LIMERICK has been gripped by Fuerza Bruta fever…to the point that two extra shows of 1000 places each are now scheduled. And after the After Dark team visited the Culture Factory (the old Dell building in Castletroy) last Friday 14, I can see why!
You can book a ticket for this new Thursday 20 at 6.30pm and there’s exciting midnight show, a slot exclusive to Limerick audiences, this Friday 21 followed by a performance by Le Galaxie, Dublin based electronic pop band.
Back to Friday night when this huge venue was opened officially by Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Kathleen Leddin and Leas Cathaoirleach, Cllr John Egan at a reception with plenty of familiar faces attending Limerick City of Culture’s third major event on this year’s programme after January’s Riverdance and February’s Limerick Literary Festival.
I have to say the Culture Factory is a brilliant venue and the event organisers turned it into a superb space with a great mix of food stalls, bars and art installations dotted throughout which gave it a real festival vibe. This entertainment village is available to everyone before and after each show which really adds to the event. Arriving crowds on Friday night enjoyed all this and a performance from the band Leading Armies before being led through the big black curtains for the main event. After that it was like falling down the rabbit hole and what followed is hard to describe but Fuerza Bruta (brute force) was a fantastic feast for the senses from start to finish, part Cirque du Soleil, part nightclub rave with impressive lighting and music effects – and passionate performances from the cast.
As audience members we went from moments of voyeurism at the Argentinean spectacular to being part of the action. This audience participation delighted those who embraced the madness and revelled in the wild and sometimes wet experience, especially the pool sequence.
Afterwards the Funk Junkies band took to the stage making sure the party atmosphere continued until late!
