3 March 2016
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Entertainment Update
Simply the Best – ‘Tina Turner’ tours tours Cork, Galway and Waterford as Tina
“Rebecca is so good, it’s scary!”
Tina Turner
“Rebecca is an amazing performer and vocalist. I was mesmerized, a night you’ll never forget”
Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac)
‘Tina Turner’s’ European tour, Simply the Best, kicks off in Ireland this May. Not the real Tina, but the next best thing – Rebecca O’Connor – who is Ireland’s own international success story.
In the words of Tina Turner herself, “Rebecca is so good, it’s scary… If I had her energy, I would still be touring today,” and Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Max said he was “mesmerized” and it’s a “night you’ll never forget”.
O’Connor tours with her band and dancers, and is known around the world for her authentic ‘high-energy’, ‘electrifying’ and ‘riveting’ performances – “one could be fooled into believing that she is the queen of rock ‘n’ roll herself”.
The Irish ‘Simply the Best’ tour kicks off at Cork Opera House on May 7th, and will go on to Galway and Waterford, before returning to Rebecca’s hometown of Cobh in Co. Cork at the end of the month.
Numbers will include: Nutbush City Limits, Proud Mary, River Deep, Private Dancer, When the Heartache Is Over, Better Be Good To Me, and of course her anthem, Simply the Best.
Rebecca O’Connor is dedicating the tour to her mum Anne from Cobh, East Cork. Rebecca and her family grew up in Co Cork and she was introduced to Tina Turner’s music through her parents as a young girl. She immediately loved everything about Tina and knew most of her songs word perfectly: “When I first heard Tina it was like a volcano went off inside me. I knew then this amazing woman would influence me forever”, Rebecca commented on her idol.
O’Connor looks and sounds like Tina on stage, yet she is adamant “There is only one Tina Turner. She is absolutely amazing and I admire and respect her so much. I hope I bring her power, magic and energy to every show I perform.”
She has just completed sold out tours in Australia and South Africa. Now based in Australia, Rebecca O’Connor is the only Irish artist to ever win the prestigious ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ hosted by Mathew Kelly, in front of over 33 million viewers. Since then, she has played to packed houses the world over.
Tina Turner is one of the greatest live performers in music history whose career has spanned 50 years in which she has received numerous awards including Eight Grammy’s. She has sold more concert tickets than any other solo music performer in history.
2016 Irish Tour dates:
– Cork Opera House: May 7th, www.corkoperahouse.ie
– Galway Town Hall Theatre: May 14th www.tht.ie
– Waterford Theatre Royal: May 21st , www.theatreroyal.ie
– Commodore Hotel Cobh, Cork: May 28th, www.commodorehotel.ie,
