Kilbane takes to the decks!

Irish footballing legend Kevin Kilbane teamed up with AIB to learn to DJ and ultimately perform an opening set ahead of the iconic Groove Armada in front of a sold-out crowd at Dublin’s District 8. 
Part of the new AIB Backing Doing campaign, the three part series follows Kevin as he finally gets doing  the one thing that he has been putting off for years, DJ’ing.  Kilbane’s lifelong passion for dance music always came second to his professional footballing career. In late 2018, Kilbane embarked on his journey to becoming a DJ and playing in front of a live audience. 

Over the course of four intense weeks, Kilbane was thrown into the world of electro music, with mentorship from the very best in the business, including Today FM DJ Kelly-Anne Byrne and Groove Armada legends Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. 
Having initially believed that he would be performing at a small gig to round out his training, viewers will witness the moment when Kilbane’s mentors Groove Armada drop the bombshell that he will in fact be doing an opening set at a sold out club night in front of hundreds of people – raising the stakes, and his fears, dramatically! 

The AIB Backing Doing series follows the sports commentator on every step of his journey – from the very basics of learning how to mix tracks and selecting his set list, through the moments of frustrations and self-doubt, to the nail-biting first step he takes on the District 8 stage. 

Speaking about his experience, Kilbane said, “To learn to DJ has been a dream of mine and something I’ve always wanted to do, I just seemed to have other things that I needed to focus on. I’ve tripped and fallen many times during my sports career, but the fear of falling flat on my face during the past month has been a totally new feeling. The last four weeks have been a roller coaster; an unbelievable experience - exhilarating, terrifying at times, but ultimately really rewarding. No matter what, I’ve had the time of my life, and I’m so glad that I finally decided to do it!”

Speaking on Backing Doing, AIB Chief Marketing Officer, Mark Doyle commented, “At AIB, we are committed to backing our customers to achieve their dreams and ambitions, something that the Backing Doing series perfectly encapsulates. We were delighted to work Kevin Kilbane and Groove Armada on a project that’s both entertaining and inspiring. The Backing Doing series is aimed at inspiring people to do the things they’ve always wanted to do, no matter how big or small and to encourage customers to get out there and pursue that one thing they’ve been putting off.”

Follow Kevin’s journey on AIB’s You Tube,  Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook channels.