Mayo's must attend Christmas entertainment event is revealed
THE must-attend entertainment event of the Christmas season in Mayo has been revealed.
Billed as 'Symphonic Dance', the night of dance classic from the '90s and '00s will be staged at Claremorris Town Hall Theatre on Wednesday, December 27 (door open at 8 p.m.).
Mayo Concert Orchestra will collaborate with leading Mayo DJ Padraig Walsh of Midwest Radio and Panama Jacks, and vocalists VoxFusion.
Featuring the latest in disco visual and audio technology, the extravangza is based on a concept, pioneered by BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong, that has been sweeping the European, British and Irish dance scenes in recent years.
The Claremorris showpiece was mooted earlier this year during a conversation in a Castlebar coffee shop between Webster of Green Room Promotions and Kathy Fahey, musical director of Mayo Concert Orchestra.
The idea represents a significant change in direction and style by the concert orchestra, but its members jumped at the challenge and it has helped the organisation attract a bigger number of younger members to the playing ranks.
Stated Kathy: "I did not know how the proposal was going to be received because the orchestra had never done anything like this before. But the reaction has been amazing and it's going to be a landmark occasion in showcasing our orchestra and its wide range of musical talent."
Webster said he is confident Symphonic Dance will appeal to a wide west of Ireland audience of music and dance enthusiasts, as well as those just looking for a good night out.
"The concept was the brainchild of Pete Tong and similar events have been staged in Ireland by Jenny Greene with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
"People can log on to YouTube for the Symphoic Dance Facebook page to see for themselves exactly what these dance nights are like. The combination of an orchestra, a DJ and a singer is incredible."
As well as running his own concert promotion business, Webster has been one Mayo's best known niteclub DJs and made his name at Panama Jacks in the Travellers Friend Hotel, Castlebar, back in the 1980s and '90s.
In fact, Panama Jacks had a reputation as being one of Ireland’s most exciting and original niteclubs, and was revived last Saturday night at the same county town venue.
Padraig Walsh was also very much part of that scene before making a career for himself in broadcasting with Midwest Radio.
As we near the end of 2017, it seems the demand to re-create some of that wonderful nostalgia has never been greater.
He stated: "There is a sense right now that the great classic dance tracks of our generation need to be re-discovered and re-imagined all over again, and so they will. The Symphonic Dance promotion in Claremorris will be a delight of everybody who ever graced a dancefloor in Mayo back in the '90s and noughties.
"It's terrific to see an event like this taking place. It’s something very different and exciting, which is what we were all about when we were lucky enough to play these amazing tunes to packed-out dance floors in a former era.
"I’m really thrilled to have been invited by the Mayo Concert Orchestra to be part of this event. I’m looking forward to joining forces with a group of extremely talented musicians coming together with so many different ideas, exploring new and different avenues, and taking our collective love of dance music to new heights.
"It’s certainly a new adventure for me and honestly I can’t wait to hear over 50 musicians re-create the magic of all the great dance anthems that, let’s be honest, created the soundtrack of our lives."
Tickets (€27.50, including booking fee) are available now from Claremorris Town Hall (see www.townhall.ie), Green Room Promotions, and members of Mayo Concert Orchestra. It promises to be a memorable night of music.