What: Daniel O鈥橠onnell
Where: Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, 1925 Blanshard St.
When: Tonight, 7:30 (doors at 6:30)
Tickets: $39-$99 (plus service charges) at livenation.com, selectyourtickets.com, by phone at 250-220-7777 or in person at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre box office
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Daniel O鈥橠onnell was in Victoria for a brief holiday this summer, visiting landmarks such as Butchart Gardens before venturing north for a getaway at Cabins West in Ucluelet.
Though massively popular overseas, and the subject of much tabloid press, the Irish singer would have been difficult to spot during his time on Vancouver Island. While some stars prefer high-end cars or limousines, O鈥橠onnell isn鈥檛 much of a luxury auto enthusiast.
鈥淚 love houses,鈥� O鈥橠onnell said on the phone, shortly before taking the stage for a show in Castlebar, Ireland. 鈥淚 love having a nice house, but cars? As long as it moves and is fairly reliable, that鈥檒l be good enough for me.鈥�
The 55-year-old easy-listening singer from Donegal and his wife, Majella, were on a two-week trip through Western sa国际传媒 this summer to celebrate a friend鈥檚 60th birthday. O鈥橠onnell returns to Victoria tonight for a concert at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, the first of 15 shows in 10 provinces across sa国际传媒.
O鈥橠onnell saw a different side of the country during his time away from the tour circuit, so he鈥檚 eager to get going on his Canadian run. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to this trip,鈥� he said in the lilt that has made him one of Ireland鈥檚 most enduring singing stars.
鈥淲e鈥檝e never done a coast-to-coast tour of sa国际传媒, never concentrated on a whole tour of the country.鈥�
There is much to celebrate on this run. His streak of 31 consecutive years with an album on the U.K. charts is intact thanks to Back Home Again, his two-CD release that arrived in March.
He also has several albums either in the can or on their way, including a Christmas album due in December. O鈥橠onnell said he intends to record another album in January, which is expected to stretch his chart streak to 32 years in 2018. To date, songs by O鈥橠onnell have spent more than 300 weeks on the U.K. albums chart.
The PBS favourite, who specializes in a brand of music that falls between adult-contemporary pop and classic country, said there are 鈥渓ots鈥� of songs that he would still like to record.
鈥淏ecause I don鈥檛 concentrate totally on original material, there鈥檚 a whole bank of well-known songs I love that someday I might record. You never run out when you like to record old music.鈥�
His track record as a recording artist has made him a big star in the U.K., with more than 10 million records sold over his career. He got his start in 1982, and has made steady inroads via constant touring and recording.
O鈥橠onnell has been well-compensated for his efforts. The Sunday Times of Ireland recently reported that he is worth the equivalent of $50 million Cdn, making him one of his homeland鈥檚 top earners.
He remains modest, despite the acclaim. O鈥橠onnell credits that to staying true to his roots.
He lives in the village of Kincasslagh in County Donegal, close to where he was raised, and shies away from anything ostentatious.
鈥淚 was brought up in a very rural part of Ireland, where everybody knows everybody. I think when you鈥檙e brought up in that situation, you like to live as you鈥檝e always lived.鈥�
When planning tours, he makes an effort to visit towns not unlike the one where he was raised. O鈥橠onnell and his band will play 120 concerts this year, so there is plenty of opportunity to accommodate stops well off the beaten path.
鈥淚 come from the country myself, so I think it鈥檚 always nice when shows come to our area. When something comes, it鈥檚 terrific. It鈥檚 nice to go out to more rural places.鈥�
O鈥橠onnell鈥檚 tour of sa国际传媒 will see the singer visit several cities for the first time, including Victoria. Unlike his performances back home, he doesn鈥檛 expect these shows to be full of Irish fans (鈥淚 don鈥檛 meet an awful lot of people from home,鈥� he said, 鈥渇or the majority of the audience generally comes from the area we鈥檙e in鈥�), which makes perfect sense. Though he鈥檚 a tenor from Ireland, he differs from many PBS 鈥減opera鈥� stars who make their names with renditions of Danny Boy and other Emerald Isle standards.
鈥淚 sing some Irish songs, but it鈥檚 very mixed music. It鈥檚 not predominantly Irish 鈥� there鈥檚 a lot of country music in it, and some middle-of-the-road stuff. But there are Irish ballads 鈥� it鈥檚 just not a total Irish concert.鈥�
Fans love O鈥橠onnell鈥檚 accessibility 鈥� he often stays for hours after a concert to chat and sign autographs. Performers with many decades of experience can grow tired of the meet-and-greet experience, but O鈥橠onnell said it remains one of his favourite parts of the job.
鈥淚 love the opportunity to sing, and I really enjoy meeting people. I suppose the two kind of go hand in hand. I鈥檝e never felt that I needed to be separated from a situation. I鈥檝e always enjoyed the opportunity.鈥�
He鈥檒l continue touring for as long as his audience wants.
鈥淚 love what I do. I would hope that you choose to do it, and not because it鈥檚 a job, a means to an end.
鈥淢ost people in life work to live, but there鈥檚 a few lucky people who are the opposite. They live, but work is not really work. I think I fall into that category. It鈥檚 something that is very enjoyable to me.鈥�