Last night, Gina and I saw Loreena McKennitt for the first time in concert. I have loved her music for over thirty years, particularly her vocal clarity and quality. Afterward, I told Gina the backstory of the song The Mummer’s Dance, which helped her understand why I was so moved last night as the stunningly beautiful music unfolded.
The Backstory: Around 1997, I was sitting in my car waiting for a family member to complete an appointment (in those days, one listened to the car radio for music—there was no Spotify, Apple music, etc.), and a new song came on. As the first notes played, I instantly sat up and turned the volume as loud as possible. My little sports car, a Nissan Fairlady 300ZX, had a fantastic Bose system, and wow, did the song reverberate throughout my body, mind, soul, and spirit—my entire being.
Something about it spoke deeply to my weary soul. At that time, I was working 80-90 hours a week at a megachurch doing music, and I was burnt out and exhausted. I also was asking questions about religion, which did not go well with my pastor. The song seemed spiritual but was not religious. In fact, it had pagan overtones. My maternal grandfather’s name is Daughtery, a historic lineage in Ireland for thousands of years. Perhaps the melody, harmonics, overtones, and sheer freedom of the song reverberated from the past, telling me there was more to life than a religious dirge—there was a “Mummer’s Dance.”
It is one of the songs that paved my way to freedom and a new way of thinking about my self, my companions, my community, and my world.
Loreena McKennitt: Her voice. Her voice. She is sixty-seven, and her live performance last evening was like listening to a mastered DVD. Her voice was clear, strong, pitch-perfect, and mesmerizingly beautiful. She played piano, keyboards, harp, and accordion while singing, not missing a note on the instruments or her voice. As she moved around the stage, she physically, emotionally, and spiritually reminded me of Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac.
I was lucky enough to see Stevie and the original members of Fleetwood Mac live in concert in New York a few years ago (thanks, Gina, for the fantastic gift of those two nights). Her presence, hair, dress, coloring, and, most of all, her aura were eerily reminiscent of her fellow songstress and enchantress. Loreena is not as flamboyant as Stevie but commands the stage and the audience equally well.
Back to her voice. At times, it reminded me of an older Alison Krauss. Their vocals are so clear and strong that vibrato does not need to cover up the pitch differences.
What an enchanting songstress. After thirty-plus years of expectation, I had high expectations for this concert, and she exceeded them all.
The Band: Five genius-level musicians joined her on stage: a guitarist, bassist, drummer/percussionist, cellist/background vocalist/pan flutist/accordionist, and violinist. They were all impeccable and well-rehearsed. Loreena’s music has countless compound meters and time changes, and they handled them flawlessly and as one. Standouts included the guitarist, who must have played thirty or forty different exotic stringed instruments—his guitar tech must have been worn out after the performance. And the violinist—he was also mesmerizing. The Barcelona audience erupted in applause and cheers after the set’s third song featured a dueling melody between the guitarist and the violinist. It was a thing of brilliance and electrified the audience.
The Setting: The Forum del Auditori is a stunningly beautiful building with impeccable acoustics. I continue to be amazed by the progress made with concert audio systems. The entire evening, I would close my eyes and feel like I was listening to the post edits and masters of an audiophile recording. Another refreshing difference from most concerts was the lack of a video screen and a simple set and stage design. Beautifully lighted candelabras were the only accouterment. Loreena’s music is stripped down to its essence, and the stage design and lighting emphasized that quality rather than taking away from it.
In Summary, it was a fantastic night. Many times during the evening, I shed tears of joy and felt profound peace. The music was a healing agent, just like it had been almost thirty years ago. I thought, Heck, I might just be able to enjoy music again after nearly twenty years of pain and shunning music. Finally, this is our fourth major musical concert, and I am stunned by the discerning audiences here in Barcelona. The foundation of centuries of world-changing music here in Spain and Europe runs deep. Even though the entire concert was in English, the Spanish audience responded with emotion, appreciation, and discernment. What a pleasure.
If you have not heard The Mummer’s Dance, you owe it to yourself to take four minutes and watch her official video on YouTube. It perfectly sums up this post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUmNFD5UiD4
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