Aaron, Colm’s son. kicked off the show with a set of his music. He reminds me a lot of his dad when he sings the big notes and his easy relaxed manner is so like his father as well. He writes much of his own music and many of his songs have a country western feel. I particularly liked the one he wrote called Last to Know. His dad sings this one on his new CD and Aaron sang it that night.

After an intermission that seemed to last forever (o.k. 20 minutes), the man of the hour entered from the back of the theatre in the Phantom cape and lantern. He swept through the delighted crowd – they knew what was coming next. I have heard Music of the Night sung many times before but never with the emotion and clarity of this night. It was sung as perfectly as a song can be sung.

If this was a banquet the first course was certainly delicious!

Tennessee Waltz came next and was sung so achingly sweet, it made me want to get up and dance. Whenever I hear Colm sing a song I have never heard him sing before I feel like I have uncovered some sort of buried treasure. A feeling I had several times throughout the night.

A Willie Nelson song was next, How Time Slips Away. Was Colm feeling a little bit country tonight?

Red Sails in the Sunset came next and that is the song that inspired Colm todedicate his CD to his Ma and Da. It is a lively rendition of the first song his father sang to his mother.

When he started to sing Danny Boy it was so melancholy it could make you cry. His plaintive notes in this song could melt your heart and come to think of it …it did. Just lovely.

You Don’t Know Me, from the new CD, was a snappy tune followed by Got my Mojo Workin' which is always a crowd favorite. Colm loves audience participation and we all joined in with glee!

Then Colm still feeling a bit country did a smashing job on Help Me Make it Through the Night, which he dedicated to his wife, Deirdre. It was smooth as silk. Singing one of his more sophisticated songs CW launched into Whiskey in the Jar! There is no substitution for pure foot stomping fun!

Next came Springtime in the Rockies. Colm yodels beautifully…I looked up the definition of yodeling – “to sing with melodious sounds and frequent changes between falsetto and a normal voice…” oh yes…that was it exactly!

Next Colm broke our hearts with The Fields of Athenry, a sad song of Irish misfortune. I have never heard this song sung with more feeling and passion…so sweet. Interspersed with these wonderful songs was Colm’s typical Irish banter. He had funny stories and his favorite jokes. The main course of this concert was tasting better with each passing moment.

Irish Rover kicked in as another of Colm’s favorite Irish tunes. It got the crowd revved up and wanting more.

Then Aaron joined Colm and father and son sang Father and Son. It is a terrific Cat Stevens song and one they do well. Then they slid into She Moves Through The Fair another Irish Ballad with an unusual arrangement and was sung by both with great tenderness. That was followed by a duet of If I Knew Then , written by Colm. Nowhere was it more apparent that these two singers were related. Their voices meshed perfectly and it was a true pleasure to listen to them.

I Cannot Stay was his final heartbreaker…and that it was, so very sad. This song was written by Colm and shows just how emotional a songwriter he is. What a wonderful way to end a terrific concert.

Well, so we thought! Colm gave thanks to each band member to the tune of Mama Don’t Allow no Rock ‘n Roll in Here. His band was really fabulous especially Steve Hunter, his piano man and conductor and Colleen Allen on sax, clarinet, flute, etc. The music was indeed wonderful!

Colm graced us with an encore and sang a charming rendition of Imagine, a John Lennon song that asks for peace. Much to our delight he came back out to our pleas of MORE, MORE and almost prayed the words to Bring Him Home, the song written for him when he was in Les Miserables. It is truly magnificent.

Then just when you thought the riches of the evening were over Colm had one more fantastic trick up his sleeve…This surely was the dessert of the night…the soufflé…he came out and walked to the front of the stage and without the microphone sang My Way in the most intimate and astonishing version of this song we have ever heard. His voice carried over the silent theatre and the moment was almost ethereal. One could have heard a pin drop. After he finished the crowd erupted into hoots and hollers and deafening applause! What a finish! Tremendous! A moment I will never forget!

We clapped until our hands ached and then when we were sure it was truly over we headed to the downstairs CD signing area. We happily waited in line for several hours to get our albums signed by Colm and snap a few pictures although if the truth were known it was also an opportunity to prolong the end of a perfectly wonderful night.

 By Bonnie Finkbiner