Aisling Kiernan.........
The Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise. First Irish gig of 2006 for myself & Marie……was really looking forward to it.  Easter Saturday, most people off work and in great form, sun was shining.  Headed to Portlaoise early enough in the afternoon, had a nice bite to eat in a lovely Italian in the hotel, and then headed for the gig-room about 7ish.  The hotel itself is fab, and a LOVELY venue for a BK gig.  Free seating.  The room was lovely, candles lighting, very rose-mantic!!Noticed the set-up was for the full band…….excellent!

Don Mescal was on first.  Wow……he’s got a great voice…..really husky.  And handsome too…..cuuuute!  Enjoyed his set, he got the audience buzzed-up, singing along…….we were his gospel choir at one stage!  Very talented man…..look forward to catching him again.  Definitely an album to get.

And then…the main event…….Mr Brian Kennedy…the one & only! God he’s looking really good!!!  Jeans, black shirt, black shiny jacket, hair gorgeous, looking mighty fine & fit!  Didn’t catch the names of all of the band, noticed Pat Gibbon on guitar, and Rod on drums (who was in Glasgow).  No James (we miss you James!).  But another guy did take his place….didn’t catch his name, sorry!  I’m sure we’ll all know it by the end of the tour!!  And the Famous Fred of course looking after them all.  BK started with Better Man….and sure it just got better and better from there!  Someone shouted pretty early on for him to remove his jacket…his reply….”Don’t rush me”…ha ha!!  Really enjoyed the gig, everyone in great form, he did 3 new ones too, Homebird (title of new album out in May), Cry For Love….our Eurovision hopeful, and a fab 3rd song (sorry, again, cant remember name!)…..but it was gorgeous.  Cannot wait to get my paws on the new album!!  A few hecklers!  But he was well able as usual.  Someone kept heckling for Carrickfergus….and he said, the more you ask and ask, the less he’s likely to give in…ha ha…typical guy!  He did the “Crazy Love” into “Have I Told You Lately” which I think everyone loves.  You know what I miss though, BK at the piano, singing “So What if It Rains”…he used to it as an encore….haven’t heard that one in a while.

Got to talk to him afterwards, just a wee chat & a signing…fair played to him.  Saw the band pack up & head on their merry way.

All in all, a lovely Easter Saturday, thoroughly enjoyed the trip down & back (thanks Vincent!).  Roll on the next gig…..it seriously is like a “fix”!! Aisling xxx