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This Friday marks St. Patrick's Day, the feast day of the Welsh-born
priest and bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland, when the Irish and
the Irish at heart celebrate all things associated with the Emerald Isle.
As is frequently the case, this year the US is blessed with a visit from
the musical ambassadors of that "little bit of heaven," The Irish Tenors.
Thankfully their tour this year brought them to my home state today,
at the venue called the State Theater in New Brunswick (not to be confused
with the Easton PA venue of the same name where Hayley sang last year).

This would be my first time seeing them in their current incarnation,
since the departure of Ronan Tynan to pursue solo endeavors and the
return of John McDermott, one of the original lineup who dropped out
allegedly due to the death of his mom in 1998. I still do not know if I
buy that, but that's a question for another discussion.

The State Theater was packed to the rafters as I took my seat close
to the front, as is to be expected for Irish acts this time of year. After
a short orchestral prelude conducted by Maestro Arnie Roth, who used
to be Charlotte Church's music director, the three entered, to enthusiastic
applause for the first rousing strains of "The Minstrel Boy," with its tale
of a young musician killed in some nameless war, followed by the more
reflective, but no less rebellious "Only Our Rivers Run Free," a lament for
the lost freedom of Ireland in the days when the UK ran its affairs,
sometimes with a less than gentle hand.

After introductions, referencing John's decision not to wear the kilt
(he was born in Glasgow, though I have never seen him wear tartan,
even when he has done "Scotland the Brave" and other Scottish
nationalistic stuff) and Anthony Kearns' attendance of Mass twice
already that day, the tenors did several solos, including Anthony's
lively "I'm Off to Philadelphia," telling the tale of an Irish immigrant
seeking his fortune in that city, and Finbar's sly "Little Bridget Flynn"
about an Irish bachelor with his eye on a certain girl, as well as the
well-worn but still favorite sentimental song "Maggie," which got the
first spontaneous applause of the concert. John McDermott gave a
wonderful lyrical rendition of "Shenendoah," which was, alas, the only
really new piece of the afternoon. Anthony also sang a somewhat
unusual choice in "Scorn Not His Simplicity, a genuine heart-breaker
about a special needs child and the pain of his mother wondering what
she did to deserve one. After powerful trio renditions of the bitter
romance "The Rose of Tralee," and the Celtic hymn "Be Thou My Vision,"
John admitted that he was fighting a fever, as most of us could tell,
for his face was red and sweaty, but that he could not possibly not
honor this next request, and he launched into the sentimental favorite he
has made his own, "The Old Man," in which a son contemplates the
aftermath of his father's departure, and, while he remembers the wonderful
times they had together, he regrets that he didn't say thank you more
often, and now he won't get the chance to do it. But, like many sons,
he never thought the day would come when his father would leave him,
till it actually happened.

Other trios included "Phil the Fluter's Ball/Come Back Paddy
Reilly/Are ya Right There Michael?" the majestic yet painful tale
of Ellis Island "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears," "Hail, Glorious Saint Patrick,"
honoring the saint of the season, and the silly "Golden Jubilee,"
complete with Finbar's funny impression of the wife in falsetto.

The afternoon's best solo work probably came in Finbar's homage to
Johnny Cash "Forty Shades of Green," Anthony's extremely rousing
call to arms, though only if necessary, he cautioned, "The West's
Awake," with drum rolls and trumpet calls heralding a great vocal
climax at high C, and John's moving tribute to the veterans "Legacy."
In fact, prior to actually singing it, he asked all the veterans to stand
and be recognized, of all services, meaning, I think, the emergency
services as well, for he did reference them in his speech before the
song. That song got the first, and I think the only, standing ovation
of the evening, and well it should have, for its message bears
repeating in full here:

Old soldiers never die, they say,
They just fade away

And did you think that we'd forget you
And that your memory would soon fade
That the passing years would rob you
Of your place in history's page?
Did you think we'd scorn your sacrifice
And find no honor in the debt
When your lives paid our freedom's price?
How could we then forget?

And that's their greatest legacy,
The freedom we hold yet.
We never can repay them,
And we never should forget.

Did you think we'd take for granted
All you fought to keep alive
That the seed your courage planted
Would struggle to survive
When mothers, fathers, daughters, sons,
Gave their blood and tears and sweat
To nourish a peace so dearly won?
How could we then forget?

And that's their greatest legacy
The freedom we hold yet.
We never can repay them
And we never should forget.

There's an empty table here tonight
To honor comrades lost,
And remind us all, that liberty's light
Cannot burn without a cost.
So carve their names on granite walls
With sorrow, pain and pride
But their greatest monument of all
Is this dear land for which they died!

And that's their greatest legacy
The freedom we hold yet.
We never can repay them
And we never should forget.

And that's their greatest legacy
The freedom we hold yet.
You gave of your best,
Now, old soldier, rest,
And pass the flag to me!

The last two trios of the formal program were the famine remembrance
"Fields of Athenry" and the contemporary "My Love," wishing for better
times. But of course that was not the end it never is. A TRIPLE encore
finished the concert, with the clap-along "Whiskey In the Jar," followed
by a heroic sing-along of "God Bless America" which brought the whole
audience to its feet to salute the flag. "Danny Boy," the quintessence
of Irish song, finished things off to loud applause and a standing ovation.

I had heard there would be a signing afterward, though I feared John's
illness might put that into jeopardy. No jeopardy, though, as all three
men took their place at the signing table. They moved people quickly,
so I had some banter but nothing of substance, before I got 2 copies of
Sacred signed together with solo CDs of John (for my sister-in-law) and
Finbar. I won't keep both copies of Sacred, though, I will be giving one
to our own lovely Irish singer Claire.

I was certainly impressed with the singing, but I was yet more
impressed with John McDermott's fortitude. I had met him once
before where he descended from a tour bus to meet waiting fans,
but he was at least healthy then. To go the full limit, do the solos,
and also sign CDs was certainly going beyond the call, and reminds
me of Katherine Jenkins' fortitude when she supported Hayley Westenra,
how she did her songs and met the audience afterward despite the fact
she'd been throwing up all day from food poisoning.

Steven Olivo