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Neil
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Posts by Neil
New Acoustic Tour, PO Box and more
Apr 19th
Hi All,
April showers is right… it’s lashing rain, another good day to work on some up and coming “Pale blue Jak” compositions… now is the time because come May 6th myself and Ryan will make our way to Dublin airport to fly to the Big Apple to start another of our acoustic tours. It has been an exciting time putting together our own travel plans, venues, hotels etc even though a bit stressful sometimes. Everybody has been so helpful posting up and emailing venue recommendations, thank you so much for that, it has helped no end…
The only problem myself and Ryan have been left with is that we cannot get to every place that has been suggested. We will be starting our venture and finishing on the East Coast of America due to some promotional interviews. We have made provisional plans to tour the West and South US and also Canada between CT tours, plus we would really like to take in some parts of Europe and even Australia if possible. We really want to give everyone a chance to get to a gig.
Last night I sat up late reading letters and cards sent from all over the world to my PO Box. I can’t begin to tell you all how appreciative I am of your support… because of the large volume of mail it is pretty impossible to write back with the time given but just to let you know that I do read everything and I know the rest of the guys do too.
Mr John will be uploading more post box videos as we go.
Well guys, it has stopped raining, the sun has come out, I think I’ll get a stroll in the park before getting back to the recording, I can always hear things much clearer on my return, but sure isn’t that the same for everything 
Take care,
Neil
Tour Break
Nov 15th
Back in Dublin’s fair city.
Neil Byrne - Wool Hat
I cannot believe how fast the first leg of the 2011 Heritage Tour has gone. I have to say it has been such a great time had by all. The biggest crowds we have ever had and amazing atmospheres in the packed out venues.
I am sitting here in my house in silence reflecting on our last show in Denver singing “Ireland’s Call” along with George, Ryan, Keith, Emmet, Daniel and four thousand screaming CT fans, smiles on everybody’s faces as we all stand together and celebrate not only a fantastic show but a super tour.
It always seems to take me a week at least to adapt to home, sometimes waking in the morning thinking I am on the tour bus or a hotel room. It really has become a way of life and a life I feel blessed to lead.
I have been overwhelmed by the response to my new venture “Pale blue Jak”!
The support has been amazing and I am so grateful to all of the Pale blue Jak followers.
In fact with the launch of PBJ going so well the first thing I did on my return to Ireland was to get straight back into writing more compositions and ideas.
Coming back home to Ireland is always great, as I do miss spending time with my family.
For the first time in five years I will be home for my birthday, so a night out has been arranged with all my folks, bit of a novelty, it makes up for the age difference!!
I have to say I miss the CT family even though we spent the last few months living together, but you know how amazing they all are…I think that’s what makes light work of a tough itinerary.
One of the highlights for me when I come home is driving my car through the Dublin/Wicklow mountains… no traffic, no sound, no music just me and my thoughts, usually reflecting on the shows, the road, the crowds, the laughs, the hurdles and wondering where the last few months had gone. The contrast can be quite surreal, touring life and home life… how lucky am I to have both, something I love so dearly.
I will be back on the road in a matter of days to continue what I love to do the most and hope to see those wonderful smiling faces enjoying the CT spirit.
Nothing lasts forever but I hope it will be many moons away till I can only call it
“A Life I Once Had”
Pale blue Jak
Oct 14th
Hello my friends…
This has been probably the busiest year of my life, not complaining but it was a very heavy undertaking.
When John (my manager) came to me with these words… “Neil, I think you should write an album” I had just returned from the 2010 Celtic Thunder Fall Tour and Sensitive Souls was not that long out but getting great reviews and a lot of positive feedback.
I do remember replying to John and it was something to the tune of this…. John, there is no way I can put together a full album between now and August, I have the cruise in January, an Irish tour with an Irish artist in Febuary, three weeks of Celtic Thunder promotions in the U.S. in March and to top it all off a new Celtic Thunder show to record along with rehearsals.
I was waiting for John to gently say, yes Neil I suppose you are right, there is simply not enough time… next year maybe!!! Instead, what he said was “you can do it, you will do it and it will be the best you have ever done”.
I can safely say my debut solo album would not exist without John’s faith, encouragement and confidence.
So I began to write some ideas, gather music and lyrics I had been building up over the years… I wanted something that would excite me, something that would make me cry, something that would make me laugh, something I would find myself dancing to without trying and most importantly something with a cool vibe. I want these songs to mean as much to the listener as they do to me. Writing random songs is not what I wanted to achieve. I was after a common thread throughout…. I could visualize the live performance, an unconventional, energetic, charismatic, quirkey show all in one mix.
Not easy to create but not impossible.
I then needed more help and am so lucky to have such a talented group of friends to call on. Without the amazing contributions of Nicole Hudson, Declan O’Donoghue, Conor McCreanor, Ailbhe McDonagh, Michael Keeney and my dad, it could not have happened.
It was a race against the clock… with the time given I was writing songs in the car on my way to studio, on my lunch breaks – from morning until night and forfeiting any possible social time. In one respect, I do feel regret about neglecting time with friends and family but at the same time they are the ones who encourage me too. They have always been my biggest supporters and it is because of them that I am in a position to do what I love to do.
I felt a bit of added pressure when my niece of three years, Sophie informed me that she wanted more music for dad’s car to listen to as she is being dropped to play school! Sensitive Souls had been worn
out!
I promised her some new songs!
With this new concept album in mind, I felt that there was something missing… “The Title”. This was a brand of music I had been trying to create, rather than songs sung by Neil Byrne… therefore I was on the hunt for my brand name.
Random names where going through my head for weeks but nothing was sticking.
I asked myself what would describe the music!? Well, it is quite animated thus putting a colour in the name. A lot of the songs that I write are made up of characters, so a name thrown in there could be
cool! For some reason within this train of thought a name came into my
head.. straight off it sounded right, I could not get past it! I said to myself, “I will sleep on it” and I did. When I woke the first thing that came into my head was
Almost Summer
May 26th
Hey everyone, hope you are all doing great.
Not quite sure where to start this time…. It has been quite an
exciting and somewhat surprising past couple of months…. even though days have been long there never seems to be enough time for everything and everyone. I have been working so hard on new tracks for my album. I’m trying to make time for other projects too, such as writing for other artists and performing live with various acts and some session work along the way. When I am home from tour or from doing promos for CT, I always look forward to spending time with my family and friends. I always seem to have deadlines to meet and my social time suffers, I am certainly not complaining, with the present economical climate at such a low I count myself lucky to be so busy.
Preparation seemed to going quite smoothly for our 2011 Fall Tour with CT until another bomb-shell was dropped. I received the call to tell me that Ryan had decided to go his own way. I have to say i really didn’t see that one coming. Just as is Paul, Ryan is such a big part of CT in character and spirit. Off stage, I always enjoy having a chat and a good laugh with Ryan, I will miss that too. With a talent like Ryan’s, he can only do great things and I wish him all the best.
When Sharon asked me to come forward as one of the 5 singers, it was not a straight forward decision. For one, I was trying to get my head around Ryan’s exit and two, I have been very comfortable with my role in the show as guitarist and singer which is what I am and what I always have been. I guess I was concerned about losing my identity. Having said that… to be asked to front and sell the show as a
principal is a very positive thing and I am very proud to be flying the flag with the guys a little more than before.
I have been reading loads of the comments on the various websites and would like to thank all of you guys for your amazing encouragement and kind words. I hope you realize how much your positivity helps us all to perform and to be stronger in what we do.
I am really looking forward to sharing my new album with you all. Its coming down to details and which songs will make the cut. Time is of the essence but I will get there and when I do you will be the first to know.
For now, I had better get back to work and will be counting the days till I am packing the cases, tuning the guitars and heading to America and Canada for the first performances of Fall Tour 2011, meeting you guys and seeing your smiling faces once again.
Take good care.
Neil
Breaking Tunes
Feb 6th
Hi guys, check out my profile page on this Irish music website and let me know what you think?
http://www.breakingtunes.com/neilbyrne
Thanks very much to all,
Neil
End of Fall Tour
Dec 5th
So that’s 61 shows down with 5 to go on this three and a half month tour.
Just like the last three tours, I have made some new friends, met great folk at the “meet and greets” and stopped to have a quick chat with hundreds of CT fans outside the venues. It’s also brilliant to bump into those who have been following since the very start.
We have managed to fit a lot in… we filmed two new shows and performed four different show set lists, all in these last three months.
Since I started with CT, my role has always been a busy and unique one: guitar changes on nearly every song, drum battles, backing vocals and choreography especially within the instrumental songs – each element of the role has its own challenges. I have to say that I have enjoyed this Fall tour the most. The busier the better!
Singing has always been a big part of me and I thoroughly embraced the opportunity of taking centre stage and singing some beautiful songs like “Hallelujah”, “When You Wish Upon a Star”, “Noirin, Mo Stoirin” and “Amazing Grace”. What really makes it so special is the reaction you give us everywhere we perform, all across America and Canada. Thank you so, so much for your support not to mention all the well wishing cards and presents you send to us. It is quite overwhelming and so kind of you. CT fans are the best.
I am trying to get my thoughts around an Irish tour I will be a part of after Christmas. It will be a completely different style of music with a four piece band. A number of things will be different about this compared to Celtic Thunder. I guess the main one is that I will be driving home after every show. That is an advantage of Ireland being so small. I always try to come home to a cup of tea after a show – not very Rock n Roll!
Even though I am looking forward to getting home to my family and friends very soon, I can’t wait to come back to my home from home to perform to my American and Canadian friends and lap up the good times and make many more great memories. For now I will head home and thank you all for sharing such an amazing time together.
See you soon,
Neil
Story behind “Noirin, mo Stoirin” – “Noreen”
Oct 23rd
Lots of you have been asking about this beautiful song I sing as part of the live show. Here is the story behind “Noirin, mo Stoirin” – “Noreen”.
“Noirin, mo Stoirin” started life as an instrumental piece which Phil Coulter composed as a wedding gift for his friends Liam Neeson and his wife Natasha. Phil called the tune “Natasha” and performed it, for the very first time at the ceremony at Liam’s farm in upstate New York.
One other memorable performance was when he played Carnegie Hall a few years later with Liam and Natasha in the audience. She was delighted, excited like a kid.
The tune kept rolling around in Phil’s head and he kept telling himself that he ought to write a lyric and turn it into a song but could never get a handle on it and kept putting it on the back burner.
Natasha’s untimely death was an enormous shock to all of us, such a tragedy, such a waste of a young wife and mother. Such a loss.
Phil started thinking again about the tune but decided NOT to write a lyric that would specifically refer to Natasha but rather try and capture the sense of missing a loved one ‘with every bone in my body’.
In Phil’s words, “it was one of the most difficult writing jobs I’ve done in a very long time”.
The song is set in period Ireland, during troubled times, when perhaps fleeing persecution the singer is forced to leave his country and his sweetheart. It translates from Irish to “Noirin, my Darling”
“I curse the day that I left her, and the people that drove me away…”
“I also wanted to leave the ending open so that listeners might hope that, when it’s safe to do so, he does return to his Noreen and to the peace of the valley.”
Neil
Life on the road
Oct 8th
It is now the 8th of October and a busy month of filming, touring and meeting new people has already gone by.
It has been a somewhat different experience for me as I have been moving out to centre stage to sing solo.
I have to admit it still feels odd to sing out front, without my guitar but really nice and on the other hand, often easier to express the true meaning of each song.
I have been enjoying every minute of the spotlight as the Celtic Thunder fans have been so supportive towards me and have given me more confidence to deliver what they deserve and have come to see.
I have got to know a lot of the C.T. fans and they give me a real comfort on stage when I walk out and see them or hear them first.
I really did not know how the C.T. fans would take to my own music and I have been quite overwhelmed to have received the feedback and positivity from all who have listened so far.
Neil Guitar Outdoors
I really miss my family back at home and think about what they are doing everyday.
I am looking forward to returning home on my sisters birthday, to bring her out and spoil her a little!!! For now, I will stay focused, continue working hard and give the best I can to my home from home.
As the man said, “God loves a trier”…
Hope to see you soon,
Neil
