Dolly good show

Local & National

...but there's still no screens at country queen's return gig in Belfast

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

By Matthew McCreary

Country superstar Dolly Parton arrived back in Belfast last night for her second concert in the city within a week.

The diminutive singer - who celebrated her 61st birthday just a few weeks ago - hit the stage in front of another sell-out crowd at the Odyssey Arena where she treated fans to a selection of her greatest hits.

And with a repertoire which includes such well-known tunes as Jolene, Nine to Five, Islands in the Stream and I Will Always Love You, there was plenty for them to enjoy.

But television screens for fans further from the stage were apparently absent once again.

More than 100 concert-goers had contacted the Belfast Telegraph and BBC Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan show after Friday night's performance at the Odyssey to say that their enjoyment was marred because they could not see the country singer.

Concert promoters, Aiken PR, said before yesterday's show: "We can confirm that it is at the artist's discretion whether or not to use screens as part of their shows."

One concert-goer told the Telegraph last night: "There weren't any big screens up that I could see, but I don't think anybody was complaining. The crowd were ecstatic and quite uncritical."

But he added: "I thought the sound was quite bad. It was just a huge wall of sound and there was quite a big echo from the back. It was the worst sound I have ever heard at a concert."

All 8,000 tickets for last Friday night's show - which cost up to £75 - had sold out inside 20 minutes when they went on sale last year, but Dolly then went on to announce another show, which was staged last night.

Meanwhile, fans in the Republic were left furious after safety concerns forced promoters to call off Saturday night's gig in Millstreet, Cork.

Dolly did her best to make it up to the thousands of disappointed ticket-holders, some of whom had travelled from as far away as Barcelona.

"I was here, ready and excited to do the show but was advised late in the day that there were technical problems too severe to be solved in time to get the show up safely.

"I promise to try to make it up to you," she said.

I just want to see her once, that's all!

Fans began arriving early at the Odyssey Complex in anticipation of their big night with Dolly Parton.

The glorious sunny evening reflected the moods of many who were seeing the country star for the first time.

But for many of the fans the prospect of the concert going ahead without big screens was not too much of a worry.

Singer SHARON NIXON from Londonderry said the chance to see her idol would be "a dream for me".

"I'm really looking forward to seeing her," she said. "If I can't see her I'm going to have to walk up to the front. A friend of mine came on Friday and they were very disappointed. So will I be if I can't see her - I just want to see her once, that's all!"

Friends DYANN TROUPE and Caroline Munnis travelled from Bangor to see the concert.

"I think her personality is great and that she'll be fantastic on stage. She's my idol and I just love her!" said Dyann. "I was disappointed to hear she's not allowing the big screens. But just to be there will be good enough."

And ANNE BLAKE travelled from Lisburn with her niece Leanne Connor and friends to enjoy the show.

"We're hoping we'll get to see her for a start!" said Anne. " We've heard you can't see her but we're right at the front so we don't mind."

HILARY FITZSIMONS from Belfast said she was a lifelong fan of Dolly's.

"She is one of the greats of country music. She's a one-off and there will never be another like her. I have never seen her live but I have always wanted to," she said, but added that on previous visits to the Odyssey she had sometimes had problems seeing the stage.

Professional singer ROSALEEN McQUILLAN from Crossmaglen - who recently visited Nashville in Dolly's home state of Tennessee - said she too was looking forward to seeing the star perform live.

"I think she's absolutely fabulous," she said.