Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 04:59:27 PM

Home Help Search Calendar Login Register
+  Celtic Woman Forum
|-+  Profile of CWazyTom
| |-+  Show Posts
| | |-+  Topics

Show Posts

Messages | * Topics | Attachments

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Topics - CWazyTom

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 39
16
Other Musicians / The Gothard Sisters: A Celtic Christmas
« on: November 10, 2023, 10:01:49 PM »
The Gothard Sisters released their new Christmas album "A Celtic Christmas" today!

It was an enjoyable listen, complete with a fresh blend of instrumental arrangements, some great folksy percussion, and soothing vocals.

If you're like me and like their other work, you'll love this too!

Track List:

Angels We Have Heard on Hight
Winterberry Set
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Adestes Fideles
I Saw Three Ships
The Holly and the Ivy
Here We Come a Caroling
Wexford Carol
Away in a Manger
Deck the Halls
Christ Child Lullaby
The Christmas Eve Reel

17
Celtic Culture / Samhain (Irish Halloween)
« on: November 03, 2023, 07:20:56 PM »
Well, I'm a little late posting this, but here it is anyway.

Samhain is the Gaelic festival from which Halloween originated. The festival starts on November 1st, but festivities begin on the evening of October 31, because the sunset was dividing moment between one Celtic day and the next.

It's the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker winter season.

It's pronounced "SOW-win" (the first part rhymes with "how").

Here's a link to Muirgen's delightful explanation:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzEbBaWs5SL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

18
Lisa Lambe / Lisa with RTÉ Orchestra
« on: October 26, 2023, 12:00:15 AM »
Last year, Lisa was part of
radio birthday tribute to Paul McCartney  https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/11481894/

Arrangements were by Gavin Murphy.

Yesterday

Lisa Lambe sang "Yesterday" with the RTE concert orchestra

Preamble is at 5:08 (I found it really interesting)
Song starts 6:44
Afterwards, Lisa does an interview about the song and why she chose to perform it.

It's gorgeous. You're welcome.

That was my favourite, but she also performs in 3 other songs.

Blackbird
After the interview about Yesterday, Lisa talks about her next song, Blackbird.
Song is from: 14:15 until 16:47
It was also arranged by Gavin Murphy

She's Leaving Home
There's no interview before this one.
Song starts at 33:07

Medley - Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End
Jack O'Rourke, Lisa Lambe, Ailbhe Reddy & The RTÉ Concert Orchestra
Preamble: 47:58
Song starts: 53:47

19
Alex Sharpe / Alex Online Show with Jason Tonioli
« on: October 19, 2023, 09:32:03 PM »
Alex did an online concert tonight over Zoom with Jason Tonioli (piano) and John Knudson (violin). The concert was streamed from Jason's studio. There was also live audience, but they had decided to sell online tickets as well.

Jason's arrangements are really pretty (those who have listened to his album "Favorite Hymns" with CaraNua know what I'm talking about. John has done a lot of cool things, such as performing at multiple US presidential inaugural balls. And it's always a treat to hear Alex perform.

A few times, Jason decided they should perform songs they hadn't rehearsed (in some cases, songs they'd never even heard before) to keep everyone on their toes. John (violin) had some fantastic ad libs.

Sometimes Jason and John played backing for Alex and sometimes they ran backing tracks for Alex instead.

The video was a little fuzzy, but the sound was reasonably good. It was definitely worth the money for me.

Set List (Alex sang in all songs except for the one's that say "instrumental"):

Caledonia
Atlantic Sky
Isle of Hope
Lullaby for Lindsay (Jason and John instrumental)
Prayer for the Children (Jason and John instrumental)
The Blessing
Broken By Design
Be Good (Jason and John instrumental)

Million Dreams (Jason and John instrumental)
Fields of Gold
Landslide
Thinking of You (Jason and John instrumental)
Amazing Grace
See Amid the Winter's Snow (Jason and John instrumental)
When September Ends
Going Home


They dropped some hints that Alex would be back in Utah a little later, possibly next year, presumably to record some additional songs, although I got the impression they're also considering some shows together. Jason mentioned they had to get an orchestra. Stay tuned!

20
Amy Rivard / Amy in commercials
« on: October 19, 2023, 12:18:45 AM »
Amy is not one, but two commercials: one for Canadian Tire and one for BetRivers.

https://www.iheartradio.ca/am800/watch-local-actress-in-new-canadian-tire-commerical-1.20373633

21
Other Musicians / Celtic Thunder: Odyssey Tour *** SPOILERS ***
« on: October 15, 2023, 11:13:06 PM »
I saw the entire Canadian leg of the Celtic Thunder: Odyssey tour over the weekend! That consisted of two shows at separate venues.

The lineup was Neil Byrne, Emett Cahill, Damian McGinty, and Ronan Scolard filling in for Ryan Kelly.

Set List:

Heartland (all)
Star of the County Down (all)
Green Fields of France (Damian, with the other 3 backing / harmonizing at times)
The Rare Ould Times (or Rare Old Times / Rare Auld Times depending on how you want to spell it) (all)
Grace (Emett)Raggle Taggle Gypsy (all)
One More Day (all)
Farewell (Neil singing and guitar)
Sailing (Ronan singing and guitar, with Neil on electric guitar for part of the song)
Galway Girl (all)
Caledonia (all)

Mo Ghile Mear (all)
The Wellerman (all)
Fields of Athenry (Damian)
Past the Point of Rescue (Neil singing and guitar)
Amazing Grace (all)
Song for the Mira (all)
Fare The Well Love (Emett)
City of Chicago (Ronan)
7 Drunken Nights (all)
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (all)
Step It Out Mary (all)
Tune set (band)
Ireland's Call (all)

Highlights:

Green Fields of France (sometimes known as No Man's Land), was really good! Damian's deep voice carried the melody well with the other lads joining in harmony during chorus. I could feel the deep instrumental base and powerful drum beats and their placement in the arrangement was tremendously effective. All 4 of them sang the last chorus reprise a cappella, but there was a momentary silence before the a cappella part, so the crowd started clapping before they realized the song wasn't finished. It happened both nights.

I have mixed feelings about the arrangement of One More Day. It was good, but some of the harmony wasn't hitting home. It wasn't getting to the next level for me like Deirdre's versions (with and without the Canadian Tenors). I liked it a lot better on the second night, but I still wasn't fully satisfied.

Farewell (or as I liked to call it: "Window to the Door") was Neil's original song. This one was catchy! It was inspired by words written by his great, great, (maybe some more greats in there) uncle in his cell, in which he paced from his cell window to the door. I think he had been jailed for his role in the 1916 Easter Rising. I should have written the name down, but I think it was something like Mulaney (not the comedian). If I recall correctly, they never found out what happened to him, but his memory now lives on in Neil's song. Even the way he introduced the song was touching.

Ronan's first act solo was a cover of Rod Stewart's "Sailing." Ronan sang and played guitar. Neil came in from the side of the stage for part of the song to play electric guitar as well.

During Galway Girl, Damian was all over the stage having fun with the tambourine.

Galway Girl was their first act closer. The guitarist in the band brought out the electric guitar for the instrumental bridge and it sounded epic!

The second of the two shows was at a casino. I was expecting them to run right through without a break, but surprisingly, they did have an intermission, so I got to see the full show both nights.

Amazing Grace was an a cappella. They took turns lending lead vocals while the others hummed and at times they all sang together.

I enjoyed all the solos, but Emett's 2nd-half solo "Fare Thee Well Love" was possibly my favourite. The piano backing was phenomenal. During the song, there were backing vocals  coming from somewhere. I spotted some of the band members singing along into mics a few times on both nights, but there weren't enough voices to account for all the ones I was hearing. I'm pretty sure the low voice was Damian's. I think either the other lads were singing from back stage or they pre-recorded those backing vocals for the show.

Ronan's 2nd act solo was City of Chicago. This was definitely a song they originally chose for Ryan, but Ronan did a great job with it.

Seven Drunken Nights was hilarious! During the verse where they talk about a coat being out of place, Ronan took off his suit jacket and tossed it off the side of the stage to conceal the evidence. Neil played the part of the super-drunk character. He came out on stage with a bottle in hand. He was singing like he had been bar-hopping all night long and was getting increasingly intoxicated with every verse. He got confused when he was supposed to be singing. He was looking around at the lights like he was high. He at one point was facing away from the audience, then he went stumbling all over the stage and started pestering the band members, eventually while the other lads were singing. Each tour or DVD they do it, their routine is a little different. Neil in particular was doing totally different things from one night to the next. This was the funniest I've seen it and Neil's performance was a show-stealer.

As always, the closing song was a rousing arrangement of Ireland's Call!

Both the shows I saw were really fun. There were plenty of slow songs, especially in the first half, but there weren't any points in the show when it dragged.

There were plenty of people around me both nights wondering where Ryan was. Although Ronan introduced himself early in the show, there was no mention at all about Ryan or why he had to take some time away. I suppose they figured most people were just there to see the show and most people that followed Celtic Thunder closely already knew. While hearing Ronan instead of Ryan took some getting used to, Ronan fit in great! His voice worked well in the harmonies and his stage persona meshed with the others too.

Side-Notes:

On the first night, I had a great seat, 2nd row slightly off-center. That was a much better experience than the back balcony seat I had last time Celtic Thunder was at that venue. There were a few super-fans in the first few rows at the first show. The sound was a little weird at times during the first show: either there was an echo coming back at the stage or sound from speakers at the back of the theater was getting to me a while after the sound from the stage-front speakers. It didn't affect the experience though.

For the second show, I was far left in the seating (far stage right). The stage at Casino Rama is huge so even though I was in row 5 or so, I was at least 100 feet from the performers. It was still better than a distant balcony, but I would have been better off sitting front and center 30 rows back so I could see the action on the huge video screens instead of craning my neck and squinting.

It was hard for me to get a read on how the rest of the audience was receiving the shows. The first night seemed fairly enthusiastic (certainly far more so than any Celtic Woman audience would get in this area). On night two, the people around me weren't getting too into it, but the performance area was so massive I couldn't tell how the rest of the audience was reacting.

At Casino Rama on night 2, I was wandering around before the doors to the performance area opened and saw two things of interest:

1)
The promo for the Celtic Woman 20th Anniversary tour came up on a screen cycling through all the upcoming shows, so of course I had to take a selfie.

2)
On the walls outside the performance area, there were photos of past performers, along with their signatures. I spotted an old Celtic Woman photo with Máiréad Nesbitt, Chloë, Lisa Kelly, and Lynn, so of course I had to selfie with that too. I can't go back and see all the shows I missed back then, but I can make up for lost time now and tell them often that what they did back then still makes a difference for me today.

22
Other Musicians / What are your favourite movie soundtracks?
« on: September 23, 2023, 09:25:13 PM »
What are some of your favourite movie soundtracks (and optionally, why)?

I have a lot, but I'll start with the march from Raiders of the Lost Ark. My parents used to get cassette tapes from the library to play on the long drives to the cottage when I was a kid. There was an album "Best of John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra" and that was one of my favourites. I probably heard the Indiana Jones theme before I even saw any of the movies. It was so much fun to listen to!

23
Other Musicians / Nobuo Uematsu
« on: September 23, 2023, 09:12:14 PM »
For those following me on socials, you may have seen me mention Nobuo Uematsu a few times.

He's a Japanese composer best known for his work on the video game franchise "Final Fantasy."

There's literally hundreds of hours of quality content floating around the Internet. The original soundtracks (especially for the early Final Fantasy games) were midi, but oh my goodness, even in that synthesized format they sounded good! The video game and the composer both amassed a cult following and eventually, the soundtracks were orchestrated. There were also a number of piano versions recorded.

I could go on for quite a while about how ridiculously good these soundtracks are because it was video game and movie soundtracks I listened to the most before Celtic Woman, but here are a few clips to give you a taste.

Rebel March (from Final Fantasy II, part of a medley)
https://youtu.be/NQojmY1AD5A?si=A-jqGkRbppCmwpcy&t=356

Rebel Army ... it's a gorgeous melody ... and just wait for the ending!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siP0syXBde4

Final Fantasy VII - Bombing Mission (this one is high energy and catchy)
https://youtu.be/-DRp_XME44o?si=KRCEuXbzNgLgdxMo&t=138

Final Fantasy X Ending (To Zanarkand):
https://youtu.be/OYhsp-0vT18?si=uGwlkGR8Mv2kfM-d&t=97

Final Fantasy VIII Ending and Main Theme:
https://youtu.be/v0siOyhtUMo?si=4dxz21Sk3ZakUMzJ&t=205

If anyone's interested, I have plenty more favourites I can direct you to.

24
Tara McNeill / What are your favorite Across the Atlantic tracks?
« on: September 23, 2023, 07:00:25 PM »
What are your favorite Across the Atlantic tracks?

A New Season is my favourite, but I can't decide on #2 (I've already changed my vote like 5 times). 🤣

25
Eabha McMahon / Inaugural Celtic World Forum experience
« on: September 23, 2023, 02:28:04 PM »
When we arrived in Balbriggan, Éabha greeted us and gave us our welcome packages.

A few of us ventured down to the beach, which was really nice. The tide was out and the sun reflecting off the wet sand looked stunning. We dipped our feet in the water, which was pretty chilly.

That evening, those of us who subscribe to Éabha on Patreon had dinner on the upstairs floor of the La La Restaurant (connected to the Irish Institute of Music and Song where the forum was held). Éabha moved around throughout the evening to chat with us.

Day 1

The next morning, we all gathered in the main hall to formally welcome everyone to the forum. Sean McElwain gave us a brief overview of Celtic music, its history, its evolution, and the trademark instruments. Next, Caitriona Sherlock and Fergus Cahillane, along with Éabha, gave us a greater appreciation for sean-nós singing and its relationship to Irish traditions.

After lunch, Tara Howley (former piper / whistler / fiddler with Riverdance) demonstrated how the uillean pipes work, how to assemble them, and how to play them. We didn't get to play them, but gained a greater appreciation of how challenging they are to play and how amazing Tara Howley is. That was followed by a discussion from Caitriona Frost (former Celtic Woman percussionist) about the bodhran. Lastly, Michael McGlynn gave an enlightening and eloquent presentation about choral music and singing / music in general. He shared his views on how under-appreciated and under-supported many Irish artists are at home in Ireland, particularly in choral music.

There was a choice between two workshops on Day 1:
- Vocal (lead by Michael McGlynn)
- Percussion (lead by Caitriona Frost)

The vocal workshop was apparently a lot to do with posture and breathing, which are essential foundations for safe and effective singing. I had a bad experience with singing a few years ago and it's unsafe for me to ever attempt that again for more than a couple of minutes, so I opted for the percussion workshop, which was pretty fun. Caitriona taught us the basics of playing a few drums. I think one of them was called a djembe (it looks sort of like an hour glass, with a wider top, a smaller base, and a narrow neck in the middle). We also learned how to play the bodhran.

The last activity before dinner was the "Song Circle" where we gathered in a little square amphitheater. It was an extension of one of Éabha's family tradition at the kitchen table, where everyone would share something (for example: music, poetry, or even a story). I was expecting it to be a session environment where a bunch of experienced artists performed together and we listened or sang along (well, I would have to pretend to sing along for safety reasons). Instead, artists and attendees took turns singing and performing instruments. It was a very open atmosphere, a place where people were meant to feel free to express themselves without judgement. There were participants that were surprisingly good. During at least one of the Song Circles, Éabha performed a duet of You Are My Sunshine with a relative of the person that wrote the song. A few others fans got the chance to sing with Éabha as well.

After dinner was the concert at nearby St. George's Church, just down the road from the Irish Institute of Music and Song. The stage was decorated with electric candles. Those of us that got Éabha's VIP package got to sit in the front pew. It was a really tight fit (my arm was basically hanging on the outside of the pew and I was regretting putting on those 15 extra pounds this year).

Bill Shanley (who also played guitar), did the arrangements for the concerts and they were fantastic. For the most part the sound was good, especially on nights 2 and 3. The performers did have to contend with the sound of nearby passing trains occasionally.

Tara Howley played uilleann pipes, fiddle, and whistles in the show. Her soulful rendition of Mo Ghile Mear on uilleann pipes was ridiculously amazing. She made every note sound so special.

Megan's second-act solo was one I haven't heard her perform live before: Isle of Innisfree. Mairéad Carlin's "Danny Boy," in combination with the incredible backing arrangement, was phenomenal. It was my favourite solo version of Danny Boy ever and I liked it significantly more than the Celtic Woman tour version of the song in recent years.

Mairéad Nesbitt's second act solo was There Is No Night, followed by The Butterfly. There Is No Night is one of my all-time favourite instrumental tracks and my face was once again covered in tears throughout the song.

The penultimate number was One Voice. It was nice to finally hear Megan, Éabha, and the Maireads (with others) perform this Wailin' Jennys song together.

Each show ended with a more up-beat audience-partition song: Nil Se'n La. It was a very different arrangement compared to the Songs From the Heart and Voices of Angels versions.

After the nightly concerts, there were night caps at the La La restaurant bar. It was pretty loud  and crowded in there, but it was an opportunity to hang out with people I don't see often. Some of the artists ventured in there as well.

Day 2

After an introduction to the day by Éabha, Ferbus Cahillane did a presentation. He discussed the evolution of Irish songs and styles as they have travelled across the world. Among other things, he discussed instrument construction, including the painstaking process it took him to construct a harp and a mandolin (over the course of many months). It was fascinating. He also demonstrated the use of a shruti box.

I got a chance to play his harp for a few minutes afterwards. I eventually figured out how to adjust the strings to be in the key I wanted. Each switch at the top connects to a string. Flipping the switch up or down raises or lowers the pitch of the string by a semitone. I managed to play a melody, but it was not easy. My fingers kept hitting neighboring strings or the sound from the previous note would carry on longer than intended. I'm sure practice would be beneficial, but I'll not be investing in a harp in the foreseeable future.

Mairéad Carlin presented for a while about vocal performance, her experience as an indy artist, and other topics on her mind. As many of you already know, she's highly knowledgeable and an eloquent speaker.

After lunch was a presentation by Padraic Moyles (Riverdance: executive producer / associate director and former lead dancer) and James Greenan (former lead dancer in Riverdance). They  chatted about the transformative effect of Riverdance on Irish dance at home and around the world. They also talked about  life on the road, the challenges of performing, and maintaining a high standard in every performance.

Máiréad Nesbitt chatted about the violin / fiddle and played a few tunes for us.

The choices of workshops for the day were:
- Dance (James Greenan)
- Whistle (Tara Howley)

The dance workshop was a slightly simplified but full-speed version of the signature song from Riverdance.

The afternoon wrapped up with a song circle.

While there were a lot of similarities in the set list from night to night, there were some intriguing differences in the concert on night 2. Mo Ghile Mear was performed by Caitriona Sherlock on the night. Like Tara Howley's rendition the night before, it was a slow and immensely captivating vocal performance with an incredibly effective backing arrangement. Éabha and the Maireads reprised their performance of Ride On from Destiny. James Greenan did two pretty spectacular dances as well.

Tara was in the audience for the show and chatted with a few fans afterwards. Her current contract did not allow her to participate in the show.


Day 3

The final day of the Celtic World Forum there were a pair of panel discussions. The first featured Tara Howley, Megan, and Caitriona Sherlock. The second featured an epic assemblage of talent: Megan, Mairéad Carlin, Máiréad Nesbitt, Caitriona Sherlock, Glenn Murphy, and Ronan Scolard.

The artists talked about their experiences in the music industry and the lessons they have learned. There also answered questions on a variety of topics. What resonated with me the most came in the second panel, when they discussed the challenges of performing when they're not at their best. The typical audience member doesn't care what's going on in a performer's life or how their day has been going; they just expect a performance worthy of their time and money. Each of the performers talked about times when they've struggled to hold it together on stage and  expressed that seeing familiar faces has meant so much to them on those nights. I'm so grateful to the artists on that panel for all the times they've raised me up, and it meant the world to know I can do the same for them.

Also on Day 3, Orla Fallon presented on the harp, its nuances. She shed some light on the time and effort required to in keep a harp tuned, due to the sensitivity of the wood to temperature and humidity. She also performed a few songs for us during her lecture segment.

Emma Langford presented and performed for us on Day 3. She's knowledgeable about Irish folklore and she's quite funny!

The last workshop was a choice between:
- Whistle (Tara Howley)
- Singing (Caitriona Sherlock)

Apparently the singing workshop was really cool. For safety reasons (my throat never recovered from a very brief set of singing lessons over two-and-a-half years ago), I opted for the whistle workshop. As I expected, it was for absolute beginners, but it was cool to learn from Tara Howley and I got another free whistle out of it (I have 6 of them now, 3 Ds, 2 Cs, and a low G). I also got to learn a new tune.

There were several Celtic Woman performers past and present in attendance for the final song circle, including Ronan, Mairéad Carlin, Orla, and of course, Éabha. In that song circle, Mairéad Nesbitt performed a few songs with her friend Tiffany Moore, including a duet of the Ashokan Farewell. Glenn Murphy also performed Grace. Seeing fans and performers in that setting, celebrating their love of music together, was a moment to be cherished.

The concert on night 3 was a mixture of the previous nights, with a few differences, including songs by Orla and Emma Langford. This was only my second time at an Orla performance and it was pretty special getting to hear Distant Shore and Siuil A Run in person, after years of listening on albums.

I think it would have been cool to have The Voice immediately preceding One Voice, but it was not to be.

The next morning, a few of us gathered for a final breakfast together in the La La, then began our journey's home.


Closing Thoughts

Éabha put so much effort into the inaugural Celtic World Forum. It was wonderful to be there as Éabha's dream came true. She assembled an astonishing array of talent, scheduled fun activities, and recruited interesting presenters. As Éabha mentioned during the nightly concerts, many of the artists had never performed together or met before. We were seeing that group of performers together for the first time and it's likely we will never see that same combination of performers on stage together again.

One of Éabha's intents for the Forum was to bring not only performers together, but to bring together performers and their fans. Very few people get to mingle with the artists they follow. Meet and Greets are rushed. Stage doors are chaotic and the experience is often dependent on relative assertiveness. The Celtic World Forum was place where artists and fans could connect with each other. I think that goal was generally successful, although it did feel to me at times like some of the artists remained in their own silos, especially at meal time. For instance, the artist tables were often downstairs while the attendees table was often upstairs in the restaurant. On the last night, after the concert, the artists and fans tended to sit at their own tables outside the La La. Yes, there were opportunities to talk to them during workshops, after presentations and randomly around the Irish Irish Institute of Music and Song, depending on your level of assertiveness. I think there are opportunities for even greater levels of interaction at future Celtic World Forum events, assuming the attendance doesn't balloon to an extent that it's no longer a personal experience.

As an introvert and highly anxious person, I wouldn't have even considered going to something like this a few years ago. I was the kid at summer camp that hated the whole time, and everyone around me having a great time just made me feel more miserable. I knew that an event like this was going to be challenging for me. I did quite a bit to prepare, but in spite of that, my social energy was severely depleted by day 2. StilI, I enjoyed the experience: the first of its kind, but assuredly not the last. I got to chat with fans from all over the world, most of whom I have seen online, but some of whom I had never met before in person. The diversity of attendees was a testament to the reach of Irish music and the heart that Éabha puts into all her work.

The hard work of Éabha, Shane, and the whole team paid off and they created something truly special: the first of its kind. Éabha's Celtic World Forum is expected to return as soon as 2024!


Concert Set Lists

Note: The songs and their orders may have deviated slightly from what was written on the set lists, but these are mostly correct.

Night 1

Ard Uí Chuain (Éabha and Fergus)
Sabhdh (Éabha, Fergus, and others)
Mo Ghile Mear (Tara Howley)
An Raibh tú ar an gCarraig (Fergus Cahillane)
Caledonia (Megan Walsh)
Fionghuala (John McGlynn, Fergus, and Éabha)
Ae Font Kiss (Mairéad Carlin)
Japanese Hornpipe / The Contradiction (Máiréad Nesbitt)
Téir Abhaile Riú (all)

Various (Systir)
Wildflowers (Éabha)
Lonesome Boatman (Tara Howley)
Dúlamán (Fergus Cahillane)
Isle of Innisfree (Megan Walsh)
Danny Boy (Mairéad Carlin)
There Is No Night / The Butterfly (Máiréad Nesbitt)
One Voice (Megan, Éabha, Mairéad Carlin, Tara Howley, Máiréad Nesbitt)
Níl Sé'n Lá


Night 2

An Mhaighdean Mhara (Éabha)
Oró, Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile
Lonesome Boatman (Tara)
Mo Ghile Mear (Caitriona Sherlock)
Caledonia (Megan Walsh)
Dance (James Greenan)
Shenandoah / The Contradiction (Máiréad Nesbitt)
Danny Boy (Mairéad Carlin)
Téir Abhaile Riú (all)

Ard Uí Chuain (Éabha and Fergus)
Sadhbh ní Bhruinneallaigh (Éabha, Fergus, and Tara Howley)
Amazing Grace (Tara Howley)
Siúil a Rún (Caitriona)
The Voice (Megan)
The Water Is Wide (Mairéad Carlin)
Ride On (Éabha, Mairéad Carlin, and Máiréad Nesbitt)
Dance (James Greenan)
There Is No Night / The Butterfly (Máiréad Nesbitt)
One Voice (all)
Níl Sé'n Lá


Night 3

Ard Uí Chuain / Sabhdh (Éabha)
Lark in the Morning (Fergus)
May It Be (Caitriona Sherlock)
Shenandoah / The Contradiction (Máiréad Nesbitt)
The Voice (Megan)
Kells Day (Emma Langford)
Ae Fond Kiss (Mairéad Carlin)
Danny Boy (Tara Howley)
Distant Shore (Orla Fallon)
Siúil a Rún (Orla Fallon)
Téir Abhaile Riú (all)

Fields of Athenry (Glenn and Ronan)
Sweet Thames Flow Softly (Mairéad and Ronan)
Mo Ghile Mear (Caitriona Sherlock)
Abigail (Emma Langford)
Oró Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile (Fergus)
Lonesome Boatman (Tara Howley)
Caledonia (Megan Walsh)
Isle of Hope (Éabha)
Ride On (Éabha and Mairéad Carlin)
There Is No Night / The Butterfly (Máiréad Nesbitt)
One Voice (Megan Walsh, Éabha, Mairéad Carlin, and others)
Níl Sé'n Lá


26
Lisa Lambe / The In-Between
« on: September 19, 2023, 10:45:27 PM »
Notre Dame vs Navy at Aviva Stadium

Between the Celtic Woman 20th Anniversary recording and Éabha's forum, I went to the Notre Dame vs Navy at Aviva Stadium. I wont write this one up in detail, but I'll give some highlights.

Dublin was a zoo that weekend. Tens of thousands of fans came over to watch the game. Dame Street (aka Notre Dame Street) was decorated for the occasion and was packed.

Before the game, there was a fun mini Irish drum and dance show and Lisa Lambe sang the Irish national anthem. I was in the upper deck on the opposite side of the field, so I could barely see her with my phone even fully zoomed in. She sounded fantastic though.

There were also some performances by the school bands before the game and during half time. I love the Notre Dame fight/victory song.

The setting sun had a nice effect shining through the top of the stadium.

Joe Montana (who won a national championship with Notre Dame before his career in the NFL) made a brief appearance.

Notre Dame won convincingly.

Kilruddery House and Gardens

We also paid a visit to Powerscourt (the gardens looked MUCH better than I remember them in 2018) as well as Kilruddery House and Gardens. Both grounds are large and really pretty.

Kilruddery House is where Lisa Lambe did an artist residency a few years ago, and also where Celtic Woman filmed I Saw Three Ships for the Postcards from Ireland: Holiday Edition / Christmas Cards from Ireland music video. We did a tour of the inside, including the statue room. The tour was pretty good. The gardens were also excellent. There were wooded trails, a cliff-top overlook of the mansion, and some cool hedge paths. It was on the same level as Powerscourt (maybe even better). I'd definitely recommend this for anyone in there area.

Mansion House

We took some photos outside the Mansion House in Dublin, where Celtic Woman: Destiny was filmed. That PBS special was a defining moment for some in our group.

Riverdance

We went to see Riverdance and got to meet Emma Warren after the show!

27
Celtic Woman finally announced the guests for the 20th Anniversary DVD recording!

Posted by Celtic Woman on Facebook (August 18, 2023):
https://www.facebook.com/celticwoman/posts/pfbid0ino6jXi9u9VMBcMJkQcfDboVVW7dDDwD6opcfgu1A96rHUxyzYZHRVLQsvDU1m3El

We are counting down the days until our 20th Anniversary Special at The Helix Dublin.

Back to where it all began nearly 20 years ago, we are thrilled to be sharing the stage again with some special guests!

Lisa Kelly
Máiréad Nesbitt
Méav Ní Mhaolchatha
Chloë Agnew

will return for this special occasion alongside Tara McNeill, Mairéad Carlin, Muirgen O'Mahony and Emma Warren.

This show will air on PBS in December 2023 and DVD will be available to purchase in January 2024. We cannot wait to share it with you later in the year.

28
Fun and Games / The Random Rhymes and Alliteration Station
« on: August 12, 2023, 12:10:56 AM »
Here is the place for Celtic Woman related rhymes and/or alliteration!

What is alliteration?

To get the boring definition out of the way, it's the repetition of initial consonant sounds of successive or nearby words in a phrase. Technically, there are variants of alliteration that involve repetition of consonant sounds in the middle or ends of words, although those techniques may be less catchy. Repetition of initial vowel sounds (aka assonance) might as well be included as well.

Example:
Susan sings songs sweetly.


In this thread, you can use either rhymes, alliteration, or both! Pandora's Box has been opened. Have fun!  :D

I'll get the rhyme-time started with Muirgen at the Burren;D

29
Lisa Lambe / Joyride
« on: August 09, 2023, 08:02:45 PM »
Lisa Lambe sings "Love is the Way" (a cover of the Declan O'Rourke) song during the end credits of the 2022 "Joyride" movie, which was directed by Emer Reynolds.

30
Other Musicians / The Dubliners
« on: August 08, 2023, 10:57:56 PM »
You've probably heard of The Dubliners.

But have you seen The Octopus Jig?

https://youtu.be/Y6cA6jFFaNw

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 39
SMF 2.0.19 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
Celtic Woman Forum, Show Posts - CWazyTom - Theme by GlenS