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Author Topic: AWESOME Night In Dayton  (Read 6173 times)
mattycakes
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Oh you have made me very angry, very angry indeed!


« on: April 24, 2013, 08:17AM »

Hi all! So I've decided to post another one of my not so little reviews! Its mainly my own thoughts and feelings about the show and what I took away personally from each song. Hopefully I can provide any of you who aren't able to go with a piece of my own experience. But! For the first time ever I will also be sharing a pre and post show section too! It will detail the many shenanigans me and my two weirdo friends were involved in! The first part is rather long. So if you want only show info, just wait for Part 2

Here goes nothing!

Part 1 – Pre-Show

Well, as I’ve already said, this first part will be detailing our pre-show antics. But let me take you back a bit further first so that I may provide some background. Back when Celtic Woman announced the schedule for this year, I noticed that Cinci, sadly, wasn’t on the schedule. Dayton, however, is very feasible. I’d been there before; mostly to visit the Air Force Museum. That’s one of my favorite places!

So Jimmy (my best friend who’s been to my other two shows, 2011 SFTH and 2012 Believe) and I decided that, heck yeah, we want to go. But around this same time, my other friend, Brittany, was going through some hard times with her grandfather. He had recently suffered a stroke and his dementia was getting far worse. So she became pretty down. So I decided to make her a CW cd of all of their best pick-me-up type songs. I incorporated songs like YRMU, When You Believe, The Blessing, and more. Needless to say, she was very grateful and truly enjoyed the music. So then I thought, why not invite her to a concert as well?

Cue the legendary John (aka Starman) who offered group tickets to this show! So I accepted and got 3 tickets (can’t thank you enough John!). So then I told her and she was completely overwhelmed. And, fortunately, she had the concert to look forward to. Because precisely one month after I invited her, her house burned down in a fire.

I was also very upset about this since it meant her family would be moving out of town to live closer to her father. They now live in what I have nicknamed (which is something she has enthusiastically emulated) East Jesus. And why? Because she now lives in Williamsburg, Ohio. And the sad thing about Cinci is that there is NO easy way out to the east side. You have to go up I75 to I275 and take that all the way over to US 50 and then take that further to a connecting route. It’s at least 45 minutes in one direction!

So I decided to be the nice guy and be the group driver. NEVER AGAIN!!! My Lord in heaven above. That was a ridiculous drive! But I had made plans to leave extra early for fear of getting caught in traffic and also due to Dayton’s awful construction.

So we stopped at TGIFriday’s in Springdale for our dinner. We had a very fun time there. Had some good food, great conversations about love, loss, the meaning of life, and trying to figure out just what a true Hufflepuff is anyways… (that’s for all you A Very Potter Musical fans out there) I made fun of Brittany when she ordered a cocktail (she just turned 21 in January) by calling her a horrible drunk, which she’s not. I just enjoy making fun of her! Then I took a drink from her Coke, forgetting that she’s a bit of a germaphobe. Whoopsie. So then, when she ordered another To Go, she wrote on the side in Sharpie, Brittany’s Cup, aka, NOT MATT’S! Then on the other side she drew a stick figure of herself drinking from her cup saying, Yummy, whilst stick figure me looked on and said Boo hoo! I want a drink too!

Then I realized we still had plenty of time to kill. So Jimmy said, why don’t we go wander in the mall? But Brittany said she wasn’t allowed back in that Dillard’s as she and my other friend, Allison, were kicked out. Apparently, they decided to put Granny Panties on over their pants and run amuck throughout the store and Dillard’s took offense. To which I responded, Where the HECK was I and why wasn’t I invited? Lol!

So we instead made our way to Big Lots where, upon entering, Jimmy realized we were being loud as it was VERY quiet in there. One of the customer service people was even looking at me so I just waved and went, HI! Brittany found the movie Prom Date and we wandered about. At one point, we were separated. I was looking at the AWESOME nerf guns they had, then I walked around a corner to have Brittany throw one of those outdoor bouncy plastic balls at me while yelling, DODGEBALL!!! I caught it with absurd ease and threw it back at her. I nailed her right in the forehead! Unfortunately, it bounced off and knocked over a Barbie display. The managers gave me and Brittany very angry looks. Classic. I said to the rep, You’ll have to excuse my friend; she’s an idiot. Oh the angry looks I received. Ah, good times. Good times.

Well, shortly thereafter, we became bored with Big Lots and left after spending WAY too many dollars at those evil Claw machines where you try to get a stuffed animal out. Try as I might, I couldn’t get Scooby-Doo. Jimmy was tempted by the Angry Birds version of Princess Leia and Brittany attempted to get Robin from Teen Titans. No luck. So I got me a rubber bouncy ball from one of those quarter gumball type machines and called it a day. Oh! And Brittany managed to get one of those funky balloons that you can decorate with facial stickers and such.

So we drove to Dayton! It was an enjoyable ride, with me flipping the birdie to some annoyingly slow drivers. I do have terrible road rage. Oh btw! Sorry if that was any of you guys! Can’t help it sometimes! The ride wasn’t as bad as I’d feared. Dayton has gotten a lot done in this year since I’ve been there. They had had only 2 lanes going north even before you got into Greater Dayton with Southbound I75 in the 2 closed Northbound lanes! But then, right as the song Edge of Seventeen started playing on the radio and we started jamming, my radio started tuning out! Curses! So Jimmy plugged in his iPod and the song Hakuna Matata from The Lion King started. We jammed to that the entire way to the Arts Garage. Oh, what do you want from me? I said we were weirdos!

But we were still early. So we decided to explore Downtown Dayton. We had a rather pleasant experience! Then Brittany saw one of the streetcars approaching. Have you all seen the movie White Chicks? The scene where the guy goes, Hold my poodle! HOLD MY POODLE! Well Brittany’s reaction was very similar. She stopped. Looked at it approaching like a hunter watching her prey. Then she slammed her wallet/purse thing into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me, saying, HOLD MY WALLET! Then she’s struggling to pull out her iPod to take a picture of it. The streetcar didn’t have any stops on our street so she went running after it screaming, NO!!! I need a picture!

Eventually she got the picture and we returned to our trip. We were next approached by a Rastafarian gentleman asking us for tokens. I said, Umm… We’re just visitors. We honestly don’t know what tokens are. And his whole persona suddenly changes as he responds, Oh! My bad! Tokens are for the streetcars! But how do you like Dayton? It’s nice, isn’t it? Supremely creeped out, we exited stage right with all due haste. We also came across a cannon that was a Civil War monument. Naturally we took a picture of me with my hand over my eyes, gazing across a battlefield while Jimmy posed with his hand pointing as if saying, Fire at will! Ironically, when Brittany took the pic, she said, Okay! One, two, three! And Jimmy and I both yelled, FIRE, at the top of our lungs. Passerby looked at us as though we were completely nuts. Whatever. Then on our trip to the actual venue where we decided we’d wait and get souvenirs, we passed Dermot on his way to a local coffee shop. Being the nice guy and slight weirdo I am, I said, Hey! What’s up? He said, Hey, as well but neither of us stopped for a prolonged chat. Brittany and Jimmy were both like, What? So I explained he was in the choir and I always think its nice to be a friendly face! Then Jimmy says, Wait… Isn’t he also Chloe’s boyfriend? To which I miserably respond affirmatively. I make no apologies for being a die-hard Chloe fan. Don’t judge me.

We get into the venue and Jimmy and I get a program even though we don’t have Meet and Greets. But whatever! I like to have one for each show I go to. Brittany also ordered a cocktail. It was a cranberry cocktail of some kind. I tried a sip and it wasn’t bad! My compliments to the venue’s bar staff! We were then shown to our seats. We had an enjoyable time as the venue is larger and newer than The Aronoff. We made offhand comments about this and that, including whether Brittany should be cut-off from the alcohol. Lol!

Then the lights dimmed and some Scheuster Center dude came out and thanked us for coming. He also told us about upcoming shows and thanked the sponsors for tonight’s show as well as the volunteers. Then… The… Lights turned bright again? Um… What?

I guess they had some technical difficulties or something. So we all started talking again. Brittany looked at the setlist. The only songs she recognized were in the Second Act. Sorry guys! She doesn’t know Danny Boy. Please don’t judge her too harshly. She’s never been exposed to this type of music before! Oh wait! The lights are dimming once more! And the band is coming on stage! And there go the stage lights too…
« Last Edit: April 27, 2013, 08:03PM by mattycakes » Logged
mattycakes
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Oh you have made me very angry, very angry indeed!


« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2013, 09:37AM »

I'll post the final parts a little later. I've gotta go for now! But I tried to inlude as many elements as possible, from notes about the singers to notes about choreography. Hope that satiates those of you who aren't able to attend this year!

Part 2 – Act One

Awakening – The beams rise from the floor to the ceiling around the staircase. Brittany leaned over and said, Now that’s cool. As Mairead came onto the stage, Jimmy gave a soft Yes! next to me (being a violin player himself, Mairead tends to be his favorite). I loved the extended whistle intro for this! Mairead sort of softly flitted about on the upper level, gesturing here and there with her bow as she descended the stairs pulling us all into a trance. Then as she took her place center front of the main stage, she took her signature pose: bow raised high with the backlight, ready to play. And as soon as she played that very first note, the audience went wild with applause. Then each of the girls came out. A note about this song: FAR better live than cd. It really booms its way to your heart. Susan stood out to me too. Its obvious she’s become much more comfortable up there and it shows. Not only in her movements and her presence but also in her voice. She’s sounding better than ever as she lets her power voice show. Loved the new choreography. When they twirl their hands at “A flicker of a flame” it was quite mesmerizing. Got a Mairead smile out of this one! Oh btw! We were 5th row back on the piano side. So… Yeah. I also loved the interaction between Susan and Chloe while Mairead played her solo and Lisa went over to put on the cape. They really seemed to be enjoying themselves! Wonderful opener! Standing ovation.

Dulaman – I LOVED Lisa’s intro to this song! Anybody know what its called or what it means or anything? It was quite haunting. Well, Lisa nails this song, as always. Not much need to change anything here. It was funny seeing her play the spoons and sing along with Ray. Brittany, by the way, was shocked! She had no idea spoons could be an instrument! Lol! No standing ovation from most at the end of this one though. Perhaps a great number of Meav fans in the audience?

Nocturne – Chloe came out and gave us her usual intro. She said how she was very happy to see us and that Ohio was one of the few states where they’d been on every single tour and that they loved coming here to perform. She also asked if we were having a good time yet to which the audience responded with lackluster. She put a hand on her hip and said, Okay. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Ohio in all these years it’s that I KNOW you guys can make a heck of a lot more noise than that! Everyone in the crowd began cheering for her. Seems Chloe got the crowd ready to go! She performed this song to absolute perfection, soaring to higher notes than on the cd/dvd. One thing I noted though. You know how everyone complains her voice seems to be getting more poppy? Well I noted the presence of it here too, but also noted that she seemed more in control of it and it also seemed to help her rise to those soaring high notes. If that’s the case, more power to her! Her voice was absolute perfection tonight. I jumped outta my seat for her!

The Coast Of Galicia – Let me say one thing. Mairead had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. She had us all ready to go. And as she started playing, the audience started cheering. I like the way she stomped her foot a few times during this song! She really gets into it! Then as the pace starts to quicken, we start clapping along! Now! Do you all know the part when the song stops for a moment as its picking up momentum? Right before she usually jumps into a fierce series of twirls and such? Well at that moment, she was standing on the bottom of the stairs as we’re clapping and then jumps forward with momentum as the audience literally roars in support. Brittany even gave a Woah of surprise from her seat as Mairead bounded forward and played to the center audience. She does a lot of twirling about on this song. No idea how many as I don’t count. Sorry. But, like I said, she had this audience eating right out of her hands. Full crowd standing ovation as she waved her now-shredded bow and bowed her thanks. AWESOME performance!

The New Ground – I must say that this is such a lovely song! I’m glad they brought it back. I also really loved the lighting. It was fabulous. Tommy is an incredible addition to the group and got a much deserved applause for it.

Orinoco Flow – I’m SO glad they brought this back! LOVE it! As the thunder rolled, you could hear the choir quite clearly. LOVE the new choreography! The beginning when the girls descend the stairs is awesome! Lisa starts off on the lowest, walking down the steps and being twirled to the piano side. Chloe goes next, descending a bit then jumping into her twirl. Susan was the best! Descending partway, then being lifted into the air and carried the rest of the way. To most easily describe some of the choreography: Remember how they used to sway a lot and it was supposed to look like waves? Well now it looks more as if they’re rowing due to the fact that their arms sway in a front to back motion as they sing “We can sail, we can sail.” And the girls all do a lot of their own dancing in this one! I remember Chloe, at one point, while the choir was singing their part, began to sort of spin around with her arms outstretched. Very reminiscent of Stevie Nicks. They all kept their own little harmonies in the song like during later SFTH tours. Truly mesmerizing song. Well deserved standing ovation.

Caledonia – Susan began this song with an introduction that made the connection between Scotland and Ireland, to much applause from the audience. She giggled that there must be a few Scots in the audience! She then stated how this song was very near and dear to her heart and that it really brought out feelings of home for her. Now! Before I continue, I’m going to make a little disclaimer! If you’re a die-hard Lisa Kelly fan, I want you to either stop reading this songs review or at least promise not to stone me. Because, truth be told, I liked Susan’s version much more than Lisa’s. *ducks* Please let me explain why. The only version I’ve witnessed is the Slane version. But even on soundtrack, Lisa sounded far too happy for this song. Susan sang this song with this wonderful, emotional, misty-eyed quality which really fit with the heart and soul of this song. She was gazing out into the distance, she sat down on the stairs with a glazed over expression, she sang this song with a truly loving caress in her voice which Lisa Kelly never achieved on the cd/dvd. Maybe she did on the tours. I don’t know. But the truth is, I truly felt that Susan made this song breath. She was absolutely wonderful. I was one of the first to jump up and give her a standing ovation.

Teir Abhaile Riu – Now here’s where everything gets kicked up a notch! This was also Brittany’s favorite song. Mostly for the argument part. But a quick word about the venue. The front row was close to the stage so there was no room for stairs. The front six or so rows also went the entire length of the stage. Then, the next section had the aisles on either side of the center area of seating. I heard Lisa but had no idea where she was. So I looked at the spotlight and saw it behind us. So I turned around and there she was about 8 feet from me. I nudged Brittany and Jimmy. The turned just as Lisa plopped down into the lap of an older gentleman in the section behind and right of ours who began to laugh. Then Chloe came out on the other side of the center section behind us. May I just say that Chloe was perfect in this one! She was really into the argument part, shooting some extremely dirty looks Lisas way. Lisa bypassed the stairs and went to sit in the lap of John who, I couldn’t help but noticed, had switched seats with someone else! You Lisa-hog you! As they made their way to the stage proper and began arguing, Susan stepped in. As she was singing, Chloe went to the band members to express her exasperation. Lisa, meanwhile, did the funniest thing ever. While Susan was singing, Lisa put her hand in the air like a child waiting to be called on in the classroom. Susan pointed at her as though saying, Yes, you may speak! And Lisa began arguing her point. Chloe, not one to be denied, came over and argued to. Susan couldn’t seem to keep the peace as Lisa started making jabbering motions at Chloe and dragged her voice as though it were gravel. Chloe had this I can’t believe you look on her face. Then they stopped and the real song began. It was the same fun it always is! Brittany was once again shocked by the spoons but this was one song she really got into! Well deserved standing ovation from an amused and delighted crowd.

Granuaile’s Dance – Oh Mairead! Why you gotta make my hands hurt? Right after TAR, we get a very brief reprieve as Mairead starts up this song. Since it starts off slow, I get a minute to rub some feeling back into my raw hands. But it doesn’t last long! As you all know very well, Mairead kicks it into high gear and the audience responds with enthusiasm! She was running all over the place and spinning around like a tiny top! Brittany was like, darn Matt! How does she do all that and not trip? Heck if I know Britt! Its one of the mysteries of life which either we shall never solve, or it would drive us crazy if we did! Regardless, Mairead, who turned us into putty in her hands, received a big standing o in addition to another shredded bow.

Danny Boy – While Mairead scurried off to replace her bow, Lisa and the girls came out and Lisa introduced this song to us as one of those timeless classic Irish songs that tells a tale of hope through pain, of love and loss. When Mairead rejoins them, they begin. Brittany, who’d never heard this song, was on the verge of tears by the end because of the beauty of it. She joined us all in her first standing o of the night.

Mo Ghile Mear – Well, she was perched on the edge of her seat and I kinda pushed her back. She looked at me like, What? And I whispered, You’ll wanna be sitting back for this one. The choir began their chant, crisp and clear, as the drummers slammed on their instruments. Brittany jumped a bit, then laughed at herself. This is one song which I’ve always loved. Chloe sang her first solo with a little more softness to the ending which really captured the essence of the song. I happily sang along to the chorus of this song out loud. That’d probably be the reason why some of you thought someone was scraping nails against a chalkboard! Lol! But I certainly got an appreciative nod from Lisa during the first chorus as she smiled at me. The climax of this song was wonderful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it sung with such power. The audience responded very enthusiastically, with a long standing ovation. Jimmy and Brittany and I were all cheering. Jimmy even got a wave from Chloe! Jerk! Figures he’d try to steal my thunder! *folds arms and pouts*

Then its announced that we’re moving into Intermission…
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mishawakafan
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A smile a little girl & her Papa will never forget


« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2013, 04:13PM »

I need to sat aside some time to read this.  Promise!   Smiley

Phil
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littlecubspirit
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Mairead and Misha- Pixies!


« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2013, 04:43PM »

The first part leaves me wanting more. (my first review is up as well by the way)
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MY REVIEW OF MY THIRD SHOW IS UP!

I MET LISA L, CHLOE, MAIREAD N, SUSAN,  MAIREAD C, LYNN, EABHA,  DAVID, SARAH/EDEL, CRAIG, NICK, RAY, ANTHONY!
IloveyouSarahBurke!! <3
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When You Believe~ Chloe:"that was for you" 5/15/15


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« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2013, 05:16PM »

I'm still too emotional to write my review of last night.. let alone read one... but,
Where were you sitting?  I was probably chatting with you, I just didn't know it... haha
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Thanks Scott! 
I MET CHLOE (6X),LIL' LAMBE (4X)MAIREAD NESBITT(6X)AND SUSAN(6X) MAIREAD CARLIN(4X) ALEX SHARPE,and EABHA!!!!!!!!!!
Ncoua
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Sup!


« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2013, 05:23PM »

Always a good read... reminds me of the good times!
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mattycakes
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Oh you have made me very angry, very angry indeed!


« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2013, 08:01PM »

I'm still too emotional to write my review of last night.. let alone read one... but,
Where were you sitting?  I was probably chatting with you, I just didn't know it... haha

No actually! I sort of kept to myself and kept my two friends company. Especially Brittany cuz she was knew and was nervous about the whole thing. Especially about what she told me during intermission. But I'll get to that in a few minutes. But I will say this, I did see you at some point. I think you were talking to John perhaps? I was sitting almost directly behind him for the first act. Then I think he moved during intermission. Cuz for some reason I don't remember him being there during Act 2. Anyways, I saw you. And I agree with what was stated in the thread with your M&G pics. You looked lovely. And don't worry about it! Read my pre-show shenanigans and you might get a little smile on your face! Lol! That's my goal!  Grin
« Last Edit: April 24, 2013, 08:05PM by mattycakes » Logged
mattycakes
Honorary Roadie
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Oh you have made me very angry, very angry indeed!


« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2013, 08:30PM »

Alright! I'm gonna do the Intermission part real quick then I'm off to bed. Sorry to leave you guys hanging in suspense like that. Since I know you're all DYING to read more! Lol! But I got back to work today after 2 days off (a little vacation I took for the concert) and it was like the whole friggin place fell apart. So Matt's tired! Act Two and post-show fun will come tomorrow.

Part 3 – Intermission

So intermission was mostly uneventful this time around. I saw some forum folks, including John and Sarah (didn’t know it was her, sorry!). But I didn’t get up to say hello. Jimmy had gotten up and braved the crowd in the restroom so I would’ve felt bad leaving Brittany all by her lonesome when she was out of her element. This was actually the first time she’d ever even been in a professional theatre before. So she was a bit nervous.

I asked her if she was having a good time, mostly because whenever I sat down after giving a standing ovation (I favor my right side when I go to sit down so I always noticed her) I couldn’t help but notice, with the exception of TAR, Danny Boy, and Mo Ghile Mear when she stood and applauded too, she had her arms crossed and looked kinda mad. She said she actually really was enjoying the show and said she really loved it so far. And I responded, But…? And she said, Well… The guy next to me keeps elbowing me in my breast (sorry admins… don’t technically know if I can say that here but I also don’t know what else you want me to say) whenever he claps! And I’m like, Say what? She’s like, Yeah! He claps sideways (meaning he’s the type that, when he claps, his elbows go out about a foot from his body), hitting her. She told me that if it wasn’t for that, she’d be in a much better mood. Well, dude must’ve heard her complaining because he eventually moved over a seat. Thank God.

When Jimmy arrived, for some God-only-knows reason, we decided to have a little thumb war tournament. What you’ve all gotta understand is that, me and my friends… Yeah…We’re all kinda spazy. Oh well! I became the undisputed champion of our thumb war tournament! I beat both of those two! And I beat Jimmy at Rock-Paper-Scissors! But Brittany beat me… Then she challenged me to (Big Bang Theory fans, prepare yourselves) to Rock-Paper-Lizard-Spock. And then I said, Aren’t you forgetting the scissors? She paused for a moment then said, My mom won’t let me play with scissors!

Good times. Good times. We also talked a bit with some of our neighbors. There was a woman behind us who asked to see Jimmy’s program. I talked to her briefly as she wasn’t sure whether Lisa Lambe was on any PBS Special. I replied she was but that Susan, who took over for Lisa K last year, was not. Then Brittany tugged on my shoulder and said, very excitedly, I actually know some of these second act songs! I told her that Amazing Grace would be first. She said, Oh great! Now I’ve gotta cry! And I told her, You’ll probably be distracted by the bagpiper. She asked why and I responded, Well, firstly, the bagpipes are VERY loud. It’ll surprise you. But once the shock wears off, you’ll probably appreciate the good-looking dude in the kilt. And she gave me an O_o  look and said, He wears a KILT?! Honestly! What is it with girls and kilts? Maybe I should try one…

Anywho… I also talked to a gentleman sitting with a woman who I assume was his wife. They were on Jimmy’s left (I was sitting between with Jimmy to my left and Brittany to my right). He asked me if I’d ever been to a concert before, as Jimmy and I were very enthusiastic. He sounded amused though, so that’s good! And I said, Actually this is only our third one. We came from Cinci. And he said, Oh so you probably usually see them at the Aronoff. I responded yes we do, but that I really like this venue since it was so beautiful and I REALLY loved the sparkling starry dome! Then Brittany and I turned our heads up and started looking at it again and Jimmy said to them, Those two are easily amused. To which I responded, No! We’re just easily distracted by shiny things! Brittany agreed.

Then pretty soon the lights started to dim once more…
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IloveyouSarahBurke!! <3
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« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2013, 04:34PM »

I'm still too emotional to write my review of last night.. let alone read one... but,
Where were you sitting?  I was probably chatting with you, I just didn't know it... haha

No actually! I sort of kept to myself and kept my two friends company. Especially Brittany cuz she was knew and was nervous about the whole thing. Especially about what she told me during intermission. But I'll get to that in a few minutes. But I will say this, I did see you at some point. I think you were talking to John perhaps? I was sitting almost directly behind him for the first act. Then I think he moved during intermission. Cuz for some reason I don't remember him being there during Act 2. Anyways, I saw you. And I agree with what was stated in the thread with your M&G pics. You looked lovely. And don't worry about it! Read my pre-show shenanigans and you might get a little smile on your face! Lol! That's my goal!  Grin
Yeah, I was talking to John for awhile... He did move up to the first row during intermission, and I moved up too during intermission to about the 3rd row I believe... haha There were empty seats, I was gonna take one of em!  Tongue
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Thanks Scott! 
I MET CHLOE (6X),LIL' LAMBE (4X)MAIREAD NESBITT(6X)AND SUSAN(6X) MAIREAD CARLIN(4X) ALEX SHARPE,and EABHA!!!!!!!!!!
mattycakes
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Oh you have made me very angry, very angry indeed!


« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2013, 09:50PM »

Okay! Let's finish this ridiculously long review! Next!

Part 4 – Act Two

Amazing Grace – Now here’s a song that always, ALWAYS moves me. When Anto came down the aisle playing, Brittany leaned over and said, You were right! Those really are loud. I just smiled and kept watching him. Susan, of course, started this song, with her sweet voice. I thought the whole song was good but, here, for the first time, I missed Lisa Kelly. I know Susan is a power singer, as are the others, but I just really felt that this song was missing that awesome Lisa Kelly power. Nothing against Susan, because she’s wonderful. But it was missing some Lisa Kelly. Still got a standing ovation though.

She Moved Through The Fair – Now I’ve read some reviews about this song and most don’t seem to find it to be worth much note other than saying it’s a lovely duet. But, to me, it was much more than that. I thought Chloe and Lisa were spellbinding! More importantly, a song such as this really gives them both a chance to shine as the power sopranos they are. And they seized that chance and truly ran with it. It was just beautiful. I jumped up to applaud.

A Tribute To Broadway – Next came Susan. She introduced this medley as being one that she, personally, loved performing as she came from an extensive musical background. She also touched upon how exciting its been for her to perform it in American Broadway and off-Broadway theatres. As she began I Dreamed A Dream, I noticed she changed it from last tour. She was definitely more comfortable on this tour as she sang with much more power than last year in Cinci and toyed with the tempo a bit. Chloe then joined her, putting more emotion into her part than I saw her do last year. My word! They just keep getting better every year! Then as the song reached its crescendo and the girls descended the stairs together, Brittany (a Les Mis fan) said wow softly as they hit the higher part of “as they turn your dream to shame.” Susan belted out her part with such power as to make Lisa Kelly fans stare. She and Chloe sounded so beautiful together, and Susan’s look of unbearable pain really put emotion to this one as it reached the end and Lisa returned. It’s always such a pleasure to see Lisa perform Circle Of Life. She brings such joy to it. This time, with Chloe and Susan on either side and not in the background like last tour, it was kind of distracting seeing them sort of mimic her moves. I think that’s something they ought to change. But then, when the song reached its climax and everyone came together, they all really jammed! It was such a blast! Me and my two friends were all jamming together in our seats! And we all stood up to give them a well-deserved standing ovation.

Bridge Over Troubled Water – Now! This… was… STUNNING! I am so deeply impressed with this song and with Lisa. It was just her and Piano Guy (he’s still the only band member whose name I don’t know!). This was really Lisa Lambe’s answer to Lisa Kelly’s The Blessing. Just her singing with the piano playing softly. So beautiful. And it certainly added to the intimacy of the song. She sang softly in the beginning, then picked up on her power. When she sang, I felt as though I could fall back into her arms, and she would catch me. And that she would protect from anything and everything that she could. It takes a certain type of performer to make someone feel that way. Thank God we’ve got that covered in Celtic Woman. I also noticed she was singing a lot of the later half of the song to someone in the center section ahead of us. Was that you Sarah? Regardless, I’m sure whoever it was was overwhelmed. I know I certainly was. Breathtaking performance. Cd version please? Standing ovation, you ask? Oh yes. Most definitely.

Ray’s Showstopper – Don’t have another name for this. So… Yeah. Anyway, Ray came out, bodhran in hand, and started showing us some of his tricks! Brittany, having never seen this before, was deeply impressed and began laughing her butt off! As did we all. But when Ray started trying to get us all to join in, Jimmy and I were the first to start clapping and he looked right at us and went Yeah! It was awesome! Maybe I do have some rhythm after all! Yay! He really got the crowd going. And as he started to head off the stage, Mairead came charging right out, forcing him back!

Band Shenanigans – Don’t have a name for this either. But it was fun! A whole LOT of fun! Omg! So the choir was already in the aisles dancing away. They were joined by Anto and Andy. Everyone was dancing in the aisle behind my chair! Got a wink from Edel! Can’t beat that! And may I just say that I’m kinda glad there was another person behind me before the aisle. Because Craig was doing some hardcore dancing in the aisle. Really kicking those legs up. And I would’ve been nervous. I mean, I know he’s a pro and all. But still! Oh! And speaking of mishaps, as Anto and Dermot were heading to the stairs, Dermot threw his hat at Anto, but almost missed! Anto caught it literally right above some poor old dear’s head! Dermot gave him a look like, good catch dude! But then Lisa was standing on the steps as they came over with a very stern look on her face. Susan and Chloe were onstage with their hands on their hips looking at Tommy, Ewan, and Eoghan as if saying, Don’t even think about it.

Nil S’en La – As they began this song with the same vocal intro as on SFTH, the choir returned to the stage. This is one song where everyone, and I mean EVERONE, jammed along. Even us in the audience! There was too much going on to see it all, sadly. But there were some parts that truly stood out to me. Watching Susan and Lisa spin each other around, Chloe dancing teasingly with Mairead, and Mairead constantly making that poor spotlight guy work so dang hard! Also, during Mairead’s solo, while the girls are on the steps, they each interacted with her in their own way. Chloe leaned down over her and the two had a fun little back and forth tug-of-war thing. Lisa was swinging her dress about, having a blast. And Susan was clapping along by smacking on her hips and gave Mairead this look like, Come get some! Then, when the girls jumped off the steps and came to the foreground of the stage, Susan, who usually looks further out into the distance, saw me singing along, and gave me this big old smile and little giggle! Omg! I got me some Susan love! Suckas! Beat that! Lol! They also added an extra chorus in their before they sang the part that goes “Tell me that the night is long” later in the song. Right before they started doing a bunch of hardcore dancing. This was great! Everybody, me and my two friends included, jumped up to applaud!

Shenandoah/Mairead-Craig Special – Ugh! What is with these no name songs?! I figured we’d at least have one for Mairead and Craig’s duel! Well anyway… Shenandoah was very beautiful. Mairead played every note perfectly and with such emotion on her face. As Jimmy tells me, that’s not easy to do. I do have one complaint about this though. I noticed she seemed to pause after the big notes. It was probably a personal choice on her part. But it was one that I felt interrupted the flow of this song. But nothing else mattered when she began her duel with Craig. These two were on fire! And as soon as Craig made his first steps, the crowd went nuts! Clearly, this is a favorite! And for good reason! Since Mairead dances so much on stage, I suppose its only natural we would love to see her dueling with an Irish dancer! Standing o! And yet another shredded bow!

Ave Maria – Now this was stunning! I would just like to point out how much you can really hear the choir on this one. They were tremendous! And kudos to Craig! Going from dancing to this kind of vocally demanding song is no easy task. Of course, my gorgeous Chloe makes it look so simple. She was higher and stronger than when I last saw her sing this song. When she sang the line, “in hóra mórtis, mórtis nóstrae,” and went really high, she nearly blew the roof off the place. Pretty dome and all. I was stunned. When she took her curtsy, the whole place exploded with applause. She looked overwhelmed by the standing o we gave her.

The Voice – This is one I was worried about. I will be the first to admit it. But Susan did a very good job! It was different in certain ways from Lisa Kelly’s. Especially the beginning. I couldn’t help but notice that Susan seemed to let all the lines, up to the “set you free” part, end in almost a sigh. As if she was letting the words linger in the air a bit. It gave the beginning of this song an ethereal, mystical quality which Lisa’s version didn’t have. Lisa’s version had more of an earthy, warm quality. Susan was not afraid to show off her power. And boy does she ever have some! Lisa Kelly may forever own this song in our hearts, but Susan did a heck of a job with it! She could certainly give Lisa Kelly a run for her money! Bravo! Standing ovation!

You Raise Me Up – Mairead introduced this song as one of the most long-standing traditions of Celtic Woman. She said that it really spoke the words that Celtic Woman has felt towards us fans since the very beginning. As they sang this song, I couldn’t help but sway along. This is one that, even though I admit I was tired of them singing as their final, is still a beautiful song. I’ll also admit I miss the second verse. That verse alone really made me not as tired of the song. At the end, the whole entire theatre stood up as one to give them a roaring standing ovation. I definitely saw Susan and Mairead wiping away a tear.

The Parting Glass – The crowd was still applauding when Lisa tried introducing this one. She couldn’t speak for a few minutes as we were too busy cheering for them. When she finally began to speak, she gave us all the usual farewells and the traditional Irish blessing. This song is one of my personal favorites. It takes a lot to make me teary eyed. And this song, from the first moment I saw the Believe special, has been one of those things. The crowd really got into this song too. People were swaying, lifting their glasses, hugging their neighbors. It was wonderful to see. And when the band all stopped playing and everyone of the cast began singing the chorus after the “La da da” parts, much of the crowd, myself and my two friends included, took up the chorus with them. It was a wonderful show closer. Brittany leaned over as the girls left the stage, hugged me, and said, “Thanks Matt! That was wonderful!” I just smiled and said, “It’s not over yet!” She looked at me and said, “It’s not?” And I responded, “Oh no. It’s not over till the fiddler’s had her say.” I then pointed to her to watch the stage. Silly girl….

Finale/Mo Ghile Mear – Always a fun one! When Mairead started to play her eerily sexy rift at the beginning of this, Brittany grabbed my arm and shuttered like, aaah! Natural reaction, of course. She had the goosebumps! We all stayed up and applauded for this whole song, as did the rest of the crowd. So nice that everyone gets to strut their stuff, so to speak. When the girls came out, I cheered hard for them all. Extra hard for Chloe. Jimmy, of course, cheered extra hard for Mairead and got a wink out of it. Brittany seemed to really like Susan as she cheered extra hard for her! We all had a good time!

Ceili Playout – We all applauded and laughed as the girls danced about the stage and waved at the crowd. It was such a good time! Brittany laughed her butt off watching Chloe twirling around like a top in her dress! She nearly stumbled when she ascended the steps. Must’ve been dizzy! Don’t worry Chloe! I’ll catch you! Lol!

What an end to a great show! And I can honestly tell you that we all enjoyed ourselves! Brittany said she had a blast and that TAR was her favorite. Yay!

Huge thanks to John (Starman) for making this possible. Thank you so much my friend! I hope God grants you as many blessings as you gave me that night through your hard work!

Well, good night everybody! Hope you enjoyed it! Sorry about the length!
« Last Edit: April 27, 2013, 08:08PM by mattycakes » Logged
AggieGuy
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« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2013, 10:06PM »

Quote
Okay! Let's finish this ridiculously long review! Next!

You'd do very well in graduate school.  Cheesy

Joking aside, very good review.
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barb kantartzis
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« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2013, 05:13AM »

aww good review! just like we were really there! sounds like it was a fun night and sorry I had to miss it, if i would have known my schedule earlier i might have made some sort of arrangement to go! The review was good!
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I I I I hear your voice on the wind, and I I I I hear you call out my name, listen my child you say to me I am the voice of your history be not afraid come follow me answer my call and i'll set you frrreeeee!!!!!!!
MaryNorth93
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« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2013, 02:25PM »

Your enthousiasm is contagious!  Grin Fantastic review. Can't wait for October.
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