Monday 6 February 2012
The whirlwind Celtic success story CELTIC THUNDER will perform at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre on Monday 13 February as part of their first Australian tour. The five strapping Celtic men arrive in Australia armed with; multi-million record sales, multiple # 1 chart successes including their new CD and DVD ‘Heritage’ which debuted at #1 on the Australian charts, a Billboard # 1 world artist title, a worldwide fan base and maybe even their board shorts;
"We are going to be very busy during our Oz tour, I don`t know if we will have much down time but if I get the chance I would love to spend some time on the beaches.” said Celtic Thunder’s Neil Byrne.
Celtic Thunder formed in 2008 and comprise of five diverse performers who are each exceptional in both their solo and ensemble songs. The group is backed by the dynamic Celtic Thunder Band and ‘The Show’ is a potent mixture of powerhouse choreography and dramatic lighting, staged within a setting that mimics ancient depictions of Celtic lore.
“The show is storytelling through the songs. Each of us sing songs that reflect our characters. The great thing about the show is that our characters on stage are very much reflections of our own personalities...so we get to be ourselves singing on stage in front of thousands of people every night…not a bad job!” - Emmet Cahill.
The group has now toured the US and Canada five times with over 250 concert dates and over 500,000 tickets sold, and now it’s Australia’s turn to experience the phenomenal concert experience.
The show evolved from a venture between Sharon Browne, creator of Celtic Thunder and Grammy-nominated Irish songwriting and composing veteran Phil Coulter. The pair embarked on a journey to produce a performance that included an eclectic mix of songs ranging from the traditional “Danny Boy” and “Steal Away” to international hits such as “500 Miles” and “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” as well as original compositions by Coulter, who has written hits for Elvis Presley (“My Boy”) and the Bay City Rollers, and performed with Van Morrison, Tom Jones, and the Rolling Stones. The ensemble numbers in Celtic Thunder reflect the power of the soloists, who range in age from 20 to 42, and feature songs that celebrate a common Celtic heritage.
“My concept for Celtic Thunder was to feature real men of different ages from Ireland and Scotland” said Browne. “The guys - Emmet Cahill, Keith Harkin, Ryan Kelly, George Donaldson and Neil Byrne — are a real range of Celts...I’m so looking forward to bringing Celtic Thunder down under and finally getting the chance to perform our live show to our ever growing Australian fan base” - Sharon Browne.
The stellar performers have showcased their talents across the globe, playing sell out shows to Nokia–LA Live in Los Angeles, Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theater in New York, as well as private performances at The White House for President Obama, for the US Troops, Irish Premier Brian Cowen, UN Commisioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, at the Governor’s Breakfast at NYC’s presitgious Waldorf Astoria. The group’s Ryan Kelly says it’s all about the audience;
“It’s all down to the audiences! Once you step onto that stage and hear the applause and enthusiasm, it’s just like the first show of the tour over and over again.....“Energetic” is definitely a good way to describe the show! With our full band and lighting and effects driving the show along, the audience had better be prepared!!” - Ryan Kelly.
Celtic Thunder’s DVD ‘The Show’ has reached double platinum and has been in the Top 30 DVD charts for over 40 weeks. Their latest DVD ‘Heritage’ debuted at # 1 on the ARIA chart today.
Final Tickets to the Tamworth show on sale now at : Visit Tamworth Ticket Sales and 02 6767 5300
2012 National Tour Dates
- Gold Coast - Gold Coast - Convention & Exhibition Centre - Friday 10 February
- Brisbane - Brisbane Entertainment Centre - Saturday 11 February
- Tamworth - Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre - Monday 13 February
- Newcastle - Newcastle Entertainment Centre - Tuesday 14 February
- Wollongong - WIN Entertainment Centre - Wednesday 15 February
- Sydney - Allphones Arena - Thursday 16 February
- Melbourne - Hisense Arena - Saturday 18 February
- *Bendigo - Bendigo Stadium - Sunday 19 February
- *Albury - Albury Entertainment Centre SOLD OUT - Monday 20 February
- Geelong - Geelong Arena - Tuesday 21 February
- Adelaide - Adelaide Entertainment Centre SOLD OUT - Thursday 23 February
- Canberra - Royal Theatre Canberra - Saturday 25 February
Celtic Thunder’s new CD and DVD ‘Heritage’ is out now.
See the show reel here:
Celtic Thunder Show Reel