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jillebeans
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« Reply #120 on: April 18, 2010, 10:44PM »

    
YouTube - New 'Video of the Week' feature
Category: Music
Darren will be uploading footage of his early career to YouTube as a brand new 'Video of the Week feature. The initial weeks will cover his performances at a song contest in Moscow as well as his time in Rhythm of the Dance and Riverdance.

The first few weeks will feature his performances at the Graddus Ad Parnasum Song Festival (Stairway to Stardom) in Moscow, back in October 1994. This invitation followed his second place in the Eurovision selection show 'Song For Ireland' where he sang his own composition 'After Tonight'.

He went on the win 1st Prize and $10k, which led him to go back and subsequently tour with Paul Young and Bonnie Tyler.

Please make sure you stop by Darren's Official YouTube to catch up with all you have missed in Darren's career, from his early career, Movin' Out, right through to the High Kings and recent solo performances.

Darren's Official YouTube

Here is the first 'Video of the Week' with Darren performing 'What Could Have Been' to kick things off!
http://www.youtube.com/user/darrenholden72#p/c/17E8666564323311/1/U4NaD-lMcoI
« Last Edit: April 18, 2010, 10:45PM by jillebeans » Logged
jillebeans
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« Reply #121 on: April 18, 2010, 10:46PM »

    
Review of new Broadway show "Come Fly Away"
By Richard OuzounianTheatre Critic
NEW YORK—“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” was always Cassius Clay’s motto, not Frank Sinatra’s.
But I think that if Ol’ Blue Eyes had ever had a chance to see what Twyla Tharp does in her latest piece of dance theatre,Come Fly Away, he would have adopted it in a second, because this sophisticated work combines Sinatra’s songs and Tharp’s choreography in a way that manages to shed inspiring light on both the pleasure and pain to be found in human relationships.
Tharp has always loved the shotgun marriage of pop music and modern dance, having set works to the Beach Boys and their ilk, but it wasn’t until she created Movin’ Out in 2002 that her mash-ups went mainstream.
Taking the songs of Billy Joel, a strong live-music element, a corps of superb dancers and a story in which the war in Vietnam destroyed the personal lives of a bunch of average Americans, she created a theatrical powerhouse.
Her attempt to make lightning strike twice with the works of Bob Dylan in a 2006 show called The Times They Are A-Changin’ was a sorry mistake and so the knives were out for Come Fly Away.
They needn’t have been. It’s a solid piece of work that frequently enchants and delights, but it doesn’t have either the narrative force or the emotional underpinning that made Movin’ Outsuch a hit.
There’s an odd mix this time around. We hear Sinatra’s recorded voice sing the songs (sometimes joined by onstage vocalist Hilary Gardner), but the accompaniment is provided by a full live orchestra, playing along in perfect sync with the Sinatra recordings.
(A major shout-out, by the way to Canadian Peter McBoyle, longtime Stratford veteran, whose sound design mixes all these elements smoothly.)
Now I know that we don’t really want to hear anyone other than Sinatra (no, not even Michael Bublé), sing The Chairman’s songs, but denying us the live performance energy that Darren Holden, for example, brought to Joel’s work in Movin’ Out leaves us with an evening that sometimes soars elegantly through the clouds, but never breaks through the sound barrier into space.
Tharp has come up with a “book” for this show, just like she did for the earlier ones and all of the dancers have character names. But it’s hard to find any real story, just a series of almost random couplings and uncouplings in a dance hall over the course of one evening.
Now that’s not to say that lightning doesn’t strike — and often — on the stage of the Marquis Theatre.
When John Selyea’s muscular body stretches against pressures of time and space in “September of My Years,” you feel the man’s inner pain.
Likewise, when Selyea and the sublime Holley Farmer go through their problematic mating dance in numbers like “Body and Soul” or “Teach Me Tonight,” it’s hot, hot, hot in the theatre.
And a finale in which “My Way” becomes the accompaniment for a series of ethereally paired dancers, each discovering serenity, makes you realize once again what a genius Tharp is.
No, Come Fly Away isn’t perfect. But like Sinatra himself liked to sing, “That’s Life.”
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jillebeans
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« Reply #122 on: May 30, 2010, 11:57PM »

    
2nd 'Video of the Week' now on YouTube
Category: Music
Hi Everyone

The second video of Darren competing at the Moscow song contest has now been added to YouTube.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=134975287

Don't forget to drop back next week!

Enjoy!
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jillebeans
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« Reply #123 on: May 30, 2010, 11:57PM »

    
Holden/Steele track now available for Rockband
Category: Music
A while ago Darren was thrilled to announce that his songs, co-written with Bryan Steele, had been selected for the new Rockband game.

This week marks the release of 'Caught' and you can now purchase the track for your XBox on the following link. Please drop by and take a look.

Visit the Rockband website


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jillebeans
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« Reply #124 on: May 30, 2010, 11:57PM »

    
Shanghai Expo Launch Night.
Hey everyone,

Things are going well on this end.

I am enjoying the time off, and writing quite a few new songs for various projects, more of which I will tell you about down the road.

Michelle and I don't always attend the various events we are asked to, but on Monday evening last, my friend Oliver,  who owns the  highly successful "Porterhouse" chain, asked us to the launch of 'Porterhouse' for the Expo in Shanghai this summer.
An amazing evening, with lots of friends in attendance, including the fantastic box player Liam O Connor, who asked me onstage with him during his set to sing a few songs.
The guys is a legend and very inspiring. We had a great night afterwards, and Michelle and I had great chat with The Chinese ambassador to Ireland!

The track I wrote with Bryan Steele, "Caught" is now on Rockband and actually appearing on various You Tube accounts worldwide, which is mind blowing really.
I actually remember writing that song with Bryan in Fort Worth TX one scorching afternoon.

The HK are back on the road this coming Sunday, when we headline Felie na Deise in Dungarvan, Waterford. Looking forward to hitting the stage again.

Hope you are all doing well, and I will speak to ya soon.

Take care,

Darren.
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jillebeans
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« Reply #125 on: May 30, 2010, 11:58PM »

    
NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
High Kings Release Remix The Great Craic
"STEP IT OUT MARY"


Platinum selling artists Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Darren Holden and Martin Furey of The High Kings introduce the Great Craic remix of "Step It Out Mary" from their current chart album "Memory Lane."  More information at www.thehighkings.com

Platinum selling artists The High Kings (Universal Music Ireland) introduce The Great Craic remix of the catchy, sing-a-long “Step It Out Mary” from their current chart album “Memory Lane”.

MEMORY LANE, their 2nd studio album on which The High Kings show their incredible versatility and skills as multi-instrumentalists, has spent many weeks in the Irish Charts.

The band has just completed a SELL-OUT 25 date Irish tour and will commence Summer performances from 2 May 2010 (details and dates to be announced).

On the live circuit, Step it out Mary has proven to be one of the most popular tracks from the album. Tracks include: As I Roved Out, The Fields of Athenry, On The One Road (featuring The Wolfe Tones), Raglan Road, Whiskey In The Jar, Leaving of Liverpool, Red is The Rose, Star Of The County Down, Boolavogue, Cavan Girl, The Rising of the Moon, Green Fields of France and The Irish Rover.


broadwayworld.com article

 
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jillebeans
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« Reply #126 on: May 30, 2010, 11:59PM »

    
East Coast Life Interview
Category: Music
Darren and Martin were recently interviewed by Ciara Fitzgerald for Wicklow's East Coast Life magazine.

Page 1 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/CarolB2/EastCoastLifeMay101640.jpg



Page 2 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/CarolB2/EastCoastLifeMay102640.jpg


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jillebeans
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« Reply #127 on: May 31, 2010, 12:00AM »

    
YouTube Video of the Week - Moscow Interview
Category: Music
This week's video of the Week is Darren being interviewed with an interpreter while in Moscow for the Graddus Ad Parnasum Song Festival in 1994.

As a little extra, we have also added Darren's second performance of After Tonight.

We hope you have enjoyed sharing Darren's time on Moscow. If you would like to buy the songs Darren performed in the videos, they are all avaialble on his Suddenly album.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=134975287

Click to buy Darren's album - Suddenly

Don't forget to drop by next week when we will be turning the clock forward to 1999 with the first of 4 performances of Darren in Rhythm of the Dance.





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jillebeans
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« Reply #128 on: May 31, 2010, 12:01AM »

    
Solo Show at the prestigious K Club.
Hey there everyone!

Hope you are all doing well.

Wow, I am still recovering from an incredible night last night at The majestic K Club golf course in County Kildare.

The Marie Keating foundation, Ronnie Whelan Charity and Autism Action Ireland hosted a golf day in aid of all three charities, and my good friend Keith Duffy asked me to provide the entertainment on the night.
Ronans brother Gary was on hand to help me get sorted and big thanks to him for that.

So many friends and famous faces there on the night including Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton, Johnny Giles, DJ Carey, and countless people from the world of TV and Radio.
 Great to catch up with everyone and indeed get back to performing with my piano in front of a great crowd who were certainly uo for it!
I performed some Billy Joel/Elton John/Beatles/Stones and by the time I wrapped up a 45 minute set, I was absolutely drenched. hah!
The coolest thing was, Ronnie Whelan leading a standing ovation for me! He would have been a hero of mine growing up and that will be  moment that will stay with me for quite some time.

Loved it, and I could certainly do it again in such an elegant setting.
The one drawback of the day was that I had to turn  down an invitation from Brian Ormonde to play on his team due to a prior commitment.
Wow, imagine palying on a Ryder Cup Course!!!

Tomorrow, the HK play Ballyliffin in co Donegal to an already sold out crowd.

These days are good, and I'm loving every minute of it.

Have a great weekend.

Catch you soon,

Darren.
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jillebeans
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« Reply #129 on: May 31, 2010, 12:01AM »

    
Hello!
Hey everyone.

Hope you are all doing well.

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while, been busy with a few projects and indeed numerous concerts with The High Kings.

As you are all aware by now, HK have been confirmed to play' OXEGEN'!  Europe biggest music festival.  I am so looking forward to performing with the lads at this gig, as we will share the festival with some of the worlds biggest and best acts!

Tonight we are heading to Gorey co Wexford to play the last show before we take a months off to recharge the batteries in preparation for a marathon os shows in July and August and an onslaught on the UK in September!

Please feel free to bombard Mike Harding at  BBC Radio 2, and ask him to include Memory Lane on his playlist in the run up to Sept.

Hope you are all having a great summer.

I will check in with you asap.

Darren.
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