CelticWomanForum.com

OK, "Songs from the Heart" was really close (and we aren't likely to ever see those pyrotechnics again), and Lisa Lambe is hot, but ANJ still stands out. Orla and Hayley and Meav, oh my!
I really hope that the successor to "Believe" will prove me wrong.

I agree with you. ANJ is their best album. I do not think it's possible that they do a better job.

Choosing which Celtic Woman concert is the best is like choosing which rose in the garden is the most beautiful.
While I would possibly agree that ANJ is my favorite, in some respects Celtic Woman keeps getting better and better. Interaction with the audience, choreography for songs like Teir Abhaile Riu. Fantastic. And each new girl adds her own special, unique touch.

  ANJ  is  certainly what put our gals  over the brink  into greater public awareness.  Of all  the CW   DVDs ( I own all the concert DVDs )   ANJ seems to be the one I listen to the most.   ( can't get enough of Meav's Dulaman or Lisa K.'s solos- and Hayley, of course ) I do rotate  what  CW  material I listen to, however.   There have been moments from the other concerts that are irreplaceable.   ANJ is my favorite  CW  offering, but I am not quite  prepared to say that they have peeked yet. 

I agree with James.  But I have certainly enjoyed all their concerts.  My eagerness to see and hear them has not diminished.  Think of it this way.  Their fourth best concert is better than anyone else's best one.  And as long as David Downes is around you never know when another blockbuster will hit.

Good point Hubert... David  is a creative genius who always knows how to adapt. 

definately best show..... every song was incredible

If I were trapped on an island and could only have one DVD with me, it would indeed be ANJ. But I'm wondering if the only reason it was one-of-a-kind is because it had more of a good thing - in other words, more Celtic Women. It was the only one that had five vocal soloists: Lisa-Chloe-Hayley-Meav-Orla plus Mairead. Helix, SFTH, and ACC had four. And the latest DVD, Believe, only had three. And look at how amazing that show was.

Who knows? If there is some sort of "The Greatest Reunion" show for the 10th anniversary, and we get a larger all-star lineup, it could be even better.  :)

I'm guessing that there is electricity on the island so that you don't just have a DVD with no way of watching it.

The way I thought about it when there were just two DVDs was that the first one was so great, that they could never do better and the second one proved my theory horribly wrong. How can the second one be so good? I don't know. But I watched it again recently and had a wonderful time. I always do.

Ever CW tour/show/DVD is wonderful and unique, and I'd say ANJ was the best so far, while Believe 2 (not the first Believe) was the weakest. Anyways, EVERY show is unique and beautiful. I think it IS possible for CW to make a better show than ANJ. A completely new one.  Emerald seems to be lovely, I have great expectations for CW's future, after they had a small down-phase (a very lovely down phase).

As much as I don't want to say it, I do agree with you. Well, for me, it was between ANJ and SFTH. I really hope they can get back up there with their next special.

What do you mean by "Believe 2" may I frame to Ask?  :)

I find ANJ tour with the Lynn & Alex the peek of CW growth since it shows after Hayley & Deirdre
it still works even better and better finding Lynn and the 2 adding in a total new twist & range with
Remarkable success Yet!.

By "Believe 2" I mean the tour of 2013, which was also called Believe, but more of a best of show.

that's what I thought ..Thank's Bright :)

Orig- Most Fascinating, Real & True -Amazing
ANJ- Most Traditionally Lavishing, Unbelievable True to It's Root's & Core
SFTH-Most Breathtaking By Heart, Powerful in Hope
Believe-Most Emotional Hope, Powerful in Spirit
Emerald- Most Iconic of Fan Capturing & CW Favorites

Disclaimer: Just in case this comes off the wrong way, this isn't directed at anyone here ... more at some of the opinions I've seen elsewhere

I do think A New Journey was their best work. It was an unparalleled masterpiece!

But I prefer not to consider it as their "peak." That would imply they've been in decline since then and I don't see it that way. Yes, we got incredibly fortunate with such a brilliant concert and album, with something truly exceptional from a group that was and still is like no other.

I acknowledge that we owe Celtic Woman's success and thus our enjoyment of their music to those early years, when they introduced us to a new sound and unprecedented quality. Were those early works not as outstanding as they were, they likely wouldn't have become the success that they did.

But while A New Journey should certainly be revered, there's a danger in using it as a measuring stick against all their subsequent work. That will always leave you longing. I've seen innumerable posts from fans on Facebook, Amazon, etc. that have fallen into a similar trap in yearning for our beloved singers from albums and tours gone by.

The most important thing is to not lose sight of what we have in front of us: a group of performers that are still incredibly talented, and that are still performing wonderful music for us!

I know there are those out there that are "disappointed" (I hate that word so much :'() in some of Celtic Woman's work following A New Journey (particularly since the departure of Lisa Kelly, Chloë, and more recently, David Downes), I ask you this:

Had you never heard the original Celtic Woman, A New Journey, or Songs from the Heart and if you were hearing Celtic Woman for the first time singing Destiny or other recent works, wouldn't you be incredibly impressed? Wouldn't you fall in love with the beautiful music and the wonderful performers? Where else in the world can you hear music this good from people this nice?

In my firm but humble opinion, the group they have now is good! Very, very good! And so is the music.

In conclusion, yes, A New Journey was probably the best ever, but Celtic Woman still continues to amaze me and I'm appreciative of every day I get to enjoy the incredible talent they have now.  ;D ;D ;D

Thanks.

For the "Cole's  Notes" version of my previous post:

Am I saying that Destiny, 10th Anniversary Tour are better or as good as A New Journey? .... I'm not saying that. I'm just saying I choose not to focus on comparing them, but rather on enjoying them all.

I think "a new journey" was the best. I cannot say how much I wish I had seen the ANJ tour, but the IOH tour was my favourite tour. That I've seen, because it was a mix of old songs and new.

I hear ya. It eats me alive sometimes that I never got to see all the original girls (and Hayley) together on tour.  :'(

Still dreaming about The Grand Reunion.  :D

Totally agree.

I'm curious, how would you characterize Destiny?

I'm thinking "Most Irish."

A new journey was and still is special to me because it was the first CD I bought and it has some of my favourite songs

AwwH Yes as for Destiny  :) ;D
Here you go:

Destiny- Most Irish-rooted and Highly-Up-Beat, Tributed!