bill bodkin gets in touch with his roots just in time for christmas…
They descend upon the stage as if they walked off the pages of ancient Irish literature — graceful, beautiful and resplendent songstresses that enchant you with every song, dazzle you with their every move.
However, this quartet, is not some sort of celestial spirit descending upon the land as written in tales of yore. No, this is Celtic Woman, the internationally acclaimed Celtic music ensemble. The quarter of wild Irish roses are currently on tour in the United States in support of their second holiday album Be Home for Christmas.
Lisa Lambe (nee Kelly), the newest member of Celtic Woman, is the epitome of what Celtic Woman is all about. The stunning Irish beauty, who joined the ensemble in 2011, is the picture of grace and elegance with inherent sense of Irish joviality, humility and heart. It’s this formula that has helped make Celtic Woman such a success, especially in the United States.
So it’s no surprise that the group has released their second Christmas album and is embarking on a massive tour of the States in support of it. And Lambe backs this up. Listening to her speak, is almost like listening to a how-to tape on humility…and we mean this in the best possible way. Lambe’s constant praise for her fellow Celtic Woman cast members, the stage crew and the behind-the-scenes team let us in on what makes Celtic Woman, the group and the show work — an undying passion for the music and a familial love shared by all involved on this project. (Lambe even joked that there are no wild nights of Guinness and Jameson post-shows, the ladies keep themselves highly regimented in order to give their audiences the best vocal performance possible.)
And what genre of music best encompasses this type of love? Christmas music of course. Luckily, for Celtic Woman, the inherent hokey-ness a lot of seasonal music has is no where to be found on I’ll Be Home For Christmas. No, it’s classic Celtic Woman — mixing an ethereal Celtic spirit with a very modern pop sound.
Yet there’s a very distinct wrinkle the group is throwing into this year’s tour — it’ll be backed by a symphony orchestra. Lambe expressed that this is both a daunting and exciting experience. The group gets into some towns and literally are walking into rehearsal with these new symphonies. However, the infectious of Lambe, speaks volumes and it can be easily deduced that this musical challenge is something she and the other ladies are looking forward to.
So this Christmas season, if you’re looking for a live experience or a record that truly capture both the Celtic and Christmas spirit, then you need to discover Celtic Woman — an Irish Christmas present that’ll keep giving back to you for years to come.
http://youtu.be/OzPbB96NLr4
