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June 22, 2007
Celtic Woman in Bridgeport
If there was such a thing as the rock music writers club, I’m sure I’d be thrown out for what I’m about to write. On the other hand, to paraphrase my hero Groucho Marx, I wouldn’t join any club that would have me as a member.
The point is, I actually enjoyed the Celtic Woman concert at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport Thursday night, much more than I thought I would. My taste in Irish music runs from Tommy Makem and The Clancy Brothers to Dropkick Murphys and The Pogues, so I never imagined I would ever write that about Celtic Woman.
Now I’m mainly from Irish stock, but I have never been a huge fan of Celtic Woman’s music or the live concerts taped for repeated PBS airings. It was all just a little too sweet for me. After all, I had owned a dozen Clancy Brothers records before I had my first Beatles album - and that was at least eight years or so after The Fab Four broke up – so I prefer my Irish music a little more traditional and a little more rowdy.
As for Celtic Woman, I had seen bits and pieces of the group’s PBS specials and it was just a little too pretty for me, almost a little too perfect. But such was not the case Thursday night.
It’s almost hard to fault any part of a concert that featured four pretty young singers and an equally fetching fiddle player all at the top of their games. Even if the beauty of the performers didn’t pull you in, the true artistry of their singing and musicianship would.
In an interview prior to the group’s arrival in Bridgeport, singer and harp player Olga Fallon attributed the band’s success to Celtic Woman’s “variety of music” and the fact that the music itself is “very uplifting.” Turns out she wasn’t embellishing, but I had to witness the concert in person to realize it.
In all honesty, I had never watched the PBS specials in their entirety, so I was a bit surprised by how many of the songs were solo performances. Occasionally, there would be another Celtic Woman or two helping out, but for the most part, it was seemingly a showcase for each individual artist.
And the women of Celtic Woman shined when called upon. Highlights for me were Lisa Kelly singing “Caledonia” and “The Voice”; Meav Ni Mhaolchatha on “Danny Boy”; Fallon singing and playing the harp on “Carrickfergus”; and Chloe Agnew performing “The Prayer.”
But whenever the concert would drag a bit, out would come Celtic Woman’s not-so-secret weapon, violinist Mairead Nesbitt. The diminutive Nesbitt provided a jolt of energy each time she stepped into the spotlight and often provided the perfect musical bridge between her colleagues’ solo moments.
Though all five members of Celtic Woman are Irish, the group is obviously steeped in the history of American pop music. The songs the group covered Thursday included Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair,” Bobby Darin’s “Beyond the Sea” and the Judy Garland classic, “Over the Rainbow.”
Celtic Woman also performed Enya’s hit “Orinoco Flow,” which was slightly less irritating than the original.
Some of the show’s highlights were actually newer songs, written or co-written by musical director David Downes. Those included the rousing “At the Ceili” and “Sing Out.”
The two-hour show ended with, as Fallon promised, something uplifting, the song “You Raise Me Up,” before a pseudo-encore. The singers said good night to the crowd and walked off stage, but the music didn’t stop. Nesbitt played on with the other musicians before the rest of Celtic Woman retook the stage and breathed some life into the traditional “Spanish Lady” to bring the concert to a close.
Posted by Sean on June 22, 2007 6:18 AM
Comments
The first time I saw Celtic Woman on PBS I became hooked on their incrediable talent and performance. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and they certainly deserved the standing ovations they earned. Each girl brings a unique talent to the program. I must admit, my favorite is Lisa. Everyone on stage had so much to offer the audience. I hope to see them around for years to come.
Posted by: Anonymous at June 22, 2007 10:51 AM
