Connell & Co's reworking of U2 classic 'even better than the real thing'

'The Streets That Have No Name,' and  'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.' Just two of the classic songs found on The Joshua Tree, U2's iconic album, and now Athboy singer Nigel Connell and friends will be giving their version of one of the most famous recordings in the history of rock n'roll in a forthcoming show.  

The show - 'Beyond the Music Reimagines The Joshua Tree' - will be staged in Liberty Hall, Dublin on Saturday 23rd November when Connell, along with the Glass House Orchestra and the DKIT choir, will perform the songs from The Joshua Tree.

Connell worked with musician Brendan Reaburn as well as producer and arranger Mark Cahill to score and arrange a complete orchestration of The Joshua Tree as part of a project that took three years to get to this point. As part of the wider project a number of singles will be released with a recording of the entire new, orchestrated album due to be released in February.

"It's all completely finished now, we are after signing a major record contract for the full recording of the The Joshua Tree album and we are doing a show in the Liberty Hall to basically get it out there," explained Connell who played drums on the Daniel O'Donnell band for a number of years and more recently demonstrated his rich talent as a singer with a series of impressive performances on The Voice of Ireland, a competition he narrowly went close to winning. He has also brought out his own solo album 'Nothing Left to Say.' 

The Athboy singer says he and others involved in the project were very eager to ensure that everything was done with U2's support. "We went down the right road with this, it is all done with U2's official handshake and approval, we basically recorded the The Joshua Tree again with a full orchestra and a choir with new arrangements, it's just a different style of doing the album. 

"We had to go through U2's publishing company and while that was a tough task we got their approval," added Connell who is huge U2 fan and was very familiar with The Joshua Tree songs long before he set about recording them. 

The recording of the famous album is part of what is likely to be a long-running touring project with the 'Beyond the Music Reimagines The Joshua Tree' likely to be toured on the continent with a band supported by local orchestras in the city's that are on the tour schedule. 

"Three years ago Brendan Raeburn, Mark Cahill and myself set up this project to basicially take iconic albums and flip them on their heads and we went with the The Joshua Tree but because of different events it has taken us this long to get it to this stage. We have the record deal and all in place and ready to rock n'roll."

Connell says all those involved in the re-recording of The Joshua Tree greatly appreciate the support of Galway businessman Gary Monroe who, along with Suzanne McClean, founded the support group 'Rosabel's Rooms' for sick children and their parents.

"That's what the concert is for, we are doing it for Rosebel's Rooms and the Irish Hospice Foundation," added Connell before he returned to putting the finishing touches on a project that has clearly impressed those involved in recording the album that was first released to wide acclaim in 1987.  

Saturday November 23rd ‘Beyond The Music Reimagines The Joshua Tree’ at Liberty Hall Theatre, Dublin accompanied by Glass House Orchestra and the DKIT Choir. Tickets available at: http://www.beyondthemusic.ie/ €36 + €2 service charge.

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