The bagpiper, Duncan Knight, who is from Scotland, is the only
person from one of the seven Celtic nations. Two of the members are from
Austria, and the others are from the United States. This tour features Abbie
Palmer on harp.
The first thing that surprised me was the availability of parking. I did get to the venue on the earlier side, but even so, the parking lot fills up quickly, especially for popular musicians. I observed people as they began to come in, and there were fewer people than normal, and this venue is a small venue to begin with. As I looked around the seats, I noticed a lot of empty space. I was the only one in my row, which has never happened at this or any other venue.
Admittedly, it took a bit for me to get into them. The first
few songs did not click with me, but as the night went on, this changed. I was
eventually captivated by the show and was drawn into the music.
The sound quality of the band was good overall, but at times,
the sound was a bit muddy, especially sitting in the audience. Sometimes, the
bagpipes were hard to hear, shockingly, even in comparison to the harp. There
were points where the harp came through loud and clear on a bunch of the songs,
which is hard to do with such strong instruments as bagpipes, guitar, bass, and
drums. A couple of the songs had vocals, but they were often drowned out,
making it hard to understand and hear the lyrics.
Throughout the show, the choreography made me chuckle,
especially when they jumped in circles and ran in place. The bass player initially didn't partake in
the choreography, but he eventually did. At first, the choreography felt awkward
and forced, but as the band settled into the theater and the crowd, it became
more fitting.
The lighting effects added a whole other level to the show.
There were times when the lighting kept me focused on the show and lured me in.
On one of the traditional Scottish songs, the lights formed a St. Andrew’s
Cross, which was especially powerful, even if it was not intended.
My personal favorite moment was the lead-up to playing “Seven
Nation Army.” They asked the audience if anyone knew what the seven Celtic
nations are. I know all of them, but the audience knew most of them. However,
there was one left, and I was able to call it out (Galicia).
The second half of the show was a lot stronger than the first
half of the show. It can take time for the audience to find their groove with
the band and vice versa, especially since there were several people seeing the
band for the first time (myself included).
Overall, the concert was a great show. While there were some
sound issues, and the buildup to the audience being drawn in took a bit, the
band is obviously so in love with performing. They are so passionate about the
stories behind the songs they perform and put their everything into the
performance. Audiences will be able to find something in the show they like,
whether it is classic rock or traditional Celtic music.
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