by Kris
I do not even know where to begin. I feel so blessed to have attended four of the first five shows of the Celtic Woman summer tour. Every show was unique and extraordinary, and as a collective experience unforgettable. For those who know me personally, to express such outward emotion regarding a personal experience is not in my nature. I hold my emotions close and deep inside. Méav’s and Celtic Woman’s music is different. I have shared this music with gifts of CD’s in friendship, as a marking of a milestone in life, and as a house warning present. Discovering Méav has touched my life in such a positive way, as it has for many others. I am eternally grateful.
On to the 2006 Summer Tour. Would one have imagined that the temperatures in Chicago could have been colder in July than during Celtic Woman’s last visit to Chicago in April? Well, that’s what happened and not only was it cold, it was wet and windy. The inclement weather resulted in a wardrobe and set change for the first show of the summer tour. “Casual night” in Chicago as the girls called it, was every bit as breath taking as the “formal” show. The outdoor venue, the casual and beautiful attire of the girls and the Chicago lake breeze were just wonderful. The girls embraced a difficult situation and gave a wonderful performance. Talk about distractions; a lake breeze of about 15-20 mph, fog (natural and man-made), temperatures in the 50's, a wet and altered stage, and the possibility that it could start raining again at any moment could have caused many problems. The girls didn't miss a beat and smiled every step along the way. During Mo Ghile Mear Méav sings about the sun…Méav looks skyward and smiles as if to ask, “where are you?”
I was also able to meet several forum members including Mary, Delicia, Danielle, Michelle and their sister-in-law, Natalie. And would you believe that six people can pile into a PT Cruiser? Trust me, it’s possible.
The travel portion of the summer mini tour began on Friday morning with my flight to Boston. I met up with Maureen (widowholden) at our hotel shortly after noon. I took the bus from the airport and spent about an hour trying to locate the hotel, or walking in circles may be a better description while Maureen was driving in circles around the hotel. This did however allow us to locate all the coffee shops in the vicinity of the hotel. You might know Maureen made me climb a fence for coffee on the morning we left for Saratoga Springs.
Later that evening we got lost (and stuck on I-93) trying to go about a mile to the South Station to meet Bob (Penguin Laminating Device) who was arriving by bus from Maine. We decided it was time to park the car and explore Boston on foot. The Bank of America Pavilion was only one block away from our hotel, so that was good. (Walking from dinner to the Pavilion we also discovered the Courthouse was very close by also). The temperatures for this show were about 50 degrees higher than Chicago. Boston was in the midst of the hottest temperatures of the summer. The ladies must be thinking that weather in the United States is very volatile or just plain crazy.
When we arrived at the show, Bob noticed me eyeing the rope ladder leading to the lighting scaffolds. Actually, we did conspire to climb the ladder and make shadow dogs and bats on the circle screen. Maureen talked us out of it since we had tickets for the Saturday night show also, and Bob spent all the bail money on CD’s. Once again, despite the conditions the show was fabulous and I find myself enjoying each show more than the one before. Saturday night in Boston provided a little break in the weather, only 90 with an ocean breeze versus the 95 plus the night before.
It’s now Sunday morning and time to leave Boston for Saratoga Springs, New York. This is the point where Maureen fired me as navigator, but in my defense there are inadequate street signs in Boston, the streets change names every block and the detour around “The Big Dig” was just a nightmare. We proceeded to take one hour to go eight miles (circling the hotel) and finally found the entrance to I-90. I wanted to stop and see (and climb) the Green Monster at Fenway Park but Maureen just kept accelerating and said “no way am I stopping this car now.”
We arrived outside of Saratoga Springs about 1:30 pm and checked into our hotel. Quite the luxurious Super 8, thanks Mark. Mark arrived shortly after and we met for lunch and then proceeded to the local Irish Pub for an afternoon of great conversation and preparation for the show. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is located in a state park, so I guess all the bugs from the trees thought they were invited to the show too. What an experience seeing the performance from the second row. You literally feel the music. After Mo Ghile Mear I thought I could feel the vibration continue, but it was actually my heart continuing to race. It’s not a concert, or a show, or a tour, it’s an experience. After a short visit after the show we bid our farewells to Mark. Maureen dropped me off at the Albany airport on Monday morning and I was back in Chicago by 9:00 am. No, I didn’t go to work. I spent the day being thankful for such a wonderful trip, to meet such great people, and to enjoy the talent of five extraordinary women and all of those who support them.
Since my return home I have tried to describe my experience to family and friends. I just can not find the words to adequately describe the emotions that follow the live performance. It is uplifting, motivating, emotional, inspiring, mesmerizing and takes you to a place that you never want to leave. It is mysterious, it is magical, and it is forever etched in my memory. All I can offer in return is to share your music with others, and to say thank you.