Review: Celtic Thunder

Subject: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 09:45 PM

I am watching a PBS broadcast of Celtic Thunder. I am enjoying the music but it is far from what I regard as Celtic, at least not anywhere close to the traditional stuff that I was raised with. I never heard of them before but like Celtic woman, they do not come through as very genuine. That said I am enjoying a very polished presentation. Any opinions?

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 09:49 PM

I saw some of it before. They're more of a pop-rock group.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 28 Mar 10 - 02:35 AM

Celtic Thunder, I thought was a bit weaker than Celtic Woman. Celtic Woman, have done some absolutely fantastic stuff...not only that, have sold over 50 million CD's without hardly ANY airplay, other than PBS!
The story of how they got together, trading free airplay exposure on PBS, and their first airing, going to number 1, Billboard Magazine, worldwide, and holding that position for an unprecedented 68 consecutive weeks, only to bumped out by their Christmas CD, which stayed at number one till January, 31st(a month and a half AFTER Christmas), then that one getting bumped by their "New Journey" CD, going to 98 consecutive weeks at number one is testimony in itself, to how wonderful they are........and it was mostly by accident!

That being said, their DVD's are far superior to the CD's! CD's have 16 songs, the DVD's have 25. The PBS specials have 11.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,Erich
Date: 28 Mar 10 - 03:27 AM

I know two recordings of a group called Celtic Thunder who is not that bad as it sounds here. They were Linda and Steve Hickman, Jesse and Terry Winch and Nita Conley (line up 1981) and Laura Murphy, Jesse Winch, Regan Wick, Rob Thornburgh, Dominick Murray and Terry Winch (line up 1988. Produced by Mick Moloney. Are we talking about the same group?

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: Allan C.
Date: 28 Mar 10 - 05:01 PM

Erich, you are most certainly speaking of a different group. The subject here is comprised completely of men.

I cannot begin to describe my complete disappointment with Celtic Thunder. I had hoped it would be something similar to Celtic Woman; but the only similarity was in the tight choreography and style of staging. I could not have been more irked to find that they did little else other than to sing pop songs. Yes, they salted in one or two songs from whatever homeland each was from; but the token effort was far from redeeming. I'd give them a thumbs down; but I would only find myself wishing for more thumbs.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: Cuilionn
Date: 28 Mar 10 - 05:19 PM

My younger brother sent me not one, but two "Celtic Thunder" CDs for Christmas last year because he thought I would like "more Celtic stuff." I forced myself to listen all the way through...but only ONCE, and never again. It was excruciatingly awful popified nonsense with only the thinnest "Riverdance" Celtic veneer. The all-male review, like most productions of this sort, erred heavily on the side of tenors yet showcased none of the traditional singing that offers such voices the chance to shimmer with eerie beauty and grace. Instead the heavily-produced, slickly-packaged show came off like a Vegas act.

I, like Allan, wished for more thumbs, and for the same reasons.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,Erich
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 11:11 AM

Thanks Allan C. You are right, that's totally different. I just googled Celtic Thunder and what I found is neither celtic nor ist it a thunder. It's just boring. But - as sex - also "celtic" sells. Just put the label "celtic" on it, you might get rich on camel shit.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 01:22 PM

I found the show to exactly like Celtic Women and there fore of no interest to me beyond the first curious viewing of each.

Wanna know what I thought of Celtic Women? Check out my review in the archive.

Don

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,Kay
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 10:47 AM

Wow! What a critical bunch of people!! With no respect for musicians..
Sandy: This is DEFINITLY not to you, as you were not being dismissive and crude.
but to the rest:
Your ideas of "Celtic" seem to be very narrow-minded. And they do, in fact, have quite a lot of Celtic/Irish songs, such as Danny Boy(and please don't bring up that this song was written by an Englishman, because the tune, the Derry Air is Irish), Ireland's Call, Caledonia, Raggle Taggle Gypsey, Buachaill ón Eirne, Mountains of Mourne, and Homes of Donegal.
All the men in Celtic Thunder have very powerful voices, and are very talented. I don't believe it is fair to judge until you know more.
Who are you to decide who and what is Irish or Celtic? The men of Celtic Thunder are from Ireland and Scotland- there by making them Irish and Scottish: Celtic.
You all do have the right to you own opinions, and so do I. I just hope that in future, you won't be so quick to scorn talented musicians.

Kay

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: DonMeixner
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 01:16 PM

Hi Kay,

My complaint with both shows never has anything to do with vocal ability, instrumentation, or talent in general. I don't like the way the shows are packaged. Altho the women would have you believe celtic music is all breathy little voices and moist, dewy eyes.

I did stumble onto a recent Celtic Women show on PBS and I watched a while. It was what I expected which wasn't much with an exception. There was a sequence involving Tycho Drums that I was greatly impressed with. Some considerable skill there along with the other supporting musicians.

But again, the performance package and choice of songs didn't do it for me.


Don

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 01:23 PM

Sometimes I like them. That young one surely has a nice voice, as does the older one. I think sometimes they are overdone, but sometimes they really do sound n ice. As for the Celtic Women, oh dear. I think if they would let themselves really sing in their natural voices they would be fine and the dancing fiddler is too muchf or my own tastes but to each his own. mg

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,Kay
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 07:00 PM

The newest CD/DVD by Celtic Thunder doesn't have Irish music, I admit, but if you look into their previous ones, there is a lot more.
You should look at Raggle Taggle Gypsey (there is a great part with a Bodhrán, a traditional Irish drum, plus it is an old Irish/Celtic song!) or Danny Boy or Homes of Donegal.
I really do encourage you to look in to more of their music, it really is good.
mg: you're right, the young one(Damian McGinty) is VERY talented. All of them are. I suppose Celtic Woman can be a bit much at times. :)
As for Celtic Thunder, they are better live because they have more personality.

By the way: since you all seem to be into Celtic music, have you listened to Gaelic Storm, Cherish The Ladies, Mick Moloney?
Any recomendations for other good Irish music?

Kay

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: open mike
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 09:19 PM

I tuned in to the Celtic thunder show just long enough to see/hear a
young man with a wireless mic dangling my his mouth, stroll across a bridge and stop to sing...this did not touch my heart, except that he was wishing he could go home soon. I agreed.

The Celtic music i prefer is from the past....traditional tunes from centuries back...here is the play list from my 2 hour radio show that featured Celtic/Irish/Gaelic music close to St. Patrick's day.
In it you will find some recommended musicians.

ARTIST        TITLE        ALBUM        LABEL        WEBSITE

Altan / Comb Your Hair / 25th Anniversary / Compass / http://www.altan.ie/
Seamus Kennedy / Fiddler's Green / Sailing ships / Gransha / http://www.seamus-kennedy.com/
Sarah McQuaid / King of the Fairies, Blackbird / When Two Lovers Meet / Self / www.sarahmcquaid.com
Tom Paley/Dennis Murphy's Polka/Beware Young Ladies/ Gravitation
http://www.gravitation.nu/discoframe.asp?id=31&action=disco1
Jed Marum / Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill / Soul of a Wanderer / Boston Road / http://www.jedmarum.com/
Dolores Keane / Lowlands of Holland / Celtic Women Vol. 2 / Shanachie / http://www.shanachie.com/
Alrich, Hank and S. / Blarney's Ghost Medley / Carry Me Home / Armadillo / http://hankalrich.com/
Turlach Boylan / Tidy Cottage / Title song / Big Plain / http://turlach.com/
Black Irish Band / Carrickfergus / Under Far Western Skies / Black Irish / http://www.blackirish.com/
Glen Road / Ship in Full Sail, et al / Round the Bend / http://bigplain.com/
Debra Cowan / McGinnis Gets a Job / Long Gray Line / Self / www.debracowan.com
Shelley Phillips and friends / Summer is a cumin' / Pavane / Gourd Music / http://www.gourd.com/119A.HTML
Daglish, Larsen, Sutherland / Potato / Metamora / Sugar Hill / http://www.sugarhillrecords.com/
Dennis Doyle / Single Malt / Title Song / Reynard / http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/DennisDoyle
Natalie MacMaster / Danny Boy / Yours Truly /Rounder / http://www.nataliemacmaster.com/
Grada / John Riley / Natural Angle / Compass / http://www.gradamusic.com/
Jed Marum / Star of the County Down / Sands of Aberdeen / Boston Rd. / http://www.jedmarum.com/
Jeremy Kittel / Curious Beetle Medley / Chasing Sparks / Compass / http://jeremykittel.com/
Fiona Malloy / I'll Take you Home / Gentle Memories / Gransha / http://www.fionamolloy.com/home.html
Aoife Clancy / Reconcilliaton / Silvery Moon / Appleseed / http://www.aoifeclancy.com/
Beltain / Gilgara Mountain / Live at Feather Falls Casino / http://www.beltainband.com/
Beolach / Hen Party / Beolach / http://www.beolach.com/
Cherish the Ladies / Galway Hornpipe, etc. / the Back door / http://greenlinnet.com/
Sarah McQuaid / The Parting Glass / When Two Lovers Meet / Self / www.sarahmcquaid.com
Loudon Wainwright III / Ragtime Annie / High, Wide and Handsome / http://www.lw3.com/home.php

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 09:42 PM

I think the most beautiful Irish voice ever is Anne Byrne. You can see her on You Tube. I am also getting quite fond of Sean Cannon of the DUbliners. mg

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,Kay
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 10:01 PM

Thanks for these suggestions!!
I will definitly look into these musicians!!

-Kay

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: Effsee
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 10:12 PM

Guest Kay, you really are trying to preach to the converted here.
Try also:-
The Clancy Brothers
The Dubliners
Planxty
The Bothy Band
Moving Hearts
Altan
Patrick Street
De Dannan

That's when it all took off!

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: Effsee
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 10:14 PM

Just to add to my previous post...without the Glitz and Packaging!

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: Neil D
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 10:17 PM

Planxty, or any of the members individually: Andy Irvine, Christy Moore, Liam O'Flynn and Donal Lundy.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST,Kay
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 10:19 PM

I love the Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners. I haven't listened to Planxty much, but have heard a lot about. I'll try to listen to your suggestions!!!

Have you guys been to/lived in Ireland and Scotland?

lol preaching to the converted? what does that mean?

-Kay

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: Effsee
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 10:33 PM

Guest Kay...it means that we have lived through it, enjoyed it , rejoiced in it and we will continue to do so! I'm Scottish, but with Irish genes as well as English...I have the best of a lot of choices!Sliante Mhath! (Good Health)

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Apr 10 - 01:32 AM

All of the above, plus the Chieftains, esp. their earliest when cassettes were it AND before they added any collaborators.

Jean Redpath, Alison Kinnaird if you like harp, Lothlorien (used to be a Mudcat member, in NZ)

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Thunder
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Sep 11 - 09:02 PM

It's a shame there's isn't more outrage at the way this group simply stole the name of a long-established band--the real Celtic Thunder, the traditional band from the Washington-Baltimore area, together since the late '70s. It gives you some hint of the character of the people behind this schlock-fest.