Back in October of 2009, Celtic Thunder gave two extra-special
performances in Toronto. I learned about them about a week ahead of
time, long after I had tickets to see them in my own hometown, and while
I was intrigued at the idea of sitting in on the live recording of a
DVD, going up there for the concerts was far from practical. It would
have to wait a few months. Storm, the mini-musical filmed at that time, still won’t be out until this summer, but It’s Entertainment has now been out for a month and is making the rounds on PBS.
The look of this show is significantly different from in the first two
DVDs. This time, instead of a dark, imposing stage with a stormy
backdrop, the set-up is reminiscent of something like The Lawrence Welk Show.
Everything is bright and cheerful-looking, and beyond the stage itself
are set pieces like a fountain, a charming country bridge, a lamppost
and a park bench. The tone is also very different. When I first
encountered Celtic Thunder, I rather thought they took themselves a bit
too seriously. Theirs are very regimented shows with little room for
improvisation on their part, so you don’t get the witty banter I so
enjoy at an Irish Rovers concert. However, there’s a definite attempt
here to maintain a light touch. Most of the performances have a humorous
element, and it seems like one of the main objectives of this
particular DVD is to showcase how much fun the lads can be.
Almost all of the more solemn tracks from the album are omitted, so
you’ll have to spring for the CD to hear George Donaldson’s Hello Again, Ryan Kelly’s Everything I Do, Paul Byrom’s Sway and Neil Byrne’s only solo song, When You Wish Upon a Star. An exquisite six-person a cappella version of Amazing Grace is also left out of the mix.
Meanwhile, several older songs are tossed in. Take Me Home, from the album of the same title, opens the show, while Ireland’s Call
closes it. Both are energetic numbers, though somewhat less theatrical
this time without the dramatic backdrop and lighting. During the last
number, keep an eye out for young Damian McGinty, who misses a step and
is swiftly yanked back on course by a big-brotherly Paul. Other repeats
include George’s peppy 500 Miles, Ryan’s steamy Every Breath You Take and Paul’s inspirational You Raise Me Up.
The oddest of the performances is Just Like Jesse James, since the young woman performing it seems to come out of nowhere. I should actually say women,
because while we see the fiercely seductive Caroline Torti, it’s the
powerhouse vocals of Essex songstress Charley Bird that we’re hearing.
I’m impressed with them both, and it’s a very enjoyable performance, but
it doesn’t really fit in, and while the endearing antics of intimidated
Keith Harkin and hapless would-be wingman Damian are a hoot, Keith’s
behavior hardly matches up with her description of a man who comes
“struttin' into town like [he’s] slingin’ a gun / just a small town dude
with a big city attitude.”
Keith does the singing on two songs. Hard to Say I’m Sorry
is a pretty typical song for him, earnest and sensitive, and Caroline
remains for a bit of reconciliation. I don’t think the two songs really
go together very well, but as I like both performances a lot, I can’t
complain too much. I also appreciate that he sticks pretty close to the
melody for this one; he can really go to town on those runs, but a more
straightforward reading makes a nice change. Meanwhile, his surfer
medley is pure fun and gives him a chance to jam on the guitar a bit.
Considering his professed love of surfing, the Beach Boys feel like a
perfect fit for him.
He also joins Neil and Ryan on the DVD’s prettiest performance, a harmonious three-verse rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.
This is really the only moment in the spotlight for Neil, who has been
with the show as an instrumentalist and back-up vocalist for some time
but only now is stepping up to become a sixth member of the ensemble.
There’s a delicate beauty to the blend of voices here and a sense of raw
power when the other three singers, along with a slew of musicians,
come together for the show-stopping version of U2’s Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.
George, Paul and Ryan each has one new song to himself. George takes on the Proclaimers’ peppy Life With You,
singing with vigor and clearly enjoying himself as he takes every
opportunity to point to his wife and young daughter in the audience.
Paul, dressed to the nines in a fancy suit complete with a top hat and
cane, shows off a hitherto hidden aptitude for tap dancing in the
wonderfully playful Doo Wacka Doo, written by Phil Coulter as a tribute to the music of the Roaring Twenties.
Ryan gets to do even more moving around in Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,
a song that has long been a favorite of mine. Here, his musical theater
background is readily apparent as he glides across the stage, looking
slick and conspiratorial as he plays the part of an overly involved
narrator reminiscent of the one in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Meanwhile, he has a small troupe of dancers behind him, and their
acrobatic antics in depicting the gritty South Chicago scene remind me
of West Side Story. I love Ryan’s expressions in this one, his
total engagement with the song and the obvious relish in his delivery of
certain lines. My only complaint here is that the man who portrays
Leroy himself seems far too wimpy-looking to be that notorious
scoundrel.
Damian gets two songs to himself, and both strike a
nice balance between his youth and his more mature voice. His delivery
is smooth and effortless in Home, a slower number that has him reflecting on the pitfalls of a life on the road. It’s beautifully done, but I like Standing on the Corner
even better. For this song, he comes out in a pristine white suit and
dapper cap and does his best to adopt the swaggering stance of Dean
Martin. Both songs pair him up with petite Hayley-Jo Murphy, who
emanates sweetness as the two engage in a shyly flirtatious dance that
celebrates the exhilaration of a first romance.
The concert
zooms by all too quickly, but if you head over to the special features,
there’s a delightful video of about 40 minutes in length that offers a
behind-the-scenes peek of the lads at work and play. Much of this video
involves the stay some of them had in a castle in Ireland. The
nonagenarian owner gives them a tour of his home, complete with many
fascinating historical tidbits; Ryan in particular seems to hang on
every word. Clearly this is a man who respects his elders. Interspersed
with this tour are several segments in which the lads discuss various
elements of their Celtic Thunder experience. One neat inclusion is a
peek into the auditions. I only wish these had been a bit longer; I was
especially keen to hear Ryan’s rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar‘s Heaven on Their Minds.
Though most of the pre-taped segments show the members individually,
there’s also opportunity to see some of the banter among the lads and
get a sense of their brotherly affection and mischief toward one
another. Meanwhile, the gorgeous scenery of the castle grounds makes up a
bit for the diminished focus on Celtic themes in the concert itself.
This is Celtic Thunder’s third DVD. If you wants more of a celebration
of Irish and Scottish heritage, I’d refer you first to their earlier
efforts, but if you’re in the mood for something that’s just plain fun, It’s Entertainment definitely delivers.
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