Ok! It's been way too long since I started this. I started working full time recently and I'm finding I really need to work on my time managing skills. Any ways! Let's see how far I can get in a half hour. (So glad I wrote down my initial reactions when I got home from the concert! Reading them instantly brings back the excitement!)
Caledonia is where we left off, I believe. This one was beautiful! Susan has a lovely voice! She makes a great addition to the group. I have no idea what else was happening on the stage during this song because I found my gaze locked on Susan again. (Seriously, it wasn't until late first act-early 2nd act that I was able to pay attention to anyone else on the stage at the same time as Susan....The "new" girl gets all the attention.
) I loved the way she sat down on the edge of one of the stairs during the third verse. The look on her face (or rather the look I think was on her face.....cheap seats, you remember) as well as the way she was holding herself was almost exactly how I picture the girl in the song looks at that part. (And yes, for all you who really don't care about this, I do picture a girl other than the singer and I do picture a guy when a guy sings it.)
And at the end of it all, I must say.....I still prefer Lisa on that one. Sorry! I love Susan, but this is Lisa's song. I honestly can't wait for the day when Susan has her own solos so that I'm not mentally comparing her to one of the other girls.
Next came one of the few times when I regretted going cheap.
Teir Abhaile Rieu sounded like it had a great intro, but I couldn't see anything until the girls made it onto the stage. I still thoroughly enjoyed this song, though! My sister was totally cracking up for most of the song. Even after reading the summary of what happens in other reviews, I still just about died laughing. AND THE DANCER! Sorry, I don't know his name. BUT HE WAS AMAZING! After his first dancing section, my jaw pretty much hit the floor. My favorite "Ceili" song is still "At the Ceili" but having seen both live I would say TAR live beats ATC live....now if only they performed them both....
Granuaile's Dance....Wow! Wow! WOWOWOWOWOWOW! Wow........
Let me try that again. Mairead was....wow.....I mean, her playing and....wow.....just wow.
Ok, last time. This might be my favorote Mairead solo.....still being debated. This is the piece I turn to when I'm trying to prove to someone that Mairead is a pixie. If you haven't gotten this already, I loved this part of the concert! Wow....
Danny Boy was the piece that really, really, really made me miss the four singers line up. Sorry, Mairead, but we really need another singer there or perhaps a different arrangement? There was just something awkward about this one to me. It seemed as though Mairead wasn't really there so much as a fiddler as she was there to cover for a missing singer. That's just my take on it however. I ended up spending most of this one watching the asl interpretor who was standing off to one side of the stage. Have I mentioned the asl interpretor yet? That fascinated me! Of course, asl fascinates me, but think about it! Our girls are so good, even the deaf attend their concerts! YES!
I don't know how anyone could fall asleep at a CW concert, but if someone had fallen asleep, the choir made sure to wake them up with the opening notes of
Mo Ghile Mear. Again, I must say THIS CHOIR IS EPIC!!!! What they lack in number, they make up for in pure energy. Honestly, if this choir doesn't bring up your excitement level, nothing will. (Ok, well,
maybe Mairead will....maybe) Also, the other musicians were epic as well. They all rocked this song. (Can you say a group rocked a celtic song? Oh, well, I just did!;D) This was the first song I found myself singing along to. I don't typically sing along during concerts, (I came here to hear them sing, not to hear me sing!) but I ended up singing quite a bit this concert. I absolutely LOVED this song, but I was a little sad because I knew that meant the first act was over already.
My sister and I spent the intermission wandering all over the theatre. Seriously, if you haven't been to the Paramount, you should go there sometime. This theatre is amazingly beautiful! My sister and I determined that if we had the money to sit wherever we wanted, we would sit in the first balcony. Then again, we never did walk all the way down to the front row...