Being a Celtic Woman's fan gives the opportunity to travel, to visit new country. I had the opportunity to go to America (Wallingford C.T.) for my first concert in 2010, meet Chloë and Mairead outside the Radio City, then visited the beautiful Hamburg and Düsseldorf. After months of waiting, the day was finally there ! I woke up early around 5:00 A.M., very excited to take the road to Amsterdam with my mom, my uncle and my best friend.
We left Paris around 8:00 A.M., crossed the Belgium's border and the Netherland's one and arrived in Amsterdam around 3:00 P.M. What a lovely city, really charming, very calm. The first thing who might sound as a "cliché" is the huge amount of bikes, every streets have a cycle paths with their own signalling, you really have to be careful about them because they are really everywhere.
We quickly found our hotel which was nearby the venue, the building next door actually, we found the stage door and met Saskia and her mother, I met them one year ago in Düsseldorf, they are so nice and sweet, we discovered our room and let our luggages there. My mom and my uncle decided to stay there because they wanted to have some rest. Me and my best friend decided to walk around the venue to discover the surroundings, we saw Susan, Dermot, Anthony and Craig walking in a street, we wish them a good luck for the show and we left them.
Behind the theatre they were a channel, I don't know how many channels Amsterdam have, but it gives a wonderful charm to the city. We crossed a bridge and continued our way and then we saw a balcony belonging to the Theatre. Surprise ! Sarah and Edel (the females choir member) were there, having a cup of tea. We didn't want to disturbed them so we didn't say anything but they saw us and shouted a "Hello Guys", that was so lovely. We responded to them, waved at them, then I made a heart with my hands and we heard them saying "awww". Later I tweeted them to thank them and received a reply from Sarah :
She and Edel are really sweet and kind, very close of the fans.
We came back to the hotel to get ready for the show, I tweeted all the band to wish them a great show and then we were on our way to one of our best night of our lives.
We entered in the theatre, which was really beautiful, red seats, in a semi circle divided in two parts for the balcony, unfortunately we couldn't have seats on the "stalls" so we were on the balcony, very far from the stage but with a great view even so. The musicians came on stage with applause and cheers and then the lights were extinguished slowly, they were no sound in the venue, then Mairead appeared on the top of the stairs and raised her bow on the air.
Tommy began to play the first notes of the new introduction of
Awakening, longer than in the DVD, then Ray and Andy joined him and finally Mairead began her violin part while she was moving to the front of the stage. Mairead Carlin arrived and sang the first line, her voice fitted perfectly, very soft and powerful, her voice is a mix of Chloë and Alex, according to me. Then Susan and Lisa took her positions next to her, they did the whole song very vigorously.
Lisa stayed on stage and started the new introduction of
Dulaman, the rest of the guys joined her. She was excellent as usual and I really like the fact that Ray had the small solo.
After the song she stayed on stage to welcome us here, as Chloë used to do before Nocturne :
"Good evening everyone, thanks for the warm welcome, we're so thrilled to be back in one of our favorite city, as you all know we're in a fabulous tour, we've been to Germany and Austria, and we are really happy to be back in Amsterdam. Thank you again for the warm welcome. But the question we all want to know is... Amsterdam... Are you ready to have some fun tonight ??" We all scream and she asked once again the question and the whole venue answered a huge YES !
"We are really excited to share the music of Celtic Woman with you, this show is really special for us, it's a fusion of all the old classic song you all know and we hope you will have fun as much as we will, most importantly we have a very special lady that I want to introduce, this is her very first tour with Celtic Woman, please give a warm welcome to the amazing MAIREAD CARLIN !" We all screamed again and Mairead entered on stage and thanks Lisa while she was hugged her. "
Hello everyone, it's an absolute pleasure to be here with you all tonight and evermore a pleasure to say I join Celtic Woman. The wonderful about being involved in Celtic Woman is that you get to sing songs that mean something very special to you and the next song is really special for me because it had been taught to me by my grandmother when I was very small, back home, in Northern Ireland. This is Scarlet Ribbons"
Tommy began the song, joined by the piano and the guitar, it's really a beautiful song, sounding like a lullaby. The Mairead's voice is really appropriated for the softness of this song, I really appreciated this song and I am happy that she had the opportunity to have her own solo which showed her talent. She CAN sings ! She's really amazing, you will love her for sure !
The other Mairead came on stage to play the beautiful "
Coast of Galicia" As usual Mairead was energetic and unbeatable, I never see someone as good as Mairead. She was perfect ! The audience in the balcony wasn't disappointed, most of them didn't clapped along. It should be forbidden to attend a CW Show and not clapped along at least once.
She left the stage and Tommy played "
The New Ground". and the girls appeared to sing
Orinoco Flow, the choregraphy have changed and evolved, I'm looking forward to have it on the new DVD !
Then Susan stayed on stage and introduce the gorgeous "
Caledonia" "
Hello everyone, it's so lovely to be here with you all tonight we're really delighted to be back here, once again, in the wonderful Amsterdam, I would like to take you just on the other side of the border in a great celtic nation : Scotland ! Scotland and Ireland have always been close musically and actually I grop up singing this wonderful scottish ballade : This is the beautiful Caledonia." They were some reactions of surprise from the audience when she announced the title, I have to say i was a bit sceptic about her rendition because for me, this is one of the best song of Celtic Woman and the Lisa Kelly's best solo, but Susan nailed it, she was perfect. She added power to her rendition, making that song very "dynamique" and emotional. I couldn't say who are the best between Lisa and Susan, because Lisa is more nostalgic in her version.
Now it's time for the first Ceili song, Lisa Lambe, in her green dresses, came by the left side and Mairead came by the right side in a blue dress. Both began the little argue on stage, then Susan joined them before the beginning of
Teir Abhaile Riu. Mairead demonstrated her talent of dancers, she's really good ! Craig was truly amazing as always ! The whole venue was clapped along this time, not during the whole song but for the Craig and Mairead' solo.
The second Mairead solo was obviously the unforgettable "
Granuaile's Dance", the balcony was again disappointed for their lack of participation. Me and my family were almost the only one who clapped along.
After her brilliant performance, she stayed on stage and was joined by the other girls, Mairead C said :
"We love, nothing more, than find a song that could be a journey and the next song i've been in the journey since the beginning of Celtic Woman, this is "Danny Boy". I'm almost sure that Mairead C replaced the Alex's role, still an amazing performance but my favorite version will always be the one at the Powerscourt House and Garden with the four girls.
Mo Ghile Mear was the next one and again this old song have new choregraphy, new movements which gave a new look to this fabulous song ! Act one was already over, the show was going to fast
.
Then we took a decision during the intermission, we have spotted some empty seats on the stalls, during the show, four seats (Row 6) and we were four so it's like someone in heaven have saved these seats for us, we were very close of the stage. I informed Saskia of our new seats and my friend Danielle (Daantje on the forum) came to talk to me, I previously met her by the way of the forum and Facebook and we chatted a bit before the beginning of the second act.
I knew what come next obviously, the powerful and wonderful "
Amazing Grace", as usual, Anthony walked in the audience and arrived on stage where he was joined by Tommy. Again I was speechless by the performance of Mairead C, she looks confortable and confident, she really knew what she had to do. The audience was more res
After this, it was the time to shine a second time for Mairead C, she performed as a second solo "
She Moved Thru The Fair" a wonderful performance and she really owned the song, I caught up mouthing the part of the choir at the end, she even danced a little bit, too sweet ! haha.
Susan came on stage and introduce the next couple of song :
"Being part of Celtic Woman, we get to perform so many beautiful and very special songs, but in growing up, we're able to cross the magic and the bright light of Broadway, we've been so lucky to have been able to fulfilled our dreams. And performing in musicals, most of my life, we wanted to pay tribute to some songs that we all know and love, this is our "Tribute to Broadway". I've seen third times Les Miserables in the West End this year and I don't know how many times the movie, so I'm very familliar with this musical, my favorite actually. Celtic Woman gives a different approach of the song, they give a wonderful rendition, they make the song beautiful and powerful but the musical goes further, it gave a darker side to this song, we really know that this song is sung by a young woman, thinking and feeling that her life was over too early. I like both versions, Celtic Woman really paid tribute to the work of Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer and Claude Michel Schoenberg who wrote this song. Mairead C was fantastic on the Chloë's part by the way. Then Lisa joined them for the Circle of Life, always a great one, my best friend, Ludovic, even asked me if it was her who did the original version haha.
Lisa stayed on stage and introduced the next song :
"Hi again everybody, welcome back ! I hope you have a lovely times, the next song is one of the great american anthem, it's a song belonging to the American History and I think all of us can identify to it, we've all been through times of need or being to the end of a friendship, in difficulte, sad and hard times. This is Bridge Over Troubles Water". The piano version is really beautiful and accompagnied well the Lisa's voice, this version moved me, I was thinking about how Celtic Woman helped through hard times in the past and the fact I may never meet some girls just for simply thanks them for all they did for me, thank for being a part of my life. Lisa ended the song and I clearly saw emotion in her eyes. Ray entered with his bodhran, he warmed the audience, then Mairead N came and they played their interlude while the choir was dancing in the stage. The girls finally arrived on stage with they second ceili dress (The Nil Se'n La's one). I think Mairead wore the same than in Teir Abhaile Riu. During the whole show I was mouthing to all the songs and "
Nil Se'n La" wasn't an exception, I got a wink from Edel and a smile from Sarah, I couldn't help it, I was dancing on my seat haha. I really love the new arrangement and the new choregraphy of this song with the little acapella's part toward the end.
Mairead N stayed on stage and played the lovely "
Shenandoah" with the new pianist : Brian. A lovely performance and a calm one before the second part of "
Women of Ireland" the duel with Craig, truly amazing, Craig really showed his talent, I hope he will stay with the group. Then Susan came on stage and gave another rendition of a Lisa song : "
The Voice" She was perfect, even if I prefered, just a little bit more, the Lisa's version, but Susan did a great job. The four girls came on stage and Mairead N introduced the next song : "Good evening everybody, it seems you all enjoy yourself, a special song is coming, this song is with us since the beginning of Celtic Woman, I remember hearing this song for the first time, writing by dear and close friends, you all know it very well, it's of course, the beautiful, "
You Raise Me Up", I can tell you that the whole venue was screaming. This song, moved me, it's the first Celtic Woman' song I listened on Youtube in 2009, I immediately fell in love of the girls. And again, this song brought me back to the beautiful memories of the old times, of what I have been through in my life and how this song really helped me after the death of a dear friend. During the last chorus, Susan saw me in the audience and stretched her hands to me, I did the same and I felt like a connection between us. I used to have the same movement with Chloë. I was the first one to be on my feet, the whole venue joined me and I sent a kiss to Susan and she sent me one in return. I was really in heaven.
Lisa thanked us for coming and introduced "
The Parting Glass" :
"Ladies and Gentlemen with this next song we would like to say : Goodnight and joy, and god bless you all, may the road rises to meet you" I really love the new beginning of the song, for me this song is perfect to end a show. I finally got a smile from Lisa and Mairead C. At the end I sent a kiss to them and they gave me one in return. After the "
Finale ", Mairead looked at me and mouthed me a "You are so sweet", I answered by a "I love you" she sent me another kiss. A night full kisses haha. Lisa gave me another one before the end of the "
At the Ceili - Reprise". And it was the end of a wonderful, I looked at my phone and saw that I received a tweet from Mairead Carlin (my heart stopped when I saw that) haha.
We went to the stage door where I saw many fans, Evi, Julia, Michelle, Saskia, they were all very nice and so kind, then I saw Edel and Sarah, waiting outside with their suitcases, Edel said : "
Ohh ! I have to say hello to you, you knew all the words, all the things, you could do our job" I said that they could call me when they want I would say yes for a job interview. She hugged me. The tour buses arrived and the crew began to embark in. Susan was the first to get out but we didn't see her, she walked quickly in the bus, the tour manager apologized because they had a strict schedule so the girls couldn't stay with us, but as soon as Mairead C saw me, she said : "
You're there ! Come here I give you hug, you are so sweet" Then she left us, Lisa arrived and said hello to everyone, she gave me huge smile when I thanked her for tonight. Later I received a tweet from her :
And then it was the end, the buses vanished in the darkness of the night. A huge thanks to all the crew, to the band, to everyone involved because without them, Celtic Woman would not be perfect. I think a new era is coming, I'm confident for the future of the group, some people think the group is close of the end because of all the changes of the last years. For me I have to say that I will always trust David. The girls must pursue their own way and all we can do is to show support for the new additions. I'm really sure that Mairead Carlin will not fail, you will all love her during the Christmas and Emerald Tour ! Now I have to wait for the next European Tour, for the new chapter of Celtic Woman.
