Can people stop asking

[The Quiet Man]

We?  We who?  No one pinned badges on us and told us to defend the girls. If they need to make an announcement they have publicity people.  If there is a danger they have security people.  If someone is dumb enough to come on a site like this and say that this or that girl sucks, as opposed to saying Tara's fiddling isn't up to par for a b and c reasons or MC's upper register is too piercing (which might be legitimate musical criticism), then the moderators will take care of it, as they've made abundantly clear.  If someone comes here and causes trouble, then the moderators will take care of it.  Nothing good ever comes of unsolicited defense of the soloists, which could be interpreted as white knighting.

[Emer Dreamer]

We?  We who?  No one pinned badges on us and told us to defend the girls. If they need to make an announcement they have publicity people.  If there is a danger they have security people.  If someone is dumb enough to come on a site like this and say that this or that girl sucks, as opposed to saying Tara's fiddling isn't up to par for a b and c reasons or MC's upper register is too piercing (which might be legitimate musical criticism), then the moderators will take care of it, as they've made abundantly clear.  If someone comes here and causes trouble, then the moderators will take care of it.  Nothing good ever comes of unsolicited defense of the soloists, which could be interpreted as white knighting.

  I have  wondered about  MC's  upper  range  too.  As  wonderful  as  she  is in  her  middle  ranges,  only  Meav   can  handle  the  stratosphere  with  the  grace  of  a  Lark.

[BlueAquaOcean]

We?  We who?  No one pinned badges on us and told us to defend the girls. If they need to make an announcement they have publicity people.  If there is a danger they have security people.  If someone is dumb enough to come on a site like this and say that this or that girl sucks, as opposed to saying Tara's fiddling isn't up to par for a b and c reasons or MC's upper register is too piercing (which might be legitimate musical criticism), then the moderators will take care of it, as they've made abundantly clear.  If someone comes here and causes trouble, then the moderators will take care of it.  Nothing good ever comes of unsolicited defense of the soloists, which could be interpreted as white knighting.

We have every right to defend them, thank you very much. If you don't agree, then don't defend them

[The Quiet Man]

You have every right to say what you think.  I have every right to say that I think that you saying what you think is a mistake.  Honestly, the "they're the greatest" and "they can do no wrong" posts get really old, really fast.  I've followed classical crossover music for 21 years and I've seen artists come, change, and go, together with fan bases.  Some fans get very invested in this or that artist and become fierce defenders, to the point where anyone who says that the artist is something other than perfect gets attacked.  As I said, if the soloists feel the need to make an announcement, then they have a publicity team they pay very well to make that announcement.  If the soloists believe someone on social media is annoying, they have someone who handles that.  If, God forbid, there is a credible danger or threat, they have security people.  I might also add, the soloists are all grown women who have been professional entertainers for years, sometimes decades (LK, Alex, Meav, Orla).  They know what comes with the territory, and that includes criticism both ignorant and educated, speculation as to what might be or should be next, unsolicited suggestions as to what they should do or do next, and occasional inappropriate behavior.  Know what they do?  They ignore most of it.  Criticism means very little unless it comes from someone with a lot of clout in the industry.  Their music director knows what he has in mind for next time, and the time after that, and the time after that.  Inappropriate behavior is handled if it gets farther than posts or tweets.  It's just not worthwhile to worry about it.     

[CWazyTom]

No, they're not perfect, but they don't need to be. Sure, there are countless fans out there that have said and thought the same about other artists. Even if not everyone feels the same way, in my heart, Celtic Woman is and always will be the best and that relative truth has to count for something.

I know the girls can handle criticism. But for anyone who might think the positive comments don't matter to these girls: they do. The things that two of them told me after the Meet and Greet are proof of that and one of girls in particular was deeply appreciative of everything I did to try to facilitate her acceptance among the fan base.

I'm worried about the fans out there that will never hear these ladies because somebody implied the group isn't good anymore or that the girls don't live up to the standard set by their predecessors.

I know the people that don't think these girls do the group justice have a right to their opinion. I don't fault them for expressing it even if I don't agree with it. I'm certainly not suggesting people go around attacking people that disagree with those of us that still love this group. And I hope I'm not coming across as attacking your opinion because that's not my intent. But I'm not sure how I can just sit idly by without expressing my own opinion to counterbalance negative opinions I don't agree with.

I know Celtic Woman won't last for ever. I get that the fan base will erode over time regardless of what people say on either side of the argument. Call me selfish if you will, but these girls and this group have had a massive impact on my life and if I can have any impact, however small, in keeping them going for as long as possible. I owe it to myself and the other people whose lives have been (or will be) touched by this group to appreciate them any way I can.

[The Quiet Man]

Of course they aren't perfect, like all of the rest of us, they are human - flesh and blood with their feet on the ground. If they are your favorite act, no one will fault you for that or should fault you for that.  They always put on a very good show, although each show is different.

I don't doubt the soloists appreciate positive comments.  It doesn't surprise me that they said as much, since to do otherwise would be very unwise on their part in this age of tweets and instant posts. That said, I am also aware of some of them getting a bit...impatient with efforts on the part of fans that they didn't ask that the fans undertake.

If someone doesn't give the group a listen because someone said it wasn't as good anymore then they are just lazy in this age of youtube and digital recordings, where you can press a button, take a listen for free, and decide for yourself.

The fourth paragraph is really the key here.  It's almost too easy to speak out or sound off in this age of social media.  It also means that a lot of ignorant junk finds its way out into cyberspace...and disappears tomorrow if no one responds to it.  If you ignore a stupid comment, tomorrow it will be way down the feed and by next week no one will see it.  Fight it, and it gets bumped back up.  If someone gets no attention or response, they go quiet.  I knew one person, now dead, a fan of another artist (NOT CW), who was a shut-in due to a metabolic disorder that caused him to periodically go into comas.  Apparently one time he heard this artist singing as he came out of a coma once, somehow this artist got bound up with his will to live, and after he spent his days trolling the internet and attacking and threatening anyone who dared suggest this person was other than perfect and the greatest vocalist ever. I don't think someone who behaves like that does either the artist or the other fans any good, in fact I think that kind of behavior does harm.  No one on this site or this thread is there yet, but overly fierce defending, or steps toward it, make me nervous. 

That said, if someone overreaches here I am sure the moderators will let it be known in no uncertain terms that they have overreached and take appropriate steps.

I can't speak to where the show is going ultimately, although I do think some rotations in or out due to young families might be in the near future.  Nothing lasts forever, alas, and a case can be made that the current group is really a different group rather than a successor to the one that took the stage at the Helix.  If the day comes when the powers that be decide it's time to bring down the curtain, it will have been one heck of a ride.

[Tiffany Gray]

No, they're not perfect, but they don't need to be. Sure, there are countless fans out there that have said and thought the same about other artists. Even if not everyone feels the same way, in my heart, Celtic Woman is and always will be the best and that relative truth has to count for something.

I know the girls can handle criticism. But for anyone who might think the positive comments don't matter to these girls: they do. The things that two of them told me after the Meet and Greet are proof of that and one of girls in particular was deeply appreciative of everything I did to try to facilitate her acceptance among the fan base.

I'm worried about the fans out there that will never hear these ladies because somebody implied the group isn't good anymore or that the girls don't live up to the standard set by their predecessors.

I know the people that don't think these girls do the group justice have a right to their opinion. I don't fault them for expressing it even if I don't agree with it. I'm certainly not suggesting people go around attacking people that disagree with those of us that still love this group. And I hope I'm not coming across as attacking your opinion because that's not my intent. But I'm not sure how I can just sit idly by without expressing my own opinion to counterbalance negative opinions I don't agree with.

I know Celtic Woman won't last for ever. I get that the fan base will erode over time regardless of what people say on either side of the argument. Call me selfish if you will, but these girls and this group have had a massive impact on my life and if I can have any impact, however small, in keeping them going for as long as possible. I owe it to myself and the other people whose lives have been (or will be) touched by this group to appreciate them any way I can.

Amen Tom!!! Very well said!!!

[*Edema Ruh*]

I think if everyone is so stuck on Chloe and Lisa leaving, some might not give the new girls a chance and that attitude diminishes the magic that is really there if you listen to the new lineup. I love these new girls and I know they'll continue to grow (even more than they already have!) into the group. It was hard for me to accept that Chloe and Lisa were no longer with CW but I gave these new girls a chance and I LOVE them. Mairead C is such a goofball, she grew on me fast!

[CWazyTom]

I think if everyone is so stuck on Chloe and Lisa leaving, some might not give the new girls a chance and that attitude diminishes the magic that is really there if you listen to the new lineup. I love these new girls and I know they'll continue to grow (even more than they already have!) into the group. It was hard for me to accept that Chloe and Lisa were no longer with CW but I gave these new girls a chance and I LOVE them. Mairead C is such a goofball, she grew on me fast!

Totally agreed!

These ladies we have now are all so talented.

Mairead Nesbitt is getting hounded with this question too. It seems like Mairead Nesbitt and Celtic Woman left the candles burning for each other, but I'm just really happy for everything she's accomplished so far since she left: 2 albums, a violin line, a tour with Rocktopia (soon to be a second tour or at least a second part to the tour). As much as I loved all of them with Celtic Woman, it's also great to see them express themselves as artists on their own.