Post by Richard on Apr 17, 2007 7:17:05 GMT
Hello everybody! 
Here is a rather negative review of the 'New Journey' show from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Hayley did not participate in this concert.
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The appeal of Celtic music lies somewhere in its mix of infectious rhythms, compelling melodies and universal themes of love, loss, joy and sorrow, all of which is served up in spirited performances.
Celtic Woman, the glossy, female vocal/fiddle act that played the Milwaukee Theatre on Sunday evening had little in common with those elements of Celtic music other than in name.
The women of Celtic Woman, four singers and a fiddler, offered up a bland, overproduced program, "A New Journey." Their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink playlist included "Over the Rainbow," pop-vocal renditions of a couple of Italian arias, an Enya tune and "The Prayer," along with a few actual Celtic tunes along the lines of "Danny Boy."
Throughout the stiffly staged show, singing women dressed in flowing gowns glided onto the stage, took up poses and sang. They occasionally added a little hip swaying or skirt swishing in lieu of choreography, and a few meaningful facial expressions or arm gestures in lieu of musical expression. The women were backed on a handful of tunes by a group of stand-and-deliver choristers.
Interspersed with the vocal tunes were fiddle solos played by a leaping, skipping fiddler, whose sound, unaccountably, never reflected the fact that she was jumping from riser to floor and back again and executing kicking dance steps in the midst of lyrical passages and fast-fingered runs.
The vocalists all sang with a contrived, breathy, almost adolescent sound, which in the final mix was more about electronic production than vocal production. By evening's end one longed to hear any one of them really sing something - anything.
The women may not have made much interesting music over the course of the evening, but some of the back-up instrumentalists certainly did. From a sound mix heavy in gooey, synthesized strings came some quite lovely guitar, uilleann pipes and tin whistle playing.
A pair of drummer/percussionists flanked the stage on high platforms and provided the only visual interest to be found in many of the program's pale deliveries. They abandoned their perches twice for some energetic bodhran playing.
Pale and bland it may have been, but the show won a standing ovation from its audience.[/size][/quote]
Richard
Here is a rather negative review of the 'New Journey' show from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Hayley did not participate in this concert.
Celtic Woman: Gloss aplenty, but not a lot of Irish spirit
By ELAINE SCHMIDT
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: April 16, 2007
By ELAINE SCHMIDT
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: April 16, 2007
The appeal of Celtic music lies somewhere in its mix of infectious rhythms, compelling melodies and universal themes of love, loss, joy and sorrow, all of which is served up in spirited performances.
Celtic Woman, the glossy, female vocal/fiddle act that played the Milwaukee Theatre on Sunday evening had little in common with those elements of Celtic music other than in name.
The women of Celtic Woman, four singers and a fiddler, offered up a bland, overproduced program, "A New Journey." Their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink playlist included "Over the Rainbow," pop-vocal renditions of a couple of Italian arias, an Enya tune and "The Prayer," along with a few actual Celtic tunes along the lines of "Danny Boy."
Throughout the stiffly staged show, singing women dressed in flowing gowns glided onto the stage, took up poses and sang. They occasionally added a little hip swaying or skirt swishing in lieu of choreography, and a few meaningful facial expressions or arm gestures in lieu of musical expression. The women were backed on a handful of tunes by a group of stand-and-deliver choristers.
Interspersed with the vocal tunes were fiddle solos played by a leaping, skipping fiddler, whose sound, unaccountably, never reflected the fact that she was jumping from riser to floor and back again and executing kicking dance steps in the midst of lyrical passages and fast-fingered runs.
The vocalists all sang with a contrived, breathy, almost adolescent sound, which in the final mix was more about electronic production than vocal production. By evening's end one longed to hear any one of them really sing something - anything.
The women may not have made much interesting music over the course of the evening, but some of the back-up instrumentalists certainly did. From a sound mix heavy in gooey, synthesized strings came some quite lovely guitar, uilleann pipes and tin whistle playing.
A pair of drummer/percussionists flanked the stage on high platforms and provided the only visual interest to be found in many of the program's pale deliveries. They abandoned their perches twice for some energetic bodhran playing.
Pale and bland it may have been, but the show won a standing ovation from its audience.[/size][/quote]
Richard
OBVIOUSLY the audience didn't think it was bad, which is why they got a standing ovation! 
I think Celtic Woman are awesome, and so do many others which is why they have had such success. Critics just seem to make it a point to be annoying! 
