A New Journey: My review

I just watched A New Journey in its entirety today and I thought I'd share a little review of it with you all.

To start, here is a little overview: this concert was recorded live in the grounds of Slane Castle, County Meath, Ireland on August 13 and 14, 2006 (just a year prior to the actual album being released). It was Celtic Woman's first to be filmed and performed outdoors and their second on-stage production overall. The line-up of performers were the exact same as the original Celtic Woman concert: vocalists Chloë Agnew, Órla Fallon, Lisa Kelly, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha and fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt; but with the addition of New Zealand-born vocalist Hayley Westenra, who would be alternating with Ní Mhaolchatha as one of the five performers appearing in shows which were part of the first of two North American legs of the accompanying tour a year later. As was the case with the original concert, A New Journey featured the Aontas Choir and a full live orchestra which consisted of Celtic Woman's live band and members of the Irish Film Orchestra – known in the album personnel as the Garden Symphony Orchestra – conducted by musical director and composer David Downes. Unlike the original concert, there were outfit changes for each act. It is also worth noting that some songs were restricted for the DVD and VHS releases of the concert, while only one did not appear on either those or the PBS broadcast.

The songs, with their respective performers, that appeared in the concert setlist were as follows:
Act 1 (outfits: white evening gowns):
1. The Sky and the Dawn and the Sun (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Nesbitt, Westenra)
2. The Prayer (Agnew)
3. Caledonia (Kelly)
4. Newgrange (Fallon)
5. Orinoco Flow (Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha)
6. Dúlamán (Ní Mhaolchatha)
7. The Blessing (Kelly, accompanied by Downes on piano) [only featured on DVD and VHS releases]
8. Scarborough Fair (Westenra)
9. Granuaile's Dance (Nesbitt)
10. Over the Rainbow (Agnew, Fallon, Ní Mhaolchatha, Westenra, performed acapella)
11. Beyond the Sea (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Nesbitt, Westenra)
12. O Holy Night (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Nesbitt) [not featured on PBS broadcast or DVD and VHS releases]
Act 2 (outfits: céilí dresses for At the Céilí and ballgowns for all other songs):
1. At the Céilí (Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Nesbitt)
2. Lascia Chi'o Pianga (Nesbitt, Westenra)
3. Carrickfergus (Fallon)
4. Sing Out! (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Nesbitt)
5. Panis Angelicus (Agnew) [only featured on DVD and VHS releases]
6. The Last Rose of Summer (Ní Mhaolchatha, Westenra)
7. Spanish Lady (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Westenra)
8. Shenandoah / The Pacific Slope (Nesbitt)
9. The Voice (Kelly, Nesbitt)
10. Danny Boy (Ní Mhaolchatha, performed acapella with choir)
11. Somewhere (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, performed acapella)
12. Mo Ghile Mear (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Nesbitt, Westenra)
13. You Raise Me Up (Agnew, Fallon, Kelly, Ní Mhaolchatha, Nesbitt, Westenra) [only featured on DVD and VHS releases]
14. At the Céilí (playoff; Nesbitt) [only featured on DVD and VHS releases]

A New Journey is easily one of my favourite concerts by Celtic Woman which only falls short to the greatness of Songs from the Heart, but nevertheless still enchants. The concept of it is exquisite and the songs performed are very fitting. One of the best things about it is that you may never know what kind of song comes next, whether it's upbeat, mellow or sombre. But the visual effects, like the castle's colour per act and the fountains for Orinoco Flow and Beyond the Sea, are by far some of the most creative parts of the entire show which don't get mentioned too often. The performers deliver gorgeous renditions of their chosen songs be it Fallon singing and playing the harp for Carrickfergus, the beautiful interactions between Kelly and Downes during The Blessing, Agnew's heart-warming take on The Prayer, Nesbitt's world-class fiddling skills that soundtrack Granuaile's Dance, or Ní Mhaolchatha and Westenra's gorgeous duet of The Last Rose of Summer, A New Journey shows all six performers at a hugely professional level one could be extremely jealous of. Once again, Downes' arrangements are stunning, the orchestra is a testament of accompaniment to the performers, and overall, there is something everyone, familiar with Celtic Woman or not, will fall in love with time and time again.