An aspiring musician has been cast in to the limelight sent to stand in for Olly Murs to of a 14,000-strong crowd after he had to pull out of opening for Take That – a far cry from the usual bars and clubs he plays.
Singer and guitarist Daniel Rooney found himself supporting the boy band, with frontman Gary Barlow saying the lad had ‘saved the day’.
The unknown Scottish singer landed the gig after Olly Murs, 39, who had been due to open for Take That at the Hydro in Glasgow, was forced to cancel.
Mr Rooney was playing in a bar in the city when he was spotted by celebrity correspondent and TV presenter Ross King.
Such was the impression Mr Rooney, from Cambuslang, made on King that he recommended Take That enlist him as a last-minute replacement.
Daniel Rooney (pictured) was plucked from a nearby RED Radisson hotel bar and obscurity after being spotted by Scottish host Ross King to fill in for Olly Murs who had to pull out of opening for Take That at the Hydro in Glasgow last night
Take That performing last night at the Hydro in Glasgow following an amazing set from Daniel Rooney
Aspiring musician Daniel Rooney found himself supporting the boyband, with frontman Gary Barlow saying the lad had ‘saved the day’
Olly Murs was forced to cancel his gig opening for Take That in Glasgow on Friday just minutes before showtime – after his flight from Heathrow was cancelled
And the gamble appeared to pay off with the crowd at the sell-out gig giving the newcomer a raucous welcome.
The crowd sang along as he played covers of favourites including 70s hit Stuck in the Middle With You by Stealers Wheel and 2009 track Candy by Paolo Nutini.
Gary Barlow thanked the artist, whose career is sure to blow up overnight on Instagram, saying: ‘This young man saved the day thank you @danielrooney_music.’
Danny had to stand in after Murs spent eight and a half hours at Heathrow Airport before his BA flight was axed. The 39-year-old said he had never missed a gig in his life, especially one supporting a global supergroup.
New fans of Daniel’s also took to social media to heap praise on the newcomer, saying he ‘saved the day’ for everyone attending the concert.
One said: ‘Huge congrats to Daniel Rooney of Cambuslang. Filling in on 30mins notice for Olly Murs who was stuck in London. What a fab intro to the big stage.’
Another fan wrote: ‘Daniel Rooney from Cambuslang smashed it in your absence! Loved his performance’.
Meanwhile one fan told Daily Record: ‘Daniel was great, I preferred him to Olly – I hope he makes it big.’
Daniel (pictured) had been performing at the Glasgow’s Raddison hotel, when Ross text Take That’s Gary Barlow following the news that Olly has been forced to cancel
When Gary jokingly asked if Ross (pictured) knew of any singers, he recommend Daniel who was quickly rushed over to the arena with just 30 minutes notice
Olly Murs had been keeping fans up to date on Instagram throughout the day as his flight from Heathrow was continually delayed, before eventually being cancelled
Danny has posted videos playing music to his Instagram, which is bound to see more followers this weekend
Danny performs to a crowd of 14,000 people at the Hydro in Glasgow last night
‘Daniel Rooney smashed it,’ Lorraine Cant wrote on X/Twitter. ‘He’s no Olly Murs, but gave an incredible performance with 30 minutes notice!’
A gobsmacked Daniel said after his Hydro performance: ‘It’s hard to take it in, it’s really surreal’.
‘I’m just having a chance now to look at my phone and talk to my Mrs and parents and stuff. It was fast – 20 minutes before going on I met Gary and the guys and we talked about what songs to do’.
‘It was great, I got some good singalongs with the crowd etc and it felt like they were really behind me.’
He continued: ‘I know some people were not happy about Olly but as soon as I went up and had a chat they were brilliant.
‘Ross [King] went up first and announced what was going on, he explained I was playing in Radisson RED when Gary asked him to help so he came up to me and asked me to play the Hydro instead.
‘I still had 45 minutes to go at the hotel but what can you do with something like this – but they’re really happy for me.’
Danny then headed back to the hotel to join bandmate John McLaughlin of Johnny Mac and the The Faithful, who rushed down to take over his original gig.
And Danny has high hopes the opportunity will help give him a platform to showcase his own songs as an artist in his own right.
‘It’s early days – it was an amazing night but I hope it will help me show people what I can do and what I am about, with my own music.
‘For now I’m going to head back to the hotel, see Johnny and try to get my head round it all.’
Fans were impressed with Daniel’s performance
Hollywood star Ross was at Radisson RED Glasgow with friends for the second Friday in a row and was blown away by Danny, who was playing his regular pre and post Hydro show in the hotel’s downstairs bar.
Ross said: ‘I’d gone to the Radisson with my family and girlfriend for a pre-show meal.
‘Gary and I were texting and I’d heard Olly was stuck in London, I joked I would be there for him but he said ‘I’m not joking, we need you’.
‘I told him I had just been listening to Danny and he was brilliant – Gaz said get over now you’re both on in 30 minutes!
‘Danny was sensational.. a star was born! He met the boys before he went on and they waited for him to come off and told him he was brilliant.’
Radisson RED manager Graham Chalmers said: ‘Danny plays regularly for us – working with grassroots artists is huge for us and he is someone we thought really has something.
‘It’s important to us to showcase Scotland’s talent – in fact we are opening a new live music venue with that ethos at the heart of it, the Rotunda and Roundhouse across from the hotel.
He went on to say: ‘So, It was a strange moment when I looked over and saw Danny put his coat on and lift his guitar – I asked him what was going on but when he told me, how could you stand in the way of that sort of opportunity?
‘We’re really pleased for him and thanks to Ross for coming in again and of course for spotting the kind of talent we have at Radisson RED!’
Danny has a small following on Instagram, around 1,000 followers before tonight, and posts videos of him singing in his bedroom, including a haunting cover of The Beatles’ Now and Then which came out in November last year.
He has played alongside bands including The Fratellis, writers of noughties indie anthem Chelsea Dagger.
Take That playing at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on Friday on their This Life Tour after Daniel Rooney stepped in to open for them after Olly Murs had to cancel
While the main act including Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen arrived in Scotland on their private jet, Murs had an increasingly frustrating day at the airport going nowhere soon.
He kept a video diary on Instagram on his progress starting the day upbeat saying he was excited to be coming to Scotland.
But at 5.15pm the clearly frustrated singer and TV presenter, said: ‘Honestly, you could not write this day. We now have got one of the ladies, one of the cabin crew, fallen over herself – I hope she’s ok – but basically it’s further delayed our flight. I don’t think we are going to make it but I’ll keep you posted.’
However the flight was eventually cancelled with Murs adding: ‘Lot of angry people at the gate, the flight’s just been cancelled.
‘I’m extremely gutted. I don’t think I’ve ever missed a gig especially of this magnitude.’
After an afternoon of mishaps with the flight, he was on his way to Glasgow in a car to make the rest of the weekend’s shows.
He tweeted: ‘So sorry to everyone at the @takethat show tonight in Glasgow, unfortunately I won’t be there, I’ve been at London Heathrow from 11am this morning for my flight but after several delays and then a cabin crew incident our @British_Airways flight got cancelled. Don’t think I’ve ever missed a gig before, am so annoyed.
‘But am now in a car heading up for our 6hr journey for the Saturday and Sunday show right now.’
The venue also confirmed Murs’s gig had been cancelled.
It said on social media: ‘We are sorry to advise, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond anyone’s control, Olly Murs cannot perform tonight (Friday) in Glasgow. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience.’