News Archives - 2003

 

 
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Colm and Friends Benefit -Toronto Canada February 2003

A Fan Review


At 5:00 on the day of Colm's concert, 27 of his greatest fans met for dinner and a chat. Many of us knew each other although we were delighted to welcome several folks we had not met before. There were Colm favors on the table and a great new Colm Video in the VCR. One of the gang brought a recording Colm had made earlier in the week promoting the concert we were going to! We were treated to a sneak preview rendition of "Ole Man River" - it doesn't get much better than that!


After settling into our seats at the newly refurbished Roy Thomson Hall we managed to locate each other in various spots throught out the theatre. We were ready.


Soon the moment arrived and out came Colm! He looked terrific! He still had the beard (which made everyone very happy). He looked trim and fit and ready to sing. And sing he did along with dancing, joking, and storytelling. Colm could have easily been a stand up comic had he so chosen.


The first to perform was the Campbell brothers. Two very large fellows who played the bagpipes like we had never heard. In full regalia these musicians rocked! One number featured Colm singing with the bagpipers. They did a wonderful rendition of "The Sky Boat Song." This was the first I had heard Colm sing it and it was lovely.


Susan Gilmour came next and she looked and sounded terrific! What a pretty gal she is and her voice gets lovelier each time I hear her. She sang "They Can't Take That Away From Me," delightfully. "Someone Else's Story," came next and it was just as fine. Next Susan and Colm had the place jamming to "Hit the Road, Jack." It was complete with acting, dancing, and singing - this was truly one of the highlights of the evening! On her final number Susan sang a song written by Sting called "Fields of Gold," and it was beautiful.


Colm's son, Aaron, came on next. Aaron's music is an eclectic mix of alternative and country. Quite unusual. He sounds a bit like his dad and he had the crowd amused by some unusual antics, running up and down the aisles and laying flat out on his back on stage. The camaraderie between Colm and Aaron was evident during the frequent fun bantering back and forth. They sang two songs together. The first being "Father and Son," a great Cat Stevens song and then an Irish number "She Moved through the Fair" which had an unusual arrangement to it.


The Nylons came on next and serenaded us with their unique acappella style. After singing "Singing You Are My Only One" and "Good Enough To Touch." Then they joined CW singing the "Do Run Run." It too was complete with audience participation and got everyone up clapping and singing along. What a terrific feel good song! They closed out their set with a song from their new cd called "Loving You."


Then came the moment we all had been waiting for. Colm and more Colm. Now was a perfect time to bring the house down and that he did! The haunting refrain from "Music of the Night" started. Then Colm suddenly appeared from the back of the theatre dressed in a long black cape, holding a lantern. He then glided up the aisle to the stage and delivered a perfect rendition of a most beautiful song. He was promptly rewarded with a thunderous standing ovation that went on seemingly forever! I believe even he was surprised at the reaction and he got a bit emotional.


We were privy to him telling stories from Phantom and long ago remembrances from Ireland. His tales were peppered with funny punch lines and his obvious mastery of several different accents. He was really enjoying himself and so were we!


On to one of the new songs Colm has added to his repertoire and included on his new CD "Some of My Best Friends Are Songs." From that CD he sang "How Time Slips Away," and secretly I hoped time WOULDN'T slip away too fast that night.


"Danny Boy" came next. Well what can you say about that? This song must be the national anthem of Ireland and who in the whole wide world better to sing it than one of Ireland's favorite sons. I remember a newspaper reviewer once wrote about this song - "Colm Wilkinson's Danny Boy is the closest thing to perfection you are likely to hear in a very long time... " Well said.


Colm then launched into a rock version of "Red Sails in the Sunset." He explained that this was the song that his dad was singing when his mother first met him so it had a special place in his heart. Colm also mentioned that is why he dedicated his new CD to his" Ma and Da."


He slowed the tempo a bit after that with "Ole Man River," another song we had not heard him sing before. He dedicated the song to a Professor that had touched his life and sang it with great emotion. Well, we all know how terrific CW sings the high notes and now we were all witnessing him also hitting the low ones as well.


Next came "We Are One," another beauty from his new CD and I have to admit my personal favorite. It is a lilting melody that captures your attention immediately, and knowing Colm wrote it made it all the more special!


Now it was time to have some more fun with an Irish drinking song - "The Wild Rover." It was great to clap along and sing along with Colm and the rest of the band.


Knowing CW it was only a matter of time before he pulled out the guitar and to the audiences' glee he did a lively rendition of "Blue Suede Shoes." There was a moment I thought Elvis had reappeared in Colm's body with all the dancing, hip twisting and fun Colm was having! What a delight to watch!


Colm then said good night and left to thunderous applause and plenty of begging for "more." When he re-entered the stage with his BHH coat on, again the crowd went wild. After relaying the funny, Forbidden Broadway version of "Bring Him Home," he then sang it to the crowd masterfully - after all... this is HIS song.


Once again he tried to leave to a 1000 cries of "Encore!" and once again he pleased us. Colm then closed the event with a plea for peace and sang an emotional version of "Imagine" written by John Lennon. It was the end of a perfect two and a half hours of entertainment. A show we'll all remember for a very long time!


After the concert was over, we all went out into the lobby and much to our delight Colm and Aaron were signing their latest CD's. There was very long line but we persevered and managed to get our turn with father and son.


We ran into Regan Thiel in the lobby. She played Cosette with Colm when Les Mis in Toronto in 1998. She loved the concert and commented "I still can't believe I sang with that man for six months! How lucky was I?" She looked terrific and will be playing in Sweeney Todd in Toronto very soon.


Some of our gang went onto the gala and others went out to the stage door. At the gala there were food and drinks aplenty as well as all the performers. Colm was very busy shaking hands and posing for pictures, as were the other stars.


Susan Gilmour was there with her husband Michael Burgess, who was preparing for several concerts the following week. Susan was upbeat and looked wonderful. They were both very pleasant and talkative.


The Campbell brothers told me they were three years apart in age and then launched into a funny story about how they stopped for gas on the way to the theatre and all they funny looks they got as they pumped gas in their kilts and colors.


Deidre Wilkinson (Colm's wife) looked lovely in black and with her red hair made a charming sight. She too was very pleasant and chatted about Colm and posed for pictures as well.


Then we headed out to the stage door to join the others and wait for Colm to stop by. It was nearly 1:00 when he came out and he looked utterly exhausted but he patiently posed and chatted while signing autographs. He had made most of the arrangements for the benefit himself so he had been very busy since the crack of dawn. He managed to tell a few jokes and made about 20 very chilly fans very happy. We did get plenty of pictures!


The next morning bright and early, we all met for Ron's Interactive Canadian for a day tour. Ron took us to see Chinatown, Greektown, City Hall, cathedrals, parks and everything in between. He even showed us a lovely square where he predicated one day would be home to a giant Colm Wilkinson statue! We did the three hour tour all by public transportation. Ron showed us the underground walkways (there are 66 miles of them in Toronto) and led us onto buses and subways. We went over and under and around the city and saw it through an experienced Torontonian eyes. We thank you Ron!


What a fabulous weekend and with God's blessing shall we attend many more events of this caliber! Terrific city, wonderful friends and the best musical entertainment in the world!


 By Bonnie Finkbiner

 
   
         
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