My husband and I recently celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. This last weekend we enjoyed a kid-free night out with some friends at the CELTIC WOMAN Ancient Land Performance. The Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox hosted this magical night of music. I’m excited to share the highlights of our evening!
Above photo credit: @taramcneillmusic
Attending local performances is one of the many perks of being a Coeur d’Alene blogger who lives close to Spokane, Washington. We love featuring Pacific Northwest family activities and going to local events. It’s extra special to see our favorite artists and musicians who perform in Coeur d’Alene, Spokane and Seattle.
CELTIC WOMAN Ancient Land Tour
Seeing CELTIC WOMAN live was memorable and amazing! I didn’t really know what to expect before attending this performance. I have enjoyed listening to CELTIC WOMAN’s music ever since the first album came out in 2005. My husband and I both enjoy the lively melodies often found in Celtic music. Stories of the Irish land and people often inspire many of the songs. This show was enchanting for several reasons.
First, the CELTIC WOMAN ladies brought to the stage a beautifully harmonized vocal performance. Their voices intertwined and accompanied each other through complex songs that mixed English and Irish. Also, each original Ancient Land song was vividly different from the one before, composed with unexpected melodies and differing tempos. Finally, the ladies performed a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace that gave me chills, as well as fan favorites such as Orinoco Flow and Danny Boy.
The violinist Tara McNeill was the highlight of the show, often leading the melody and then abruptly following the music. Some of the songs were entirely and intricately played by violin. Tara’s expressive stage personality highlighted her talented performance. She was fun to watch and brought the whole group together.
The current CELTIC WOMAN group features vocalists Megan Walsh, Mairéad Carlin, Éabha McMahon and the breathtaking Celtic violinist Tara McNeill. Each woman’s voice emphasized different vocal nuances and ranges. It’s fun to later listen to the Ancient Land CD and be able to identify which vocalist is singing which song.
The live band and backup dancers were an important part of the live CELTIC WOMAN performance at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox in Spokane, Washington. The band’s talented musicians brought stories to life through the sounds and rhythms of guitar, harp, accordion, bagpipes and percussion. Backup vocalists created a haunting, echoing depth to some of the melodies, emphasizing Celtic lore of long ago.
The light show and colorful digital backdrops were another fun element used to accompany the Ancient Land songs. Digitally projected images and colored lights embellished each song.
A Piece of Ireland
Ancient Land is the next chapter of CELTIC WOMAN’S extraordinary musical journey. The group continues to touch the hearts of a huge global audience by telling stories through song and preserving centuries-old Irish tradition. Songs about stories of the land, love and dancing bring a piece of Ireland to audiences everywhere.
photo credit: @celticwomanofficial
photo credit: @celticwomanofficial
CELTIC WOMAN has released fifteen albums so far. The group’s label; Celtic Collections is based in Dublin, the Irish capital city. Established in 1996, Celtic Collections has been releasing great Irish music for more than twenty one years.
I would definitely recommend seeing this performance if it comes to one of the cities near you! CELTIC WOMAN will visit nearly 70 North American cities in 2019. See the tour dates!
Date Night Highlights
What else did we do on our date night? We had dinner at Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar. I enjoyed the Toasted Pecan Caesar salad and my husband said the Twigs Signature Burger was a “really good burger”. Our waiter was also very helpful with expediently taking our orders and quickly serving our appetizer and entrees so that we could get to the theater on time.
The Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox is a cozy venue with some amazing architecture embellishments. When I wasn’t looking at the live performance on stage, I was staring at the gorgeous decorations and sconces on the ceiling and walls. Originally Spokane’s Fox Theater built in 1931, this art deco treasure is owned and operated by the Spokane Symphony. It serves as the Symphony’s permanent home and as an incredible venue for all of the performing arts.
Overall we enjoyed a very memorable night out! We really enjoyed seeing CELTIC WOMAN live on stage and I’d recommend seeing the show if it comes to your area.
If you can’t see the performance live, you can still enjoy the talents of these musicians. A brand-new CELTIC WOMAN Ancient Land concert spectacular will air on PBS stations this fall, filmed against the backdrop of the historic Johnstown Castle in County Wexford, Ireland. The outdoor concert will feature brand new music from Ancient Land, timeless Irish favorites and unexpected cover songs.
Katie is a writer and influencer based in beautiful Coeur d’Alane, Idaho. She enjoys DIY projects, photography, decorating and going on family adventures. She feels blessed to be a wife, a stay-at-home mom to three kids and a Pacific Northwest lifestyle blogger.
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I love Celtic Woman. We saw them in concert years ago and loved it. Great music but even the show itself is beautiful.
Wow, looks like a spectacular experience. I love live performances and this looks like one I would really enjoy.