The Way It Was Orchestra is a collective of highly skilled live musicians dedicated to recreating the original sound of Elvis Presley’s music.
For over 25 years, the 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, the National Stadium, Cork and
Limerick Opera Houses, and five times at Electric Picnic.
In 2004, the band united Elvis’ very own Las Vegas musicians, the TCB Band, with his original vocal group, the Jordanaires, for a unique one-off concert at the Point Theatre in Dublin. 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 a truly authentic sounding Elvis show. Their repertoire spans the 1950s rockabilly era, movie soundtracks and lush ballads, through to the 1960s TV comeback special and the show-stopping epics of the King’s live performances in the 1970s.
The band’s name is a double play on words: it refers to Elvis’ concert film ‘That’s The Way It Is’, and also acknowledges the group’s dedication to faithfully reproducing the King’s signature sound. This is a band with a difference: filled with friends, siblings and neighbours who grew up together in Lucan, on the edges of county Dublin. Their shared love of playing music together shines through in every performance.
This is high-energy live music with a big band sound that includes two guitars, two keyboards, bass and drums, backing vocalists and a five-piece brass section. And it’s fronted by a performer whose stage presence, vocal ability and wry humour are remarkably close to the king’s.
But don’t just take our word for it: here’s what Ray Walker of the Jordanaires had to say: “Elvis would
be proud”.
Pat Carty, in Hot Press magazine, wrote: “There is no finer ambassador for the glorious music of the Memphis Flash on these islands”.
Together with Kevin Doyle, they bring Elvis back to life — the way it was.