Celtic Woman Tour
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is in the current Celtic Woman line-up?
Celtic Woman is a bit notorious for their constantly rotating line-up. Members leave, return, only to leave again within a span of a few years. Some members are almost solely for touring while others do not appear on tour and simply show up for studio recordings. The current touring line-up consists of Máiréad Carlin, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Lambe, Susan McFadden, and Máiréad Nesbitt.
What songs will Celtic Woman play in concert?
Celtic Woman has an unbelievable discography of albums dating back to 2008. But their releases are unlike many others, The group releases multiple albums in a year, and they rarely go a year without releasing an album of new material. These records are themed compilations, Christmas albums, or covers. This allows them to really navigate a wide breath of material throughout a show, and unlike a lot of groups Christmas songs pop up during any time of the year.
The group is touring in support of their release of Emerald: Musical Gems in February 2014. This marks the longest gap between albums in the group’s career, following 2012’s Celtic Woman Performs Silent Night.
The group relies heavily on this new 2014 release of classic soul, blues, Irish, and rock covers. Christian hymn classic “Amazing Grace” is a stupendous show-stopper, and Simon & Garfunkel’s blues/folk masterpiece “Bridge Over Troubled Water” enters into the setlist. The group has also added back fan favorites “Orinoco Flow” and “She Moved Through the Fair” onto their setlist after having been removed for years.
Because Celtic Woman is working with a massive orchestra, there is little room for setlist customization. Songs are frequently extended but rarely switched up. The below setlist was performed in Germany to begin the ladies’ new 2014 tour.
Awakening
Dúlaman
Nocturne
The Foxhunter
Sailing
A Woman’s Heart
Follow On
Téir Abhaile Riú
Granuaile’s
Danny Boy
Orinoco Flow
Mo Ghile Mear
Amazing Grace
A Spaceman Came
Songs From the Heart
The Water Is Wide
Bodhran Solo
Green Grow the Rushes
She Moved Through the Fair
Ave Maria
You’ll Never Walk Alone
MNA Na Heirann
The Parting Glass
Final Medley
Outro
How long is a Celtic Woman concert?
Celtic Woman certainly do not hold back in the amount of songs they pack into their concerts. With two twenty-minute intermissions being commonplace, the show often exceeds three hours. The setlist regularly runs over 25 songs, and the group has a tendency to improvise on the spot and take songs into completely new territories as an ensemble.
Is there an opening act on the 2014 tour?
There is no consistent opening act for the 2014 Celtic Woman tour. This does not mean that there will be no opening act on select dates, but they will be chosen locally and will not officially tour with the group to other cities. Regardless, fans should arrive when the doors open to be sure Celtic Woman’s set is not missed.
What can I expect at a Celtic Woman show?
The group is extremely loyal to their core sound of Celtic folk. Despite some dips into adult contemporary and even classical music, the group retains their powerful presence of fiddles, cellos, and bagpipes. The group deploys an 11 piece bagpipe ensemble to flesh out their studio sound. It gives the show a very orchestral appeal that is momentous and impressive.
Furthermore, Celtic Woman does not play traditional music venues. They prefer to play concert halls more suited for an orchestra or theater play, as opposed to club-oriented venues such as House of Blues. You should expect to be sitting down for the duration of the show, which would be a bit taboo in other venues.
How do I get access to presale tickets for Celtic Woman’s tour?
The group works with TicketMaster for their presales. Not all events are available, but Celtic Woman posts a password that can be used to access and purchase presale tickets. Fans will need an account with TicketMaster to make the purchase. Presales only release a few days before the public onsale. For example a recent high profile concert allowed fans to use the password CWFAN to acquire tickets just two days before the wide public onsale.
Other presales include an Amazon and TravelZoo presale. Celtic Woman offered up presale passwords to fans who purchased the Christmas Special Deluxe Edition as well as the Live in Dublin DVD on pre-order last fall. TravelZoo offered presale tickets to its subscribers. Signing up for an account is free, and it is a service that works similar to Groupon.
Who is Celtic Woman’s publicist and press contact?
Celtic Woman’s press responsibilities fall to On Tour PR who handles publicity for an array of artists like John Butler Trio, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Aaron Neville. Renee Pfefer handles the Celtic Woman account for On Tour PR and can be contacted at renee@ontourpr.com for press related inquires.
Concert Reviews
“From the moment you settle into your seat at Celtic Woman’s brand new ‘Believe’ event (concert just isn’t word enough to describe this musical phenomena), the ambience of the evening is apparent, with theatrical fog drifting above your head, subtle lighting aglow and silhouettes of a lovely double-decker stage with a grand staircase dead center and intricate archways awaiting the arrival of the four lovely ladies who make up Celtic Woman.” – Linda Brewer of the Examiner
“One has to first give credit to champion violinist Máiréad Nesbitt for being one of the most exciting and talented players I’ve seen in some time. One would have never thought that athletic dance movements and fast-paced yet precise violin playing could be combined so effortlessly in a live environment. Underneath the pretty gown and elaborate staging, there’s definitely one talented and passionate musician.” – Jennifer Perry of Broadway World
“The formula hasn’t varied much in their five years of existence, and with good reason. The group routinely puts up big numbers with its easy-on-the-ears, easy-on-the-eyes brand of Celtic-flavored adult contemporary music, selling out venues like the Plaza Theatre, where they played to a nearly full house Saturday night, and topping the world music charts on a regular basis.” – Doug Pullen of the El Paso Times
Tour Archive
Celtic Woman: A New Journey (2007/2008)
Tour Opening Acts: The High Kings
Isle of Hope Tour (2009)
Tour Opening Acts: None
Ended November 22, 2009 in Long Beach, California
Songs from the Heart (2010)
Tour Opening Acts: None
Started February 9, 2010 in Roanoke, Virginia | Ended June 7th 2010 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
BELIEVE Tour (2012)
Tour Opening Acts: The Aontas
Started February 2012 | Ended April 2012
Symphony Tour (2013)
Tour Opening Acts: None
Started February 21, 2013 in Worcester, Massachusetts | Ended December 22, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia