HOPE CHURCH
MASON, OH
MAY 13, 2006
Saturday evening, May 13, brought a satisfying ending to a convoluted,
three-year personal journey of too much time spent in the care of a
handsome, dark-haired, blue-eyed surgeon who took me apart and put me
back physically while the music of a handsome, dark-haired, blue-eyed
Irish tenor (and his IT compatriots) held me together emotionally and
spiritually. Finally, the surgeon was a memory and the tenor was before
me, on stage, in person.
Having seen the trio twice (so far), I was determined to see Anthony in
a solo performance this year, no matter where I had to travel to do so.
It turned out I had to travel just over two miles from my home in
Mason, Ohio, to see him at Hope Church. A day or so before the concert
I remarked to friends that the weather here should make Anthony and
Patrick feel right at home since we’re having quite a spell of rain,
damp, and exceedingly green landscape. When Anthony noted just that, I
knew we were in for a wonderful show.
What can be said about Anthony that hasn’t been said in various other
reviews? That he is a gifted vocalist, a craftsman, a professional who
continues to mature into the breadth of his amazing talent is a given.
That he also shows himself to be a warm, intelligent and silly human
being also shines through. Or to put it more simply, as my own
grandmother would’ve said: “He’s Irish.”
I didn’t keep a song list of the show, but some of the highlights of
the evening (for me) included a lovely, controlled “Love Me Dearest;” a
mischievous “Phil the Fluther’s Ball;” a playful “Off to Philadelphia.”
“She is Far from the Land” hit the right yearning note, and “With a
Song in My Heart” opened the second half of the concert with a
confident energy that carried both Anthony and the charming Patrick
Healy easily through the rest of the evening. From the traditional
Irish standards of “Star of the County Down” and “Kitty of Coleraine”
to classical operatic selections (“O Sole Mio,” “A vuchella”) and a few
other side roads along the way (“Believe Me If All Those Endearing
Young Charms,” “As I Sit Here,” “Girls Are Made to Hug & Kiss”), ending
with an encore of the inevitable “Danny Boy,” Anthony took us on an
evening’s wide-ranging musical journey guided by the true, clear focus
of his voice.
Both Anthony and Patrick were genial and gracious at the Meet & Greet
following the concert. From wherever each of us started the journey
that brought us to Hope Church to pass an evening with Anthony Kearns,
we left the venue with memories of a short part of our life’s travels
shared. Hopefully we’ll have the occasion to travel together again.