#Review: Daniel O’Donnell – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool – 20th May 2023

C’mon, who doesn’t love a bit of Irish crooner Daniel O’Donnell? I bet he is a guilty pleasure of many and now…even me!

I have got to admit I was slightly apprehensive about seeing Daniel O’Donnell as I felt too young to be reviewing the Irish crooner whose fan base is predominantly in their 70s and 80s! However I have to admit… he was really good! 

A wholesome show with lyrics you could hear every word of. No violence. No aggressive rapping. No explicit sexual undertones, simply, songs that were easy listening. 

He told jokes, he danced and jigged and each song was either about: love of another; a lost love or his love and admiration for his beautiful hometown of Donegal. How often do you have to mute or sing over certain lyrics if in the car with younger people or your mum? Well, you certainly need not worry about this with Daniel.

Daniel is slick, suave, and every inch the sophisticated, professional entertainer.  With 40 years under his belt as an international performer he knows his target market well and ensures he delights them.  What is unique about Daniel is that he and his management team keep in touch with his fans, sending them cards and flowers when ill, recovering from an operation or moving home.  Again, how many of our modern artists can say they do this?  His love for his fans is wholeheartedly reciprocated as they send him and his family messages and bring gifts to his performances.  It felt like a family atmosphere throughout the show as Daniel, without reading from notes between songs, gave shout outs to fans asking if they were in the audience to wave and let him know they were there.  He knew many by name when he asked for the house lights to come up. Impressive! Fans were asked about their health and lives since they were last together.  This seemed utterly genuine and many fans had full on conversations with Daniel which was so lovely to witness.  In a world where kindness is in short supply it was in abundance on Friday night. Impressive and utterly delightful!  He even allowed one fan to sing an impromptu song with him after she told the audience about the flowers and  handwritten letter Danei had sent her when she moved into a nursing home.

Daniel sported a range of sequinned jackets for his more solemn melancholic numbers and jazzed up his attire for his rock n roll section. With an impressive and unprecedented record of scoring a hit in the UK album charts every year since 1988, he performed song after song from his back catalogue for just short of three hours.  Making this concert not only enjoyable for value for money.

Daniel will continue to take his ‘60 Years of Daniel’ tour around the UK throughout the summer of 2023 so if you want a feel good concert that is value for money which any age can enjoy, then book tickets via your favourite ticket agent or save money by booking directly via the venue’s box office.

SET LIST:

I Need You, Stand, Footsteps, Take, Roses, Omagh, Hello Darlin, Best Part, 40 Shades, Kathleen, Erin, Waltz Of the Angels, Jet Plane, Wherever You Are, Lah De Dah, Donegal Shore, Queen Of Peace, Orange Blossom, An Elvis Medley, Never Ending Song, Galway Bay, Ring Of Fire, I wish You Well, My Father’s Shoes, A Charley Pride Medley, Danny Boy, You Ain’t Woman Enough, Wanna Dance, Home to Donegal, Our House, Rock N Roll Medley, Until the Next Time, Babylon, How Great Thou Art.