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Author Topic: My Quest For Perfection  (Read 2676 times)
bobh56
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« on: April 20, 2013, 11:13AM »

NOTE:  I'm sorry this took so long to post (I was procrastinating, and helping some friends with their backyard sugaring operation), for its length (I guess I had more to say than I originally thought), and that it repeats some of the stuff in my Mullins Center review (I couldn’t think of a way to say it differently).

Fellow Forumites,

During March, I went on a quest for perfection.  As most quests do, mine started months before with the development of a detailed plan, which included the acquisition of the tickets necessary to sustain me on my journey, and achieve to my quest’s goal. Through my journey, I met and dined with a number of wonderful, like-minded people on similar quests (e.g., Scott, Mike, Kelly, and Ed), and drove met close to 3500 miles, which afforded me the opportunity to visit far-away lands such as Baltimore, MD and Buffalo, NY.  More importantly, I had the privilege and supreme pleasure of attending 10 Celtic Woman Concerts (bringing my total to 37 since 2008) and three M&Gs.  I am delighted to report that I found the perfection I was seeking in the Celtic Woman’s Believe 2013 Tour.

The Believe 2013 Concert is different from last year’s offering, but it’s better in my opinion.  Reading through a few of my past concert reviews, I seem to always conclude that the concert being reviewed was better than the last I saw.  At the risk of being repetitious and sounding boring (which one should strive to not be), I am pleased to report that, once again, I have reached the same conclusion – i.e., I have no idea how they do it, but Celtic Woman’s concerts keep getting better.  Taking it a step further, in my opinion, Chloë’s, Máiréad’s, Lisa’s., and Susan’s talents and personalities blend so well that they are taking Celtic Woman to new heights.

I was thrilled to read in the Believe 2013 Tour program many old favorites have been reinstated.  In particular, it was great to hear again live Caledonia, Orinoco Flow, The Coast of Galiçia, The New Ground, The Voice, Shenandoah, She Moved Through The Fair, Níl Sé’n Lá, and You Raise Me Up.  To my way of thinking, the Believe 2013 Concert is sort of a Celtic Woman Greatest Hits Show.  Also, the mixing of the songs in the new show is fantastic because the show doesn’t drag for a second.  Even when there is a slow song (to allow the audience to catch their breath), it is followed by a more raucous number that gets the blood pumping – e.g., Chloë’s Nocturne is followed by Máiréad’s The Coast of Galiçia, and Tommy’s The New Ground is followed by Orinoco Flow.  The whole show moves at such a breakneck pace that I was surprised (and saddened) that the 2+ hours went by so fast.

Because others (e.g., Scott, Mike, Jennifer, and John) do a much better job with detailed concert reviews, I’ll devote the rest of this missive to my observations, perceptions, and highlights from the 10 concerts I attended.

I had M&G passes for a couple of concerts in past years; however, I had not yet attended one because I got stuck at work for one, and was coming down with a cold (that turned out to be the flu) before the other and didn’t want to pass it on to the Ladies.  This year, however, I finally got to meet the Ladies through three M&Gs.  Needless to say, I was (and am) smitten.  Since I hadn’t met them before, I thought some gifts would be in order, and gave them all an assortment of chocolates from Richardson’s Candy Kitchen, in Deerfield, MA (arguably, one of the best chocholatiers in New England) and Máiréad a bottle of mulled wine (called Glogg) from a local winery up here in northern Vermont – more on that in a bit – at my first M&G in Wallingford, CT.  My second M&G was at the Concert in Manchester, NH; I got a warm “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” from each of the Ladies.  I was a little taken aback in Manchester because, although all of the Ladies clearly recognized me, none called me by name.  When I mentioned this to Mike and Scott, they asked if I had told the Ladies my name; it dawned on me that in my excitement I had failed to tell them who I was.  That fopaux was corrected at my third M&G in Greenvale, NY, which was the most fun.  In addition to ensuring that I told the Ladies my name, I gave each a bottle of Vermont maple syrup.  (I was initially aghast Grin when Susan said she was looking forward to putting it on her “morning porridge” until I realized that maple syrup goes great on oatmeal [the American version of porridge], and much like bacon, maple syrup makes everything it’s added to taste good.)  When I asked if they liked the chocolate I gave them a week before, they assured me they did, and Chloë made fun of my New Yawk accent.  (Before moving to Vermont when I retired two years ago, I spent most of my life in the New York Metropolitan Area; the accent [I’m proud to say] doesn’t go away.)  Lastly, while I was asking Máiréad if she liked the mulled wine (she did), Chloë said she’d like to try it only to be told that it was all gone.  At that bit of news, she hit me with one of her angry looks, which until then I had only seen in the “argument” with Lisa at the beginning of Téir Abhaile Riú.  Not wanting to incur the Chloë’s wrath , I assured her I’d get her another bottle as soon as I could; Mike delivered the bottle at the M&G in Rochester, NY. 

As we all know, Susan came to Celtic Woman in early 2012 as a temporary replacement while Lisa K was on maternity leave.  Because the song list for the 2012 Believe Tour had already been set when Susan joined, her solos were songs that we were coming to identify with Lisa K – The Water Is Wide and Follow On.  To say she did an outstanding job with those songs would be a gross understatement.  Earlier this year, when Lisa K announced she’d be leaving Celtic Woman, Susan became a permanent member.  I would not be surprised if her euphoria at becoming a permanent Celtic Woman was dampened somewhat when she found out that the revised song list for the 2013 Believe Tour called for her to perform two songs that many (including myself) considered to be in Lisa K’s exclusive domain – Caledonia and The Voice.  (Regarding the latter, I have heard some opine that it was written specifically for Lisa K; a logical conclusion considering how well her voice blends the song’s lyrics and music.  In point of fact, however, Brendan Graham wrote The Voice for Eimear Quinn to sing at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest; she and the song took first place.)  Clearly, if she felt any anxiety with assuming this seemingly insurmountable task, it’s gone because her performance of these songs, and everything else she does with Celtic Woman (particularly her part of I Dreamed A Dream), exceeds superb. 

Lisa is an absolute delight.  She always is very forthcoming with smiles, waves, and glances for her adoring fans.  For example, during the beginning of Téir Abhaile Riú , in Manchester, NH, Lisa had a little girl in the row in front of me join her in the aisle for a dance, which made the kid’s day, if not year; I gave the girl a fist bump for doing such a great job..  I’ve always enjoyed Lisa’s version of Dúlaman, particularly her spoon playing and playful interactions with Ray, Andy, and Dermot; this year’s addition of the acapella introduction in Irish and the flowing veil (to give Lisa something else to mesmerize us with) are wonderful touches.  But, one of the songs that really gets to me in Believe 2013 Concert is Lisa’s solo of Bridge Over Troubled Water; I have not been so moved by this song since I first heard Art Garfunkel’s original version in 1970.  In fact, the first time I heard Lisa’s version (during the Concert at the Mullins Center) I was so stunned by it that I forgot to give her a standing ovation – Sorry Lisa!  Of course, I rectified that oversight during the next nine Concerts I attended.     

One of my greatest pleasures over the last eight years has been watching Chloë grow from a shy teenager with a somewhat delicate voice into a gorgeous woman with the stage presence of Ethel Merman and a powerful multi-octave voice that can shake the rafters in any venue she visits.  In fact, Chloë’s performances of Nocturne and Ave Maria are the perfection that I was seeking when I started my quest.  (BTW, Nocturne, performed by Secret Garden, won first place at the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest.)  As if that’s not enough, the Believe 2013 Concert also includes Chloë’s marvelous duets with Lisa and Susan on She Moved Through The Fair and I Dreamed A Dream, respectively, and she adds her phenomenal voice to many other group songs.  It’s hard to fathom how so much talent can be jammed into one Lady, but it has been and, thankfully, she’s a member of Celtic Woman.

Throughout the Concert, Máiréad is effervescent and brilliant, and to a large degree controls the tempo of the show.  Her ability to flawlessly play the fiddle while flitting across the stage at an incredible pace gives new meaning to the term perpetual motion machine, and leave many (including me) exhausted in her wake.  (One wonders whether the world’s reliance on fossil fuels would be eliminated if her energy could be harnessed.)  In my opinion, the reintroduction of Shenandoah and The Coast of Galiçia help to better showcase Máiréad’s exceptional talents as a violinist/Celtic fiddler.  I also particularly enjoyed fiddle/dance duel she does with Craig following Shenandoah, and the (too) brief jam session she does with Ray and Ewan at the beginning of Níl Sé’n Lá.  On top of all that, she also joins the singing on Mo Ghile Mear and The Parting Glass.   

Speaking of Níl Sé’n Lá, while the aforementioned Máiréad /Ray/Ewan jam session is going on, the Choir members and Anthony were out in the audience dancing (Sarah and Edel got some very good moves) and making merry only to be called back to the stage by Lisa, Chloë, and Susan feigning anger – a most hilarious moment very similar to the “argument” between Chloë, Lisa, and Susan at the beginning of Téir Abhaile Riú.  I also am very please that the Concert continues to showcase the talents of the individual band members – in particular, Ray’s Bodhran solo, Tommy’s The New Grange, and Anthony’s bagpipe solo at the beginning of Amazing Grace are incredible.  Another endearing moment that I feel needs to be mentioned occurred during the Buffalo Concert when Anthony gave some kid in the audience a low five as he started towards the stage on Amazing Grace.

I could go on, but as mentioned above, one should strive to not be boring, so I’ll close by saying I hope to see some of you as I continue my quest at future Believe 2013 Concerts.   Until then –

Be well,

Bob
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Hubert
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« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2013, 12:27PM »

I loved your review, Bob.  My only two shows this year are May 17 and 19 but you certainly have set the stage and honed my appetite.  If there is anything good out of having shows in the back part of the tour it is reading reviews of earlier shows and having a long build up of anticipation.  Thanks again!
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There is no Lambe like our Lil' Lambe.  Mairead Carlin is the real deal.
mattycakes
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Oh you have made me very angry, very angry indeed!


« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2013, 02:01PM »

One wonders whether the world’s reliance on fossil fuels would be eliminated if her energy could be harnessed

Omg! Your description of Mairead was FANTASTIC!!!
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Emer Dreamer
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I Am An Emer Dreamer


« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2013, 07:11PM »

 Thank you for the enthusiastic  review !   Almost as much  energy as a certain  Fairy Fiddler....  Shocked
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Scott
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« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2013, 09:00PM »


Thanks Bob! Smiley  Always a pleasure to attend shows with you. Smiley  Reading your review, a couple of the events you described became vivid as I recalled being there for them, such as the little girl in Manchester.  Smiley

See you again soon! Smiley



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