So... this was my first concert! Good things and bad things happened. Oh yes and as it's my first review, please be a bit patient
For those of you that don't want to read this whole part below, I've marked the place I start with the actual review of the show.
My journey to Vienna starts early Thursday afternoon, after I'd finished my second written exam. I rush home and quickly check the train timetables again. And then I see it, an e-mail from Anthony and he says he'll meet me at the merch table 45 minutes prior to the show! Wow!
The journey was rather uneventful and boring. Well nearly 7 hours in the train.
I finally arrived in Vienna at 11 pm and my brother and his girlfriend Vicky collected me from the station.
The whole of Friday I was excited and also nervous. Time just didn't want to pass. Do you think I could have studied? No chance!
So I decided to play on my brother's Xbox. But then at last, time to get ready. Had a shower and put on my piper's outfit. It was now 6:45 pm So still half an hour to go before meeting with Anthony. No problem, as it takes only 10 minutes with the tram from where my brother lives. My brother accompanied me.
So and this is were the first bad thing happened. The tram came as planned but half way to the venue there were some technical difficulties. “Ok, don't panic” I told myself. “You've still got enough time”. But slowly we were running out of time... Gosh already 7:10 pm.
MOVE YOU STUPID TRAM!!!!! Finally it did but it was already 7:20 pm
So we arrived at the City Hall and I rushed in to get my ticket and then hurried to the merch table. People were staring at me, a lad with kilt and forum buttons? Guess they've never seen anything like it before. Nearly 7:25 p.m. I looked around, no sight of Anthony... I asked the guy at the merch table and he told me that Anthony had just left about 2 minutes ago! NOOOOOOOOO!
I was destroyed! A feeling of emptiness filled my body and I was unable to speak for a while. I missed him... I missed him! This can't be true! Ok now you guys might think this is a bit weird because others feel similar feelings when not able to meet the girls. Well you must consider the fact that I'm a piper as well and it would have been a great experience to talk to someone like Anthony... Besides he extra took time off for this, well yes, private M&G more or less...
So I was standing there at the merch table and the guy said he was sorry. With a heavy heart I bought Anthony's CD, a program booklet and a t-shirt. It was 7:45 pm now. This is when I first looked at my ticket to see where I was sitting. Row 31 seat 7... Not the best seat... (Another bad thing...) As I wanted to go up to my seat something else caught my eye. 3 other lads entered, also with kilts and shirts. I didn't know them but I went over there and we started talking to each other. 2 of the lads also played the pipes in a different pipe band in Austria. Cool!!
So my brother and I took our seats. The kilted lads had seats just a a few rows below us. I was sitting on the right, so band side.
5 more minutes to go... And finally, the lights dimmed...
REVIEW START Ok now I don't know the exact order of the songs but I guess it's always the same in Germany and Austria. I'll talk a bit about every song. Just the things I still remember. The audience was a bit slow and boring but more to that later. They also had the “Two Towers”
set up with the drums on them.
So first song was
Níl Sé'n Lá. The girls come out with candles and everything's dark. An then the tune gets a bit faster and the spotlights show the girls. Yes, I can't believe it! It was amazing to hear them live!! Wow!
Fields of Gold: Lisa has a great voice and I love the way she sings this song... So great!!
The Coast of Galicia: Well Máiréad had the audience going for sure. This song sounds really Spanish.
Galway Bay: Chloë came out and introduced the song. And Anthony starts his drones (the ones that make that constant sort of humming sound
) and begins to play. Wonderful. Chloë sings with so much emotion... Beautiful!
Orinoco Flow: I love this song. The CW version of it is fantastic!
My Lagan Love: Lil Lambe started it with a poem and then began to sing. As somebody mentioned in another review I miss Lynn's voice here. I've never heard or seen Lynn live but I know the song with her voice from the CD... Nevertheless Lil Lambe did a great performance!
Tommy Martin gets himself a stool and sits down between the drums. Ok that means time for
The New Ground / Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears. The slightly haunting sound of the ullean pipes immediately makes you think of Ireland. Then Chloë comes out and sings the first part. Lisa and Lisa joined in a bit later.
My Heart was home again: I can just say stunning and beautiful...
Granuaile's Dance: “Oh there's that weird fiddler again” I heard my chair neighbour say. I couldn't help but grin. Máiréad really had the audience going on this one!
Half of the audience started clapping me of course amongst them. And she charges down that stage, jumping around like a lunatic (sorry for saying so
) She must have something on her high heels that gives enough grip!
The next song I think was
Goodnight my Angel: Not much to say here either... Simply beautiful.
And it continues with
Danny Boy: A really great performance too! And for a short time I had to think about my pipes version of it.
The familiar drum beats to
Mo Ghile Mear. What? Already?? I looked at my watch. Indeed, nearly 9 pm? How can this be possible? Well anyway great great song...
INTERMSSION We went down again to the merch table, don't know why. Well I wanted to meet Anthony but of course he wasn't there. We did meet two of my brother's mates he studies with.
And the show goes on. Máiréad is on stage and starts to play
The Call. I think this song has an even stronger effect on you if you hear it live. Beautiful anyway.
Then the stage is all dark and the girls are standing there. I know which song comes now! I look back to where the spotlights are and yes, I see a familiar silhouette of a piper.
Amazing Grace. Anthony walks down the stairs and onto the stage. The second time Tommy falls in with his bagpipes. I'm amazed about Tommy! He plays so many different flutes and pipes!! How long it took him to learn all of them??
Anyway Amazing Grace was... yes amazing
Standing ovations from me and the other kilted lads.
Some other person in our “block” stood up as well but in total we weren't even 10 people. And couldn't be seen from the stage...
Dúlaman: You have to love Lisa Lambe!!
The song is introduced in German and English and of course she makes the joke with the seaweed which is always good for a laugh! And it didn't fail this time either. She has an amazing voice and as many said before me, she totally owns that song! And the way she moves her arms like seaweed and plays the spoons! Fantastic!
Walking the Night/Give me your Hand: Also I long to see and hear these versions recorded! They are magnificent and how to explain? Well they touch your heart.
It's Lisa's turn again with
The Moon's a Harsh Mistress. Not much to say here because there isn't much to say. Great job and fantastic voice! Hm I think I'm slowly becoming a Lisaholic as well!
Oh yes, Chloë's up next with
When You Believe. And I immediately think of my pipes version. Did she see it? What really annoyed me was that the audience suddenly clapped half way through the song. WHAT THE HECK??? Shut up will you! I want to listen to the song!! Thunderous applause for Chloë! And yes, she did the melodramatic part at the end as well. Sat down on the stairs, held her heart and then shouted “Wohoo” and off she was.
Haha the next song made me grin and smile and laugh.
At the Céilí. Now I couldn't really believe how much was going on down there! If you follow one of the girls for only 5 seconds then something else happened at the other end of the stage! You don't know where to look. Everyone on stage gets involved in this one which makes it hard to choose yourself! I mean where to look of course.
This is more like a musical now!
But I totally loved it! And Chloë, that must be a new record! How did you change your dress so quickly??
All three of them spinning, jumping and dancing around... Great!!
Ah another Máiréad solo.
The Lost Rose Fantasia/The Mason's Apron. Last one got the audience going as well. I was clapping away like mad all the time!
Even though I still think that would be a great duet with Anthony on his pipes! But nevertheless really stunning!
Non C'è Più: Italian eh?
Wonderful. The pronunciation and everything... I can only say wow!
Wenn Du In Meinen Träumen Bist: Lisa Lambe introduced this one and it was amazing!!! She told the audience to sing along too, I guess some of them did. German is a hard language but the way they sing you'd think they've been talking it for a few years! I'm so impressed! And due to the slow rhythm of this song you can understand every single word.
Clapping and people whistling for a few minutes! The ladies were taken aback (at least they looked like that!)
The next song was introduced by Máiréad. Yes I was gaping down at the stage. Luckily it was dark and nobody could see my open mouth.
She has a really sweet voice. You know you've heard it on videos and so on, but live... Wow! And yes, I'm just too familiar with this song.
You Raise Me Up. No, which meant the concert was nearly over. I really enjoyed this song. And guess what? Yes of course my pipes version came to my mind as well for a few seconds.
After this song it was like a storm started! Standing ovations from all of the audience. At last!!!! Took them long enough to realize! The clapping and whistling continued for at least 5 minutes. The ladies tried a few times to say something but the audience wouldn't stop. They looked at each other down there like saying: “What shall we do?”
Finale/Mo Ghile Mear Encore: Everyone in the audience was now on his/her feet clapping along! Yes that's the CW spirit I wanted to see!
Spanish Lady: By now my hands were red and soar from clapping so much but I didn't care!
It was worth it! And the girls had us clap even more (if it was possible?)
So the girls waved good bye and blew kisses. And then they were gone... Wow! What an amazing show!!
When we went down into the foyer I could see the people waiting for the M&G. There were quite a few, more than 10, maybe even 20 or so? Not as many as in the USA I'm sure but still... I so wanted to go with them...
Instead I went back to the merch table again because my brother's mates wanted to buy souvenirs
And I was telling them all about CW, everything I knew and the woman at the merch desk was quite amazed how much I knew. But she'd already seen the forum buttons so I guess she knew
Anyway she asked me if I had had any luck with meeting Anthony somewhere and I said no.
And then she said the most amazing thing. “You know what, I'll go back stage and see if I can find him for you!” WHAT??? So cool!
But five minutes later she came back alone and said that Anthony was really busy now and didn't have any time. I'm sure he had and of course was disappointed. But I also had (and still have) the feeling that it somehow had something to do with me not turning up earlier.
I thanked the woman and my brother, his mates and I went into an Irish pub to drink a guinnes and then off home. This time the tram wasn't delayed
Anyway it was an amazing show! Not the best way to start with your first CW concert but it was still a great experience. This may have been my first but there are still many to come!
But next time, no free tickets! I want a M&G next time!