Your First CW Concert Experience

[willow-jeeves]

Okay, I'm curious:  When and where was your first Celtic Woman Concert?  If this thread has already been done, my apologies.  I'm just curious.   

Mine was April 23, 2006 at the California Theater in San Bernardino, CA.  I had bought the First CD at Barnes and Noble, and then the DVD at a local Music store after hearing about CW from Meav's Website.   

I had no idea what I was getting myself into!     At this point, the concert featured many of the songs on the first CD, but also had incorporated some songs that were going to be on A New Journey.  It was Chloe, Lisa, Meav, Mairead and Orla. 

My feeling during and after the concert was that of sheer joy.  I knew that these remarkable women meant every word they sang and played, every pure crystalline note that came out was infused with love.

[Siobhan]

Nice thread idea!

My first concert was March 2007.  I'd been a fan of CW since their creation but I was becoming rather obsessed now and when I found out they were coming a few hours near I realised we had to go.  So, I convinced my brother to take me, bought balcony seats, and off we went.

We got there, I swear, 2 minutes late, and the concert was already starting.  The people told us we weren't allowed to come in till after the first song was over.  (I think the policy is actually till after Caledonia is over, though.)  I was soo disappointed and I could hear The Sky, the Dawn, and the Sun starting and I was itching to get in.  Finally they said we could go stand at the edge of the balcony railing but couldn't take our seats till the song did end.

Well, when we entered my breath was taken away by how amazing everything was.  Chloe was singing her part, and the stage was misty and full of light...I was just amazed.  I was like, Is that really Celtic Woman?  Am I really in the same room as them?  The concerts that I'd attended up to that point were, though good, not ones that I had chosen to go to, and I was finally going to a concert for me!!!!  Our balcony seats ended up being a perfect view.  It was the most amazing night and I'll never forget it.

[Coleen]

I first saw the ladies on PBS, of course.  I was amazed by their beautiful voices.  I then purchased their CD, DVD and concert tickets.  I saw them live on July 20, 2005.  It was the first CW show in the US.  I will never forget that show.  It was wonderful!  And the rest is history.   

[Emily!]

Great topic!

My first CW show was March 5, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida!!!!!!!!!!! The best night of my life! It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had, and I can't imagine anything better. Unfortunately, it was so incredible that it was sort of overwhelming and at this point I can barely remember any of it. I'm anxious for my next CW show so that I'll be a little more relaxed (well..maybe) and I can sort of take it all in a little bit better and notice things that I might not have noticed before. It was very dreamlike. I kept thinking that I was somewhere else, that this wasn't real and it wasn't happening. That sounds terribly corny and cliche, but it's actually true! I've never felt like that before. It was all very surreal.

I'll also never forget how it felt when I saw Máiréad emerge and heard the first few notes of The Sky And The Dawn And The Sun. I may have forgotten a lot of wonderful stuff from the concert, but that moment is etched in my memory forever. And, at one point, Máiréad was staring and smiling in my direction. She probably wasn't smiling at me because I was way back in the 7th row, but I swear...it seemed like she was looking straight at me....

Also, March 5 is what sealed the deal for me as far as Máiréad being my favorite. I think I kept my eyes on Máiréad for the entire show, lol. 

Quite honestly, there have been just a handful of times in my life where I've felt that amount of unspeakable joy and happiness. It really was incredible.

LOL, my insane Jax review is probably still a few pages back on the Tour section. That will give you a better idea of how meaningful this show was to me.

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT TOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shywolf(Craig)]

Mine was May 5, 2007 front row center pit at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. And then July 16 &17 in Dublin for the ACC. The second night I sat front row stage right. Sitting next to Kathleen and her man

[rodzilla]

Let's see here...it was last year in Oakland 2007.  I had a such a great time that I went to the Seattle concert this year.  Remember now that I live in Hawaii, so I've been flying across the Pacific to the West Coast to see them.  Besides, I'm always looking for an excuse to get off this rock when I use my vacation leave and Celtic Woman is a great excuse!  Most of my friends think I'm crazy and should listen to more "modern music".  I reply that it's like watching "Angels Sing."  Some of them watched some CW clips on YouTube, they later came back to me and said I was right.

One thing I love about the live concerts is the slight variations in the songs live compared to the numbers we see on DVD or PBS broadcasts.  I think dedicated fans like us who watch the DVD multiple times have the words and choreography memorized to the point that when there are things like an extra verse in the Sky, the Dawn and the Sun or other variations it is a pleasant suprise and keeps things exciting.

Last year, my aunt was with me at the Oakland concert, she became a big fan of Mairead.  My aunt, a former violinist in her younger days could not believe how Mairead can just play and dance and twirl etc.

[CurlyandGreen]

June 2nd, 2007.  I had just graduated the night before, and it was all a whirlwind, so I felt like I hadn't had the build-up of excitement like I did with my second.  Luckily, I got to see Meav in concert, and it was AMAZING. I flipped when I first saw Lisa.

[Mel]

April 5th, 2007, 8pm, Palace Theater, Columbus Ohio.


When I first found out they were coming to Columbus was in Oct 2006, but I couldn't go to that show as it was like only 2 weeks away. So I was soooo bummed. Then caught the first airing of ANJ that Dec, and when they re-aired it again in Jan, PBS mentioned that CW was coming back in April. At the time didn't want to pledge that kind of money (pre-forum days) for just a pair of tickets, let alone a M&G (kicks self, cause Lisa probably was AT THAT ONE ).

As for my experience. Hmmm...it was ok.  .


Some may remember my reaction on Lisa's old Forum. 


does....

OMG!!!! OMG.....!!! OMG!!!!


sound familar? 

[Cash]

I was flipping channels and hit the local PBS. I hadnt watched PBS in a long time, but stopped dead in my tracks / channel surfing as CW was on. I thought "hey they are pretty good, next time they are on I will have to watch for it so I can see the whole show" So I did, then did again, and again (CW can be a WEEEEE bit addictive ya know) Then I thought "hey i need to tape it" but my VCR tracking messes up at times, and I thought that I needed to buy a new one. So instead of taping, I leaped into the DVD age and just used my computer to watch it. That DVD is going to wear out I think, if thats possible.

My first live show was March 07. I was WAY up in the rafters though and learned that for good seats one must buy very early or pledge PBS. So I pledged PBS for the March 08 show and got front row center 

I couldnt see much that first concert. Oh I could certainly see, but to an extent, but you all know what I mean. My most vivid visual from that first show was Mairead's hair as she spun, the way the light hit it, made it look like a halo. Looked really cool. Another thing was in the first half of the show the audience was very quiet, and Ray clearly tried to prompt us to clap. LOL we didnt. It wasnt until halfway thorugh the second half of the show that the crowd finally woke up. Another interesting thing about that show was that the lady sitting to my right was very talkative and we got along well. The bad thing about that was that the guy sitting on her right was her HUSBAND!   

[btimerson]

I think(??) this thread might have been on the old Forum.  For some reason I remember answering this question before.  No big deal though....  we have so many NEW members in the Forum and so many NEW to CW, it's a good thread to revisit.

I was introduced to CW in March, 2005 through the PBS specials.  I fell in llove with the whole experience immediately.  My daughter bought my wife and I tickets to the concert at the outdoor theater at the Canandaigua Performing Arts Center just 20 minutes from our house.  That was in July, 2005.  Left side seats about 15 rows back.  Not the greatest, but, hey.....  it was a LIVE concert!     Plus, we got to see Deirdre in concert with CW, an experience I have always cherished.  Oh, the tickets were a gift for my retirement from 33 years of teaching - best gift I received!!!!

I remember how moved I was by the whole experience.  Wonderfully talented and beautiful performers providing wholesome entertainment.  You can't help but go away from a concert feeling SO GOOD!  Any cares you might have had disappear for that few hours and you are given a chance to dream.

I've been to 4 more concerts, including one in the upper balcony (  ), 1 front row center with a M&G (   ), and 2 from Row 2.  One of the Row 2 concerts was to help celebrate my daughter's (same one) engagement.

Brad T

[cool2it]

I saw the girls on PBS on Christmas 07 and bought all the DVDs and cd's the same day from Amazon and I really don't remember just how I found the forum but I also joined it on Christmas 07. Needless to say I was TOTALLY smitten!!!  I also don't remember how I decided to pick on Kelli as the person to bother and ask all the stupid questions, but she is such a sweetheart and answered each and every one. Thank You Kelli!!   My first show---- I don't think ANYONE could have had a better one because it was " Rich Fest" and Chicago.  The stars must have aligned in some  " Today, You Are A Winner"  formation because I met the people I ALWAYS checked for posts first and Rich and the Boys.  I thank each and every one of you for a terrific " First Event".   I had second row stage left seats and sat next to Bob!!  Again the stars thingy!! I got smil;es from Orlagh, Mairead, and Chloe!! ( I know it's because they had never seen an old guy that didn't ever blink or couldn't get his jaw closed)  But what an experience!!  

[Don S]

For a live show....  June 25, 2007 @ Wolf Trap (VA)

It was a Beautiful Night at Great Venue, with just a bit of Magic when the birds in the rafters joined in (on cue) for Over the Rainbow...

<Sigh> I wish they were going to be there again this year... <Sigh>

And then there was Reading, PA on 1 November, 2007...  (but that's another story.)

My schedule just hasn't worked with this years tour schedule (I'll find a way to get to another concert, but may have to wait until fall).

Don...

[marielle]

Charlotte, NC, March, '07. I've seen them three times since then but the first time will always be special to me. 

My nephew-in-law kept asking me if I'd seen a group of Irish women singing on PBS and when finally I saw them they were in the middle of "Sing Out"  and I was forevermore a fan just like my nephew-in-law.

Researched them, found tickets to an upcoming concert several hours away...seats were in the last row of the upper balcony...the toy binoculars I took couldn't bring them close enough but the beautiful voices floating towards my husband and me and falling on our ears completely made up for it.

Haley was singing at this concert and we've seen Meav in Atlanta and Lynn twice, once more in Charlotte and then recently in Augusta with Alex.


edited for typo.

[MrPeabody]

For a live show....  June 25, 2007 @ Wolf Trap (VA)

It was a Beautiful Night at Great Venue, with just a bit of Magic when the birds in the rafters joined in (on cue) for Over the Rainbow...

Don...

Yes, Wolf Trap was an absolutely amazing show, my first in the front row.  My actual first concert, though, was the day before in Philadelphia.  I've been to many shows since and I never cease to be awestruck.  Wolf Trap will always be special.

[Charlie'sAngels]

June 12, 2007. I have trouble remembering dates, but not this one!! When I heard they were coming to Albany NY, I asked my boss, who got us the GE box seats. Unfortunately, they were very far from the stage. But the sound, and with binoculars, it was amazing. Plus, he made it a 'team building' thing, so about 15 of us went (my kids, too!!) and he bought pizza and wings..lol.
March 15th, this year, we were 3 rows back from the stage on the right, at Radio City
I'm still mesmorized...