HALIFAX METRO CENTER
HALIFAX, NS
SEPTEMBER 16, 2005
My wife and I headed to the Halifax concert fully expecting this to be
our last Irish Tenors concert,for several reasons. The only reason we
were going was because my sister and another couple wanted to see
them. I was very upset they had cancelled the Saint John show.
The second time they had cancelled, at the last minute, on me in four
attempts to see them. We had 15 of the best seats in Harbour Station.
We planned on meeting some friends from the U.S. Dinner reservations
were for 20, because, as they say, some friends we hadn't met
yet, were coming too.
Reason 2: Ronan is my favourite Tenor
Reason 3: I had listened to "Sacred" and thought it was,...well...uh...their
2nd best CD...the rest being tied for 1st!!
To say I wasn't in the best frame of mind to attend the concert,
would have been an understatement!
The concert started with, "The Harp..." and "Only Our Rivers Run Free",
and I thought ,even without Ronan, these guys are still pretty good. Quite
an admission from me!! By the time Anthony's "Boolavogue", John's
"Endearing Young Charms" and Finbar's "40 Shades of Green were over,
I was solidly back on the bandwagon!! They were tremendous. The
Tenors and orchestra seemed as though they had practiced together for
years .It was wonderful.I know Anthony has an incredible voice, but his
"If I Can Help Somebody" was absolutely out of this world!! It takes a
brave man to follow an act like that, but Finbar did with "How Great
Thou Art" and did it beautifully. The first half ended with the trio doing
"Amazing Grace"... and it WAS amazing!!
CDs were on sale at intermission, we were told the guys would sign
them after the concert. So the guy that didn't like "Sacred"and left it home
bought a second one to have it signed!!...The first half of the concert was
THAT good!!
The second half started with my least favourite song,from my least
favourite CD..."Deus Meus"... my chin hit the floor!!..It was spectacular!!
I couldn't believe it was the same song. I thought of the review I read
a few years ago that convinced me to get to a concert, "If you have seen
and enjoyed The Irish Tenors on PBS ,that will in no way prepare you for
what you will experience at a live concert." I wish I knew who wrote that,
I would love to thank him or her.
To this point of the show, several songs received a standing ovation
from some of the people, but Finbar's,"I'll Take You Home Again,
Kathleen" had everyone up!! John did everyone's favourite,"The Old Man"
and THENN...The song that my wife had waited for through 2 previous
Irish Tenors and one Anthony solo concert..."Grace". It was both
spectacular AND out of this world!!
They ended with 3 encore songs,"Will Ye Go,Lassie","Spanish Lady" and
"Danny Boy"... I think that one got a standing "O"!!
The lineup for the CD signing was quite long,but the guys were in great
spirits and signed them all...plus a few pictures taken at previous
concerts...I didn't leave everything at home!!
What can I say about these gentlemen? For someone to go to a concert
with the attitude I had, and to come away as amazed as I was,can only
speak volumes about their talent, showmanship and personalities...and
I absolutely have NOT seen my last IT concert!!
The other songs were just as beautifully performed and were "Be
Thou My Vision" "Lord of the Dance" "How Deep the Fathers Love"
"Hail Glorious St. Patrick" "My Forever Friend" "Red is the Rose"
"Minstrel Boy" " The Courtin' Medley" and "My Love."
Gordon Lloyd
Prince Edward Island