Madly Dancing in My Chair

Originally published October 15, 2007

This past weekend I spent a whirlwind evening with friends Bonnie, MEM and Peachie in Columbus, OH at The Palace Theatre to hear Celtic artist Loreena McKennitt perform. I've heard many artists and loved all the music they performed, but I have to say this is one of the highlights!

I've long been a fan of Ms. McKennitt's work. I love the ethereal sound of her voice and the exotic instrumentation she uses, but I was completely unprepared for the deep earthiness of the live sound she and her band have in person... the cello grounds the airiness of Ms. McKennitt's voice... the virtuosity of the fiddle player's high-flying cadenzas leave the audience breathless... the unusual sounds of the hurdy-gurdy, oud and lyra kept the pieces moving with their sonorous continuo... and the rhythmic beat of the hand percussion and drum kit were both a measured sound and a physical sensation. And above all, the intimate rapport all the musicians had while playing was a joy to watch - they genuinely LOVE playing together! There was no jaded expressions from this talented group!

What I also love about Ms. McKennitt's work is the care she takes in researching the music, sounds and cultures that inspire her pieces. This is a woman who loves to travel and delve deeply into her source material. We should be so lucky that all artists take this amount of time and painstaking attention to detail - and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to experience in Saturday night!