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Since their formation in 1992 Different Drums has played at festivals and concerts all over Ireland and appeared on BBC TV, UTV, RTE and Radio Ulster. 1999 saw the band in the USA as part of the 'Both Sides Now' tour with Phil Coulter, James Galway, Roma Downey, Gregory Peck , Aidan Quinn and Edna O'Brien. They made an historic appearance at St Patrick's Cathedral NY, and on St. Patrick's Day performed for President Clinton at the White House. Later in the year they received a rapturous reception in front of 38,000 people when they shared the stage with Irish superstars, The Corrs, at a mammoth outdoor gig in Omagh to launch the Northern Ireland Milllennium Celebrations. On the Millennium Eve itself they performed in front of Derry's historic Guildhall as part of BBC TV's worldwide Millennium programme.
In Feb 1998 they performed at Belfast's stunning new Waterfront Hall as special guests of Phil Coulter. This was so successful that they were invited back to share the Waterfront stage again with Phil and his Orchestra this time for a Kelly Show UTV special. The band has also had the honour of performing for President Mary Robinson on her last official engagement as President and they also played for President Clinton during his historic visit to Northern Ireland. During 1998 they have performed at the official residence of President Mary McAleese, Aras An Uachtarain, on three separate occasions.
They were part of the first programme on the new Irish language channel Telefís Na Gaelige and played live on RTE at the celebration in Dublin when Ireland assumed the presidency of the European Union.
They also featured on BBC TV's mammoth Making A Difference programme from the Grand Opera House in Belfast. In May 2000 the band featured in the Island Arts from Ireland Festival at the Kennedy Center Washington DC. See ##http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/archive.html Other highlights in 2000 ...BBC TV's Blue Peter 18/05/00 George Jones BBC Radio Ulster show Ulster Hall 26/05/00 BBCTV MusicLive 29/05/00 12-July Aras An Uachtarain for President McAleese 10-Aug Memorial Hall Derry Apprentice Boys Festival Aug 17-20 Milwaukee Irish Fest 29-30 Sept Baltimore Int Rhythm Festival 6-8 Oct Hotel De Paris Monte Carlo The Ireland Funds 19-Oct Ulster Hall Belfast Amnesty International -Dalai Lama Lecture 12-Dec Tate Modern Gallery London. In April 2001 the played Portsmouth and Manchester New Hampshire and then on to Texas for the Houston International Festival.
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