Showdown: The E.L.O. Experience at Theatre Royal Waterford

What to Expect

Showdown is a seven-piece Dublin-based band devoted to the music Jeff Lynne wrote and produced for the Electric Light Orchestra, and they play Theatre Royal Waterford on Saturday 12 September 2026. The group carries six-part vocal harmonies and a string section, which is the only realistic way to get near the layered orchestral pop of the ELO records without backing tracks doing the heavy lifting. The set takes in Evil Woman, Showdown, Livin’ Thing and Mr. Blue Sky alongside the rest of the catalogue.

The show runs to roughly two and a half hours and pairs the live playing with visuals and video that widen out from ELO into Lynne’s broader production career and his time in the Travelling Wilburys. Theatre Royal notes that alcohol is served during the performance and that patrons may stand and dance, with the usual request to be considerate of anyone who prefers to stay seated. Children are welcome at a parent or guardian’s discretion. Tickets are €26.50 to €30.50.

Good to Know

• Date: Saturday 12 September 2026, 8:00 PM start
• Venue: Theatre Royal Waterford, The Mall, Waterford city
• Tickets: €26.50 to €30.50, through the Theatre Royal box office or its Ticketsolve page
• Running time approximately two and a half hours
• Alcohol served, standing and dancing permitted
• Box office: 051 874402 or boxoffice@theatreroyal.ie

Getting There

Theatre Royal is on The Mall in Waterford city centre, minutes from the Quay and the city centre bus stops. Drivers arrive on the M9 from Dublin or the N25 from Cork and Wexford, and there is multi-storey and on-street parking within a short walk. Plunkett Station, the rail and Bus Eireann terminus, sits across the Suir on the north bank, about fifteen minutes on foot over Rice Bridge. Taxis rank along the Quay after shows.