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The Show => Believe On Tour => Topic started by: Cash on March 10, 2012, 04:17PM



Title: Hershey Kisses on Super Tuesday - CW in Hershey PA March 6 2012
Post by: Cash on March 10, 2012, 04:17PM
Hershey Kisses on Super Tuesday - Celtic Woman in Hershey Pa - March 6, 2012

   March 6th was “Super Tuesday” here in the U.S.A. Candidates hoping to be elected President participated in Primary Elections in a number of key states. But I elected to make Celtic Woman my Primary concern of the day. Hey any Celtic Woman concert on a Tuesday makes it a Super Tuesday! Hershey might  be the Chocolate Capitol of the world, so you know its got to be a … sweet … place. Celtic Woman did not disappoint the crowd, but perhaps the crowd should have eaten a bit more of their local chocolate, as it appeared they could have used a little more sugar in their blood to stir up some energy. But that’s jumping ahead.
   I met up with my car pool partner Annie and headed east from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg. We ran into a little trouble on the Pennsylvania turnpike. We came to a spot where the right lane was closed for “Road Work”. We spotted the usual types of signs and they even had a State Trooper in a cruiser off to the side of the road, with lights flashing, to make sure no one somehow continued in the closed lane. So everyone merged into the left / passing lane and everyone slowed down. Then, everyone STOPPED! UH-OH! People turned off their engines and just sat around. I figured maybe some type of accident in the one open lane? I don’t know. Then we started rolling again at a slow pace. Then we slowed down again, but didn’t completely stop that time. I could see the road crew guys and machines working off to the side of the road. Maybe the side of that hill slid and made the road edge unstable. I don’t know, but I was glad when we got passed that and got back to warp speed toward Hershey.
   Hershey is an interesting little town. This was my first trip there. The street lights were in the shape of Hershey kisses candy. The one spot is sort of a complete entertainment area. An amusement park, stadium, some type of big garden up on a big hill, and the Giant Center, the venue for the concert.  Before we parked, Annie had a gift for the ladies. Chocolate bars! Good grief.!!!  They were in Chocolate town already, plus Mrpeabody always gives them Cadbury Flakes, and now Annie gave them even more. Is it no wonder why these ladies always jump around and are always full of energy?  Maybe its also why they are so …  sweet. (ok I know too many corny references to chocolate in Hershey). Popeye had his spinach, CW has chocolate.
    So we end up parking for $8, a much better fee than our last concert in Charlottesville, where the Univ. of Va. hosed us for $15. Then we waited to meet MrPeabody to get our tickets.  I got a little worried as he wasn’t there early as he usually is. Maybe Sherman entered the wrong setting on his ‘way-back’ machine! But anyway, as we waited, I noticed a LOT of staff people on duty there. Some guided people to parking spots, some just answering questions, some yelling “No cameras, leave them in your car!”. Security was a theme of the evening. But that’s also jumping ahead. Also, while waiting outside, I noticed a guy wearing a kilt. That had to be cold. It was NOT a warm day. As I entered, a lady checked my bag, as do all venues these days. She said “Going to work?” and I didn’t understand at the time. But I guess she referred to my dress shirt and tie that I had on.. I looked more like someone headed to the office than a show at an arena.  I had on my Celtic concert “uniform” the green dress shirt with the gold tie with the Celtic Knots on it. 
   So we go in and I spotted the merchandise table, with only 1 person there! I walked up and the staff guy waited on me immediately! They had more staff at the table than customers! This was my 22nd Celtic Woman concert, and that’s the very first time I had ever seen something like that.  Usually the table is an absolute zoo! I asked the guy “Whats up? Where is everyone?” and he said “Not many coming tonight, we only sold about 2000 tickets”. I thought “UH-OH! At my first show of the year down in Charlottesville, I spotted a lot of empty seats. I hope that this doesn’t start a trend. But I have a theory on this. First, many more shows are in arenas instead of theatres, so since arenas have many more seats, you are bound to see empties. Plus some people just don’t like arena concerts. At theatre concerts, some attendees are the types to go to whatever shows and concerts come to town. But with an arena, you don’t have such loyal attendees who might come for anything, well except for sports. The arena has that sports feel to it, and it just turns some people off. Not exactly a performing arts type of ambiance.  But anyway I bought a refrigerator  magnet and a lapel pin. I didn’t see those down in Charlottesville at my last show. Then I headed on in to my seat.
   We had front row center again. Many in the front row had ties to the forum and / or Mrpeabody. Plus there were some forum types back in the crowd as well. I noticed something right away about the stage set up. It looked like the piano was a bit more toward center then its usual position. It was still left of center, over near Ray and below him, but just a tad bit more centered.  The rest of the stage looked like the usual set up. An usher came over to me and checked my ticket. I spared her my “I must be in the front row!” Bob Uecker joke that I nailed the usher in Charlottesville with. She used a sharpie to put an ‘ x ‘ on my ticket and she also put a red wrist band on me. WOW these people are serious! Plus she spotted someone in the crowd with a camera but she didn’t freak out, as this was still before the show. But she did try to get their attention to tell them to put it away. So we hear the usual announcement, you know, no cameras or recording, you are all very welcome to the show, etc. The band comes out and we groupies clap and cheer, some yelling “RAY!”, and its showtime!
   The awakening went very well, as it always does. I noticed a couple things on Dulaman. First, Lisa didn’t use the one finger ‘come here’ flirty move. She used all 4 fingers & the entire hand to both drummers. And it was sort of a one time move, not repeated. Just didn’t seem to be as sultry / flirty. Second, it looked like she had gold spoons. I always thought they were silver, or a basic metallic color. Could have been lighting though, or my angle. I was just left of center, but at Charlottesville I was just right of center. And the stage in Hershey seemed lower and maybe smaller. So my perspective may have just been a bit different tonight. But Lil lambe did her usual great job with the song. I really liked Susan tonight on Follow On. She didn’t really reach out and grab me at the first show, but I thought she did much better this time. Although I still wasn’t really awed by Water is Wide in the second half. But she really nailed the high notes on Follow On. She also seemed to have an easier time on the steps tonight. At Charlottesville, I got the impression that she was trying to be extra cautious on them. But she seemed a lot more comfortable. She even looked at people in the crowd a couple times, though she still doesn’t interact much. Just sort of looks straight back like Alex used to do. I also noted that she seemed to remind me a bit of Carrie Underwood. Not her voice, but the look. Susan also sounded better tonight. Maybe some type of adjustment made with the mics or speakers for her. Chloe  and Nocture went well too.


Title: Re: Hershey Kisses on Super Tuesday - CW in Hershey PA March 6 2012
Post by: Cash on March 10, 2012, 04:18PM


   Mairead did 2 solos in the first half of the show and the crowd just wasn’t into them. I wouldn’t say that the crowd was dead tonight, but there were empty seats and the ones with bodies in them were fairly quiet. Well except for the front row, which did seem to produce some clapping and noise. I don’t know. I have been to 2 shows this year, and both times Mairead couldn’t get the crowd fired up, despite her usual  energizing performance. Its not her fault, she is just as great as always. Maybe just a fluke kind of thing. Not every show can be sold out or have people really into the performance. Another interesting thing involved Mairead. The way they had the stage set up, relative to the seats, certain seating areas were to the far end of the stage, as one might expect in an arena. it’s a hockey arena, and since no one sat in some of these sections, they left the plexi-glass up  on the wall. At one point, the way the lights were shining and the way Mairead moved, and her position on stage, I caught a fairly strong reflection of her in the plexi-glass. Almost like seeing her moving in 2 places at once. The reflection didn’t last long though, because she quickly moved around and out of the needed spot to cast it.   
   And now, to discuss the part of the show in the first half that’s rapidly becoming a favorite of everyone … T.A.R. ! Lil Lambe came out on the left, as usual, and went to Annie and held her hand a bit as she la-la-la away. Then she headed over to MrPeabody and gently sat down on the edge of his lap. Then she and Chloe headed up the steps to the stage where Susan met them with her part of the act. Once again just awesome how they do all this. The choir guy / dancer did a fantastic job. Plus I thought Chloe did great with the spin on ‘dancing’ a real around you’ part. She sort of quickly snapped it and it was very crisp and sharp . It just seemed to me that Chloe has improved with the technical aspect of dance. Not that she was ever bad at it, but it just seems she is sharper with technique. I am hoping that someone with a dance background can verify, or comment. She always got a perfect score for artistry, but now she has the technique too! And speaking of technique, on the big spin move, I thought the guys seemed to have a tougher time tonight. They looked a bit more labored. They made it look so easy in Charlottesville. Again it wasn’t bad at all. Just didn’t seem as smooth. Still great and fun to watch. But I wonder if maybe a smaller stage, the position of the piano, or the steps, had an effect on the big spin.
   So its intermission and I decide to give Peabody the business about the ‘lap’ dance. I said “I thought you might need CPR” but  he replied “I was prepared” and mentioned something about tweeting her to do it. So I said “WHOA …  an invite? That’s a plan! That’s not spontaneous interaction! That doesn’t count!”. But hey it worked for him that’s for sure so that’s what counts. He had fun, and the crowd enjoyed it, and so did the performers. Lets just hope Lil Lambe doesn’t start getting pre-show tweets from every guy sitting in the floor section! Then I chit-chatted with Rob a bit, then its Act 2.
   Anthony started Amazing Grace as he walked down the far left aisle playing the bag pipes.. Then went up on stage. The usual start that grabs everyone’s attention. As always, the group did a fantastic job on the song. Arguably the best performance of the song by any musician or group.  Danny Boy and Parting Glass went well, as always. Chloe had to nag the crowd a bit more than usual on Green Grow. “Come on sing, we are all friends here” as well as other comments like “if you don‘t sing Jim the spot light guy will shine it on you‘ or something to that effect. The crowd eventually stirred a bit, and Lil Lambe put both thumbs up to the crowd, though much like in Charlottesville, she was just being nice. So we did get some participation, but still nothing to brag about. The crowd livened up a bit on Ray’s solo, and Mairead got a little clapping on her last song. People were clapping for not just her though as the step dance guy also did very well. Chloe once again excelled on Ave Maria and got a nice round of applause. A decent standing O at the end. One guy yelled out “More“ and Chloe said something like “Hold on we will get to that“ before the final piece. At the VERY end, just as she started walking to the side to exit the stage, Lil Lambe looked at Annie and sort of motioned to her mouth and stomach, implying the candy Annie provided was very good and much appreciated! .
   So another GREAT  show is over and time to head to the meet & greet. The room was small, and there were a fair number of people inside. The PBS people had a camera set up and did an interview or 2 to use for promos. .  The venue had several  men in the room to keep an eye on things. Once again the venue seemed esp. security minded. In walk Lil Lambe and Susan. I was glad to get Lil Lambe, as I had a pic that I really wanted signed. Plus I was happy to get Susan, its always nice to meet the new member of the group. Its all good though, as I always enjoy seeing Chloe and Mairead as well. Esp. Mairead, because it seems my m&gs with her are few and very far between. I have been lucky and have had a number with Chloe already.  At one point, I thought that I heard Susan say “My boyfriend …something … something …” and now it turns out, a day later, that he is her fiancé. Lucky man!  I also heard Mrpeabody’s friend tell Susan “she sat on my friend’s lap” as he pointed to Lil Lambe. Susan said “SHE SAT ON HIS LAP?!” But of course she would never see that part of the show, as she is still up behind the steps awaiting her time to appear then go down the steps. So I imagine that’s the first she ever heard of that.  I got my autographed photos, and of course forgot to say what I had planned to talk about. As I always do.  As I exited the room I noticed more venue people standing around there in the hall keeping an eye on things. They certainly did not lack sufficient event staff.
   As we headed west and home on the turnpike, we again ran across trouble on the road. It was in the east bound lane again, but lucky for us we were traveling west, so it didn’t slow us down at all. Some type of bad traffic accident. Lots of cop cars.


Title: Re: Hershey Kisses on Super Tuesday - CW in Hershey PA March 6 2012
Post by: John910 on March 10, 2012, 11:05PM
Great review. I noticed the crowd didn't seem as lively as some of the other Celtic Woman shows I went to.
Although to be honest, I did not try to help liven up the people in the area I was sitting in.
However I did give a standing O at the end of the first half and after "Ave Maria" and at the end of the show. I also did participate in the singing of "Green Grow the Rushes". :)