I received an unexpected treat in the form of a gift ticket to the Evansville, IN show held at the Old National Events Plaza on May 6, 2014, thanks to long-time fan Bill Hofmeyer, who called me the morning of the show, saying he couldn’t attend due to work commitments and offered me his second row ticket. I had met Bill in Nashville at the opening show for the Emerald Tour. I had introduced him to David Downes after the show and through whom he delivered some delightful gifts to the soloists. Bill is on the Emerald DVD, having been present on the front row during the South Bend, IN show at which it was filmed last year.
Relishing my good fortune at being able to unexpectedly attend this show, I booked a room, packed for an overnight stay and tweeted the soloists that I would be coming. They got the tweet, as I learned from Mairead Carlin after the show.
My previous experiences at Celtic Woman shows in Evansville had both been fabulous. As part of the “Evansville 8”, I was one of the eight members of the Mairead Nesbitt fan forum who had the good fortune to occupy front row center at the first performance of Isle of Hope at the dress rehearsal conducted there in February 2009. Scott (Moscapoet) Manke and I had returned in October 2009 where we were graciously treated to two seats added to the front row by the venue—two folding chairs added just for us! And it was in Evansville where I had my first M&G—with Lynn Hilary and Alex Sharpe! So it was great fondness that I returned to this 2014 Emerald show in Evansville.
I arrived at the venue about the time people were gathering for the M&G. I had a blue “Guest of Celtic Woman” sticker, but alas it was not for that night! I didn’t find anyone with a spare. However, post-show developments made it a fine night for encounters with the artists after all.
I was approached by a young fellow wearing a Celtic Woman T-shirt, who saw my Fiddler Crossing jacket and recognized me as a forum member—Colin introduced himself to me and advised he had travelled up from Tulsa, OK for the show! We were soon joined by Becky W, also adorned in her Fiddler Crossing jacket. I handed out to them buttons for Lynn, Mairead C and Susan, as well as cards forum administrator GlenS had made to publicize the new fan forums for Susan and Mairead C which he has created. We went in to the merchandize table where I bought a T-shirt—the one with Lynn added to the lineup and a copy of Lynn’s new CD. We then proceeded in to our seats in the orchestra pit.
I had a supply of Lynn Hilary buttons from my days as administrator and global moderator on the Lynn fan forum which now are back in demand! We each were adorned with one at that point. If Lynn noticed the buttons, she didn’t mention it when we talked to her after the show at the buses.
Colin was seated virtually dead-center front row—he told me he had the good fortune of calling in after the snafu with the promo codes had been worked out and must have been the first caller. I was back one row on BBB and Becky was on the next row back on CCC, highly visible as a forum member with her CW t-shirt and buttons prominently displayed. We had our pictures made in front of the stage on Colin’s camera by a gracious fellow in the second row. Maybe Colin will post.
I was particularly occupied with handing out buttons and cards GlenS had supplied me prospective new members of the Mairead C and Susan fan forums. I was a little too eager to give out Mairead C buttons, as I didn’t have one to give to the fellow she danced with in TAR, though I did have a forum card to give him. Needless to say, he was quite taken with her. I expect he will join the forum. ?
Finally, the curtains went up and the show started with…a whimper. Just into SDS, lights and sound went off, followed shortly by a lowering of the curtain. I thought it was a thrown circuit breaker, but they announced it had been a curtain malfunction when the show resumed some minutes later. For a moment, I thought they would have to bring out Ray, Andy, Anthony, Craig and Nick for their percussion number, which, judging from their earlier performances, they might have been able to perform for the rest of an electrical-powerless show! As it was, the show now resumed as normal.
As had already been told us by other reviewers here, Lynn Hilary basically performed the parts done by Lisa Lambe, on temporary leave from the group and heavily into what has turned out to be a highly successful premiere of the play “Breaking Dad” in Ireland. The by-now-veteran Mairead Carlin is of course doing the parts done by Chloe in those numbers in which she previously sung.
It was my first viewing of enchanting Lynn Hilary doing Dulamon since last seeing her do it in October 2010. Lynn has a gentle touch to all her numbers which is indicative of her personality, producing a different tone than we are now used to from the ever-ebullient Lisa Lambe. Lynn, however, is joined by a now-singing Ray Fein this time! She gives no hint of surprise, as surely she must have done during her first time in revisiting this number with him!
The lights go down as Celtic Woman’s brilliant piper Tommy Martin plays The New Ground, drawing much applause as it winds down. However, instead of morphing into The Isle of Hope, it morphs into Orinoco Flow—not the original arrangement, but the later arrangement containing vocal ad libs from the soloists, which Lynn had a role in developing. She has not forgotten it. Alex Sharpe once told me that Orinoco Flow was for her the number requiring the most concentration, there be ever the peril of going into the wrong lyrics if not on your guard. Lynn had no such trouble this night, though having sung it hundreds of times since she joined in 2007 must have helped!
As the others exit the stage, beautiful Susan McFadden takes a seat at the piano and introduces The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress. More of a ballad version than the more stage-like version from Lisa Kelly, though many of us would love to hear Lisa sing it once more for old time’s sake. Great job by Susan. At intermission one fellow goes on and on about her beauty—too bad, I tell him, as she is engaged soon to be married. Better to quickly rejoin the ranks of reality like the rest of us!
Out of dimmed lights comes the strains of bagpipes in what we recognize as Amazing Grace. Colin and I had observed that there was no center steps, nor aisles and so his entrance would have to be from far aisle piano-side, and so it was. The crowd seemed a little lethargic and when it was so after Amazing Grace. It’s always interesting to me how audiences will latch onto one song to go wild about, while not so on another night. Not due to any lack of effort from the performers, that’s for sure.
Si Do Mhaimeo, a former lead Meav number, now basically a duet taken by Mairead Carlin and new to my ears, Lynn Hilary. The choir role in this one has been enhanced both vocally and visually with finely performed choreography from the choir. A very playful and uplifting number.
Next the new percussion number which keeps the audience guessing what is going to happen: a dancing duel of sorts between Craig and Nicholas, whom the audience learns, can really dance. The two of them together are spectacular dances. They are soon joined by Anthony, Ray and Andy who set up on boxes behind them. Having seen this song performed four times this tour so far, I can attest that it is choreographed and not ad-libbed. The audiences applauds many times thinking it is over, when it isn’t.
The sound of “Da, da la deeda” brings for me an anticipated moment—my first seeing what has become a signature song for delightful Lisa Lambe being sung by Lynn Hilary in Lisa’s absence. It’s Teir Abhaile Riu (TAR)! We had wondered whether Lynn would take a lap in it and have learned that she does, to the delight of some lucky fellow there on the piano-side aisle. On the right side, I was watching for Mairead C to appear in the role of the voice of sisterly opposition to the proposed dally with the sailors of Galway. Colin and I had before the show concluded that I was seated too far from the stage steps to be picked for Mairead’s dance, but she selects a more-than-willing fellow who plays the part well! Mairead has a new, and I predict, life-long fan! He should be joining her fan forum any time now!
I Know My Love with its calypso beat takes me by surprise, wondering—could this be Carolina Rua, that hit of Lynn from yesteryear, have been introduced back into the show? No, it’s gorgeous Mairead Carlin’s solo number. If David was so inclined, it’d be very easy for him to modify this to shift to Carolina Rua. Bridge Over Troubled Water has been replaced by My Lagan Love, one of the most memorable of Lynn’s songs. It serves as a very nice trade-off at this time.
The Call, in a different, less bombastic arrangement is begun, led by Susan. The new arrangement suffers by comparison in my opinion, this being no fault of the performers.
The new introduction of Nil Se’ N La’ begins off music being performed by Mairead N and Ray. There is much going on of audience interest on both sides of the aisle (unlike the US congress). I’m in a position to see more of Sarah and Edel than I am accustomed during this song and saw many subtle and entertaining moves from the choir that I had previously missed.
Loud drum beats and choir harmony signify the start of Mo Ghile Mear. I hear somebody behind me react startled at the sound. No performance of it is complete without this reaction by several in the crowd!
You Raise Me Up—as it is introduced I hear a couple of people remarking at hearing Mairead N speak—a pleasant surprise to those who have not previously heard it.
The bagpipes don’t end with what is ostensibly the last number, The Parting Glass. Instead, they herald a lively encore featuring solos by the instrumentalists as Mairead N, bow raised, enthusiastically introduces each to audience applause. They are joined by dances Craig and Nick. Everyone is one their feet by this time. It’s obvious they in fact have loved the show.
As the show ends, those inclined to do so for an opportunity to glimpse the cast and crew, travel outside to the buses, staked out already by security. Among them is the couple on the front row with a little girl, dressed much like a princess. I had given her buttons before the show began. As predicted, she draws quite the attention from the girls during the show. I tell her of their performance on the Tinker Bell DVDs, which create quite an impression with her.
Ray Fean passes by, interrupting a cell phone call he is on to talk to us and shake our hands. Craig and Sarah are out with dog Lucky walking around and come over to speak to us. I yell at Andy and Eoghan, who wave back as they head toward the bus.
Surprisingly, Lynn Hilary comes back out after putting stuff on the bus and talks with us. She is most gracious to us all, spending some leisurely moments talking. I thought probably she wouldn’t, being temporary for only the rest of the US tour. However, she is the veteran of many post-show meet and greets, at which she was always the epitome of patience with fans.
Mairead Carlin does likewise. She has apparently seen my tweet about my gift ticket, as she says she’s glad I was able to get such a gift. I gave her one of the cards for her fan forum Glen has created, as she said she didn’t have one. She has only nice things to say about Glen, whom she has met recently. She is not yet out of the vocal spray I gave her and the other vocalists in March. She is very gracious to the fans that have gathered to talk to this latest member of the group. Her integration into the group seems complete, though Chloe will always be missed as well.
Bagpiper and now also, percussionist, Anthony Byrne came over to talk to us. I told him quite a contingent would be going to see Lisa and Chloe in Peachtree for her show. He is very glad to hear it and remarks he wishes he could go. I remind him of Lisa’s birthday, which he had not forgotten. It is obvious that he misses them both.
With that, they all have boarded the buses and they pull out. We fans disperse and say our goodbyes, mine particularly to Becky and Colin, whom I will continue to see on the forum and hopefully at many other shows.
Máiréad Carlin talking with fans following the show.
Sarah and Craig talking with fans with one “Lucky” dog!
