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| CLICK to ENLARGE Derek Ryan Live at SSE |
Derek’s
eight-date UK tour, which also
includes a date on St Patrick’s Night
at the Islington Assembly Rooms, will feature a mix of old favourites, classic
country and Derek’s own original material.
Click here for a Derek Ryan Q & A
Click here for a Derek Ryan Q & A
The
County Carlow man, who is a multiple recipient of awards for his performances
and songwriting, continues to maintain his position at the top table of Irish
Country Music’s elite.
His
recent Irish number one album THE FIRE
spawned the hits ‘Heaven Tonight’ and ‘Homeland’, which will be featured
during this concert tour along with many fan favourites, including ‘Hold
On To Your Hat’, ‘God’s Plan’ and ‘Life Is A River’.
The
UK tour dates will also include his ever-popular acoustic interlude; accompanied by just his guitar, this intimate
section of the show gives Derek’s audiences an insight into his life and music.
With
reference to his date in Islington on St Patrick’s Day, Derek hopes to bring
back memories of the heyday of dancing in North London, when places like the
National Ballroom in Kilburn and the Galtymore played host to many Irish
country singers. At the dance on St Patrick’s Night Derek will be joined by
fellow Irish star Louise Morrissey.
Having lived in Fulham for a time before returning to Ireland, Derek is no stranger to London and loves returning to the UK each year.
Derek
recently described his appearance at the 2017 St Patrick’s Day Festival in
Trafalgar Square in 2017 as a career highlight. Quite a statement when you considering
the singer-songwriter has previously toured the world in his former boy band
days with D-Side and having had top 10 hits in the UK and a number one in
Japan.
Looking
ahead to ‘The Fire’ tour, Derek said, “I’m really looking forward to seeing everybody
on tour, where will be some songs from ‘The Fire’, a bluegrass set, an acoustic
set and some other surprises, along with our usual mix of original songs and
popular country, Irish & party hits - something for everybody!”
Derek Ryan is appearing at the following venues
this Spring:
March
March
Thurs
15 March 2018: Solway Hall, Whitehaven
(Lowther Street, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 7SH) £21 Tickets
Fri
16 March 2018: Middleton Arena, Manchester
(Corporation Street, Middleton, Greater Manchester, M24 1AG) £23.10 Tickets
Sat
17 March 2018: Islington Assembly Halls, London
(Upper Street London N1 2UD | By tube Highbury and Islington Station
(Victoria and Overground Lines) is 5min walk away) £27.50 Tickets
Sun
18 March 2018: South Birmingham College, Birmingham
(High Street, Deritend, B5 5SU) * SOLD OUT * Tickets
April
Thurs 12 April 2018: Corran Halls, Oban (No 54 The Esplanade, Oban, Scotland
PA34 5AB) £21.25 Tickets
Sat 14 April 2018: Eden
Court Theatre, Inverness (Eden
Court, Bishop's Road, IV3 5SA) £19.50-£25.50 Tickets
Sun 15 April 2018: Eden
Court Theatre, Inverness (Eden
Court, Bishop's Road, IV3 5SA) £19.50-£25.50 Tickets
Tickets
are available from the venue box offices.
Q&A with Derek Ryan
1. What can fans expect at your forthcoming UK tour dates?
1. What can fans expect at your forthcoming UK tour dates?
Lots
of new songs from my latest album 'The Fire', a bluegrass set, an acoustic set
and some other surprises along with our usual mix of original songs and popular
country, Irish & party hits! Something for everybody!
2. Your latest
album The Fire reached No.1 on the iTunes country chart and stayed there for
quite a while. How did it feel hitting the top spot as a solo artist, and how
did you celebrate?
It's
always a very proud moment to do well in the charts, especially when you
consider the time and effort that has gone into writing, recording and
producing the album. Of course, charts are one thing but the most important
thing is that everybody who buys it, enjoys the music! That is the real
success.
3. In your
experience, how does your UK audience differ from your Irish audience?
They
are pretty similar to be honest. No matter where we go, we encourage the
audience from the outset to get involved, singing & clapping along. Of
course it's perfectly fine to sit back, relax and just enjoy the
show. Whatever makes the night for everyone…
4. Onstage you
tell stories between songs. How do you pick which tales to share with your
fans?
I
always like to tell stories that may relate to the next song, or the audience
can identify with. I think if you set up a song in this way, especially an
original song, it can take the audience on a journey and they feel like they
may know the song before they hear it.
5. What’s
been the best moment on stage so far?
There's
been lots of special moments. Most recently, headlining the Farmers
Bash at the SSE Arena, Belfast, the crowd of over 10,000 sang back to me every
word of my debut single God's Plan. It was magical.
6. …and
your worst?
Not
any particular bad one I can remember. At the bigger gigs if there’s an issue
with sound or monitoring it can be pretty stressful.
7. What was the
first concert you went to?
I
went to see Garth Brooks in Croke Park, Dublin, when I was 14
years-old. He was a God in Ireland at the time and atmosphere on the night
was something which could be hard to beat.
8. What was the
first concert you ever performed at?
Honestly
- haha - I performed Edelweiss from the Sound of Music at a Christmas
concert in school when I was about 6 years old.
9. Apart from the
music, how does your career as a country artist differ from your days as a boy
band star in D-Side?
The
biggest difference is musically I control what I release. My management,
my label and myself have a great relationship and we all play a big part in the
success we have achieved, but ultimately I make the calls and I think at this
stage in my career that’s how it needs to be. I wouldn't have it any other way.
10. What do
you think of today’s boy bands, and do you miss that scene?
I
don't miss the scene in the slightest. I enjoyed my time in D-Side but, again,
I love the music I create now. I have a platform for original songs, I am
my own boss and I love touring. So, all in all, I'm doing what I love for
a living and I realise even more second time around how fortunate I am to be in
this position. Boybands of today are pretty much the same as always. I think
they have a shelf-life until the next craze comes along, with very few standing
the test of time.
11. Do you
have any celebrity fans?
Not
that I know of. Haha.
12. Do you
compare notes with your country music contemporaries?
When
we meet at things like award shows we may have the odd chat about various gigs
and promoters, etc., but I tend to not talk shop and keep myself to myself.
13. What
music do you listen to these days?
I
think a good song is a good song regardless of the genre. I have everything
from Jamie Lawson and One Republic to some classic country albums from Merle
Haggard in my car.
14. What do
you do in your spare time when you’re not writing, recording or performing
music?
I
love going to the theatre, plays, comedians. I also play handball and try to
run some 5k’s just for fun. I also love going out to try nice restaurants /
hotels during my time off. Work hard, play hard, as they say.
15. If someone
had told you when you were at school that you’d have this life ahead of you
what would you have thought?
I
suppose I would have dreamt of it alright, but I was quite academic growing up,
so music was more of a pastime. To get the opportunity really is a dream
come true.
16. Anything
else you wish you had known at the beginning of your career?
Follow
your gut. More of often than not, when it's about your own career, it's right.
17. Who has
given you the best career advice?
My
Dad. He is very proud of me but would also give me advice and be a critic in
many ways. You try to listen to people close to you and take on board
everything they say, even if you don't necessarily agree with it. He said to me
recently “show people everything you can do musically, leave nothing at home”,
which encouraged me to introduce new elements to the show which I really feel
has improved the entertainment value for the audience.
18. What
makes your really proud?
Big
crowds singing songs back to me, songs I wrote at the kitchen table. It's the
best feeling in the world.
19. Is there
anyone one you'd like to work with or duet with?
Bryan
Adams is my all-time favourite artist, so to collaborate with him would be top
of the list.
20. A message
for you fans:
Thank
you for all the support because playing live, writing & recording is all I
ever wanted to do. The fact that people pay to come see me and buy albums
is an honour. I always give it my best shot. Looking forward to
seeing everybody on 'The Fire' tour.
ABOUT DEREK RYAN
The
roll call of success for the multi-talented Irish man is long and much deserved
– with two Irish Number One albums,
sell-out shows at home and abroad and fistfuls of music awards to his name.
It’s
been a long road for the Garryhill, County Carlow born artist who first
developed his lifelong love for music when his parents bought a drum kit one
Christmas for a four-year-old Derek!
That
childhood passion was further nurtured when his dad brought him to fleadh
cheoils (Irish music festivals) with young Derek truly proving ‘I Got Rhythm’ –
winning two All-Ireland titles in bodhran and ceili drumming.
Derek
got his first taste of the big stage with Irish boyband D-Side in 2001, with whom he enjoyed three British Top Ten hits,
and a Number One in Japan. But when the pop bubble burst, determined Derek
picked himself up and started following his country music dreams.
He
returned to Ireland in 2009, where his songwriting talent saw success in prestigious
competitions such as A Song For Carlow and The International Song Of
Peace. And when a song he had written in
a bolt of creativity in his London bedsit in less than half an hour, God’s Plan
became a 2010 smash hit in Ireland, it was D-Day for Derek’s career from then
on!
Derek
has being filling his trophy cabinet ever since, winning countless accolades
including Entertainer of the Year, Songwriter and Album of the Year and most recently Live Concert Performer of the
Year at the Sunday World Irish Country
Music Awards.
Balancing
huge demand from dancehall and concert theatre audiences with his constant
desire to create new music, Derek has released a number of best selling albums.
His latest being a double album release, including “Happy Man” and “This is
Me”, is bringing Derek all over the UK and Ireland throughout 2017 to meet the
demand of his ever growing audiences.
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