Kickstart the new year with reeling in the showband years

What better way to kickstart the new year than with a night out on the town to see Reeling In the Showband Years, at Mullingar Arts Centre today Saturday January 10.

The Ronan Collins showband show has been a complete sellout around the country for the last five years, and with Ronan as host and compere, entertaining legends including Roly Daniels, Eileen Reid, Paddy Cole, Lorraine McDonald, The Conquerors, and Tommy and Jimmy Swarbrigg, it’s no wonder!

Roly Daniels has been a living legend of showbiz for 40 years. His big soaring voice has captivated audiences since he arrived in this country from India, 40 years ago. The recipient of many lifetime achievement awards, Daniels has recorded such hits as Hello Darling, the Fighting Side of Me, Sunny Tennessee, He Stopped Loving Her Today and Mr Jones. Although he maintained a low profile during the early 1990s, Daniels returned to the stage as part of a touring revue, Hucklebuckin’ Again, with Brendan Bowyer and Butch Moore.

Eileen Reid is the biggest female vocalist of the showband era. Her smash hit songs Are You Teasing Me and I Gave My Wedding Dress Away remain the most requested songs of the period and The Cadets Showband were one of the biggest of all. She comes out of retirement to join the show for the first time. Singing as well as ever, Eileen is a real treat for showband fans.

Paddy Cole is back in the show this year by popular request. This “complete star” was with the Capitol Showband and The Big Eight, but went on to become a household name in his own right.

Ronan Collins sings his tributes to Joe Dolan, Dickie Rock and others, while Lorraine McDonald, sings The Showband Ladies. Lorraine is one of the brightest talents to emerge from the latter days of the showband boom. A multi talented musician and vocalist and daughter of Joe Dolan trumpet player, Frankie McDonald, Lorraine is guaranteed to entertain.

The Conquerors Showband are one of the greatest showbands of them all and still packing them in everywhere they go. The Galway boys sang Baby Blue and many more.

Local heroes Tommy and Jimmy Swarbrigg, Eurovision stars for Ireland in 1975 and 1977, and with 20 hit records throughout their career, including Looking Through The Eyes Of A Beautiful Girl, If Ma Could See Me Now, It’s Nice To Be In Love Again, That’s What Friends Are For, they make a huge impact on the show.

The show’s exciting finale is an all-cast salute to the showband era as everyone joins in for a medley of songs from the unique showband years, bringing the audience back in time to this magical musical period.

Reeling in the Showband Years comes to Mullingar Arts Centre on Saturday January 10.

Tickets are €25, available from Mullingar Arts Centre, 044 9347777.