Miami Showband reunion tour takes in Ratoath

The late Jim Aiken described the now legendary Miami Showband Memorial Concert at Vicar Street in 2005 as 'the greatest showband concert ever staged". On that occasion the reception given to the three surviving band members by the capacity audience was unprecedented. It has taken three years to organise further concerts and on this week, original Miami band members, Des Lee, Stephen Travers and Ray Millar, accompanied by three of Ireland"s finest musicians, Johnny Fean (Horslips), Gerry Brown (Dana"s musical director) and Barry Woods (The Real McCoy) embark on an extensive nationwide tour stretching into early 2009, bringing a mixture of great live music and nostalgia back to concert halls and dance venues around the country. The concerts will be based on the history of the band, essentially 'The Miami Showband Story" told with live music and imagery. It will relate the unique history of the band from the early 60s to the present day. 'We"ve revitalized a wealth of great material that stretches back to the genesis of The Miami Showband. The style of The Miami Showband"s first front-man Jimmy Harte, though Dickie Rock, Fran O Toole and Des Lee encapsulates and reflects the development of an entire people,' says Steve Travers. The tour is a fundraiser for the charity Children in Crossfire (www.childrenincrossfire.org ). The Miami tour arrives in The Venue, Ratoath on Saturday 8th November at 8pm.