The High Kings UK tour

The High Kings announce their UK dates following their appearance at The Irish Post Music Awards. You can see a video of their performance at the awards with Phil Coulter at :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43cEgo43ELs

The band have also announced the following headline UK dates :

Nov 10 : Birmingham Town Hall

Nov 11: The Stables, Milton Keynes

Nov 12 : ARC Stockton, Stockton on Tees

Nov 13 : City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds

Nov 14 : St Georges, Bristol

Nov 16 : Union Chapel, London

Nov 17 : Atkinsons Arts Centre, Southport

Nov 18 : The Lowry, Salford

The High Kings has brought the heyday of ballad groups such as The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners back to a new generation of music fans.

The self-titled debut album, released in 2008, reached a highly impressive number two on Billboard Magazine’s World Music chart.

It was during The High Kings second tour of the US in 2011, however – having graduated from playing small venues to larger halls as they promoted their follow-up album, Memory Lane,which also crashed into Billboard’s World Music chart – that everyone involved realised the fanbase was growing into something

that no one had predicted.

“Their voices were very similar—a clear, audible legacy—yet also separated by generational influences. In the final chorus, they held on to each other and visually demonstrated the power of sharing music across generational lines. The crowd couldn’t wait to get on their feet.” Irish Echo

The High Kings have received the stamp of approval from the likes of Christy Moore and, perhaps more pertinently, Ronnie Drew, the lead singer of The Dubliners, and the man behind one of Ireland’s most recognisable and enduring ballad voices.

More was to come in 2013 with the group’s third studio album, Friends For Life, which featured original songs among the traditional fare.

To say that The High Kings are charting a new course for Irish ballad music – equal parts rousing and reflective, energetic and insightful – is an understatement.

With 2016’s Grace & Glory, the band widened their appeal and fanbase, while 2017 saw the band continue with intensive touring of Ireland, Britain and America.

The departure of original High King Martin Furey and the arrival of young-gun George Murphy to join Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy and Darren Holden has brought a new hunger to the High Kings and their audiences alike.

THE HIGH KINGS UK TOUR

The High Kings, the true heirs of Ireland’s Folk Heritage, are delighted to announce the first UK shows on their DECADE – The Best of The High Kings, 10th Anniversary Tour.

The dates will feature new member George Murphy, who was drafted into the band late in 2017 following the departure of original High King, Martin Furey. The November release of DECADE – Best of The High Kings has been greeted with record sales on both sides of the Atlantic, entering the Irish Independent Album Chart at #1 and staying there for 3 weeks, and earning a very credible debut chart position in the Billboard World Music chart at #15.

The DECADE World Tour began in Ireland in early December 2017 and will run until the end of April 2019, taking in stops in every major territory in the world. The new live show will showcase fan favourites from The High Kings extensive catalogue from the past ten years and will feature some new additions too.

Early booking is advised for all shows which will go on sale at 10am on Friday 16th February Speaking from High Kings HQ in Dublin, Finbarr Clancy today said ‘After ten years with The High Kings, we are delighted to say we have achieved what we set out to do back in 2007 – we have moved the Irish ballad tradition to the here and now, and we are deeply honoured to become the bearers of the torch which has been borne with such power and dignity over the past half century by The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners’ . . . To say that The High Kings are charting a new course for Irish ballad music – equal parts rousing and reflective, energetic and insightful – is an understatement.

They are, essentially, marking out a new and bright era for Irish folk music. This story will evolve for the next Decade . . .