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Title: Celtic Woman heads to Kirby Center Post by: Don on March 12, 2015, 07:44:53 PM Singer Méav of Celtic Woman took a moment to reflect as the group embarked on its 10th anniversary tour.
“Everything’s falling into place,” she said the day the tour was to start in Syracuse, N.Y. “I’m excited for the first show.” Celtic Woman will appear at 8 p.m. Saturday at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre. Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, who goes by Méav, was one of the original members of the group and returned for some stops on the anniversary tour. She said it’s amazing to be on the road 10 years later, and visiting some of the same venues they performed at on their first tour. The lineup has changed over the years — fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt is also an original member — but the singers like Méav have rotated in and out to keep the group fresh and evolving. “It spices it up, because we can do different songs, and have different voices come in,” she said, adding that she was joking with their drummer that he’s been telling the same jokes for 10 years. “That’s not strictly true,” she laughed. “But it is lovely. I think that was part of the idea when the group was formed, that it would showcase a group of individual performers who would then come together for some numbers, and different artists appearing at different times. It’s lovely to be invited back and see some of the musicians who’ve been here all along, and meet the new people who are coming up as well.” The lineup at the Kirby Center will also include singers Máiréad Carlin and Susan McFadden. The group debuted in 2004, and their repertoire ranges from traditional Irish tunes to modern songs. “It’s a bit of a melting pot, but there is certainly a respect for the traditional,” she said, adding traditional Irish music has always been popular among musicians. “It’s performed a lot today. It’s not frozen in time. People are experimenting with it. That keeps it alive and always evolving.” Since they’ve traveled the world, Méav said audiences are different wherever they go. Some are quiet while the group performs, and clap at the end to show their appreciation. Others, especially American audiences, like to “whoop it up a bit.” She’s also noticed that their audiences comes from all backgrounds, not just people with Irish heritage. “We get an audience that has no connection to the country whatsoever. It’s lovely,” she said. “It changes from night to night. We feed off their energy.” By Kristen Gaydos citizensvoice.com March 12, 2015 |