Disclaimer** Yes, the title is a spin on a song from Phantom of the Opera... I’m a dork… But Phantom of the Opera has no relevancy in this review… I just liked the name…. *shrugs*
Where do I start? Good question. It takes awhile to analyze an experience like that…. But let me just describe it for you: Awesome. Nerve-wracking. Awesome again. Even more awesome. Terrifyingly awesome, almost to the point that you just can’t comprehend the awesomeness anymore. Welcome to my world. If I tried to understand the state of mind I was in last night, it’d be really hard to write this review. But, I am currently living in the world of reality at the moment, and can very well explain the events of last night (God willin’). So, let me start with the people.
First off, before I start, I must say this… Jeremy…. You have some serious magic skills, bro. You left my father clueless, and let me tell you, that is a REALLY hard thing to do! I applaud you. May you be the next Houdini! If I had a glass, I’d raise it….*picks up water bottle* But in the meantime, this’ll have to do!
It’s always fun to meet up with other forum people. They’re always so friendly and have so many stories that they wish to tell you. And I love it. Period. All of us are there for the same reason and that’s what makes it so special! I loved hanging out with you guys last night! It was fun! Cindy, you’re amazing and so sweet! I wish I could see you more often! Roy, you’re genius, just genius! Thanks for all the support (and pictures!!
) that you give! It really does make a difference! Scott, you’re so intellectual! If I knew half the things you knew, I’d be well off! Rachel, you’re so precious and fun to be around! I hope I get to meet you again! Lester, it’s still on my hand, buddy….that’s right…
Tink and another fine gentleman whom I can’t seem to remember the name of at the moment, it was nice to meet you, and I know you guys enjoyed the show! It must be nice to see so many! Have fun!
Now….ON WITH THE SHOW! I’m not a ringmaster at the circus, but don’t get me wrong, I do love a good performance, and that’s exactly what Beaumont got! Let me tell you, it is so refreshing just to sit back and enjoy these performers. They really do make an evening worthwhile! It amazes me every time how much energy these people put into this day in and day out! Mairead was on FIRE last night!! And Lisa Lambe is just so perfect! She fits in so well! And of course Chloe and Lisa Kelly are fabulous! Never have I seen a show where they didn’t put their heart and soul into it. They’re just awesome! Nuff said!
When you sit front row, you start to become a bit spoiled with all the attention… and as a result, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much! At times, it feels as if I’m watching a movie on television. The chemistry is there; the majesty of it all overwhelms you, and it just seems so unreal for a moment… And then you wake up… Once reality dawns, it’s the best feeling in the world. I have never come across a performer that does it just as well as Celtic Woman. There’s just something special there, and as long as it lasts, I say we hold on to it as long as we can.
I absolutely LOVE all the attention, though. All the winks and smiles I could never get enough of! Seriously… When they look at you, it’s like they look beyond, and look right at your soul. It’s such an awesome feeling! I don’t know any other way to describe it!
That saying, the show was incredible! My favorite part was Dulaman. Lisa Lambe is just so awesome! I am a total fan now!! I also loved the Songs from the Heart songs in the second half! Those absolutely made my day, as if it wasn’t made already! And there’s always Mo Ghile Mear, Orinoco Flow, and You Raise Me Up, which are crowd favorites! Absolutely amazing!!! By the end, I had evolved into a puddle on the floor… Someone was going to have to come around and clean me up with a bucket! But I was going to have to solidify myself really quickly, because what came next was going to be incredible!
When you imagine something for a long time, and it has something to do with Celtic Woman, you are never disappointed. It was everything I had dreamt it would be. I remember standing last in line, waiting for the two names to be announced. And I’m there, staring at the table which they will be sitting, wishing and hoping for what will soon to be the best moment ever. And then the words were spoken… I about died and went to heaven… My dream team… on my first M&G… How could this night get any better???!! I don’t know how, but it did! Chloe and Lisa K. walked in the room and…. Oh my goodness…. I got instantly nervous… At that time, I lost all feeling in my left arm! I couldn’t believe it…. I watched them as they talked, smiled, laughed, and signed some bald dude’s head….it was awesome… they are so incredibly friendly…. I didn’t know what to do with myself! My father went before me and handed Chloe Jeremy’s poster and assorted items. They love you Jeremy! According to them, you are precious! Then, Chloe extended her hand to me….and I’m thinking, “I’m supposed to shake it? Oh Lord…” I did. Chloe then told me that I looked liked I enjoyed the show, and I’m just standing there tongue-tied, feeling like a complete idiot… I couldn’t hardly open my mouth for anything! And then Lisa shook my hand, and by this time, I was probably growing visibly red in the face because I probably forgot to breathe. I told her that Lester wanted me to tell her hello, and she laughed and asked how he was. I managed to open my mouth, “He’s fine…I guess.” They laughed and asked me how many shows I’d been to. I told them this was my fifth show and Chloe leaned forward a little bit, “You’re from Houston right?” Uhhhhhhh…..and I was mentally going, “Shhwa?” I managed to nod my head and Chloe looked at Lisa and shared a smile, and I’m thinking, “What did I miss?!” For those of you who don’t know….Two years ago, I had front row seats in Houston… and she seemed to have remembered… Man, their memories are incredible! And then, I have to agree with my father when he said what he said next. He thanked them for being such incredible role models for young girls such as myself. Lisa then looked at me and smiled the warmest smile… I about melted again… When they left and I watched them walk down the hallway, they just amaze me… there’s nothing else like it in the world. They come and they go, but they always leave you with something different every time. Maybe it’s a realization, or maybe they just lifted your spirit, but that experience, I will never forget. No matter how far I go in my life, Celtic Woman will always be special to me… I can never thank them enough for what they’ve given me. It’s amazing what one small act of kindness can do for a person. They are all just regular people, and that’s what I love the most about Celtic Woman. You can see it in the way they interact with people; the way they just love on you, it reflects their willingness to touch people’s lives. They may not even realize the magnitude of it, but one person can have such an impact on another person that the feeling cannot be described. And that’s how I feel.
I wish I could re-live last night a million times. It was a milestone in my life. I cannot tell you how much I love this group. They are truly something special. They’ve impacted thousands of people with their music and have enthralled millions all over the world. But knowing that, I just want to do one thing. I want to take a trip, back to that small civic center in Beaumont, Texas on May, 20, 2011, sit square in the middle of the front row, and experience the most heart-warming thing I’ve ever felt, the feeling when they look directly at you and you know that they are singing just for you. Somehow, I wish I was there again.
Love always,
Jacklyn (Snookie)
