BOYZ IN TOWN
Boyz in town
Pop gossip
Paul Martin
BOYZONE will make the headlines again tomorrow for an the right reasons when they perform two extraordinary concerts at the Omagh Leisure Centre.
To combined audiences of just 2000, Ronan and Co will deliver a promise to do something positive for the Tyrone town which was devastated by a bomb earlier this year.
Tomorrow the message will be of hope, a small way of doing something for the children of the town, say Bozyone.
Talking to Ronan backstage at last Sunday's King's Hall concerts, the star told me they wanted to stage the performance of their lives for the children of Omagh.
"It means the world to us - it was the least we could do, it's so important that we can do something.
"We were there a couple of months ago to film a documentary about the town and the place was totally devastated by the tragedy - it was like a ghost town.
"We are not going to make anything out of this concert - any ticket costs will help to transport everything to the venue."
Boyzone are not the first Irish band to do something for Omagh in the aftermath, but they are the only ones to bring a high profile concert to the town.
More accustomed to playing to 20,000 people in the UK's biggest arenas, Boyzone won't have any trouble adjusting to the smaller setting.
"It's going to be more intimate, but that will suit the style of the show. We are going to do the full Boyzone concert but it will be more direct - we'll be able to see all the fans.
"We wanted to make sure that all the fans from Omagh got to see the concert, so we only put the tickets on sale in one venue in the town.
"They sold out instantly and then we decided to add on another date - the boys are all very excited about it."
If Bozyone manager Louis Walsh's words are anything to go by, I could be lining myself up for a new job in the near future.
When his new band Westside braved a mass of screaming fans at a secret backstage meet and greet, he quickly warned them: "Anything he says, do it. These are your guys, Paul."
With dollar signs flashing before my eyes I asked: "Does that mean you, Ronan and now me are all co-managing the band?
"That's right - you're the third one now," he laughed. Needless to say I handed him my address to forward the first cheque.
Blessings to the girl who asked me for my autograph at Boyzone. "I saw you talking to Ronan, you write that showbiz column don't you? the inquisitive 12-year-old inquired.
"I sure do - what can I do for you?" I asked. "I want your autograph - I've got everyone else's back stage," she replied.
Nice to know I'm at the top of the list as always!
As promised, here's the top 10 singles of '98 as voted by my readers. Julie Simmons from Bangor won five albums of her choice for entering.
1: Angels, Robbie Williams 2: Ces't La Vie, B*Witched 3: No Matter What, Boyzone 4: Never Ever, All Saints 5: Millenium, Robbie Williams. 6: To You I Belong, B*Witched. 7: Goodbye, Spice Girls. 8: Cher, Do You Believe 9: Rollercoaster, B*Wicthed. 10: Madonna, Ray of light
Pop gossip
Paul Martin
BOYZONE will make the headlines again tomorrow for an the right reasons when they perform two extraordinary concerts at the Omagh Leisure Centre.
To combined audiences of just 2000, Ronan and Co will deliver a promise to do something positive for the Tyrone town which was devastated by a bomb earlier this year.
Tomorrow the message will be of hope, a small way of doing something for the children of the town, say Bozyone.
Talking to Ronan backstage at last Sunday's King's Hall concerts, the star told me they wanted to stage the performance of their lives for the children of Omagh.
"It means the world to us - it was the least we could do, it's so important that we can do something.
"We were there a couple of months ago to film a documentary about the town and the place was totally devastated by the tragedy - it was like a ghost town.
"We are not going to make anything out of this concert - any ticket costs will help to transport everything to the venue."
Boyzone are not the first Irish band to do something for Omagh in the aftermath, but they are the only ones to bring a high profile concert to the town.
More accustomed to playing to 20,000 people in the UK's biggest arenas, Boyzone won't have any trouble adjusting to the smaller setting.
"It's going to be more intimate, but that will suit the style of the show. We are going to do the full Boyzone concert but it will be more direct - we'll be able to see all the fans.
"We wanted to make sure that all the fans from Omagh got to see the concert, so we only put the tickets on sale in one venue in the town.
"They sold out instantly and then we decided to add on another date - the boys are all very excited about it."
If Bozyone manager Louis Walsh's words are anything to go by, I could be lining myself up for a new job in the near future.
When his new band Westside braved a mass of screaming fans at a secret backstage meet and greet, he quickly warned them: "Anything he says, do it. These are your guys, Paul."
With dollar signs flashing before my eyes I asked: "Does that mean you, Ronan and now me are all co-managing the band?
"That's right - you're the third one now," he laughed. Needless to say I handed him my address to forward the first cheque.
Blessings to the girl who asked me for my autograph at Boyzone. "I saw you talking to Ronan, you write that showbiz column don't you? the inquisitive 12-year-old inquired.
"I sure do - what can I do for you?" I asked. "I want your autograph - I've got everyone else's back stage," she replied.
Nice to know I'm at the top of the list as always!
As promised, here's the top 10 singles of '98 as voted by my readers. Julie Simmons from Bangor won five albums of her choice for entering.
1: Angels, Robbie Williams 2: Ces't La Vie, B*Witched 3: No Matter What, Boyzone 4: Never Ever, All Saints 5: Millenium, Robbie Williams. 6: To You I Belong, B*Witched. 7: Goodbye, Spice Girls. 8: Cher, Do You Believe 9: Rollercoaster, B*Wicthed. 10: Madonna, Ray of light
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/167
Published Date: 01-Jan-99
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