Hello everyone! Thanks for the replies and warm welcome!

Okay, I am gonna share some opinions that I've had for years, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Yes, there seems to have been a gradual decline in Celtic Woman popularity since the David Downes years onwards, and they have typically chosen to perform in cities with high-PBS and high-older, Irish heritage populations to keep up the ticket sales. New York City is notoriously difficult to fill a venue unless you're a very popular act (I got to a lot of shows, most of them are half-full or are in very small venues), and in my opinion, the newer era of CW has focused far too much on pop-type music and a pull away from the big, orchestral, "new-age", Riverdance type sound that existed from the first album up to Ancient Land.

I have always wondered if, since they don't have the ability to get back to the Downes era sound or have the ability to perform songs orchestrated by Downes, if they might lean in to the more trad Irish sound of a High Kings or something... but they don't seem to be moving in that direction either. And they very rarely add any new Celtic traditional songs to their repitoir, which I think contributes to losing some more of the base that has a very strong connection to Celtic Trad.

I think Celtic Woman has evolved from a group that has a distinct sound and show to more of clearing house for young, very talented Irish women to get the chance to perform on a still-massive stage around America, primarily. Don't get me wrong- I love it. I particularly loved the era we just left- it took me a minute, but I came to love Ancient Land through their 20th Anniversary albums. But if the show just becomes a variety show for new Irish talent every other year, it becomes very hard to develop a distinctive sound, a dedicated fan base etc.. And that makes me worry for the longevity of Celtic Woman over the next 20 years.

I will always be a fan. I will always support the show. And I know most of us here will as well. But the focus on cultivating new audiences will require, I believe, a return to something large, magical, and mystical in sound and spectacle, or a pivot into very traditional Celtic traditional music- and it seems that CW is not currently moving in either direction. Instead, in this show, we have a mix of American pop/country like Jolene, Italian songs, Modern Irish Rock/Folk, and the traditional songs they know Americans love that are not particularly Irish- Amazing Grace, Over the Rainbow etc. And that, in my opinion, is an interesting choice indeed.

Not sure if it's been posted, but here's the full set-list for this tour.

ACT 1
   1.   An Cailín Álainn – Caitríona (intro solo)
   2.   Dúlamán – Muirgen, Mairéad, Caitríona & Kate
   3.   Tír na nÓg – Muirgen, Mairéad, Caitríona & Kate
   4.   Black Is the Colour – Caitríona & Mairéad
   5.   Róisín Dubh – Muirgen & Kate
   6.   Roxy’s New Shoes / Asa’s Fancy – Kate (fiddle reels)
   7.   Scarborough Fair – Caitríona
   8.   The Prayer (English & Italian) – Mairéad
   9.   Siúil a Rún – Caitríona, Muirgen & Kate (harp)
   10.   Jolene – Muirgen, Mairéad, Caitríona & Kate
   11.   Amazing Grace – Kate with Ali (bagpipes)

Intermission

⸻

ACT 2
   12.   Téir Abhaile Riú (English & Irish) – Muirgen, Mairéad, Caitríona & Kate
   13.   Galileo (Declan O’Rourke) – Muirgen, Mairéad & Caitríona
   14.   An Cailín Dearg – Kate
   15.   Over the Rainbow – Mairéad & Muirgen
   16.   Níl Sé’n Lá – Muirgen, Mairéad, Caitríona & Kate
   17.   Danny Boy – Muirgen, Mairéad, Caitríona & Kate
   18.   Lucy Campbells / Creamy Pints in the Snug – Kate, Ali (whistles), Kieran (bodhrán)
   19.   Orinoco Flow – Muirgen, Mairéad, Caitríona & Kate
   20.   You Raise Me Up
   21.   The Parting Glass