Who's CWazyTom?

[CWazyTom]

Hi everyone,

My name is Tom.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce myself and true to my style, I will do so in an exceedingly long-winded manner. Lol. Sorry.

My first exposure to Celtic Woman was Lisa Kelly singing "May It Be." My best guess is that was back in the summer of 2005.

While I knew pretty early on that Celtic Woman was special, my road to becoming a devoted fan was a long one.

I was really excited about the first PBS special, but I was going to be away when it aired. So I entrusted my VCR to record it. But sadly, that did not happen. I looked for a re-airing on my local PBS, but that proved fruitless. At the time, had I known what I was missing, I would have gotten myself the album and purchased a DVD player so that I could have watched the original concert. However, I was incredibly cheap at the time and decided I would just wait for the next time they were on.

At the time, I rarely watched PBS and I wasn't really familiar with the timing of the pledge drives or the PBS specials. So while I checked many times for another Celtic Woman PBS special, I was looking at the wrong times, as it turned out.

As months went by, I got side-tracked with other things and eventually lost track. One day, I remembered that group I had once heard about and decided to look them up again. Turns out that day was a few days after A New Journey had aired on PBS. Again, I was frustrated, but decided to wait for them to re-air. I tried to watch a Christmas Celebration, but missed that one as well due to an ill-timed power failure. Still not realizing the extent of what I was missing, I let it go and waited some more.

It didn't help my cause that I didn't know anyone else that was a fan or that talked about them at all. They were never on the radio and so for a while, they slipped my mind.   

Time went by. I still hadn't seen any PBS specials, didn't have any albums, hadn't been to any concerts, and didn't have any of the DVDs. But Celtic Woman was always there somewhere in the back of my mind.

I came across some of their performances online from time to time ... all songs I had heard before, but the Celtic Woman versions were inevitably my favourites.

It was several years before I finally saw a PBS special and got hooked on Celtic Woman. I loved everything about them! They were unbelievably classy, incredibly beautiful, and among the most gifted singers I have ever known.

By that time, a significant number of the original singers were no longer with the group, but I went back and watched / listened to everything from Celtic Woman I could find. I finally got myself the albums and the DVDs. I learned about all the singers and their incomparably gifted and energetic fiddler. I've never known anyone with the remarkable combination of talent, passion, class, and beauty of Mairead Nesbitt.

I only recently got into social media and the forums.

I've never met any of the girls yet (although I have my fingers crossed I'll meet Chloë soon) and due to one thing or another, Destiny was the first concert I actually made it to.

So that's my story.

If you're still reading, you're probably wondering after all the missed specials, all the delays in buying the albums and DVDs, my lack of presence on social media, and all the tours I wish I had gone to but didn't, how can I call myself an actual fan, much less CWazy.

Well, I can't articulate how much I wish I had fallen in love with them sooner and how many times I badly needed their music before I really discovered them for myself. But in spite of all the years without their music that I can't take back, Celtic Woman became my absolute favourite group, by a significant margin. They're the most beautiful group I've ever heard.

I love all the CW girls past and present, but Chloë is probably my absolute favourite.

Some of you know me already from the Celtic Woman Forum and for those you I haven't met yet, I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

Thanks for reading.

[Scott]

Hi and welcome, Tom!

Don't feel like having many "false-starts" makes you less of a fan.  I had one false start myself, waiting 6 months from when I first saw Celtic Woman on TV before becoming a full-blown, die-hard fan.

And like you, Chloe is and always will be my favorite.

[CWazyTom]

Thanks Scott!

Also, thanks for reading. I know it was a bit lengthy.

[Scott]

Oh and one question: have you obtained Chloe's earlier solo albums or her solo DVD from when she was still with Celtic Woman?

[CWazyTom]

Her two solo albums, yes. They were amazing! So amazing that a lot of the songs got reused for Celtic Woman.

Her DVD I never got because it was before I had a working DVD player.

... But funny you should ask, because I actually thought of it and ordered it a couple of days ago and it's on the way!

[Scott]

Her DVD I never got because it was before I had a working DVD player.

... But funny you should ask, because I actually thought of it and ordered it a couple of days ago and it's on the way!

Congrats!  You'll love it, I promise... although she has grown up a LOT since that DVD was made.  I would love to read of your impressions about the DVD once you watch it.

I had a hard time ordering mine.  I ordered it almost 10 years ago, when the only way you could get it was through a company in Scotland that specialized in Celtic music.  It was the first time I ever had to order something that didn't involve using American Dollars (being in Scotland, it had to be paid for in British Pounds).  Took weeks for it to arrive, but it was well worth the wait. 

[CWazyTom]

I just watched the DVD and you were correct: I loved it!

I've seen a few songs from the DVD before on YouTube, but never the whole thing until now.

With Chloë, it seems I always go in expecting her stuff to be amazing and then always end up surprised when it turns out even better than I imagined!

Like the album, I loved the song selection as well as the arrangements. Chloë's voice was just pure, angelic perfection!

Chloë's voice was beautifully complimented by the scenery in the DVD. I found the backdrops very pleasant and relaxing. Except for the Nella Fantasia / Gabriel's Oboe tracks, because I jumped out of my seat in excitement as soon as I saw Powerscourt. If I ever go to Ireland, I definitely want to go to Powerscourt: yes, it's visually breathtaking, but honestly, the CW-nerd in me would be far more impressed being at the same site that SftH was filmed. 

I loved Chloë's pure, high voice when she was younger. While she's grown a lot since then as a person and a performer, I feel she's grown even more beautiful in both respects.

I wish I'd gotten her DVD years ago (almost as much as I wish I'd gone to see her when she was in Celtic Woman). But better late than never.

I can't believe I'm finally going to get to meet her in just over a week at one of her concerts. Sooooooooooooo excited!

[Scott]

I thought you'd like the DVD.   It's so beautiful, the Irish Department of Tourism (or it's equivalent) should use pay to use that DVD to promote tourism of their country.

One little note about the video for "To Where You Are": isn't it incredible how Chloe just sits in one place for the entire song yet the video creates such a depth of feeling? 

[CWazyTom]

I thought you'd like the DVD.   It's so beautiful, the Irish Department of Tourism (or it's equivalent) should use pay to use that DVD to promote tourism of their country.

One little note about the video for "To Where You Are": isn't it incredible how Chloe just sits in one place for the entire song yet the video creates such a depth of feeling? 

She does tend to have that effect, yes. Always has. She's such a truly gifted performer and wonderful person.