The Tuesday Morning “Nobody-Asked-Me-To, But-Here-I-Go-Anyway” Concert Review – Colm Wilkinson
(or, Why I Will Never Be A Professional Concert Reviewer…)
In-frickin’-sane.
One of our more anticipated concerts was last night, and it exceeded any expectations we had beforehand. Frankly, it took any expectations, and kicked the livin’ bejeebers out of them…
Colm Wilkinson, the star of Broadway’s Les Miserables, and a boatload of other mega-musicals here and in the UK, brought “Broadway & Beyond” to town last night. We were in the front row, but happily over to one side, out of the “spray zone” (Broadway singers tend to “project”). We could have reached up and tugged at his pant cuffs. But we restrained ourselves.
He hit the stage after the opening overture to The Phantom Of The Opera, and launched right in to “Music Of The Night”, so the highlights are going to be way too many to mention. When he sustained a note towards the end of that song, you could have heard a caterpillar fart in the back room of the concert hall – un-flipping-believable!!!!!
As a matter of note, he WAS the Phantom in Canada, running for 1700 performances over four and a half years. From a Broadway standpoint, we heard a lot of his tremendous Stage Heroes album, including songs from Phantom, South Pacific, Chess, and Man Of La Mancha. All done impeccably, the man has a deep pool of peccability…
But the show was waaaay more than Broadway showstoppers. A huge fan of Ray Charles (Wilkinson performed for him at a Kennedy Center Honours gala), he whipped through a medley of Charles hits – wild fun!
He’s also a storyteller. He started gabbing right after the first song, and shared stories and joked all night long. For just under three hours!! He’s the Bruce Springsteen of tenors!!
How do I touch on everything? A killer sing-a-long to an Irish drinking song – a Jesus Christ Superstar redo on “House Of The Rising Sun” – versions of “Hallelujah” & “Imagine” with guest vocalists Gretha Boston and Susan Gilmour that brought standing ovations?? What a night!!!!!
From our seats, Mr. Wilkinson seemed shorter than I had expected, from seeing him on TV. Sort of looks a bit like a thin Anthony Hopkins, with more luck in the hair retention department.
But his stage presence – I’ve never seen anything like it. When he spiced up the show with pop covers, he was a mortal. But every time he got into a virtual Broadway character, his stance was hypnotizing. Nobody breathed.
OK, I guess they breathed, or I wouldn’t be here today to write this up. But we were barely breathing…
Saving his monster for the encore, he strolled back onstage in the original coat he wore on Broadway, as Jean Valjean in Les Miz. “Bring Him Home”. Brought down the house. I think I had a small accident...
Show of the year, so far!!
Chow for now!!
(or, Why I Will Never Be A Professional Concert Reviewer…)
In-frickin’-sane.
One of our more anticipated concerts was last night, and it exceeded any expectations we had beforehand. Frankly, it took any expectations, and kicked the livin’ bejeebers out of them…
Colm Wilkinson, the star of Broadway’s Les Miserables, and a boatload of other mega-musicals here and in the UK, brought “Broadway & Beyond” to town last night. We were in the front row, but happily over to one side, out of the “spray zone” (Broadway singers tend to “project”). We could have reached up and tugged at his pant cuffs. But we restrained ourselves.
He hit the stage after the opening overture to The Phantom Of The Opera, and launched right in to “Music Of The Night”, so the highlights are going to be way too many to mention. When he sustained a note towards the end of that song, you could have heard a caterpillar fart in the back room of the concert hall – un-flipping-believable!!!!!
As a matter of note, he WAS the Phantom in Canada, running for 1700 performances over four and a half years. From a Broadway standpoint, we heard a lot of his tremendous Stage Heroes album, including songs from Phantom, South Pacific, Chess, and Man Of La Mancha. All done impeccably, the man has a deep pool of peccability…
But the show was waaaay more than Broadway showstoppers. A huge fan of Ray Charles (Wilkinson performed for him at a Kennedy Center Honours gala), he whipped through a medley of Charles hits – wild fun!
He’s also a storyteller. He started gabbing right after the first song, and shared stories and joked all night long. For just under three hours!! He’s the Bruce Springsteen of tenors!!
How do I touch on everything? A killer sing-a-long to an Irish drinking song – a Jesus Christ Superstar redo on “House Of The Rising Sun” – versions of “Hallelujah” & “Imagine” with guest vocalists Gretha Boston and Susan Gilmour that brought standing ovations?? What a night!!!!!
From our seats, Mr. Wilkinson seemed shorter than I had expected, from seeing him on TV. Sort of looks a bit like a thin Anthony Hopkins, with more luck in the hair retention department.
But his stage presence – I’ve never seen anything like it. When he spiced up the show with pop covers, he was a mortal. But every time he got into a virtual Broadway character, his stance was hypnotizing. Nobody breathed.
OK, I guess they breathed, or I wouldn’t be here today to write this up. But we were barely breathing…
Saving his monster for the encore, he strolled back onstage in the original coat he wore on Broadway, as Jean Valjean in Les Miz. “Bring Him Home”. Brought down the house. I think I had a small accident...
Show of the year, so far!!
Chow for now!!
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