Merry Christmas, Royal Albert Hall and more....

Hi everyone

Well with Christmas almost upon us once again, let me first of all wish you all the happiest season of all!

The last few weeks, and indeed months, have been crazy to say the least, with constant touring in Ireland and the UK. The UK tour with Young Voices, will go down as one of the very best we have done so far. Massive crowds every night, in some of the biggest arenas over there. The YV Team have been incredible, as have the crew and fellow performers. It's a memory to last forever, and there is still more to come, as next month we hook up with the tour once more for dates in Manchester.

2012 is still in the planning stages at the moment, so I can't comment too much about what we have up our sleeve, but on a personal level, I hope to perform a few solo dates during the year.

It's been one year since darrenholden.net was launched, and I would like to thank you all for stopping by regularly and keeping in touch with all things HK and DH through the regular blog's and newsletter.

All the best

Darren was proud to be invited to perform at the 2004 Christmas Pageant at The White House. The pageant marked the 81st lighting of the national Christmas tree in the company of President George Bush and Mrs Laura Bush.

Check out the player on www.darrenholden.net to listen to two Christmas songs, written by Darren with Bryan Steele, as well as a recording of The High Kings singing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen live from Grafton Street Dublin on RTE Radio 1's Joe Duffy show Christmas Eve 2008. 

Click Here for a free download of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

The Royal Albert Hall

Following fantastic shows with Young Voices at the LG Arena Birmingham and the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield, the High Kings were heading down to London with the show to the Royal Albert Hall for a special Christmas Celebration in aid of the Children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.
 

“Just finished soundcheck at the Albert Hall. Walking out on that stage again took my breath away. Incredible place. One to savour tonight.”

“Well, All rehearsals are complete, and now it's get ready time for tonight's performance at the Royal Albert Hall. It's complete for me because my beloved Michelle is here with me to share the occasion. Just hope she hasn't melted my credit card on Oxford St!!!!!!”

“Just landed back in Dublin after a sensational tour, ending with a very memorable Albert Hall show last night!
Quick clothes swap and then on to the RDS for the first of 4 shows there kicking off at 7pm.
Can't wait to see me kiddies!!!”

Would you like a DVD of the High Kings performing at the Royal Albert Hall, including the fabulous Queen Medley?

There was no video recording allowed on the night as the event was being recorded for an official DVD to be sold in aid of the charity CLIC Sargent. Copies can be pre-ordered now and will be available Feb/March next year.

The video will be in PAL format, region free, costing just £13.75 incl. P&P for UK shipping. Overseas shipping is available but this will incur additional postal charges by agreement.

They are also able to produce an NTSC version for US shipping at a premium cost of £22.00 including P&P by request.

For overseas orders, including Rep. of Ireland, please phone of email Pembrokeshire Video. UK orders can be made by email, phone or directly on their website.

www.pembrokeshirevideo.co.uk

clicsargent@pembrokeshirevideo.co.uk


Tel +44 (0) 1646 651 555

The Norbury 

Between their Young Voices concerts in Birmingham and Sheffield, The High Kings popped down to London to perform their only full UK show during the tour.

“London baby!”

“Thanks to everyone for coming out to see us at The Norbury tonight. Good to play London again. Tomorrow we take the train to Sheffield for 3 nights at The Sheffield Arena, then back to London for The Albert Hall on Friday!!”

Home Sweet Home....

After a very successful couple of weeks, performing with over 30,000 children to packed arenas with audiences totalling close to 100,000 people, Darren and the lads are now back in Ireland. They performed 4 Hallelujah concerts with the Young Voices choirs of Ireland at Dublin's RDS over the weekend and are now embarking on the second leg of their Irish Winter tour with only a short break over Christmas ahead of them.

“First of the RDS shows went down a treat. Roll on tomorrow.... and another.....”

“Great crowd this afternoon at the RDS. Very very LOUD! Roll on tomorrow night.”

“Brilliant Night at the RDS. Massive and very loud crowd. One more to go.”

“Wrapping up 4 amazing nights at the RDS. It's been a blast. Tomorrow it's Enniskillen and Thursday Armagh.”

It's been a very busy few weeks, with more ahead as the High Kings see out the rest of 2011 with their home crowd!

We'll be back with more news just as soon as we have it!

Thanks for your continued support

Merry Christmas one and all!

Darren & The DH Team

Young Voices and Irish Tour

The High Kings were thrilled to be joining the Young Voices choir on their tour of the UK and Ireland. The tour was to start off in Birmingham and would take in all of the UK's largest arenas, the RDS in Dublin, and a charity Gala show in aid of CLIC Sargent at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Before they started off on the tour, they stopped off in Manchester for a corporate function that proved to be a very special night for Darren!

“Heading to the UK with the lads tomorrow for 2 weeks of arena dates with Young Voices, which includes a gala performance at The Royal Albert Hall on December 9th!
This Friday though, we play a private show for The red Devils at the Hilton in Manchester. Woo Hoo”

“On the train from Manchester to London after one of the most memorable nights ever. Fantastic event celebrating the "Irish Abroad". It was also a personal milestone, as the legendary Phil Coulter asked to join us for a version of his classic, "The Town I Loved So Well" where he and I swapped verses. A memory to last a lifetime.”

LG Arena Birmingham

“In the middle of rehearsals here at the LG Arena in Birmingham. Looking forward to performing in front of 14,000 people tonight, and having 6,000 kids sings along with us. Plus, we get to sing some of Queen's Greatest Hits in the finale. I finally get my chance to scream out "One Vision"!!!! ROCK ON!”

“Holy crap! 14,000 very loud Brummies tonight at the LG Arena! What an amazing feeling. Loved every minute of it! Hope we did Freddie and Queen proud. Haven't had a chance to rock it since Movin' Out!
Roll on tomorrow night!!!”

Check out the videos of the High Kings sets from the Young Voices Tour, including recordings of them performing the Queen Finale with featuring vocals from Darren and Brian.

Not to be missed!!

“Another amazing capacity crowd here in Birmingham's LG Arena tonight!
Incredible to hear such volume coming back at us from the audience!
Happy days!”

“Third and final sold out night here in Birmingham. Incredible volume from the crowd again. On to London tomorrow in preparation for Saturday Nights show at The Norbury in Croydon.
Thanks Birmingham!”

Motorpoint Arena Sheffield

"Tomorrow we take the train to Sheffield for 3 nights at The Sheffield Arena, then back to London for The Albert Hall on Friday!!”

“Kicking off 3 night's at The Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield tonight! Looks like 12,000 seats full so should be a blast!!”

“Sheffield! Holy moly. Seriously great crowd. Deafening during the Queen finale. Loved it. Can't wait to do it all over again tomorrow night!”

“About to get onstage again in Sheffield for the second of 3 nights at The Motorpoint Arena. The volume coming from the backstage area is deafening. Should be a blast!”

“What can I say. Another mind blowing show in Sheffield. These people know how to make a lot of noise! Way too much fun.”

“Half an hour to the final show in Sheffield tonight. It's been a great week so far, and there's a terrific atmosphere building. Ready to rock the house again. Tomorrow it's back to London and I can't wait to see someone very special.”

“Sheffield saved the biggest and loudest for last! Wow! Incredible audience. Loving this tour a lot. Roll on The Royal Albert Hall on Friday.”


Rewind - Irish Winter Tour First Leg....

“Kicking off the 2011 winter tour tonight in Whites Hotel Wexford, then on to The Olympia on Sunday night! See you all out there.”

“Fantastic first night of the tour tonight in Wexford. Really great crowd who made our job rather easy! Roll on The Olympia on Sunday night!”

“The High Kings are back in Dublin's Olympia Theatre tonight! Can't wait.
Should be a great gig. Are you ready to bring it Dublin????”

“Olympia!!! Amazing night. Loudest crowd ever!”

“Gotta drag myself to the gym, then busy day topped off with tonights HK show in Cavan!!”

“700 very loud Cavan people tonight! What a vibe. Loudest crowd in yonks!!! Thanks Cavan”

“Leaving Dublin soon. Heading to Birr for tonights show. Offaly are you ready??”

“OMG Offaly!!! What a night. What a huge crowd! Loved it”

“Wrecked.com, but at least its a beautiful sunny Sunday morning.”

“Will be on KCLR FM with Sue Nunn after 10am news.”

Click Here to Listen

“Heading to the launch of The Coronas new album in the city. Should be a great night!”

“Coronas! Fantastic. The new songs sound great. Really cool hang and great to see so many folks I've missed for a while. Hope it gets to number 1 guys!”

“About to take the stage at The Royal Theatre Castlebar. Should be a good one.”

“Brilliant night and fantastic crowd in Castlebar. Great vibe all through the show. The West knows how to party!!”

“Thanks again to Castlebar for a great night. We are about to leave here and travel to Belfast where we are onstage at The Waterfront hall at 8pm.
Happy Sunday everyone.”

“Belfast!! What a night! What a crowd. Brilliant audience and a very memorable show.”

“Hey folks, I will be chatting to Geoff Harris on WLR FM after 7pm tonight, in advance of Wednesday Nights concert at The Theatre Royal in Waterford.”

Click Here to Listen

“5 High Kings concerts in a row kick off tonight at The Theatre Royal, Waterford. It's kinda home turf for me so looking forward to seeing everyone.”

“Waterford!! Absolutely great night! Good to be back on the aul turf. Loads of the Mooncoin gang in too. Home with the folks for tonight then on to Galway tomorrow.”

“Good evening from a wet and windy Ballinasloe. Ready to do it all over again in 50 minutes.”

“Another great audience. Even the wind and rain didn't dampen their spirits. Brilliant fun all the way. On to Tyrone tomorrow.”
 

“All remaining shows on this tour will have to measure up to Cookstown Co Tyrone. Sensational audience. Brilliant night!!
On to the INEC Killarney tomorrow.”

“Great sleep in creepy ass hotel. Guess it doesn't help when we watch "Salems Lot" on the journey here. : ) Brians ghost radar must have been on overdrive! lol On to Killarney later.”

“INEC Fantastic crowd yet again. Brought it to a whole new level. Thanks Killarney.
Tomorrow its home.........Kilkenny.”

“So great to be back home in Kilkenny tonight! Great crowd and brilliant fun the whole way through. Caught up with loads of friends and family. Love KK. Heading home tonight.”

“About to play a solo pianoman show for the Chanel Christmas party! Ooh la la”

“Must admit, it felt a tad early singing "It's beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas" tonight! Really fun show in a very cool venue.”

That's all for now, we will be back very soon with news of the only full UK High Kings show at The Norbury in London, and the Gala night at the Royal Albert Hall.


Thanks for your continued support

Darrren & The DH Team