Celtic Woman at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Review

Why would I pay for something that I could watch on PBS for free? (Um, that’s what he said??)

According to the program I got last night, Celtic Woman — the musical ensemble made up of vocalists Chloë Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly, Alex Sharpe and fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt — have had their three specials aired “more than 13,658 times on 342 PBS stations.” (There’s probably one on right now.)

So in this economy, why would I leave my house and pay to see the group take on classical favorites, Irish standards (that I’m unfamiliar with), and contemporary hits (mostly Lite FM staples like “You Raise Me Up” and “True Colors”).

Part of the reason is because I actually like to expand my horizons whenever possible, but the main reason is because Celtic Woman is impossibly GOOD. They’re so good that you’ll spend a good portion of the time wondering if any or all the women are lip-synching because it’s just not likely that someone sounds THAT good live. (I finally decided that they ARE singing live, because I could hear them breathing between each phrase, despite the fact that this probably proves nothing.)

Though the production can sometimes veer into hokeyness (the video footage of a sun-drenched field during “Fields of Gold” was a little too on-the-nose), and a few of the slower songs somewhat bled into one another, I found the concert to be engaging and entertaining throughout the evening. (It also helps that I enjoy a decent helping of hokeyness.)

The production does a good job of mixing in solos by each of the ladies, group numbers and showcases for the talented musicians (I’m looking at you, kickass percussionists!) I also love the way the more upbeat songs ended with a forceful “BOOM” that actually kind of blew me back in my seat a bit (which was SO not what I was expecting from a Celtic Woman show). A big part of that was another big reason why you should check out this show live.

That would be Nesbitt on the fiddle. Watching her wield the bow of her instrument like a wand that had the power to pump the audience up and prance from the stage like the most hyperactive fairy in an Irish forest was the biggest crowd pleaser of the evening. (The second biggest crowd-pleaser of the evening was the group busting out “Spanish Lady” during the encore — if by “crowd”, you mean “my girlfriend Erica.”)

If you’re looking for something different to do and Celtic Woman is in town, I’d definitely recommend you check this show out.

Celtic Woman...A-