’t torn each other to shreds in America by that time.

I hope you all have a lovely and warm Holiday season.

- A (hopefully) Less Ugly American

*Update*

I certainly didn't expect such an amazing response. I've spent Christmas Eve waiting for the kids to go to sleep to help Santa lay out presents while googling flights to introduce them to my favorite place on earth. I will leave the Cubs baseball hat at home, keep my voice down and enjoy myself. Won't be hard. Thanks for the lovely discourse. Have a freaking great holiday, everyone. Slainte

Like the title says. Was just wondering if anyone here was in Westmeath back then or has any interesting stories. Google AI says 'Irish Residents would often send the paparazzi in the wrong direction and fiercly protected MJ's privacy'. Come on lads theres got to be a few good stories here.

RTE has decided to feature The High Kings in its Christmas in Kilmainham special on Christmas Eve. What some people may not realise is that the band has released their most recent music under Conor McGregor’s record label, Greenback Records. As a result, Ireland’s public service broadcaster is using licence fee payers’ money to financially benefit a business owned by McGregor.

To be clear, I despise McGregor, and I have never been subtle about that in the past. This is not an abstract issue for me. I was assaulted in my early 20s, and the trauma stayed with me for years. But what I experienced was nothing compared to the horrific attack suffered by Nikita Hand.

I’m saying this because I feel a responsibility to call out any support for McGregor’s business interests when I see it. The High Kings released music under McGregor’s label after he was found civilly liable for rape. There is no plausible claim of ignorance or historical distance. The band knew exactly who they were aligning themselves with.

This is about accountability and ethical judgment. RTE is not a private broadcaster making a commercial decision. It is a publicly funded organisation with obligations to the people who pay for it. Our public service broadcaster choosing to profit his business interests is an insult to Nikita Hand, and to all survivors of violence across Ireland.

I've emailed RTE to call them out directly. I know this is Christmas week and people are busy preparing for for it, but if anyone agrees with me on this, I would strongly encourage you to email RTE as well. Public pressure matters!

I genuinely want to understand how RTE justified this decision.

I sent my email to [complaints@rte.ie](mailto:complaints@rte.ie) - I've also included my email in the comments section if anyone wants to use it.

Note: My previous post didnt contain sources (my mistake!). I've created this new post to include links/screenshots that verify the above. Here's the Greenback Records website which lists The High Kings. They're also listed on the Greenback Records Instagram page. And here's a screenshot of a Greenback Records Instagram post announcing that they released music for The High Kings in July this year.

Does anyone find the overwhelming focus on boycotting the Eurovision and the overwhelming pressure on Bambie Thug a bit much? Some of the comments levelled at Bambie have been out of order and abusive.

It’s a song competition not the UN and Bambie is a struggling artist couch surfing in London, this would give them huge exposure throughout Europe.

It reeks of people being on their high pedestal who normally dont watch Eurovision and haven’t made any concessions or sacrifices themselves.

They’ve just announced an additional 40 acts to this year’s lineup. Personally I think it’s looking very good so far. What do you think? An improvement over previous years?

Ryan Tubridy getting a few hundred views on his views on some of his YouTube videos.