RAVINIA PAVILION
HIGHLAND PARK, IL
SEPTEMBER 3, 2005
Ravinia from a downunder perspective.
We arrived early for a picnic in the park. I was amazed at the numbers of
people and even more amazed at the set ups some people had - picnic tables
with tablecloths, candles, china and cutlery, the whole works. For ourselves
we just took a picnic tea and sat in the shade.
It was announced that the guys would be signing CD's for an hour only after
the concert at the Borders tent. We decided to scope out the tent in
advance, only to find that you actually had to buy a CD (Heritage or We
Three Kings) to get a pass to the signing. Thanks to Susan Swinehart I
already had both but, hey, who was going to pass that up when I had come all
that way!
Our seats were about half way back in the box seats, thanks to Connie
Magnusson, our friend in Illinois, who had bought them for us. We were about centre which put me right in front of my favourite tenor, John McDermott, but also with a good view of Anthony in the centre and Finbar out to my left. As John had not sung in Denver my fingers were crossed until the moment he arrived on stage. I was still on cloud nine when I got home, so I'm not sure I can remember all they sang, but they each did three solos that I remember.
Finbar sang Forty Shades of Green, I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen and How Great Thou Art. I didn't originally like his version of Forty Shades... but
on that night he did a great job of it. Like the others he seemed to be
right on top of everything on this night.
I was just a little disappointed in Anthony's Grace and Boolavogue as solos,
not by any means by the singing, which was as wonderful as usual. It's just
that those were two he also sang in New Zealand several years ago at the
only other concerts I have seen, and it would have been nice to hear
something new. However, he did a wonderful version of If I Can Help Somebody which was just beautiful. His voice just keeps on getting better.
I've been a John McDermott fan since long before the Irish Tenor days, but
this is the first time I have seen him in a live concert. He looks great
with the new haircut. He sang solos of Believe Me If All Those Endearing
Young Charms, The Old Man, which the audience seemed to love, and How Deep the Father's Love For Us. Naturally as a John fan, he can do no wrong, and I thought these were just beautiful especially The Old Man, which is a song I love.
Together I remember The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls, The Minstrel
Boy, Hail Glorius St Patrick, Amazing Grace, Red is the Rose, Only Our
Rivers Run Free, Be Thou My Vision, Deus Meus, and the Courting Medley.
I have only heard a download of Deus Meus and wasn't sure if I liked it as
it seemed a bit dark. However, with the power the guys put into it, the
lighting, and the wonderful orchestra it was a very impressive piece.
I've always liked Red is the Rose with John's lower harmonies so I loved
that. Of course they fooled around a bit in the Courting Medley and it was
'Anthony Kearns she loves still' according to John.
Earlier in the evening a towel had been brought in for Arne to wipe his
brow. John collected it, put it over his arm like a waiter and stood there
as if to ask if there were anything else, before marching off with it. At
one part he also took a prowl down the other end of the stage as Finbar was
singing, stood behind him, and kind of leaned around him, but Finbar managed
to keep on singing! Anthony was singing the next verse, John was back in his
place by then, but Anthony kept looking sideways as if wondering what John
was going to get up to next.
As encores they sang Will You Go Lassie Go, Spanish Lady and, of course,
Danny Boy as a finale. They completely mucked up the words to Spanish Lady in a few places and played up to it. I think it was there that in one section Anthony and John appeared to do a little 'you sing the line, no you sing the line' type gestures at each other and in the end no one sang that line and they just carried on. They also joined hands to do a little dance step, but of course
it was Finbar and Anthony that actually danced, and did a twirl, while John
stood there and crossed his foot over from side to side.
Two hours went by incredibly fast, but it was worth every bit of the time I
spent tweaking my holiday to fit this concert in. Coming all the way from
New Zealand might have been a bit excessive, but it was worth it!
At the signing they were pushing people through pretty fast, one item only
and the guys were sitting behind a table. However, I did get to shake hands
with Finbar and Anthony and briefly talk to all three. John told me he had
been to New Zealand twice and he loved New Zealand, so he gets my vote!
It was midnight before we got home and probably one a.m. before I came down from the clouds enough to sleep. All in all it was a magical night and a
great performance from all three tenors, or at least I thought so.
Daphne Willis
Stokes
Nelson
New Zealand