Frankfurt Review

[Phillidae]

Hi folks ...

I know I'm late but had to let this great evening go through my head one time after another. Me and my girlfriend saw the wonderful celtic ladies at the Jahrhunderthalle (Century Hall) at Frankfurt/Main. First we had to overcome the 300 km lying between Frankfurt and our hometown. The weather was horrible so the ride was nearly like swimming. We arrived at Frankfurt 6.30 pm i guess, so there was still some time to spend. As my fellow countryman from Stuttgart I saw lots of people looking as If the wanted to go shopping or whatever. Well ... perhaps not everybody was feeling as special and festive as I did. Ok let's skip the rest of the "preparation" including a well deserved beer after this chaotic highway ride.
The show startet some minutes late, nearly every seat was occupied exluding THE BEST ONES at first row (no 1 & 2, counting from the middle). We we're sitting in the second row and still had a fantastic view, feeling like beeing able to touch the ladies as soon as the security is unattentive . Basically the show included the songs from ANJ but they were also performing "Soft Goodbye", "Suil a ruin", "Nella fantasia", "The Butterfly", "Danny Boy" which meant a lot to me.

Ok so lets say some words about the ladies. To start with Órla, she was as elegant as usual, quite strong-voiced at carrigfergus and unbeaten in her interpretation of "suil a ruin". As I was looking forward to seeing Lynns performance for the first time, I didn't really know what to expect. But I was really impressed of her characteristic voice. As mentioned a hundred times before, she isn't just a substitution for Meav but a real enrichment for the whole show, giving her songs a very special touch and singing with a remarkable precision at the same time.
So let's proceed to Mairead. Lively as always and with her kind of devilish grin she was performing like a fiddle rock star with all these cool moves (kneeing on stage, throwing her head back). Irish fiddle championesse for all times, unmatched!
Chloe ... just georgious. Looking wonderful with the curly hair and the definition of cute. The playful glances, the shy giggling between the performances - she's just lovely and wasn't I happily spoken for, she would be the one for me to fall in love with.
And finally - Lisa! What a lady! She was my favorite right from the start of CW and she will be forever. Ok i didn't like her hair on the last christmas show, but that's completely forgotten. Her Voice is so remarkable and her appearence is so breathtaking beautiful, my heart was beating like heck when she entered the stage to perform "Caledonia". And this stunning red gown during the second half ... *fanning air to my face" ... I'll keep this picture in my mind till the day I'm going six feet under.

So to summarize this whole experience: It was wonderful and I really hope the ladies will return to germany anytime. 5 Minutes after the show I already had a bad feeling because this 2-hour-moment, I was waiting for so long, was gone. I'm really frightened of the fact of perhaps not beeing able to secure all these images in my head, but I'll do my best.

Special Note: It may be childish but since I heard of a European CW Tour, I developed this strange hope of beeing recognized in the audience. But for what reason should any of the ladies take notice of me when there are some thousands sitting in front of them. Now after the show I'm proud to say: I thing a HAVE been recognized. Perhaps it was just some kind of hallucination but I'm rather sure that Chloe and Lisa were smiling at me several times and smiling even more as they noticed that I was aglow with happiness. I can't describe the feeling I had and still have about these few seconds, that mean so much to me.

Ok that's it, I'm done and I'm really happy for all the people still looking forward to seeing the ladies at Düsseldorf or Berlin. Try to keep these two hours in mind and heart, moments like these are too rare in life to let'em slip away.


Greetings around the world and the best nightly wishes from Germany (2 am in the morning )

Kisses, Martin

[Kelli]

Martin,
I'm so glad you finally got to see them!  I'm sure you'll agree that seeing them is worth any amount of hassle to get to the venue. 

Based on where you were sitting, I think you can be fairly sure that Chloe and Lisa spotted you.  If you were having a great time, they likely noticed!

I'm still so glad Lisa is wearing her second half red gown...it's some sort of gorgeous isn't it?

Kelli

[cool2it]

Great review Martin!!   You are ahead of me because I have yet to see Lisa but hope to remedy that very soon!!  The show is mesmerizing isn't it.  I'm glad you had good seats and I know what you mean when you realize that the girls have noticed you.  There just isn't another moment like that.   Good to know you are a " forever Fan" !! 

[Jeanine]

Thank you for the lovely review, Martin!!  I'm so thrilled you've finally been able to see them!!

[Cash]

So to summarize this whole experience: It was wonderful and I really hope the ladies will return to germany anytime. 5 Minutes after the show I already had a bad feeling because this 2-hour-moment, I was waiting for so long, was gone. I'm really frightened of the fact of perhaps not beeing able to secure all these images in my head, but I'll do my best.

I know that I am about to sound like a total super nerdy geek for this, but hey, I am one, so...

Here is an idea...while the concert is still fresh in your head, write down as much as you can remember. Over time some things will fad in a person's memory, but if one had some of it writen down, one can review it every now and then and revive at least some of the faded memories.

During one concert (not CW) and one speech / rally, I actually took notes DURING the concert / rally. It didnt look too strange during the rally, people just thought I was really really into what the speakers were saying (and I was). It was a bit strange at a country music concert though.

[aholinka]

Sorry, I'm late too!
But I need a little bit longer to let this impressing evening go through my head.

As Martin already wrote, it was a really lousy, cold and wet wheather here in Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, as CW has left Frankfurt, the sun shines with bright eyes.
The most important things about the concert have been written by Martin, so I will not add same things here.

There was only 1 (ONE) counter where you can buy some souvenirs from the group. Two different t-shirts (€20, a black and a white one; I don't like them both), a white jute-bag (€5), the tour banner-poster (€10), the song-book (€12), a few CDs (€18 each and only one title per soloist) from Chloe, Hayley, Lisa, Lynn, Mairead, Meav, Orla, and CW itself, and a DVD ("A New Journey").

The 'Jahrhunderthalle' is one of the best halls (regarding the accoustic) that we currently have here in Germany, but it's finaly much too small for such performers/groups as Celtic Woman!


Last but not least, the track list of the concert:

• The Sky And The Dawn And The Sun
• Caledonia
• Granuaile's Dance
• Danny Boy
• The Prayer
• Siuil A Run
• Orinoco Flow
• The Butterfly
• Beyond The Sea
• The Blessing
• Scarborough Fair
• Vivaldi's Rain
• Over The Rainbow
• Mo Ghile Mear

(break)

• Dulaman
• Newgrange
• The Soft Goodbye
• The Last Rose Of Summer
• Shenandoah
• Nella Fantasia
• At The Ceili
• The Ashoken Farewell
• Carrickfergus
• The Voice
• Sing Out
• You Raise Me Up (incl. some words for the visitors from Chloe;
  "Frankfurt" was perfectly pronounced!)

(final)

• Mo Ghile Mear (special)

(addition)

• Spanish Lady

I was very excited about the concert during the last few months.
And now? After two fantastic, impressing and outstanding hours, it's over.
And now? The big black hole 'til the next time, the next concert?
I really hope that this WILL NOT last too long!!!
Meanwhile I'll keep my site, Chloe's site, up to date...


P.S.:
I hope that visitors of Düsseldorf and Berlin won't be angry now,
but be surprised who performs which song  !

[cool2it]

Thanks Aholinka.  It was the same show ( one change, I think.) as I have seen. Now you will be like the rest of us and sit around waiting for the next tour to begin.  I was surprised that, as Martin said, there were some empty seats in such a small capacity theatre.  But if they have never been there before then the next time there won't be!!   Now you will have to watch the DVD's and live on the great memories you have.  I know that's what I do.  Thanks for your review.

[SusanZ]

Martin & Aholinka,

I am so happy that you both finally got to expereince the beauty and wonder of Celtic Woman live. They are special ladies and performers. I am sure the warmth you felt inside the concert hall made up for the miserable weather outside!

Unfortunately, you are also experiencing a common problem among forum members as well...CW concert withdrawal! It happens as soon as the concert is over! However, you always have your forum buddies for support! LOL

Zee

[Joan]

Marin & Aholinka,
I am so glad you both had such a great time. Thanks for sharing your experience with the rest of us.

Just one question. Since Lisa has had so many different hair styles as well as different shades, can you tell us what her hair style was for this show?
Joan

[Phillidae]

Her Hairstyle looked quite similar to the one she had on the ANJ dvd. Just take a look at the latest promo photographies on celticwoman.com. Awesome Photos decorating my desktop since yesterday

[Joan]

Phillidae,
Thanks for the information, I appreciate it. Can't wait to see her again.
Joan

[Texas Celtic Girl]

Aholinka and Martin,
Thanks for the great reviews

[aholinka]

SusanZ!

Unfortunately, you are also experiencing a common problem among forum members as well...CW concert withdrawal!

Chloe, David, Lisa, Lynn, Mairead, Orla, and all the others of CW, are humans like you and me and every human needs at least a small corner of privacy.
Until some years ago I was playing soccer for a very long time, but after each match first thing I needed most: silence! No friends, no family, nobody. Just silence. As a team leader it was sometimes neccessary to do some interviews and/or reports for the press. OK that was my job, but everytime this was for me the most terrible moment.

As long as I do not know that the ladies think in a different way, lounging near the backstage area or waiting at the hotel to catch some autographs or someting else, is strictly forbidden!

Of course everyone wants to get something personal of them, me too, but I would be much happier if this happens at a separated event, like an autograph hour or a "Meet & Greet".
Frankfurt "Jahrhunderthalle" is located in an area of very simply and straight infrastructure, so there is just one way to leave the hall; either by feet, bike, car, train, or bus. But as I already wrote here, I will never misuse this know-how to get closer to any of them.

I'm a fan, that wants to support the ladies, especially Chloe, in any way, but I'm not a fanatic, who disturbs their privacy!

So concert withdrawal is not really a problem for me. I've seen them on stage, that counts! And it counts too, that they will keep their privacy. We all have to respect this privacy, that Chloe, Lynn, Mairead, Lisa and Orla will still be able to give their best - for us, the fans!!!


Axel

[aholinka]

cool2it!

I was surprised that, as Martin said, there were some empty seats in such a small capacity theatre.

I think the reason was the lousy wheather here in Frankfurt. In addition to arrive in time you have to go through the rush-hour. If you would have come by car, almost impossible under this circumstances.

I know about the traffic problems in and around Frankfurt. Therefore I originally planned to go by bike (just about 30 min. from my home), but the heavy rain ... and I don't wanna swim to "Jahrhunderthalle".

Next time CW will come to Frankfurt, either "Festhalle" or "Alte Oper" (5 and 7 min. from my home  ), I'm sure there'll be NO empty seats!!!


Axel

[Maggie]

I'm a fan, that wants to support the ladies, especially Chloe, in any way, but I'm not a fanatic, who disturbs their privacy!

So concert withdrawal is not really a problem for me. I've seen them on stage, that counts! And it counts too, that they will keep their privacy. We all have to respect this privacy, that Chloe, Lynn, Mairead, Lisa and Orla will still be able to give their best - for us, the fans!!!

Axel - I applaud you! 

You are a gentleman of integrity and good old-fashioned chivalry.......

I'm sure the CW Ladies really appreciate your respect for their privacy.

Thank you for the great review. I'm sure you'll see them again!