We went to see Loreena McKennitt last night, which was an absolutely heavenly way to spend a Monday evening. We’d actually already seen her during this tour last spring in Boston, as we had no idea she’d be making it up into our neck of the woods. Both shows were absolutely amazing, but I enjoyed last night’s show more than the Boston show.
At both shows, I was incredibly impressed by her voice. Her crew has managed to nail the mikes and instrument mix. Everything blends wonderfully. There are times you really can’t tell it’s a live show.
What I liked about last night was probably mostly based on the comparitive intimacy of the setting (Wang Center vs. Merrill Auditorium – two very different sized venues). She was a lot chattier last night, and told us a lot more about the songs when she spoke. I dare say she was having a bit more fun. (They had one of the crew come out during the encore to play with the band, something that didn’t happen in Boston.) I do love watching the band in action. They’re clearly having a blast.
The highlight of last night had to be “The Highwayman”. This is a song that on the album, I tend to lose track of in the middle. It’s long song, but last night, she nailed it, and I was pretty much on the edge of my seat listening. In the climatic verses, she managed to put more feeling in each verse, just when you thought she’d reached the top of her vocal crescendo. It was incredible, and made me respect that song a heck of a lot more.