We had record breaking amounts of rain on Thursday and Friday
here in Vero Beach, according to the newspaper and our eyes and ears.
Deluge is an accurate word for it. I heard that it was much worse in Miami!!
With a 7:30 pm start for the concert in Daytona Beach, and an estimated
two hour drive, we decided to leave early, at 4 pm, in case there was
heavy traffic or accidents on Rte. 95. I had the tenors' buttonhole flowers
again, and I didn't want to be negligent in that duty. I picked up the flowers
about 1:30 pm, the same pale green roses that I bought for Melbourne.
The florist suggested them, and I saw no reason to question his know-how.
We arrived at the Peabody Auditorium about 6:30 pm. The theater is
across from the civic center where an auto show was being held. Lots
of cars for both events. When we entered the theater, I immediately
asked for the ushers to bring the flowers to the tenors, which they were
happy to do. All the usher staff, ladies and gentlemen, wore white
dinner jackets and looked quite nice.
A restaurant had brought some special Irish foods to sell in a large
cart in the lobby and the whole lobby smelled really good!! John bought a
corned beef sandwich on pita bread, sans the sauerkraut. Reubens
are not Irish!! That dish was sold as a Reuben sandwich, and he didn't
want the sauerkraut, so they replaced the cabbage with more corned beef!!
Barbara Lawson arrived while John was eating his sandwich and later,
Judy Marsh and her friend Mary. (whose last name I do not know)
At the appointed hour, we were admitted into the theater, and found
our seats. Soon, someone tapped my shoulder, and asked if I live in
- It was Caryl Jeffrey and her family from VA, who have retired and
moved to the Orlando area. I haven't seen them since IT were last in
Constitution Hall in DC. Caryl and daughter, Susanna, are big Anthony
fans. I had seen them also at the Keswick Theater north of Philadelphia.
I told Caryl about Haines City in two weeks.
The concert song list was the same as at Melbourne. I think this
audience liked much the same songs as the audience in Melbourne -
not my preferred pieces!! In his intro, Anthony said something funny
about all the rain, and the tenors bringing a bit of Ireland to Daytona Beach.
When Finbar introduced The Isle of Innisfree, again he brought up The
Quiet Man and the Academy Awards, which were held last Sunday, and
added that he liked Penelope Cruz and her red dress, as did Eric Stern,
who gave her piano lessons. We wondered if that is true???
When Karl sang the line from I'll Tell My Ma, he decided that Karl Scully
was the one they liked best. That is the first time that I have heard him
say his name - it is usually Finbar Wright.
In The Irish Rover, Finbar changed Tynan's horses' hides to old Kearns'
horses' hides. I thought that didn't work as well, both fitting in the
music and the fact that I don't think that Anthony is into horses at all!!
The theater seated 2550, and was not quite full, especially in the large
balcony. John estimated that there were about 1800. They were very
enthusiastic and gave standing ovations several times at the end, after
each encore song, probably expecting each to be the last.
It took forever to get out of the parking lot, with events in both buildings.
But, when we finally got onto Rte. 95 heading south, we had clear and
dry sailing home. The rain had finally stopped.
