Return of the King

Kevin Doyle pays tribute to Elvis ’68 the Comeback Special

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic TV show that relaunched the king of rock and roll to a new generation of fans. Exactly 50 years to the day since it aired on US TV, the entertainment industry’s most famous comeback will be restaged at the National Stadium in Dublin. On Monday December 3rd, Kevin Doyle and a 13-piece band of musicians and singers will faithfully recreate the recording of the iconic show.

This fully live concert will bring to life the event that saw Elvis recapture the edge he first brought to rock and roll in the mid-1950s. Kevin Doyle, star of the hugely successful “The Elvis Presley Story”, reprises his role as the king, conveying the sound and personality of the star who regains his crown. The production will feature costumes modelled on Elvis’ wardrobe, a set mimicking the Burbank TV studio, and a live band reproducing the music as it was originally played. All profits from the show will be shared equally between the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation and Shine on Éabha. It’s a charitable cause that’s especially close to home for the band: Éabha’s mum Niamh Shine has been a member for 20 years as a backing singer and musician. Her daughter Éabha has an extremely rare condition that requires constant fulltime care; Jack and Jill provides home nursing care to Éabha.

The audience can expect to see a compelling show that mixes big production numbers like “Trouble/Guitar Man” and “Let Yourself Go”, with ballads like “Memories”, and a rousing gospel medley. It also features the informal ‘unplugged’ session that, like in the TV show, evoked the early spirit of Elvis Presley with raw renditions of “Heartbreak Hotel”, “That’s All Right,” and “Baby, What Do You Want Me To Do”. “Return of the King” will also feature a range of Elvis’ best hits, showcasing the best of his subsequent Las Vegas years when his power to command an audience and interpret songs was at its highest.

The show will also feature classics like “An American Trilogy”, “The Wonder of You”, “I Just Can’t Help Believing”, “Burning Love”, and “Suspicious Minds”. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster for €26 excluding booking charges.

About Kevin Doyle and the Way It Was Orchestra

“Elvis would be proud” – Ray Walker, The Jordanaires

“There is no finer ambassador for the glorious music of the Memphis Flash on these islands” – Pat Carty, Hot Press

For two decades, Kevin Doyle and the Way It Was Orchestra have been Ireland’s leading Elvis act. During that time, they have played countless sell-out shows at venues all over Ireland, including Dublin’s Olympia and Gaiety Theatres, The National Concert Hall, Cork and Limerick Opera Houses, and at Electric Picnic. In 2004, they united Elvis’ very own Las Vegas sidemen, the TCB Band, with his original vocal group, the Jordanaires, for a unique one-off concert at the Point Theatre. Kevin and the band also hosted a TV special of their own, which aired at prime time on RTE at Christmas 2005.

Still performing regularly, the band’s dedication to recreating the sound of All the King’s Men makes it the most authentic sounding Elvis show this side of Memphis. This is high-energy live music with a big band sound and a frontman whose stage presence and vocal ability are remarkably close to the king himself.

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