2012........ who knows?
What a year 2011 has been for the Shannon Gospel Choir. It started off in January with an appearance on RTE Television with Fr Harry Bohan. SGC then played support for Paul Brady in Shannon, went to The Gospel Rising Festival in Portlaoise and also performed in the Village Carnival. Mark DeLisser flew over from London for a full days workshop with the choir, and brought some of the choirs repitiore to a new level, as well as teaching the choir one of his new arrangements.
SGC had their first concert in Shannon with Paddy Casey (who brought along Declan O Rourke for a few songs). The choir got to sing with both of them during their hour long joint set. SGC also made an appearance on backing vocals on Paddys recent recording of the song 'Wait' which he plans to put on his next album release.
In December the choir won RTE's nationwide search for a top choir to sing for the audience at The Grand Canal Theatre for the premiere of Sister Act The Musical. As part of the prize the choir met the cast and producers of the show and sang for them at the aftershow party. Its been busy but the choir ar enjoying every minute of it. To fit all that in as well as sing at their regular monthly masses and a few weddings to boot! who knows what the next 12 months will bring, but one things for sure..... it wont be boring!
What a Thriller!
SGC are still recovering from their recent sell out concert in The Oakwood Arms Hotel. The audience was treated to just under 3 hours of music, which was one of the most memorable gigs to have taken place in Shannon. SGC took to the stage just before 9 and sang an eclectic hour long set of gospel songs and a gospel take of contemporary classics. For the Halloween season that was in it, the audience gave a spontaneous standing ovation for the choirs delivery of ‘Thriller’.
Paddy Casey took to the stage just before 10, and ran through some of his amazing back catalogue of hits, with a few covers thrown in for good measure and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Paddy invited surprise guest, Declan O Rourke up on stage to sing ‘Love is the way’ which ended with both of them competing with each other by playing their guitars behind their heads…. Ok, you had to be there! They finished Paddy’s set off with a rousing rendition of Saints & Sinners, which had the audience dancing in the aisles.
Paddy then invited the gospel choir back on stage and together they sang a couple of Paddy’s new unreleased songs; 30 Long Years & Lightsong together with On My Way to Heaven and one from his back catalogue, Bend Down Low. He called Declan back up to sing his new single ‘Lightening bird wind river man’ with the choir. It went down a storm, with a bit of banter between Declan and Paddy resulting in and extended version of the song. They also sang Paddys soon to be released song 'Wait' which was very well received. For the encore they had everyone back on their feet when they sang ‘King of the Swingers’ & a alternate version of 'Saints & Sinners', involving the choir, Declan & Paddy. The show finished just after 12 …… then the sing song started…………………
