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Wait is over for gospel choir performance


SHANNON Gospel Choir will perform at Limerick’s Lime Tree Theatre with very special guest Paddy Casey on Saturday, October 13 at 8pm.

 

Marking one of the first music events in the official programme of the Lime Tree, it will offer audiences a fitting mix of the local and international, reflecting the wide range of programming the venue will present.
The Shannon Gospel Choir is buzzing since featuring on Paddy’s recent and very popular single Wait and is delighted to be joined by him for this forthcoming concert.

Derek Barrett of the 20-strong choir explained how the collaboration came about. “When we were about six months old back in 2009, we held a few workshops with a number of facilitators. One of them was Orla from the Dublin Gospel Choir and they did a song, Saints and Sinners, with him, so she taught us that. He was coming to play in Dolan’s and we ended up talking to him and he said come along. We did and then the week before, he sent us four songs to learn, so we learned those songs, Saints and Sinners and three others. Then, when we got to Dolan’s, he said I want you to do another one. He taught us one just before we went on and the song that he taught us was Wait, which he had just written and that turns out to be the song that he just released during the summer and he asked us to be on it,” Derek explained.

Following the Dolan’s gig, Paddy said he would return the favour sometime and last October, the gospel choir did a concert with him in the Oakwood Arms, which led to another special performance for the gospel choir.

“He rang us two days before, asking ‘is it ok if I bring my friend, Declan’? We said ok. We didn’t know who Declan was but it was Declan O’Rourke. He asked us would we learn a song for him and so we learned Lightning Bird Wind River Man. So that added another level to the night. The night after that, Paddy rang us and he said ‘I’m just sending this song off to the album to be mastered and I’d love for you to be on it’. So we went to Pete’s Studios and we recorded our bits for that and made its way onto his album,” Derek added.

He explained they also joined Declan O’Rourke at the National Concert Hall for a concert with the symphony orchestra and, while there, they met with Paddy again.

“He said he had been talking about music videos and he asked us would we do a video for Wait. We did and it was shot in White Strand and in Shannon and then in Pete’s studio. It’s a really fun song. When you are in a choir and you’re asked to do different and new things, that is what makes it exciting. Following on from that, he asked us to do two other bits on two other songs and we are featured on his next single,” he said.

This is the choir’s main concert performance this year and will feature a range of songs from their repertoire.

“We do one of these a year. Most of our stuff is in churches and this is a chance for us to do songs that we normally wouldn’t do. We still pick things that are inspiring that aren’t necessarily spiritual.

“We have modern songs like Firework and Pricetag, and we do some Cold Play and Michael Jackson, as well as Gospel. So we’ll do five or six Gospel songs and then choir arrangements of these modern ones and then Paddy will come on and do maybe 40 minutes and get us on for the last half hour,” Derek explained.

The choir’s eclectic mix of music will appeal to all ages and interests. The choir’s contemporary style lends itself to crossing several music genres, putting Gospel twists on modern and classic songs.

The choir choose songs that have a positive message in the hope they will connect with people, inspire, encourage or affect them in some way. Among their popular music are songs by Ben E King, Labrinth and Earth Wind and Fire.

In their short time together, they have sung at concerts and festivals around Ireland, performed with The Harlem Gospel Choir and supported Paul Brady, in addition to their performances with Paddy Casey and Declan O’Rourke.

They were the winners of RTÉ’s search for a top choir to sing in The Grand Canal at the premier of The Sister Act Musical, in addition to having previously appeared singing a number of songs live on RTÉ television.

Paddy is currently taking some time out from finishing his fourth studio album to meet up again with the choir and sing some of his well-known hits. Having performed together a number of times, they have formed a good friendship with each other and the choir will feature on three tracks on his forthcoming album.

For ticket information, contact the Lime Tree Theatre on 061 774774, email info@limetreetheatre.ie or visit www.limetreetheatre.ie for more information.

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