"Singer Holden deserves special mention, as he performs throughout the evening with only a few pauses. His vocal strength is the glue holding "Movin' Out" together.!"
-Mary Colurso, Birmingham News January 17, 2007
"Keep your eyes and ears tuned into Darren Holden's vocals and piano playing. Whether Holden is belting out 'Keeping The Faith' or crooning 'She's Got A Way,' he pours such life into the melodies that they seize the heart and won't let go!"
-Jan Sjostrom, Palm Beach Daily News January 11, 2007
"With Darren Holden tickling the ivories as The Piano Man...a talented lead vocalist!"
-Scott Fuller, The DC Examiner December 8, 2006
"Holden is fantastic! He belts out over two dozen Joel classics and he's more than up to the high-octane piano solos!"
-Josh Eiserike, Potomac News December 7, 2006
"It's Holden's voice and piano playing alone that carry the show!"
-Marilyn Bellemore, Newport News, November 21, 2006
"Holden oozes charisma; he emotes as he sings and he looks down on the characters from his perch (the band is suspended on the catwalks above the stage) like a storyteller. He brought the audience to their feet."
-Molly Bettiga, Voice of San Diego October 11, 2006
"Darren Holden truly holds Movin' Out together and pumps out song after song with great passion. He's not imitating Joel, he's a star in his own right. He's sexy, breathy and really rocks."
-Amy Matsuoka, The Daily Yomiuri , Tokyo August 2, 2006
"Vocalist Darren Holden rocks the ivories and displays superlative talent. He's clearly destined for bigger fame."
-Ellen Fagg, Salt Lake Tribune June 21, 2006
"The marriage of Joel's music and Tharp's choreography has been blessed with the talent of Darren Holden. Opening night was Holden's night to shine and that he did. His strong vocals and keyboard expertise are as close to Joel's as one gets. His interpretation of the music and the emotion behind it drives the show, skillfully maneuvering it through an emotional mine field. Holden topped the night off with a lively rendition of "New York (Richmond in this case) State of Mind."
-Joan Tupponce, Richmond.com March 21, 2006
" Darren Holden dazzles Toronto audiences with his keyboard pyrotechnics....the music, played and sung by Holden and his band, will make you want to leap to the stage and start dancing."
-Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star, November, 26, 2005
"The nine-piece band - including a wonderful Darren Holden as vocalist Billy Joel stand-in - really rocks."
-Michael Crabb, CBC Radio, November 29, 2005
"Seated at a baby grand piano is Darren Holden, a singer with biceps bulging out from under a snug black tee-shirt. There's no doubt he is supposed to evoke Joel himself. He plays and sings the songs with the panache of the original Piano Man. Though Movin' Out is about Vietnam, its message now that more than 2,000 American troops have lost their lives in Iraq won't escape anyone who has a relative in the military. The tears that many audience members shed as Holden sang the lyrics 'And we will all go down together' are the strongest testament to the show's ultimate success."
-Christopher Blank, Memphis Commercial Appeal, November 18, 2005
"Holden and his talented band survey more than two dozen of Joel's hits, from sensual ballads to hard-driving, up-tempo numbers...he's a marvelous pianist and lead vocalist!"
-Rick Rogers, The Oklahoman, September 29, 2005
"Holden leads his high-energy ensemble through more than 20 Billy Joel songs, but he makes no attempt to imitate the master. With his sometimes-raw tenor voice and two-fisted piano style, he gives songs such as "Angry Young Man" and "Captain Jack" an urgency that even Joel doesn't equal.
-Paul Hodgins, Orange Country Register, June 30, 2005
"Joel's music is reborn through a live onstage rock band and the vocal mastery of Darren Holden, whose top-notch musicianship and distinctive style capture Joel's personality without impersonating him."
-Marcia Morphy, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, May 3, 2005
"Darren Holden is a superb stand-in for the songwriter; his renditions of "Uptown Girl" and "Innocent Man," among others, outdo the original recordings!"
-Peter Marks, Washington Post, November 24, 2004
"In Movin' Out, all the songs are sung by Darren Holden, a gifted piano-playing lead vocalist who heads a pulsing rock band."
-J. Wynn Rousuck, Baltimore Sun, November 24, 2004
"Muscular, penetrating and passionate, the songs become superb theater music here with Darren Holden singing them not merely as Joel's deputy, or as accompaniment to the dancing, but as a star performance by itself."
- Lewis Segal, Los Angeles Times, September 20, 2004
"Darren Holden at the piano doing the lead vocals a la Billy Joel, is wonderful."
- Jay Reiner, Hollywood Reporter, September 20, 2004
"Darren Holden is remarkable as the Billy Joel stand-in on piano and vocals. He plays virtuoso runs and sings with supercharged passion."
-Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle, July 9, 2004
"The show's narrative is driven by 26 of Joel's songs, performed by the wonderfully talented Irish singer Darren Holden as "the piano man." Holden, who sings and plays every song in the show in an astounding display of vocal and keyboard stamina, is the heart of an absolutely killer 10-piece band."
-Paul Liberatore, Marin Independent Journal, July 9, 2004
"I became a fan of another person during this show: Darren Holden - who played piano and sang all of Joel's hits - he has a voice that Joel (who has frequently chided his own set of pipes), would kill for. Holden's energy, and that of the band backing him, did justice to the music. I've been to five Billy Joel concerts in my time, and this show made me feel like I went to a sixth!"
-Marla J. Pugh, Fairfield Daily Republic, July 9, 2004
"Darren Holden is brilliant....he has a smoother, richer voice than the superstar he emulates."
-Lisa Millegan, Modesto Bee July 12, 2004
"Holden's vocal work on Joel's songs is the next best thing to having the Piano Man there himself."
-Chad Jones, Oakland Tribune, July 9, 2004
"Handling piano and vocals on opening night at the Paramount Theatre was Irish popster Darren Holden. He is bright and fresh-and very impressive."
-Joe Adcock, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 11, 2004
"Invigorating, thanks to the driving power of a killer stage band fronted by keyboard player and vocalist Darren Holden."
-Misha Berson, Seattle Times, June 11, 2004
"Seated at his grand piano high above the stage, Darren Holden sings and plays Joel's passionate, hard-edged songs with jaw-dropping bravura. Watching him launch into the rapid-fire opening of Angry Young Man was a thrill. Holden's band is equal to the task of capturing the richness and range of memorable rockers and ballads."
-Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News, Denver May 27, 2004
"Four-star music from a rip-roaring, 10-piece rock band, fronted by Darren Holden. Holden doesn't try to sound at all like Joel, but he manages to sound better anyway."
-John Moore, Denver Post May 28, 2004
"The onstage rock orchestra is led by Darren Holden on piano, whose vocal abilities are a marvelous blend of Billy Joel and Elton John. Not a bad combination."
-Harry Hamm, KMOX Radio, St. Louis April 29, 2004
"Darren Holden is a pianist/vocalist whose style strongly echoes Joel. Opening night he sang the songs so effectively that all but the most rabid fans wouldn't miss the actual presence of Joel."
-Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch April 28, 2004
"The rhythm and play of the music, so engagingly performed by pianist/lead vocalist Darren Holden, is energizing and restorative. It was a happy audience that poured out of the theater after two too-short hours."
-Christopher Rawson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette April 21, 2004
"An onstage band including a stunning pianist/vocalist who looks smilingly down upon the dancers/actors like a benevolent Billy Joel-god, performs the songs. Those who love effortless purity of sound and freedom through various vocal timbres will love this man's performance."
-Carrie Gruman-Trinkner, Appleton Post-Crescent April 14, 2004
"Darren Holden is a superb stand-in for Joel, leading a fine 10-piece band. Ranging from tenderness to gruffness, he sounded more like Joel than Joel."
-Ed Siegel, Boston Globe March 5, 2004
"During the first three songs, Movin' Out feels like a live-action music video. The white-hot band, led by piano man Darren Holden, is front and center...with some extraordinary help from the James Brown-esque horn section, Holden delivers "New York State of Mind" with the lyrics changed to 'Boston' of course."
-Terry Byrne, Boston Herald March 5, 2004
"Beneath it all is Joel's music. Darren Holden, on piano and lead vocals, conveys the story through lyrics. His excellent band and backup singers remind us of the prolific career of Joel as a rocker."
-Donna Larcen, Hartford Courant February 26, 2004
"The band - tight and precise throughout, with the marvelous tenor Darren Holden on lead vocals - is elevated above the stage rather than in the pit. There's such a barrage of movement, coming at you from so many different angles, that you don't want to blink for fear you'll miss something. "
-Nicole Peradotto, Buffalo News February 18, 2004
"Lead vocalist Darren Holden is an excellent singer whose power is especially visible on the high-energy numbers...he wins the crowd over!"
-Chris Jones, Variety February 10, 2004
"Vocalist-pianist Darren Holden, perched above the rear of the stage and backed by a tight rock band, sings Joel's classic incarnations of characters. In Darren Holden, the production boasted an expressive, articulate pop singer with a well-schooled voice."
-Lawrence B. Johnson, Detroit News February 6, 2004
"Permanently ensconced on a platform high above (the stage) are singer-pianist Darren Holden and a full-throttle rock band doing a splendid simulacrum (not an imitation) of a Billy Joel performance."
-Martin F. Kohn, Detroit Free Press, February 1, 2004
