Following the huge response to their three sellout comeback concerts last year, Gina, Dale Haze and The Champions are returning to Westmeath after a 20 year break as part of a new five-date concert tour. The band will be playing in the Mullingar Park Hotel on Sunday May 2, tickets are available from the hotel.
Gina, Dale Haze and The Champions were one of the most popular bands on the dancing and concert scene in Ireland during the 70s and 80s with over 20 chart hit singles and several best selling albums to their name and appearances on numerous television and radio shows.
Gina said that she, Dale, and the rest of the band are delighted to be playing in Westmeath again after almost 20 years away.“We’ve always had a great and loyal following in the county and have some great memories from playing in venues like the Horizon Club and County Hall. We’re delighted at the chance to play again in front of some old friends and acquaintances and hopefully, plenty of new ones as well,” she said.
A whole generation of dancers and concert goers will remember Gina, Dale Haze and The Champions for such hits as ‘Do Ya Wanna Do It’, ‘The Greatest Lover’, ‘Minnie Minnie’, ‘Drunken Sailor’, ‘Give Me Back My Love’, and of course their debut hit ‘Dreams are Good Friends’.
After many years touring together, the band members all went their separate ways in the early 90s, some staying in the music business and some getting out of it altogether. But the catalyst for their reunion came about in 2007 when two things happened - they all attended the surprise birthday party for their drummer Tony Brook, and found themselves up on stage together doing an impromptu session. Later on that year, RTE's Ronan Collins interviewed them in connection with their appearance at the launch of a walkway dedicated to music stars from the showband era outside the former Arcadia Ballroom in Cork.
During the tour last year, one of the very pleasant surprises for the band was seeing a lot of old faces in the audience. Gina said,“We always came out front to talk to people after each gig and so we got to know many of the regular faces in the different venues around Ireland. We decided to do the same again after the concerts last year and couldn’t get over how many of those same people had turned up again to see us play. Some had even brought along their teenage children with them, we were there for hours afterwards chatting to everyone and signing CDs, it was wonderful,” said Gina.
Tickets for Gina, Dale Haze and the Champions in the Mullingar Park Hotel at 8pm on Sunday May 2 are available from hotel reception or by calling (044 ) 9337500 and are priced at €27.50.
For more information log on to www.ginadalehazeandthechampions.com
