OK, first, for those of you who expected that I'd be doing a review for West Palm Beach last month... well, it was the best of times, it was the... uhhh... well... it's a far, far better thing that I do, that what happened in WPB, stays in WPB. Haha
Now on to Philadelphia. I really wasn't supposed to go to this show. But a week ago, I was advised that Mr.Peabody still had tickets that he needed to get rid of, for the Sunday show. After thinking it over, I decided to make him an offer.
I should explain one thing. I went to the show at Philadelphia two years ago, the crowd at that show was absolutely lifeless, and my seat was so far back that I couldn't help but notice the lack of enthusiasm of the crowd in front of me. I expected much the same again, but hoped for better since I'd be sitting closer (see no evil, speak no evil...). I had no problem with the venue itself. The Mann Center is an amphitheater, cut into a hill, with a roof over the first three sections, with the stage area visible from outside of the gate at the top of the hill. The sound and lighting had been very good here 2 years ago.
I drove from New England down to Philly. Even arranged to stay at the same hotel as two years ago. Having been there previously, I had a fairly easy time finding my way around town. I met up with the others who were attending this show... Moscapoet, CaptDavy, the other Scott, Walter, DonS, Mr.Peabody and his guest. Some of us went out for a supposedly quick bite at the local Chili's Restaurant, which ended up taking a bit longer which didn't bother us much... until we heard that there had been a very late soundcheck at the venue while we were gone, which we could have watched from beyond the gate had we not gone to dinner!
My seat was pit, 4th row, center section, one seat in from the edge. DonS was sitting beside me for the show. Don mentioned that this would definitely be the closest to the stage that he had ever sat. I was very satisfied with my seat and knew I'd have a better time than I'd had 2 years previously.
The show began... and once again I realized how much I missed "The Sky And the Dawn And the Sun." This was my 18th Celtic Woman show, and I know in my heart that I will never get tired of this song! I noticed immediately that not only was the sound just as good as it was in '07, there was one special feature working in my favor. The pit seats had a wood flooring (unlike the cement flooring for all the other seats behind), and the floor carried the sound tremendously. You not only heard the songs, but you could FEEL them.
Ahhhh, the Coast of Galicia! I love this song so much!! Mairead gave us a tremendous performance. But it became obvious that the Philly crowd, yet again, was not into it. Grrrr.
Danny Boy, as always, came out beautiful. The harmonies are exquisite. I am soooo hoping that the girls record this new version for the new DVD.
The percussion at the beginning of Mo Ghile Mear made more than the usual number of people jump hehe. Alas, just as in '07, the Philly crowd didn't give a standing O at the end of the first act.
Hmmm... for the first time ever, my ISU attempt failed. The usher lady who was in the pit didn't let Don and I move up to 2nd row to sit with Moscapoet. It was not a big deal... I'm just glad that they weren't so strict at my first WPB show last month, where it would have made a HUGE difference.
NELLA FANTASIA!!! I have never mentioned in any of my previous reviews... on some of the songs, Chloe (and at times Lynn) sing so high that there is a slight audible distortion because the venue's sound system can't handle it. Nella Fantasia and Last Rose of Summer are the two songs that I most often notice it. At some venues it's less noticeable than at others, but the show in Philadelphia was the first time on this tour that I didn't notice it at all. Chloe, it was your best solo rendering of your still-young career.
During The Contradiction, the crowd suddenly came to life and started clapping along. Gratifying though it was, the crowd returned to it's comatose state later when the girls tried to get the crowd to clap along to Sing Out. Oh well, you can't win them all....
Oh America! This song held a special significance for me this time, because this time it was in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation. And it was very special, feeling the song resonating through the floorboards. Simply spectacular.
Finally the familiar strains of Mairead performing the opening of You Raise Me Up told me that another concert was drawing to a close..... oh yeah!! David, now that we know how the new DVD will be filmed, please please PLEASE will you record and include the Encore Medley???
After the show, we all talked as we made our way out of the venue. The rain had held off until the show was over, and now we had to rush to our vehicles to avoid getting soaked. I drove back to my hotel, planning to head out the next day.
A great night, I'm glad I came. It more than made up for the disappointment of 2 years ago. Someday, we will find a way to get the Philly crowd going. I'd like to come back again, as long as I have pit seats so as to have that great floor-resonance effect! But already my Philly show is in the rear-view mirror, and I have to anticipate a different sort of sonic effect that I am told I will experience at my next show, Red Rocks. My reviews from there will bring to a close the incredibly successful 2009 Isle of Hope Spring Tour.
