Rockin' in the New Year at the K of C
The Killdares - December 31, 2005

First Appeared in The Music Box, January 2006, Volume 13, #1

Written by Kirk deCordova

While many Dallas-ites were settling into either black tie affairs or their local watering holes in order to welcome the New Year, an annual New Year’s Eve Gala featuring gourmet food and fabulous entertainment was happening right in Lake Highlands at the Knights of Columbus Hall. The first band to take the stage was Ale Brje, and the group delivered a variety of cover tunes that bounced from rock to Latino to disco. Nevertheless, it was The Killdares' evening, and the ensemble didn’t disappoint.

The Killdares has been performing for nearly 10 years, and in that time, it has frequented the State Fair of Texas as well as countless clubs and festivals in the area. The band plays its own brand of hard-driving rock with a Celtic flair. The Killdares not only features drums, bass, and electric guitar, but it also includes the clever addition of fiddle and bagpipes, which is what gives the group its distinctive edge. On New Year’s Eve, it unleashed an unforgettable night of music that included material from its latest album Any Given Element.

The Killdares played three sets during the gala, the last of which ushered in 2006. The band brought the evening to a climax by hammering out its own rendition of Amazing Grace, which was followed by a high-octane interpretation of Auld Lang Syne. After the clock struck midnight and the traditional kisses had been planted firmly, the group came back for one final tune. This time, it delivered an electrified version of John Denver’s Leaving on a Jet Plane. A hearty round of applause concluded the evening as the DJ played into long the night. With a little of that Irish luck, The Killdares will return to Lake Highlands to ring in 2007 at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

Any Given Element is NOT available from
Amazon.com, Amazon-CA, or Amazon-UK. To order,
please visit The Killdares' Site!

Copyright © 2006 The Music Box