George Donaldson in The Harp and Fiddle Pub, Pittsburgh, PA, 12-8-13

It’s been five years since my dad turned on PBS just in time to hear Scottish balladeer George Donaldson singing the touching tribute The Old Man, which served as his introduction to the group Celtic Thunder, whose music quickly took my family by storm. On December 8th, we had the opportunity to see George in concert in the intimate setting of the Harp and Fiddle pub in Pittsburgh. My parents, my fiancé Will and I made the trek, stopping along the way for lunch with the dear friends responsible for my meeting Will. As the only member of our quartet not intimately familiar with George’s music, he looked forward to becoming better acquainted with this accomplished singer-songwriter.

The concert was set to start at 7:30 p.m., but we arrived shortly before 5, and shortly after 5, we were allowed to go in. We were led to a table for four right up against the stage; Will had managed to secure the best seats in the house. Shortly after we arrived, George took the stage for a sound check and performed a shortened version of I Wish I Were Back Home in Derry, which shares its melody with Gordon Lightfoot’s The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. At that point, we were left to order off the special George Donaldson Concert menu that had been drawn up, so the four of us shared pretzels, shepherd’s pie and fish and chips and awaited the beginning of the concert.

Having previously seen Celtic Thunder’s Ryan Kelly and Neil Byrne together in a similar format, I expected that George’s concert would proceed in a similar fashion. It basically did, except that, as there was no one onstage for him to banter with, he interacted directly with audience members more often. He also had a general narrative scope to his concert, though he made several joking comments to encourage the appearance of complete spontaneity. While he did take some audience requests and probably made some last-minute song decisions, several of his selections flowed together naturally, particularly the segment chronicling a life-changing experience for him as a performer.

He detailed a time when he had started working for the money rather than the passion of performing. He had recently seen Saving Private Ryan, so when he sang The Green Fields of France - a ballad about the futility of war later recorded by Celtic Thunder as one of its most moving ensemble pieces – it really struck a chord with him, and he felt his passion returning. Later that night, he got into a conversation with one of the few people present for his concert, and the audience member requested he sing a Harry Chapin song. Upon learning that George didn’t know who that was, he begged him to buy one of his albums and even gave him the money to pay for it. George later did just that and was transfixed by the storytelling genius of this singer-songwriter whose songs were usually too long to be heard on the radio.

This story was punctuated by his performances of Green Fields of France and A Song for Harry Chapin, his lengthy and touching tribute to the late singer. I was particularly hoping he would sing that song, since Harry is Will’s all-time favorite singer and I knew he would especially appreciate it. He followed it up with a performance of two of Harry’s songs, starting with the tender Tangled Up Puppet, a touching address to Harry’s growing daughter that is particularly meaningful for George, whose only child is a daughter, as well as for me, especially with my dad right across the table. He also performed Harry’s most widely known song, Cat’s in the Cradle, another bittersweet song about parent-child relationships.

The deeply personal thread that tied these songs together was present throughout the evening as he casually chatted in that rumbling brogue, laughter in his eyes even as he filled the set with tragic tunes prompting him to say, “If you came here to be cheered up, you’ve come to the wrong place.” Of course, that was an exaggeration, and uplifting or cheerful songs were not in short supply. He sang several songs of his own composition, including a tribute to his beloved wife Carrie, a recollection about his early days as a musician in Burlington, a speculative ode inspired by an autistic fan and the title song of his second album.

He also covered many well-known folk-rock and pop songs, starting with James Taylor’s Fire and Rain. Others included Elton John’s Your Song, Simon and Garfunkel’s Homeward Bound and John Denver’s Leavin’ on a Jet Plane. None of these included much in the way of background, but he performed The Who’s Pinball Wizard as a demonstration that he could rock with the best of them, and he expressed his admiration for Jim Croce, another musician who, like Harry Chapin, specialized in story-songs and died young in a tragic accident. Croce merited two songs, Time in a Bottle and Bad Bad Leroy Brown, which Ryan performed as part of Celtic Thunder’s It’s Entertainment.

Other more folk-oriented selections included Peter Hames’ Ordinary Man, the song of an enraged and disenfranchised worker and Ralph McTell’s Grand Affair, as well as several songs he had performed, either solo or as a group song with Celtic Thunder, including Rita McNeil’s Working Man, the first song of the night on which he openly encouraged the audience to sing along; Caledonia, a traditional tribute to Scotland; The Old Man; Galway Girl; the gentle Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair); the Piano Man-esque Red Rose Café; and his always-rousing cover of The Proclaimers’ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), which ended the concert.

Throughout the whole concert, it was just him and his guitar, and he took no breaks except for the occasional pause for a sip of Diet Coke. He was warm and personable and occasionally snarky, and the music of his accent was pure magic, even if he often joked that we probably couldn’t understand half of what he was saying. Everyone in the audience of perhaps a hundred or so seemed to be having a wonderful time as he shared his anecdotes and insights and the rippling majesty of his resonant singing voice and superior guitar-playing.

While the only thing available for sale after the show was George’s first album, which we already have, he graciously stayed long enough that anyone who wanted an autograph or a photo with him could get one. We opted for the latter, giving us a wonderful memento of an evening of superlative musicianship and balladry. It was a wonderful opportunity for my parents and me, who have treasured George’s artistry for years, and a perfect way for Will to immerse himself in his work. In fact, toward the end of the concert, he passed me a note to say that he’d never enjoyed a concert more than this one. It really is the most personal way to experience a great musician, and I’m so glad that the lads of Celtic Thunder have begun to branch out into these more intimate side-projects. If you love songs that tell a story and musicians who pour their souls into their performances, I hope you will have the chance to see one of George’s pub concerts. He doesn’t do many of them in the United States, but for a very reasonable price, you can get an evening of warm fellowship and exceptional music.

Celtic Thunder Sings Up a Storm in a Long-Awaited Album

It’s a strange time for Celtic Thunder. Original members Paul Byrom and Damian McGinty have moved on with their careers, their places taken by newcomers Emmet Cahill and Daniel Furlong. In the midst of this shake-up, Phil Coulter, who has composed many of the group’s songs, announced that he would be writing no more music for Celtic Thunder. Shortly thereafter, the group released Storm, which has been on the back burner for a couple of years. A concept album made up almost entirely of songs that Coulter wrote himself, it takes listeners back to an earlier time and serves as a most excellent farewell to an incredibly fruitful partnership with this talented composer.

New Day Dawning - Percussion, pipes and whistles add to the distinctly Celtic flavor of his rousing opening track. An exuberant ensemble cut with the gusto of Ireland’s Call and the reverence of Heartland, it allows each member of the group time in the spotlight and also highlights their harmonizing skills. A song of mingled thanksgiving and trepidation as settlers embark on an exciting but dangerous new life. “Thank you, Lord, for a new day dawning over our mountains and valleys of green. Thank you, Lord, for a new day dawning and shining Your light from above all over this land that we love.”

Outside Looking In - The guitar and quickly scampering drums complement Ryan’s darkly triumphant vocals. You can hear the smirk in his husky voice as he brags about his status as an outsider eager to prove the settlers’ worst suspicions about him true. Never have I heard Celtic Thunder’s designated bad boy sound more sinister. Charley Bird joins in toward the end, and her presence as the gypsy king’s sister emphasizes that this is not just an isolated hooligan but one of many bandits. A classic villain song. “They must be aware, if they think I’m there, it’s a very scary feelin’. Lyin’ in their beds, runnin’ through their heads is one thought: What is he stealin’?”

When You Are 18 - This reflective song about a young man eager to dive right into life is extremely fitting for Damian, who was 17 when he recorded it. Gently backed by guitar, with other instruments gradually joining in as it builds in intensity, he sings of his dreams and frustrations, of wanting to go out there and experience all that the world has to offer although others caution him to hang back. Damian has gained more experience of the world in his teens than many people will gain in a lifetime, yet his 18th year was still jam-packed with new experiences, and even now that he is 19 and taking his career in a totally different direction as a cast member on GLEE, he retains that sense of wonder and enthusiasm. “I’m ready to travel, to follow my star to the places I’ve been dreamin’ of. I’m ready for livin’ I’m ready for life, and I know that I’m ready for love.”

Life in the Old Dog Yet - The omnipresent mandolin brings a melancholy undercurrent to this otherwise vigorous song that has George lamenting the diminishing respect that sometimes accompanies advanced age. There’s some brooding but mostly resolve as this chieftain vows to continue living abundantly, guided by hard-earned wisdom. Of all the voices in the group, I’ve always found George’s the most warmly expressive; he really has a way of digging into the heart of a song. He also has a curious vocal habit of doing a sort of guttural run. That’s a poor way to describe it, but it’s very distinct from Keith’s habit of leaping around the scale like Mariah Carey. It’s almost like musical laughter. I don’t know if there’s a proper term for it, but it’s one of my favorite aspects of his voice. “You can’t put an old head on young shoulders. My advice is the best I can give. Let them make their mistakes. Let them fight for their breaks. Let them learn how to love and to live.”

Not the One - It’s a little surreal to hear Paul here now that he has left the group. This is very much in line with the other old-fashioned romantic odes Paul has recorded in the past. Piano and harp augment this very slow-paced song. This is a man who insists on a soul mate, so while the woman before him has many attractive qualities, he can feel in his gut that someone else out there is meant for him. His ardent declarations remind me of Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid. This guy is waiting for a lightning bolt moment. A little snoozy for my taste, but it’s typical Paul and showcases his sensitivity well. “Can she fill each waking moment? Who knows; perhaps she can. And yes, I realize she’d be a prize for any man. But she’s not the one that’s meant for me, the one that Heaven sent for me…”

Stand and Deliver - Like Ryan’s first song, Keith’s is marked by dangerous-sounding guitar and galloping percussion. Keith is an outlaw too, though his thievery has a nobler purpose than Ryan’s. Still, for most of the song, he comes across as just as gleefully malevolent and equally capable of plotting darker deeds than mere robbery. In some of the verses he sounds heroic, but more often this is a secondary villain song, which is an interesting choice since Keith’s specialty is earnest romantic ballads. This definitely does not fall into that category. A fun tidbit: Keith, along with Neil, performs a rollicking rendition of the traditional Whiskey in the Jar on Heritage, and early in the track he sings the words “stand and deliver.” “Look out, the gentry and the rich, for I have taken an oath. Look out! No matter which is which, I will steal from you both! Whoa, who will stand up for the weak? Whoa, yes, mine is the voice that will speak.”

The Highwayman - Deirdre Shannon’s lovely voice is a perfect accompaniment to the delicate harp as other female singers provide spooky background vocals. A soft, slow song pondering the mysterious nature of the man in the previous track. Her tone is mildly confused but mostly admiring as she sings of his virtues, which to her mind far outweigh his faults. Some of the lines are annoyingly redundant: “I’ve never known anyone like him; he’s like no one that I’ve ever met. How easy he’ll be to remember; how hard he will be to forget.” Mostly, though, this slow-paced song is a nice breather after the pulse-pounding one that preceded it.

Lagan Love - One of the few songs Coulter did not write himself, this old folk song has an eerie chant-like quality to it and is mostly a cappella and is at its loveliest when George, Paul and Damian join in with Neil, whose voice is generally the most prominent here. This was filmed before he was considered a full-fledged member of the group, and it signals his gradual move from back-up vocals to lead. A haunting meditation on a deep, abiding love. “There on the cricket’s singing stone, she stirs the bogwood fire and hums in soft sweet undertones the song of heart’s desire.”

Midnight Well - This electric guitar-heavy song was included on Take Me Home as well, so it feels a little strange to encounter it here, especially since it’s a man telling a story rather than talking about himself. In the show, though, he is both narrator and subject, so maybe the circumstances add a mirthful twist as he is singing about a legend that has sprung up around his own exploits. In any case, it’s a smoky tango with a mysterious flavor to it, and the spooky conclusion puts me in mind of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. While I get the sense the song was kind of shoehorned in, I’d say it fits. “They say when the summer nights come to an end and a harvest moon glows in the sky, a black horse will appear and a sound you will hear as the ghost of a gypsy rides by.”

Shadows Dancing - This fast-paced but seductive number is whispered as much as it is actually sung. Charley returns as the gypsy king’s sister in this saucy track with speedy percussion and a keyboard that reminds me of a circus calliope. There’s not a lot of story to this one; it’s just her putting the moves on someone, and on the album, it’s impossible to tell who that is. All that whispering grates on me a bit, and the abrupt full stops give me a little whiplash, but it’s a lively song. “Shadows dancin’ in the moonlight, shadows dancin’ in the dark. Mem’ries dancin’ for me…”

Harry’s Game - Deirdre sings this Irish-language lament written by Pol Brennan. Multiple voices join in to provide eerie harmonies that resonate as though the singers were in an echo chamber. The understated accompaniment is largely drowned out by the voices in this soft song that seems to reflect a desire for peace. A somber, reflective track stylistically akin to Lagan Love.

Tender Is the Night - While this is mostly Paul’s song, Deirdre joins in on the chorus toward the end, and she also sings a verse solo. This is the melancholy young man finally finding that woman of his dreams and being transfigured by joy. It’s actually a rather low-key song, but it hums with intensity, and I prefer this one to Paul’s earlier track. I especially like the flute that turns up toward the end. “Everything feels right when you hold me tight. Tender is the night.”

This Was My Life - This gently wistful reflection from George is arguably my favorite song on the album. A song of thanksgiving meditating on life’s joys and pains, it reminds me of John Denver’s Falling Leaves and also seems like a perfect bookend to Denver’s Poems, Prayers and Promises. George was only around 40 when he recorded this, so obviously his character is much older than he is, but he’s looking back gratefully on a life well lived. He sounds wearier here than in his first track, and the fiddle adds an aching quality to the song, but the tenderness in his voice is unmistakable. “And lookin’ back on all the years, the loves, the sweetness and the sorrow have made me what I am today, and I’d do it all again tomorrow. It’s been a good life, far from the high life, and I thank God that this was my life.”

Look at Me - The album’s comic high point, this brings Damian and Keith together for a rousing duet as Keith tries to offer some big brotherly advice to the overly boastful Damian. Here, the fiddle sounds playful, weaving a teasing jig around the definitive statements each young man provides. Damian is all proud bluster and doesn’t seem to be listening to a single steadying word Keith is saying. While this is even more fun on the DVD because we can see them truly confronting each other, the two personalities are clearly defined just through the music, and it’s especially entertaining to hear them sing their opposite viewpoints over top of each other. “Take a good look at yourself, and you will see a natural loser, take it from me.” “Look at me, I ain’t no beginner. A natural winner, that’s me to a tee.”

Hail the Hero (Mo Ghile Mear) - The deep-voiced chanting here has a visceral appeal to it in guttural Gaelic. Like Ireland’s Call, it feels like a rallying cry, though it’s more of a statement of victory. The pipes and powerful drums add to the triumphant tone of this song that ends the album. Phil Coulter didn’t quite this song either, but it goes well with the first track. Like Look at Me, though, you’re missing out on half the fun if you’re only listening and not watching too. “Hail the hero, strong and true, who fought the fight and saw it through, who swore he’d never be a slave and gave his life our land to save.”

Like Heritage, the overall feel of this album is folksy and old-fashioned, resting firmly in an earlier century and steeped in tradition. It’s a wonderful showcase for each of the original lads, and while it must leave Emmet and Daniel feeling a little left out, it is a lovely treat for long-time fans who have been missing Paul and Damian. Listening to the Thunder roll its way through Storm, I hope that while the weather is changing, the rumble will continue for many years to come.

Celtic Thunder Steps Into Yesteryear With the "Musical" Storm

This fall, I learned that Phil Coulter, the songwriter behind so many terrific Celtic Thunder songs, has ceased his association with the group. I was sad to hear that but happy to get one last big dose of their collaboration with Storm, a long-awaited special featuring only music that Coulter composed.

Storm was filmed two years ago in Toronto. Interestingly, three specials – one filmed at the same time but two filmed a year later – came out before it did. I remember reading about the filming back when it happened and have been looking forward to it ever since, but I was frankly starting to wonder a little if it was ever going to be released. Hence, it was a very welcome sight.

Storm is unique among Celtic Thunder projects because it is a musical. I’m not sure I would call it a fully-formed musical; it’s really more a series of archetypes interacting with each other, and there’s no dialogue or narration to connect the songs. Still, there’s enough plot there to make the “musical” designation reasonable and to make watching the DVD particularly fun.

I love the set and costumes, which take us back to an earlier Irish era. My favorite set piece is a sprawling tree in which a couple of the characters perch as they oversee the surrounding land. The basic storyline involves two groups of people in conflict with each other. We have the “civilized” folks who have put down roots in the area and the gypsies who claim this part of the country for their own. As is typical for Celtic Thunder, some choreography is involved, but most of the dancing this time is done by the band of gypsies. Though my mom was greatly annoyed when I referred to their distinct, stylized motions as the “Gypsy Macarena,” I have to admit that it made me a little giggly. It also made me want to study the moves so I can (at least threaten to) show them off at the next wedding reception I attend.

Naturally, the dark, dashing Ryan Kelly is king of the gypsies, and black-haired beauty Caroline Torti plays his sister (though Charley Bird provides the vocals). Paul Byrom is a moony young gentleman seeking true love, and Keith Harkin lies between the two extremes as a highwayman who looks like an elegant man about town but can be just as dangerous as Ryan’s character. George Donaldson plays the chief of the settlement, while Damian McGinty is the “young buck.” Also singled out is Deirdre Shannon as the chief’s daughter. Other musicians, including musical director David Cooke, piper Brendan Monaghan and the multi-talented Neil Byrne, who had not yet begun to be highlighted as a full member of the group, help provide a fuller look and sound.

Because this is a different type of special, we are more immersed in the action on stage than usual. Most Celtic Thunder DVDs include frequent cuts to the audience for reactions, but there are so few of them here that I almost forgot this was filmed in front of a live audience, especially since they are generally so quiet. I’m guessing they were instructed to be so; while all but one of these were new songs, which may have cut down on the participatory aspect of it, I was surprised not to hear more clapping and cheering. The only song to get much of an audible response was Look at Me, the duet between over-confident Damian and Keith, who is trying to offer some romantic advice, which sent many audience members into gales of laughter.

I think it might be a little more accurate to say that Storm is a concept show rather than a musical. These are character-driven songs, but there isn’t a lot of plot to tie it all together. That said, each of the characters undergoes some type of change, and the broader idea is that these disparate groups are going to live among and respect each other rather than being antagonists. Group numbers New Day Dawning and Hail the Hero bookend the show with a sense of satisfaction, but the latter song shows a more nuanced perspective as well as incorporating a very entertaining dance-off.

Ryan and Caroline/Charley team up for Outside Looking In, a dangerous-sounding song about the benefits and drawbacks to living the vagabond life, and Ryan returns for the Midnight Well, which was included on Take Me Home and so feels strangely familiar in the midst of all this new material. This tango-flavored song about a gypsy charming a young maiden away from her village is immediately followed by Caroline/Charley’s seductive Shadows Dancing.

Keith, too, comes across as an outsider in Stand and Deliver, in which he justifies his lifestyle by describing himself in Robin Hood-esque terms. Damian’s When You Are 18 conveys a sense of eager yearning resolve somewhat by the end, when he has decided to actively embrace the opportunities of adulthood. Bringing the two of them together for Look at Me allows Keith’s character to come across as more of a good guy by attempting to mentor Damian’s – though we’re already inclined to be sympathetic because of Deirdre’s The Highwayman, in which she pines for the mysterious fellow who held up her carriage.

Paul is a melancholy dreamer desperately seeking true love in Not the One, and he finds it in Tender Is the Night, a duet with Deirdre, who precedes it with the haunting Harry’s Game. Robustly gruff George sings the zesty Life in the Old Dog Yet toward the beginning and This Was My Life, a mellow reflection of tender gratitude, toward the end. Lagan Love, about dead center in the set, brings the lads together for a moment of thematic unity and gorgeous harmony.

While I like when Celtic Thunder takes on pop standards, I generally prefer songs that feel more connected to traditional roots. This makes a fine companion to Heritage and should certainly satisfy fans concerned that It’s Entertainment and A Celtic Thunder Christmas marked too much of a departure from folk sounds. I wish that Coulter wasn’t cutting ties with Celtic Thunder, but with Storm, we’re treated to the heftiest helping yet of his genius.

Celtic Thunder's George Donaldson Spins Splendid Solo Story-Songs in The White Rose

Nearly three years ago, I became acquainted with Celtic Thunder, the PBS sensation consisting of several Irish singers and one burly bald Scotsman. The latter is George Donaldson, the oldest member of the group and the one with the most exceptional gift for conveying the heart of a story-song and connecting with an audience. I admire all of the lads of Celtic Thunder for different reasons, but George is the one who seems most in line with the folksy singer-songwriter style I esteem above all others. Hence, I was very excited to learn earlier this year that he would be releasing a solo album. Now that I’ve had some time to live with it, here are my impressions.

A Song for Harry Chapin - If I were to describe George Donaldson’s musical style in one word, I would call him a balladeer. I’ve heard few singers who can so skillfully draw the story out of a song, causing us to notice every detail and feel every emotion. Jim Croce was one such singer-songwriter; Harry Chapin was another. Knowing that George was blessed with the soul of a storyteller, I was eager to hear him sing his own words, and writing this tribute to one of his personal heroes and a giant of the genre feels like a most appropriate way to begin his own very story-filled album. His skillful turns of phrase are a delight but not a surprise.

I love the tenderness of this five-and-a-half-minute-long ode. Essentially broken into thirds, the first is a mellow, acoustic guitar-driven exploration of his own experience with Chapin’s music. During the middle of the song, the tempo increases and bass becomes prominent as he gives us a brief biographical sketch, discussing Chapin’s roots and his unique style. Finally, the end returns to the pace of the beginning, adding in a few minor chords that might have felt right at home in Cat’s in the Cradle as George sadly sings about Chapin’s death but notes his legacy. While I like the first portion best, as it feels most deeply personal, his passion is apparent throughout the track, which is my favorite of his original songs on this album. “He opened up my eyes to a new style of song, like a book or like a movie – and it lasted just as long. I followed every word he’d say; his songs blew my mind away. The world should hear his name and share his love.”

Beeswing - Running through much of Celtic music is the theme of wandering, and while more often than not the man is the one who doesn’t want to be tied down, in the case of this Richard Thompson ballad, the woman is the rover and the speaker is the poor sap who can’t hold on to the one he loves. Set in the late 1960s, the gypsy-flavored song has a very distinct rhythm accentuated by percussive guitar strums that give way to wind-like bursts of strings. The two instruments seem to exemplify the two points of view, with him wanting stability and her demanding freedom. A toe tapper enhanced in its last minute and a half by the yearning vocals of Erin Boyle and the Brendan Monaghan’s poignant pipes. “They say her rose is faded now, rough weather and hard booze. Well, maybe that’s the price you pay for the chains that you refuse.”

Glasgow - Another deep tradition in Celtic music is the hometown tribute. Fellow Celtic Thunder member Ryan Kelly included his own aching ode, The Village That They Call the Moy, on his debut solo album, so I’m pleased to see that George has done the same, particularly since so many of his posts have mentioned his devotion to Jinty’s, his favorite pub, where he has performed his music many times. He mentions its proprietor and regular visitors in his album acknowledgments, but actually hearing the name incorporated into a song is a kick. While he mentions his homesickness while he is on the road, the song’s overall tone is joyous pride. He loves Glasgow and wants to share its wonders with the world. Peppier than most songs of its type, this piano-driven ballad is another one brimming with affection. “With a heart that beats from deep within, so old but ever young, with a finger ever on the pulse, Glasgow, you’re my mother; I’m proud to be your son.”

On a Bus to St. Cloud - So many of the songs on this album are deeply rooted in a particular place. In the case of this melancholy Gretchen Peters song, it’s St. Cloud, Minnesota, though wrapped up in the song is the sensation of movement, of drifting along aimlessly. At one point, the song takes the speaker to New Orleans. The faint bagpipes in the background complement the legato piano and eerily beautiful images, creating an overall sensation of loss and confusion. “And you chase me like a shadow, and you haunt me like a ghost, and I hate you some, and I love you some, but I miss you most.”

The White Rose - This title track, written by George, is yet another tribute, this time to Sophie Scholl, a 21-year-old college student of deep faith and firm principles who, for eight months, joined her brother Hans and friend Christoph Probst, among others, in a leaflet campaign encouraging passive resistance to Hitler and the Nazi regime. I’m ashamed to say that I had never heard of this courageous young woman or the covert club of which she was a part, but the heroism its members displayed has been publically acknowledged, and one German magazine even ranked Scholl the greatest woman of the 20th century. Facing the lyrics in the liner booklet is a photograph of the three friends in 1942; she in the middle, a flower in front of her, gazes steadily ahead as if bracing for the trouble to come.

The song has a perilous edge to it, having a bit of a galloping sound as if to indicate pursuit. The guitar, piano and strings come together to create an aura of danger as George sharply recounts the terror of that time. The slightly minor tone adds to the sense of tragedy, yet there is also a flicker of triumph in his delivery as he sings of Sophie’s belief, asserted just moments before their execution by guillotine, that their resistance would inspire others. A worthy subject of the title song. “Even though we know our cause is righteous and the price of failure brings the highest cost, if a thousand were to wake and take our actions, then our lives will never truly have been lost.”

Burlington - George breaks his pattern here by having two original songs in a row. I’m assuming that this one is autobiographical; he’s certainly had his share of travel nightmare stories, and it seems he has a special affection for Canada, so I can easily imagine him expressing a desire to be playing a favorite venue near Toronto instead of being stuck in a Detroit airport. This song seems to fit in with the likes of Paul Simon’s Homeward Bound and Bob Seger’s Turn the Page in expressing the malaise of a traveling musician, yet there is definite affection for an appreciative audience. The Dan Fogelberg line from Same Old Lang Syne contrasting the heavenly audience with the pernicious nature of tour travel springs to mind right away. Boyle resurfaces here to add her vocals, while Plunkett McGartland’s fiddling provides a bittersweet undercurrent. “I should be playing on the stage at 9 or 10 o’clock with the thunder passing overhead as the plane begins to dock. I’m thinking to myself, ‘It won’t be long till we’re away,’ but the plane got redirected; now it’s gone out to L.A.”

Safe in the Harbour - The first song I heard George sing was Johnny Duhan’s The Voyage, which uses sailing as a metaphor for marriage. It felt very fitting, then, to find a song so rich in nautical imagery here, particularly since it was penned by Eric Bogle, the poet behind Green Fields of France, one of Celtic Thunder’s most hauntingly harmonious ensemble ballads. This is the first song on the album not to be tethered to a particular place, and at first glance, especially at the verses, it seems less a ballad than a general reflection upon the nature of dreamers as opposed to materialists. Read at that level, the artistry of the words is enough to make it one of the most potent songs of its type that I have heard – and as a dreamer myself, I’ve sought out and heard many.

However, it turns out that this song, too, is a tribute. In this case, it’s more about capturing the general spirit of the man who died, allowing listeners to feel a kinship with him before they realize he is being memorialized. This young man was Canadian singer-songwriter and maritime enthusiast Stan Rogers, who died at the age of 33 in a horrific fire aboard Air Canada Flight 797 in Cincinnati. Hence, the tenderness in George’s voice in this direct address that ripples over the gentle guitar and piano like morning breeze upon a calm sea speaks directly to the loss of this gifted musician with so much more to offer. Nonetheless, the listener can take the “you” to heart as an invitation to follow in his idealistic footsteps. My favorite cover on the album. “So when storm clouds come sailing across your blue ocean, hold fast to your dreaming for all that you’re worth, for as long as there’s dreamers, there will always be sailors, bringing back their bright treasures from corners of Earth.”

Halifax Town -This traditional-sounding original lament commemorates the Battle of Culloden, the 1745 conclusion of the Jacobite Rising that pitted Scots, mostly highlanders, against the reigning British monarchy. Over a low drone of bagpipes augmented by lively whistles, George sings in the voice of a man who survived the battle but lost his family and is now forced to abandon his homeland for the Canadian city of Halifax. The tone isn’t quite as caustic as what we hear in George’s cover of disenfranchised factory workers’ anthem Yesterday’s Men, but he gives off a mingled sense of anger and grief. “And they forced us with famine and torture to run, to leave our own country and never return. They denied us our culture, our language, our dress; they’ve taken the land where our ancestors rest.”

Hierarchy Blues - Once again we have two George originals in a row. The snarling indignation of Yesterday’s Men roars back here, as do the pipes from the last track. This is a rant against materialism, complacency and, most of all, unearned senses of superiority. It serves as a warning against lording one’s fortunes over others, detailing the pitiful phenomenon of a soul deteriorating as more wealth is accumulated. A searing social statement. “That daily life we deem as normal could make another man a king. The more that we believe we own, the more we’re losing everything.”

Grace - My second-favorite of the covers on this album, Grace is the final song to pay tribute to a revered historical figure who died an early death. This one, written by Frank and Sean O’Meara, takes the perspective of Joseph Mary Plunkett, a 28-year-old Irish freedom fighter who was executed for his hand in the 1916 Easter Rising, but not before being allowed to marry his fiancée, artist Grace Gifford, hours beforehand. The gentle tone reminds me of the Irish Rovers’ Sam Hall; this man is about to be killed, but he doesn’t waste his last breaths spewing venom. In this song, he speaks directly to his new bride and soon-to-be widow, and the affection in George’s voice is palpable. The melancholy of the delicately plucked melody is augmented by the presence of the wistful fiddle. A truly tragic love story made all the more poignant by the symbolically loaded name of the addressee. “Oh, Grace, just hold me in your arms and let this moment linger. They’ll take me out at dawn, and I will die. With all my love, I place this wedding ring upon your finger. There won’t be time to share our love, for we must say goodbye.”

Let the Tears Flow - George wrote the final song on the album as well, and it makes an excellent bookend to the first track. While the album starts off with an acknowledgment of a musician who inspired him, this track seems to pass the baton to the listeners, encouraging them to become storytellers in their own right. Backed by understated piano with occasional harp by Joanna Bryne and vocals by Boyle, it softly but firmly urges anyone with a tale to tell to do so, undaunted by any obstacles that might lie in their path. As listening to this album gives me a great itch to sit down with a pencil and a piano or guitar and do some songsmithing of my own, I suspect the fine craftsmanship of these songs will be enough to stir many into poetic musings, rendering such an overt admonition unnecessary, but it certainly emphasizes the communal nature of folk music and brings the album full circle. “Find a start and find a middle. Let your courage find an end. Write your story clear and true. Let the ocean read the words you send.”

George’s album is available from CD Baby, and you can also find discussions of some of its contents on his website, George-Donaldson.com. From the intricate lyrics to the heartfelt vocals and the pensive expression gazing out from the photographic portraits included in the liner booklet, George presents himself exceptionally well here, and I hope that The White Rose will be only the first of many albums for this talented tale-weaver.

Celtic Thunder Embraces Its Folkier Side With Heritage

In September of 2010, I had the opportunity to go to Poughkeepsie, New York, to see the filming of two DVD specials for Celtic Thunder. One of these was Heritage, which marked a dramatic return to traditional music after the extremely pop-flavored It’s Entertainment. In the end, I decided the experience just didn’t quite justify the expense, the bad timing and the logistics of getting there. While I saw that portion of the concert live the next month, I still sort of wish I had gone, especially since Heritage ended up being the last DVD special filmed before the group underwent dramatic changes.

Since September, operatic Paul Byrom and rakish Ryan Kelly, whose first solo album came out in October, have left the group. Multi-talented Neil Byrne, whose first EP was released the same month, continues to rise in prominence within the group, and tenor Emmitt Cahill, the newest member, remains largely a mystery to fans. Balladeer George Donaldson has a solo album out this month, and teen wonder Damian McGinty is currently starring on Oxygen’s The GLEE Project, a reality show in which twelve contestants battle it out for a seven-episode guest starring role on the popular Fox series. The only one whose situation doesn’t seem to have changed much is heartthrob Keith Harkin, who continues to write his own music and sharpen his guitar skills as he prepares for the eventual release of his first solo album. I’m not sure when the next Celtic Thunder special will be filmed, but I know that the group is going to look and sound significantly different.

Heritage is a nice special to serve as the transition between different forms of Celtic Thunder. Many fans were disappointed by the deviation away from music that actually has a Celtic flavor, so the response to this very folksy set of songs has generally been positive. It also contains more joint songs than any previous special, with several duets as well as the full-blown group numbers. This time around, no mystery women perform solos or duets; it’s just George, Paul, Ryan, Neil, Keith and Damian performing together, and the poignant duets between Paul and Damian and George and Ryan take on added meaning in light of events that have happened since. Did they know at the time that these would be songs of farewell to each other?

Heartland - As always, this ensemble opener of the sailors’ prayer written by Phil Coulter packs a powerful punch. We get the extended version here, with Neil showing off his percussionist chops during the majestic early portion that precedes the arrival of the vocalists in their uncharacteristically casual clothing. The stage is dark and misty, with a simple raised platform whose sides ancient cobblestone and a backdrop of rolling green hills. This rendition is much the same as in previous specials, with the major difference being that Ryan sings the Gaelic bridge toward the end that is usually a Damian solo. This song always starts off concerts with a bang, and it’s especially fitting here given the traditional bent of the special. “When the winds are howling, vigil keep. Shelter us and save us from the deep. A Thiarna, déan trócaire, a Chríost, déan trócaire. A Thiarna, déan trócaire, a Chríost, déan trócaire!”

Buachaill O'n Eirne - Damian wowed audiences as a 14-year-old with his clear-voiced rendition of this classic, then titled Come By the Hills. At that time, he sang one verse in Gaelic and the others in English. Here, it’s all Gaelic, and he sounds significantly different now that he’s gone from having the highest voice in the group to the lowest. I love the strong presence of the harp in this one and the close-ups on Damian’s crystal-blue eyes and expressive eyebrows as he sings under that mop of hobbity hair, not to mention the brief shot of an adorable toddler gracefully dancing to the music, glowstick in hand.

The Dutchman - One of my favorite songs on the DVD and possibly my favorite of Keith’s Celtic Thunder solos, it’s a wonderful showcase for his delicate guitar work as well as his sensitive line readings. Keith excels at these folksy songs about enduring love, often with rambly, potentially tongue-twistery lyrics. The song structure here reflects the state of mind of the title character who speaks for himself in the refrain. Aged and often unaware of his own surroundings, he wanders through life in a haze, but he remains content because of the care lavished upon him by his true love. Reminiscent of the Nicholas Sparks weeper The Notebook, it’s a tender song exquisitely performed, with the gentle percussion adding to the sense of enchantment in the chorus. “He’s mad as he can be, but Margaret only sees that sometimes. Sometimes she sees her unborn children in his eyes. ‘Let us go to the banks of the ocean where the walls rise above the Zuider Zee. Long ago, I used to be a young man, but dear Margaret remembers that for me.”

Black is the Colour - This is one of the oldest songs in the program, but Ryan spices it up with a modern twist, giving it all the fiery flair he brought to Ride On in the first special. As in that song, the instrumentation has a Western flavor to it, and it’s easy to imagine horses galloping across the prairie as he proceeds. He sounds like a scoundrel, but he’s not; the lyrics are a total sapfest. It’s just fun to watch him as he sings the praises of his beloved while stalking the stage and belting everything out with a throaty growl. The most entertaining portion comes toward the end when he pumps his fists in time to the drums and the spotlights change color each time. Violinist Nicole Hudson also stands out here as a primary instrumentalist and the object of Ryan’s flirtation. “Black is the colour of my true love’s hair. Her lips are like some roses fair. She’s got the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands, and I love the ground whereon she stands.”

Working Man - This Rita MacNeil ballad originated with Take Me Home, but it fits so perfectly here that I doubt anyone minds the repeat much. George had a flourishing career as a balladeer before joining Celtic Thunder, and none of the lads has a greater gift for consistently connecting with the audience and getting to the emotional core of a song. The oldest member of the group by nearly a decade, George’s rumbling voice and hairless head give him added gravitas that make him the ideal instrument for this tale of a man worn from decades of hard labor in the coal mines. The addition of the rest of the group on the final chorus adds to a sense of defiant jubilation. “It’s a working man I am, and I’ve been down underground, but I swear to God if I ever see the sun or, for any length of time, I can hold it in my mind, Lord, I never again will go down underground.”

Home from the Sea - This Phil Coulter ensemble number, written as a tribute to those who risk their lives to save those adrift at sea, includes Neil pulling double duty as guitarist and solo vocalist. Each member gets half a verse to himself, while they all sing together on the chorus. When I saw this in concert, there was a bit of roughhousing at this point, and it was one of the songs that allowed the most personality to shine through. They’re more sedate here, but you can tell they’re enjoying each other’s company. This song is similar in many ways to Heartland, though it’s entirely in English and has more of a bouncy quality to it as opposed to the reverent tone of the first. Both are prayers for deliverance by wayward sailors, but in this case, they receive their rescue at the hands of a lifeboat crew. A hearty, exuberant song, with the standout line George’s bellowed “All survivors on board!” “Carry us home, home, home from the sea. Angels of mercy, answer our plea…”

Just a Song at Twilight - I confess I find this song a bit too slow and snoozy for my liking, though it’s great to see Paul and Damian singing together, and it’s a nice song of reminiscent brotherhood that feels especially fitting given Paul’s then-impending departure. The chorus upon which they harmonize is quite lovely, I’m just not as enthralled by the verses. Still, this mellow, piano-backed song is certainly soothing. “Just a song at twilight when the lights are low and the flick’ring shadows softly come and go. Though the heart be weary, sad the day and long, still to us at twilight comes love’s old song.”

Belfast Polka - This is another repeat, a chance for the band to show off their stuff while the vocalists get a break. Of course, Neil on guitar duty again, so no break for him, though he’s not really highlighted here. The violinists stand out in this fun tune that gets the audience clapping, but the most entertaining instrumentalists are flutist Brendan Monaghan and keyboardist Dave Cooke, who demonstrates his ability to boogie when he stands up to shake things up with some hand-held percussion.

Gold & Silver Days - When I saw the Heritage tour, this Coulter original was the one that excited me most, partly because its nostalgic flavor resonated so deeply with me but mostly because it was a long-awaited duet between paternal George and Ryan, who may play the bad boy role but who cuts most deeply in songs of loyalty and loss. Their two voices complement each other gorgeously as they sing of bygone childhood days, and while the verses are heartfelt, it’s on the harmonized choruses that we really feel the sweet ache for those long-ago years. The warm smiles and the contrast between George’s deep voice and Ryan’s higher, husky tones add to the beauty of this reflection, as do the harp and the lonely sounds of the flute. “Sing me the songs of our gold and silver days, days filled with innocence and light. Not a penny to our name, we were happy just the same in our gold and silver days.”

Noreen - Of all the songs here, I think this is the one that benefits most from the visual experience. Another Coulter original, he wrote it as a wedding gift for his friends Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson. At the time, it was only instrumental, and it was entitled Natasha. After her untimely death in a skiing accident, he added words, hoping to convey a searing sense of separation without specifically referencing the event that precipitated it. Neil’s performance here is nothing short of heartbreaking, and the emotional impact increases significantly when you are able to see the tears that linger in his eyes until that high, long-sustained final note dies out and he blinks them away. When I first heard it in October, it touched me, but in the months since, this song of exile and impossible distance gradually surpassed all others from this collection to become my favorite. Tragic but tinted with a shining thread of optimism, this is the moment that banished any lingering doubts that might have remained as to Neil’s rightful place as a full-fledged member of the group. “When I dream, I’ll be dreaming of Noreen and the love that I’m leaving behind me, and the twilight will always remind me of my Noirin, mo Stoirin, my love.”

Steal Away - Another Coulter song, and another repeat, this is the closest we get to pure a cappella, with little more than some simple guitar accompaniment, some of it provided by George. A big part of Celtic Thunder’s appeal comes from these deeply harmonic moments, so it’s another song that bears repeating. “Steal away, let’s steal away, no reason left to stay. For me and you, let’s start anew, and darlin’, steal away.”

Skye Boat Song - This traditional tune is the only one that is not featured on any of the CDs to date. George’s Scottish heritage comes to the forefront here, and the theme of protecting a child feels very much in keeping with his repertoire within the group. Adding to the rich Scottish flavor is Brendan’s bagpipe accompaniment toward the end. “Speed, bonny boat, like a bird on the wing. ‘Onward!’ the sailors cry. Carry the lad that’s born to be king over the sea to Skye.”

Whiskey in the Jar - Probably the most rockin’ song in the set, this arrangement of the old folk song seems to be taking a page out of Metallica’s book with the emphasis on the electric guitars. It’s not as heavy as theirs, but it’s still pretty modern-sounding in comparison with everything else here. Neil and Keith both sing and play together here, and they seem to be having a lot of fun. This is one of those songs in which the lyrics seem to be slightly different in each version, and I’m not crazy about some of the choices here, especially changing the woman’s name to Molly, which lacks the satisfying rhyme that Jenny provides. Still, an entertaining performance. “As I was goin’ over Cork and Kerry Mountains, I saw Captain Farrell, and his money he was countin’. I first produced my pistols, then produced my rapier. I said, ‘Stand there or deliver, or the devil, he may take you.’”

My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose - From the liveliest song in the special, we go to the quietest and slowest. Written by legendary Scottish poet Robert Burns, it’s a fervent proclamation of love sung by Paul. Muted and lovely, but it seems a shame that on what is most likely his last DVD with Celtic Thunder, he doesn’t get something a little more dynamic. A nice lullaby, though. “Till all the seas can dry, my dear, and rocks melt with the sun, and I will love thee still my dear, while sands of life shall run.”

Ireland's Call - This Coulter ensemble number that celebrates the pastime of football is perhaps the one song most associated with the group and the one most likely to get crowds on their feet. It’s the original quintet here, doing their same borderline corny choreography in their matching gray kilted suits, but boy does it get the blood pumping. Lots of whooping from the audience on this one, as well as flashing of Irish banners and waving of green glowsticks. Always a good time. “Ireland, Ireland, together, standing tall. Shoulder to shoulder, we’ll answer Ireland’s call.”

A Place in the Choir - This Bill Staines ditty is a Sunday school classic, and it makes a vivacious end to the concert. The lads are back in their earth tones and vests, all set to do some downright goofy choreography that is hysterical to watch. They look like they’re having a blast, the audience clearly is. The banjo and the fiddle add to the fun hoe-down feel, and the sense of camaraderie is deeply evident here, especially when Damian sings the bass line and the other four fall down in mock shock at the idea that such a voice could come out of little Damo. A joyous conclusion. “All God’s creatures got a place in the choir. Some sing low, some sing higher, some sing out loud from the telephone wire and some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got now.”

I do still kick myself a bit that I didn’t try harder to make it to this; the thought of actually being a part of such a landmark moment in the life of my favorite contemporary group is pretty appealing. But even though I didn’t see it filmed and can’t pick myself out in the audience, I can have the pleasure of watching it whenever I want. This DVD that goes back to the folky sound so many Thunderheads crave may be the strongest release yet, so if you’ve never encountered these talented vocalists and musicians, Heritage is a great place to start.

Celtic Thunder Goes Traditional With Transitional Heritage

It’s been a little more than two years since I first listened to Celtic Thunder, the group of several Irishmen and one Scotsman that has been making such a splash on PBS. The first few albums are a solid mix of traditional and pop music, while the last couple of releases have focused mostly on pop. Heritage, the latest album, goes the other way, boasting a track list of folk tunes old and new. As someone who loves traditional Irish music, this is a particular treat for me.

This album also stands out because it is transitional, featuring both Paul Byrom, the “swanky tenor” who is taking his operatic voice solo now, and Emmet Cahill, his young replacement. On board as before are Scotsman George Donaldson and Irishmen Ryan Kelly, Neil Byrne, Keith Harkin and Damian McGinty, along with talented instrumentalists like Declan O’Donaghue, Brendan Monaghan, Seana Davey, Conor McCreanor, Ivan Gilliand, Dave Cooke and Phil Coulter, who has composed many of the group’s songs. Together, they create a rich tapestry of music to stir the spirit.

The Dutchman - Keith kicks off the album with a wistful, folksy rendition of Michael Peter Smith’s poignant song about an elderly man who has lost his mental faculties but not the love of his dear Margaret. The delicate guitar work and the understated percussion beautifully complement Keith’s sensitive performance of this gently meandering song that competes with Mountains of Mourne as my favorite of his Celtic Thunder solos. “He’s mad as he can be, but Margaret only sees that sometimes. Sometimes she sees her unborn children in his eyes.”

Buachaill on Eirne - Damian wowed the crowds on Celtic Thunder’s first release with his clear-voiced rendition of this classic ode to Ireland’s beauty. Back then, he was a mere 14 years old, so hearing the song again now, it almost seems as though someone else is singing. His voice has deepened immensely since then, and with the mellower arrangement and the fact that this time, he sings entirely in Gaelic, it hardly feels like a retread at all. His first pristine version felt like a glowing invitation to visit Ireland, while evidently the lyrics here are quite different and more amorous in nature. In any case, a lovely track.

Black is the Color - This electric guitar-heavy track has a western flair to it, hearkening back to Ride On. Ryan sounds like the Bad Boy here as he growls out the words, but the lyrics to this old folksong are really pretty straightforwardly romantic. The flute toward the end adds a touch of old-world quality to this song that has largely been given a contemporary feel. “Black is the color of my true love’s hair. Her lips are like some roses fair. She’s got the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands, and I love the ground whereon she stands.”

My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose - This sedate piano-driven air written by famed Scottish poet Robert Burns is a nice vehicle for Paul’s talent. It’s very quiet; while he utilizes his upper register quite a bit, he never goes into those loud power notes, instead keeping everything barely above a whisper. But it’s a lovely performance that feels like a coda after Christmas Morning Donegal, which felt to me like his grand finale with the group. “My love is like a red, red rose that’s newly sprung in June. My love is like a melody that’s sweetly played in tune.”

Home From the Sea - This first Phil Coulter original on the album is a wonderful Celtic-flavored seafaring ballad. Considering the fact that Heartland, the song that opened their first concert special, is a prayer by sailors to reach shore safely, this track feels particularly appropriate to the group. While Heartland feels ethereal, Home From the Sea is more robust and earthy, and the lads inject more of their personality into it. While they sing the chorus together, each takes half a verse solo; Damian and Neil get the first verse, Paul and Ryan the second and Keith and George the last. I was particularly impressed with Ryan’s heartfelt reading of the segment in which the sailors are spotted by their saviors and George’s triumphant recounting of the rescue itself. A definite favorite. “Then a flicker of light, and they knew they were right. There she was, on the crest of a wave. She’s an old fishing boat, and she’s barely afloat. Please God, there are souls we can save!”

Just a Song at Twilight - One nice thing about this album is that we have three duets. This track is the first, pairing Paul with Damian. This slow, old-fashioned romantic ode, accompanied by piano and strings, feels more like a Paul song than a Damian song, though it never reaches operatic heights. It’s a low-key little number with a sweet brotherly feel to it, as we get the sense that Paul and Damian are sitting together, recollecting the wonder of having been in love. “Even today, we hear love’s song of yore. Deep in our hearts, it dwells forevermore. Footsteps may falter; weary grows our way. Still we can hear it at the close of day.”

The Galway Girl - This is the most recent song on the album that Coulter didn’t write himself. A lively ballad by Steve Earle about love at first sight in Ireland, it feels like a typical rowdy Irish group song, particularly during the instrumental section, which includes whistles, accordion and plenty of whooping. When I first heard this, I thought for a moment that I’d wandered into an Irish Rovers album. This track is interesting because it’s the first group number to include Emmet – and exclude Paul. It sounds more raucous than melodious, but it’s a fun number. “Let me ask you, friend, what’s a fella to do? ‘Cause her hair was black and her eyes were blue…”

Gold and Silver Days - I’ve long hoped for a duet between George and Ryan, my two favorite members of the group, and had no doubt that any song pairing those two would tug at the heartstrings to some degree. This Coulter original certainly does, and it feels wonderfully fitting for both of them. Most of George’s songs with the group have been family-oriented, so this song reflecting on a happy childhood feels like a natural fit, while Ryan’s signature song outside of Celtic Thunder is The Village That They Call the Moy, a heartfelt ode to his hometown. Bringing the two of them together to wax nostalgic about “days filled with innocence and light” to the accompaniment of gentle harp and wistful whistle makes this an almost unbearably tender track and my favorite on the album. Each seems to truly feel the tug of those bygone days, and their harmonies are exquisite, particularly on the line “we were happy just the same.” Simply gorgeous. “Then we’d gather at the daisy field on Sunday after mass. I can hear the songs, the stories and the laughter. Through the years, we all were scattered, but the friends we made back then were the friends we could rely on ever after.”

Noreen - When I first heard this melancholy piano-driven ballad sung by Neil, it reminded me of the lamentable tale by the Irish mouse in An American Tail on the boat over to America whose true love fell victim to a cat. Neil gets to show off his mastery of the high end of the scale in this melancholy reflection about a love left far behind. In the song, there’s a note of hope that they might reunite, as it is distance rather than death than separates them. Still, there’s a definite depth of sadness to the song that reflects its inspiration. Coulter wrote the instrumental portion as a wedding gift for Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson, and it was only after her death that he added lyrics, which he meant to convey a searing sense of loss at being kept apart from one who is loved dearly. “So I pray when my exile is over, with the pain and the heartache behind us, back in the peace of the valley you’ll find us, my Noirin, mo Stoirin, and me.”

Kindred Spirits - This is Emmet’s first solo as a part of Celtic Thunder, and it’s the third weepy Coulter original in a row. As a staunch fan of Anne of Green Gables, I love the term “kindred spirits” and often apply it to people in my life with whom I feel a deep sense of connection. The “kindred spirits” in question here are the speaker’s parents. Following the death of his mother, he reflects on his sense of profound loss mingled with contentment that his parents are together again and “kindred spirits” in the truest sense of the word. This song combines the depth of affection for one’s growing-up years found in Gold and Silver Days with the keenly mournful quality of Noreen, and Emmet sings it with great emotion. His voice seems to reflect a classical training, but unlike Paul’s, the Irish accent still seeps through, a nice complement to the harp being serenely plucked in the background. “They shared the load together. They were proud as proud could be. They were always kindred spirits, and they will forever be, for now those kindred spirits will share eternity.”

Whiskey in the Jar - After that somber side trip, we get the rowdiest song on the album to shake everyone out of a stupor. Neil and Keith tear it up on the electric guitars on this, one of the most widely known of Irish folksongs. It’s one of those songs that has slightly different lyrics every time I’ve heard it, which makes it a little hard to sing along with since I keep recalling a different set of words. It’s clear that both of them are having fun with this raucous narrative about outlaws, murder and unfaithfulness. The downside? Usually the speaker concludes the song in a pretty good place, or at least in anticipation of one, but this version ends with him in prison, and we’re given no reason to believe he’ll be getting out any time soon. Still, it’s a rollicking song that’s a great showcase for Neil and Keith’s livelier side. “As I was goin’ over Cork and Kerry Mountains, I saw Captain Farrell, and his money he was countin’…”

Red Rose Café - George’s solo has a tango flavor to it, particularly at the points when the violin is most prominent. Written by prolific Dutch singer-songwriter Pierre Kartner, its lyrics remind me of Billy Joel’s Piano Man as they mostly describe the patrons of the titular café. This is an upbeat sing-along type of song, and George seems to be having a blast with it; it’s easy to imagine him standing on stage throwing his arm out at the audience as he sings. Incidentally, aside from the songs involving Emmet, whose inclusion in the group was not announced until a couple of months after the concert was filmed, this is the only song that does not appear on the Heritage DVD.

A Place in the Choir - When I was a kid, this chipper ditty by Bill Staines was my favorite Sunday school song, so I was thrilled to hear it at the Celtic Thunder concert back in October. Of the ensemble songs on this album, this one is the most harmonious as well as the most fun. There’s a lot of personality injected into the performance that doesn’t quite come across just listening to it, but you still get a strong sense of camaraderie. The song is really quite appropriate for Celtic Thunder, as it’s about those who are different joining together to make a joyful noise. Just as great as the singing is the accompaniment, which incorporates fiddle and banjo and sounds like a good old-fashioned hoe-down. A great way to close the album. “All God’s creatures got a place in the choir. Some sing low and some sing higher. Some sing out loud on the telephone wire, and some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got now.”

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, this is an ideal time to pick up Celtic Thunder’s latest album, which has a more distinctly Celtic flavor than any previous release. While the group looks and sounds a bit different now than it did in the beginning, these lads are still going strong, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.

Celtic Thunder Presents a Christmas Concert to Treasure

This past September, Celtic Thunder filmed its Christmas concert in Poughkeepsie, NY. Since that’s only a state away, I seriously considered going, but the timing just didn’t work out. Instead, I bought the DVD and watched the festive presentation of these lads from Ireland and Scotland in the comfort of my living room. Celtic Thunder released two versions of a Christmas album in late 2010. This DVD incorporates every song from those albums, along with a couple of others. Plus, you have the fun of watching them as well as listening.

Neil Byrne, who has been with the group as an instrumentalist from the beginning but has recently been highlighted as a vocalist, starts things off with a jaunty rendition of It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas that ends with a cheeky wink and an extra emphasis on the word “heart”. Later, he also gets When You Wish Upon a Star to himself, and though I wouldn’t normally call that a Christmas song, it fits in well and gives the program more balance.

Keith Harkin, Ryan Kelly and Damian McGinty all sing songs with a romantic edge here. Keith gets stuck with uber-annoying Last Christmas, but he changes it up and makes it sound a little less whiny, and he’s in his element with All I Want for Christmas Is You, which allows him to do those vocal runs he loves so much. Both of Ryan’s songs have a sultry edge to them. The smoky jazz of Let It Snow is enjoyable, but as he repeats the whole thing again, I can’t help feeling like the song could use another verse or two. On Baby, It’s Cold Outside, he and Belinda Murphy have a flirtatious rapport that feels playful rather than creepy, which is how that song usually strikes me.

But of the purely romantic songs, Damian’s energetic Our First Christmas Together, a Rat Pack-ish Phil Coulter original, is my favorite. It’s got a fresh, cheerful tone to it that captures the exuberance of young love. There’s also a charming moment in which he shares the spotlight with a little girl who’s clearly a big fan. Damian also puts his stamp on Winter Wonderland; his rendition has become the definitive version for me, and it’s extra fun on the DVD because there’s a fake snowfall to accompany it.

George Donaldson’s songs convey more of a sense of general goodwill. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day captures the childlike excitement of the season, and it also allows him an opportunity to jump in with the band and do a little kick line. Going Home for Christmas, another Coulter original, feels particularly personal, since George, the only married man in the group, seems to battle homesickness more than the others. The instrumentation is fantastic in this one, as is the sense of giddy anticipation that George puts into his performance.

But Paul Byrom is the one who stands out to me most here, which is a little funny considering the fact that when I first began listening to the group, I was slow to embrace him. When it comes to solo numbers, he bears the weight of the religious part of Christmas all by himself. His operatic style is perfectly suited to Ave Maria, which he performs beautifully, but Christmas Morning Donegal is the moment on the DVD that really gives me goosebumps. This Coulter original starts out soft and mysterious, building to the magnificent chorus, which joyously recalls the wonder of a childhood Christmas morning. A local boys’ choir adds gorgeous harmonies, and the chimes and pipes add to the sense of enchantment in this song that makes such marvelous use of Adeste Fidelis. I was already really looking to this performance, and then, the day that I received the DVD, I found out that Paul was leaving the group, so this really feels like his swan song, even though he will be featured on the next Celtic Thunder release, which was recorded last year.

Then, of course, there are the group numbers, which have a magic all their own. These include a densely harmonic version of Silent Night, part of which is in Gaelic, and an a cappella rendition of Amazing Grace that is hands-down the most gorgeous version of the song that I have heard. They also perform Christmas 1915, the compelling World War I ballad included in their second album, and Neil, Keith and Ryan perform Hallelujah, which really isn’t Christmassy at all but still sounds awfully good. The concert ends with It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year / We Wish You a Merry Christmas, the medley used to heavily promote the album on television. It’s peppy and playful, and you probably get to see more personality from the lads, particularly in connection with each other, during this song than at any other point in the concert.

Of course, this isn’t really the time of year to be buying Christmas DVDs, but when you do get the urge to start listening to Christmas music again, I recommend this highly. It’s only about an hour long, but it really does feel like a complete program, and there’s a balance to it that neither of the CD releases quite achieves. I didn’t make it to Poughkeepsie to see this live, but I’m glad I can watch it at home whenever I want.

Watching Celtic Thunder From the Best Seat in the House, Erie, PA, 10-15-10 Concert Reviews

On October 14, 2009, my parents and I attended our first Celtic Thunder concert at the Warner Theatre here in Erie, PA. On October 15, 2010, we attended our second, also at the Warner, this time with my brother Nathan in tow. Can we count on October 16, 2011, lads?

I’ve spent my life being mesmerized by Irish and Scottish music, so it’s no surprise to me that I would find Celtic Thunder enjoyable. Yet I have always gravitated toward artists who have been performing since long before I was born, and I’m fiercely loyal to the Irish Rovers, so I was cautious in my embrace of this PBS powerhouse quintet. I was certain that the two groups would never have to compete for my affections; my first impression was that Celtic Thunder took itself too seriously and felt too manufactured. Their vocals were impressive, and Ryan Kelly’s luminous rendition of Desperado, which introduced me to the group, remained firmly lodged in my mind, but they still felt very much like a passing curiosity rather than My Next Big Obsession. Little did I know...

I fell in love with Celtic Thunder slowly but completely. I first listened to them shortly before Christmas of 2008; by St. Patrick’s Day of 2009, I’d memorized the bulk of the first two CDs, seen the PBS special in full and watched some interviews. I had a much better sense of their personalities. And I was keen to trot off to Buffalo to see them perform. The timing wasn’t great, so we skipped it, and I feared it would be just as impractical when they hit a major city near us in the fall. “If only they’d come to Erie!” I moaned, convinced by my dad’s assertion that we’d never land such a hot act. I’m glad he was wrong on that score.

Last year’s concert was fantastic. We sat three rows back from the orchestra pit, where there were two or three rows of additional seating, and were able to get a wonderfully close view of these talented vocalists and musicians we’d been following all year. After the concert, we joined the crowd hanging around to wait for the boarding of the bus. I saw them all come out of the theatre to stash their luggage, and a couple of them stopped to chat and allow for some photos. Just as Ryan was getting to the bus, I worked up the nerve to ask him to pose for a picture with me, a request which he graciously accepted. It was a good night.

But this year’s concert was even better. This year, I decided that the time had come to thank PBS for all those years of watching everything from Sesame Street and Jakers! to Peter Paul and Mary’s Christmas special and Celtic Thunder itself. The inspiration for this generosity was the pledge level that included a ticket / Meet and Mingle combo for this year’s show. I called in and was surprised to find them still available. I’d already purchased three tickets to the concert, but I bought one for myself, even as I worried about being on my own for the entirety of the evening.

To calm my nerves a bit, I left a message on the official Celtic Thunder forum, hoping I might connect with someone and thus not risk being a complete wallflower during the pre-show event. I received a very kind response from a woman coming in from Ohio with her daughter, and much to my relief, I spotted them as soon as I walked in the doors of the theatre, and my arrival was early enough that by the time we were invited to leave the lobby, we’d introduced ourselves and pledged to stick together.

I did a little reading about the pre-show reception, a change from previous concert tours, which have included post-show Meet and Greets that are more like receiving lines, with each individual getting a short time with the vocalists in attendance, just enough for an autograph and a picture. The general impression I got was not very positive. I read many complaints about the new format favoring the outgoing; in most cases, people were seated around tables of six or so, and the guys came around to each table for a limited amount of time, so it wasn’t uncommon for someone with a forceful personality to dominate the conversation. What’s more, the format was hardly conducive to picture-taking, and it sounded like there was a constant feeling of them being rushed along to the next table by their manager.

I was pleasantly surprised, then, to find that there were no tables at our Meet and Mingle aside from a snack table and a couple of tiny tables just big enough to serve as a suitable autograph-signing surface. It really did feel like mingling as the vocalists and instrumentalists weaved their way through the room, sharing some unhurried conversation with each little cluster of people. We didn’t do such a stellar job of separating ourselves into six large groups, but that didn’t seem to make a difference; they arrived much earlier than I expected, around 6:35, and by the time they left, everyone had gotten in some brief but meaningful chatting.

I’m so thankful that my new friends Meileen and Shelley reached out to me as they did, since I would have felt very awkward otherwise trying to wedge myself into someone else’s group, and I’m not sure if I would have managed to get any pictures at all. As it was, the three of us took turns snapping each other. I haven’t seen any of the ones with me in them yet, aside from the one that someone nearby took of the three of us with my camera; I can’t wait to see how they turned out.

Another nice surprise was the fact that we got to spend time with not the promised two but four performers. With at least one person in close proximity to every point in the room throughout the event, the behavior was perfectly orderly, with each attendee cheerfully waiting his or her turn. We first met with violin virtuoso Nicole Hudson, who came over so quickly and started speaking with us so casually that at first it didn’t click with me that she was a member of the band. She asked us where we were from and which of the lads were our favorites, and we cheerfully replied. She was very easy to talk to and extremely friendly.

Next up was George Donaldson, the bald, burly Scotsman who is the oldest member of the vocal ensemble. I was especially excited to meet him, as I tend to think of his as Celtic Thunder’s anchor. An experienced balladeer with a tonal richness in each performance I’ve heard few vocalists achieve, he would be my favorite member of the group if I weren’t so smitten with Ryan, whose first solo album goes on sale this week. To my chagrin, I didn’t quite catch every word George said to us; his Glaswegian brogue is thick, and while it’s a joy to listen to, it’s also sometimes a tad difficult to decipher.

But I understood his main comment that he was feeling melancholy at the moment since his wife and daughter were flying out of Erie International Airport as we spoke, ending their week-long stint on the tour with him, and he hoped he wouldn’t be too sad to sing that night. Despite his wistfulness at the departure of his family, he was every bit as warm and wonderful in person as I would have expected. He seemed touched when I told him how much I’m reminded of my late grandpa, also named George, when he sings The Old Man, and he apologized that I wouldn’t be hearing it that night. I’m especially keen to see how that photo with George turned out. My only regret with his visit is that it began with him offering a firm handshake to each of us, but when he came to me, something else caught his attention, and soon we were talking and the handshake never did happen. I suspect he has quite the grip.

It was a little while before operatic tenor Paul Byrom made his way over to us. We told him how much we love his solo albums, and he informed us that he planned to stay on after the tour to arrange some solo gigs here in the US. He also told us to keep an eye out on Twitter for news about an upcoming solo project. Twitter, incidentally, has done wonders for allowing fans to truly feel as though they are getting a peek into these performers’ lives. Celtic Thunder is not a banter band; virtually no talking occurs on stage. But boy, do the quips fly on Twitter! That was also where I learned that enthusiastic Damian McGinty, the youngest member of the group who just turned 18, shares my passion for the TV show LOST, and I loved reading his thoughts on the final season, especially since they often were in line with my own. Anyway, Paul was lovely, and when it came time for pictures, Shelley went over to stand next to him, and he motioned for me to come join them. “I’m trying not to touch you,” said Shelley, in deference to their tour manager’s warnings about respecting their personal space; he chuckled dismissively and drew us in for a cozy three-person side-hug before moving on.

We were the last people Neil Byrne spoke with before heading out. He seemed to have a little trouble extricating himself from the back of the room, but we were told not to worry, he didn’t need to change as the others did, so he wasn’t quite so pressed for time. All-star musician Neil has been an integral part of Celtic Thunder from the beginning, switching instruments with ease and doing his best to make the jigs and reels as entertaining as possible. Recently, however, he has come to feel like a shadow member of the ensemble, even getting his own solo tracks on albums and joining the lads on vocals in group numbers. Indeed, I had sort of gotten the impression that Celtic Thunder had morphed from a quintet to a sextet, but the program covers, posters and t-shirts all exclude him, so it’s hard to say precisely what role he plays. What is clear is that Celtic Thunder would be much poorer without him.

He came over to us in his black suit and matching kilt and was completely charming. Like Paul, he hails from Dublin, so his urbane accent is lilting but poses little challenge in the way of comprehension. I felt a little silly with my program from last year, in which the only pages that feature him are so dark that I figured his autograph wouldn’t show up; the page he ended up signing was Watching Celtic Thunder As a Woman, which was simply because it was the last light-colored page in the book. I hope he was not affronted by the randomness of this autograph placement; if he was, though, I think all was forgiven when I informed him that I’d just ordered his EP, which caused him to break out in a large, grateful grin. It’s quite a perfect storm of Celtic Thunder goodness - the Christmas album, the concert, Neil’s EP and Ryan’s album, all within the space of a couple weeks. Not that I’m complaining!

The Meet and Mingle officially lasted from 6:30 to 7:30, but by the time Neil left at 7:05 or so, several people had already made their way out into the theatre at large or to the merchandise table near the front entrance. My new friends, printed e-mail from the Warner in hand, had to get to the front desk to sort something out with their tickets, which had gotten lost in the mail; I stuck around for a couple more minutes to grab another cup of punch and a few goodies before I headed down to see what I could plunk my money down on. Naturally, I bought a program, but when I saw that there was a calendar, I couldn’t resist snatching that up too, while wishing that the kiosk where I work sold it so I could get a smile out of looking at the lads throughout my shift; goodness knows I never hear them on the mall radio. I also indulged in a pair of green glow sticks and a pack of buttons, and it all came in a snazzy, heavy-duty gift bag with “Celtic Thunder” printed on it.

My parents met up with me at the merchandise table, but we soon parted ways again as they made their way to their seats, which turned out to be closer than I thought, about the same distance away as last year but more toward the middle. I, meanwhile, could scarcely believe it when I was ushered to a seat in the front row of the orchestra pit at the dead center of the stage. I’d somehow managed to finagle the best seat in the entire house.

To my left was a man who’d traveled from a couple of hours away, and this kind gentleman caught Keith’s guitar pick when he tossed it off the stage after his Beach Boys medley in the second act but later gave it to the teenage girl sitting behind us. To my right was an empty seat, and next to that was another young man who became a source of much amusement when he returned to his seat halfway through the first song of the second act, prompting Paul to tap his wrist with exaggerated exasperation and then, during the final song, reach down and shake his hand to show that there were no hard feelings. The lights came down so suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, that I can’t help wondering if this was a planned shtick - that they intended to catch people by surprise and then integrate the resulting tardiness into the act. Even I was a couple seconds late sitting down, and I was standing just outside the pit for the entirety of the intermission.

The concert began as last year’s did, with the dramatic extended instrumental opening of Phil Coulter’s Heartland, toward the end of which the lads emerged from the darkness and mist to strike dramatic poses as the thunderous drums continued. I watched the fog slowly creep down the steps of the platform on stage, as deliberate as a slinky, before leaving the stage to pass directly through me, causing me to shiver with cold and delight. I hope that Celtic Thunder will always begin their concerts with this song; I can’t imagine a better way to start. The choreography was much the same as it was last year, as were the vocals, though I found it fascinating to be able to watch them harmonizing from such a short distance away, especially during Paul’s big line toward the end. The main difference I noticed - one that caught me enjoyably by surprise - was Ryan singing the stirring “Déan trócaire, déan trócaire, a Thiarna” toward the end.

That was the first of many surprises of the night in terms of performances, particularly during the first act. I hadn’t read up much on what songs would be featured in this concert, nor had I glanced at the list of songs in the program, so most of the first half caught me entirely off-guard. I’d heard of Heritage, the upcoming album that focuses on traditional Celtic music, but all I knew about the set list was the fact that Damian would be singing Buachaill Ón Eirne (Come By the Hills), which I would probably consider his signature Celtic Thunder song, but that the entire thing would be in Gaelic instead of just one verse. Because Damian’s voice has deepened dramatically, the song already has a different flavor to it than on the first DVD, and it’s magical to hear his tongue dance over those Irish words in such a seemingly effortless manner.

Prior to the final three songs in the first act, it was all new stuff to me from then on. Keith Harkin, who has ditched his feathery hairdo in favor of more closely cropped locks, mesmerized me with his delicate finger-picking and tender vocals on Michael Peter Smith’s The Dutchman, which is threatening to overtake Mountains of Mourne as my favorite of his songs. The only unfortunate part of this performance was that a large speaker stood directly between him and me, with the result that I couldn’t see much below his shoulders for a majority of the song, but that did nothing to reduce my sense of wonder at his masterful performance.

I had heard a rumor that George and Ryan would soon have a duet, and I was thrilled when this came to fruition as they joined forces for Coulter’s Gold and Silver Days - which, curiously enough, is not on the set list, though some of the lyrics to the chorus are featured elsewhere in the program. Each of them had a solo in the first act; George’s gentle vocals breathed serenity in the Skye Boat Song, a traditional lullaby dealing with the legendary 18th-century figure of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and Ryan tore his saucy way through the equally traditional Black Is the Colour, seemingly relishing the sense of power that came with the lights changing color every time he pumped his fist in the air.

These were great moments, but Gold and Silver Days was pure enchantment and is poised to be my favorite track on the new album. The closest George and Ryan have really come to a duet before is the first verse of Christmas 1915; here, their magnificent voices complement one another wonderfully in an ode to simple childhood pleasures that seems especially fitting for both of them. This one goes right along with George’s usual family-centric fare, but it’s a departure for Ryan - and yet I get the sense that the sentiments contained therein may be closer to the real Ryan than just about any song he’s recorded for the group thus far.

My other favorite among the songs I’d never heard before was Home From the Sea, another Coulter song, which is a rousing ballad that pays tribute to those who risk their lives to rescue sailors out on the ocean. It’s an ideal group song because of the lengthy verses that allow each singer to take several lines, so each man gets the spotlight before joining with the others on the harmonious chorus, which was simple enough and repeated enough times that by the end, I was singing along.

Paul waxed romantic with the somewhat familiar traditional Robert Burns tune Red Red Rose, and I got a kick out of seeing him and Damian do a duet, singing Clifton Bingham’s Just a Song at Twilight as they sat on the steps. Though it’s a serious song, they inserted a bit of fun into it by making moony eyes at each other throughout the performance, but Neil played it entirely straight on his only solo of the night, Coulter’s gorgeously aching Noirin Mó Stoirin. The lyrics aren’t available online yet, but as best I recall, it had to do with a man in exile hoping to reunite with his true love. Sad, heartfelt, and a perfect vehicle for Neil’s impressive upper register. This delicate performance demonstrates that he’s got just as much in the way of vocal chops as the main five. He shared the spotlight with Keith on the electrified Whiskey in the Jar, which was easily the most hard-rockin’ part of the first act and which involved both of them playing electric guitars and zooming across the stage so fast that I swear I felt a breeze from Neil’s kilt.

For the most part, though, Neil was stationary and playing the drums, the guitar or some other instrument. He and the other members of the band were highlighted in the rollicking Belfast Polka and later, in act two, in Appalachian Roundup. Keyboardist David Cooke, who also serves as the musical director, is the oldest member of the band, but his energy was infectious, particularly as he led the clapping in Belfast Polka. Declan O’Donoghue really knows his way around a drum set, and Brendan Monaghan furnishes most of the distinctly Irish-sounding instrumentation, which is so prominent in the first half of the show. Nicole Hudson and Katie Holt are swift as the wind with their bows racing across the strings of their violin and cello, and Joanna Byrne completes the Celtic sound with her flutes and delicate harp-plucking.

I just about fell out of my chair when the lads, Neil included, burst onto the stage for the initially a cappella, then hoe-downish version of Bill Staines’ Sunday School classic A Place in the Choir. This is an ideal way to show off each member’s vocal range, since the verses speak specifically of different types of singing voices. Hearing Damian take the “bass,” “the one at the bottom where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus moans and groans with a big to-do,” was a hoot, especially since the rest of the guys feigned shock and mock-fainted. There was more silliness going on in this number than any other, with the guys taking every opportunity to joke around. Their moves included a couple of endearingly goofy line dancing routines and the imitation of several of the animals mentioned in the song. I tried to mouth the words to this classic I know so well, but I was so busy cracking up I couldn’t get too far.

This served as the exuberant finale for the first act, notable for its total immersion in traditional Irish and Scottish sounds. I immediately loved every one of the songs although I hadn’t heard most of them before, and it was a thrill to experience them for the first time on this night, when I was close enough to stage that if I’d stretched out my foot a bit more, I could have kicked it. Celtic Thunder’s last two albums have been pretty short on music that actually sounds Celtic, so I was very happy to see such a balanced presentation at the concert. I adored everything about the first act, from the old-fashioned outfits to the sense of discovery, and the intermission was just long enough to give me time to touch base with my parents and brother and my Meet and Mingle buddies before seating myself for the It’s Entertainment portion.

The vast majority of the songs in the second half come from that album, which came out in February of this year, though a few songs from earlier albums turn up, along with one whose album placement I haven’t figured out, as it hasn’t yet turned up on an album and doesn’t quite fit in with Heritage. Act two begins with the fantastic group song Take Me Home and ends with Ireland’s Call, the Celtic Thunder rallying cry that always gets everybody up and marching. Both were written by Coulter and predate It’s Entertainment; it’s hard to imagine the show without them. The lads seem to love ribbing each other during these big group numbers, whether that involves lifting up George’s kilt to reveal the boxers underneath or becoming so overcome with mirth, as Keith was in the most somber line of Ireland’s Call, that continuing to sing is impossible. The kilts only came out for that grand finale, during which the rather nasty scar that Damian received beneath his knee after taking a tumble from his bike a couple weeks ago was all too visible; the lads spent most of the rest of the second act in snazzy suits.

Despite George’s warnings about possibly performing under standard, he channeled his emotions as he faced another lengthy separation from his wife and daughter into especially heartfelt performances. From where I was sitting, his eyes looked moist during his poignant rendition of Neil Diamond’s Hello Again, and he and the audience bolstered each other’s energy during the exhilarating performance of the Proclaimers’ Life With You, a joyous celebration of a happy marriage. As wonderful as all the lads are at what they do, George has a special gift for connecting with the audience. I swear he aimed a Spockian raise of the eyebrow at me on a couple of occasions, but I imagine that most of the people there felt at some point that he had looked directly at them. He makes a real effort to include everyone, and while he is on the stage, particularly during Life With You, it feels as though he’s enveloping the entire audience in a great big bear hug.

Aside from the opening and closing numbers and the purely instrumental bits, the only repeat from an album prior to It’s Entertainment was I Want to Know What Love Is, the Foreigner ballad Keith sings on the second album. This is probably my least favorite of his songs, whereas I really like Chicago’s Hard to Say I’m Sorry, which is listed in the program and which I would have expected, given that most of the songs from this part of the concert come from It’s Entertainment. Keith does a perfectly good job with it, I’m just a little confused as to why they decided to go with that one instead of the more recent choice. I much preferred his Surfing Medley, which again allowed him the chance to pull out his electric guitar.

Paul was a shameless flirt throughout the second act, pulling out all the seductive stops for the old Dean Martin standard Sway and augmenting his show-stopping performance of Coulter’s Doo Wacka Doo with as much hat-tipping, cane-clicking and shoe-tapping as possible. He looked mighty classy in his top hat and tails, donning an upper crust accent as he sang of his delight in listening to his grandparents’ old records from the 1920s. A loving tribute to a distinct era in American music and a hysterical high point in the concert, this one shows off Paul’s cheeky sense of humor and his fancy footwork while also encouraging intergenerational bonding over music, which is something that has happened quite a bit as a result of Celtic Thunder.

Damian’s performance of Michael Buble’s Home felt sincerely wistful; he was in the United States for his 18th birthday, and after a month here, my guess is that he is getting a little bit homesick. I was especially looking forward to seeing him do Frank Loesser’s Standing on the Corner, which he sings with such relish while dressed in a blazing alabaster outfit worthy of LOST’s Man in White, Jacob. Unlike on the It’s Entertainment DVD, he has no girl to link up with here, but that in a way makes the song even cuter, since Damian still seems genuinely mystified by his own chick magnetism.

Neil, Keith and Ryan joined forces for Hallelujah, and their harmonies were even more ethereal in person. After I listened to the album, I found myself wishing that I had the chance to watch Ryan sing Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do, since that one is not included on the DVD. Accepting Ryan’s invitation to “look into [his] eyes” as he sat scarcely ten feet away and sang one of the most romantic songs I’ve ever heard is an experience I’ll not soon forget, and as I listened to him caress each affectionate word, I couldn’t help thinking that if Ryan ever does decide to get married, this is the kind of husband he will be.

I loved the intimacy of that performance, but the one that completely threw me for a loop was Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, at the beginning of which he materialized seemingly out of nowhere, leaping over the back of the park bench on the right-hand side of the stage and landing neatly on the seat. I was looking forward to Jim Croce’s Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, but this performance was just as theatrical, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard any scuttlebutt about him covering such an explosively popular song. Exultation filled the chorus as he stood with his arms upraised in a gesture of triumphant supplication, eventually to be joined by Neil. So is this a sneak peek at an album so far off in the distance it hasn’t been named yet? Could it be a track on his solo album? Or was this just a concert exclusive? Whatever the case may be, I’m glad I didn’t see it coming. It was one of my favorite moments of the night.

Before the grand finale of Ireland’s Call, the lads all came together again for U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, a thrilling group number done mostly as an ensemble and featuring the full force of the backing band, particularly Nicole and Katie on the strings. When it came to expectations for the concert, it sure seemed like everyone in the audience found what they were looking for that night. I know I did.