Tenors back for concerts to benefit Haiti

It's a hard life being a touring artist. Just because they sell out shows all across the world doesn't necessarily mean they get everything they want in return. Just ask Daryl Simpson; one-third of The Celtic Tenors.

"I think I have a date with destiny with Beyoncé," he tells Emirates Business. "Every time I've been offered tickets to go see her live, I've always been working at the time or even in another country.

The last time, Simpson was offered to go to see the Single Ladies diva was during the Formula One on Yas Island.

"But I was working," he groans. "We had a gig in Abu Dhabi the next day, so we were at our venue doing our sound check."

The Celtic Tenors are certainly a popular group in the region. Having performed in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Muscat numerous times, the classical crossover trio – comprising Simpson, Matthew Gilsenan and James Nelson – always look forward to coming back as they love the region. This time around, the Tenors play The Westin Dubai on February 13, and Aloft Abu Dhabi on the 18th.

"We never turn down an opportunity to come to the region," Simpson continues. "We get treated so well, and we are always taken care of really well. The hospitality industry in the UAE is excellent."

It was on the guys' last visit that they got to attend the Grand Prix, and while they missed Beyoncé – who Simpson confesses would love to duet with ("However, I think I would be so in awe of her, I wouldn't be able to sing," he laughs) – they did manage to "catch a bit of Aerosmith". This time around he wants to see the hottest tower in town, the Burj Khalifa.

"I'm going to see if we can get tickets to go up the tower. Every time we visited Dubai, it was a work in progress, but this will be the first time we will see it completed – it looks fantastic."

Fun days out aside, the Irishmen – whose total album sales worldwide top one million units – are performing in the region in order to aid the ongoing relief effort taking place in Haiti. According to organisers, all proceeds from the Dubai event will be donated to Unicef and the Starwood Associate Relief Fund.

Says Simpson: "Doing this sort of shows is a great way of being able to help, and Unicef has a real potential to help properly.

"We believe in making a difference and doing our bit for charity. While it may be easy to say we'll go out to Haiti, everyone knows it is not as simple as it sounds. This way, funds can go to organisations that could transfer funds the right way."


- Tickets for both shows start from Dh195. Call: 04 210 8567

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