Dermot Kiernan

I guess it just boils down to procrastination. Story of my life I guess. It’s been busy since New York City but it has also been a great three weeks since then. Busy day after second night in Radio City where we had a double show day in The Chevrolet Theatre in Wallingford (about 94 miles North-East from NYC). That day was a toughy I have to admit. New York really took it out of me. Between the surreal element of playing Radio City and three days of boozing and catching up with friends and family in The Big Apple, I was exhausted! Got some much needed shut eye in Baltimore followed by more partying as we were there for Paddy’s day. Also was my experience of tackling a 2lb Snow Crab. Ridiculously big but delicious if you’re into shell fish and not bad for $40. Can’t imagine what that would be at home!
Next stop on tour was Boston. Absolutely love this city and these few days here were definitely one of the main highlights of the tour so far. Of course what contributed to these amazing few days was the fact that Liebe was over and we had a ball. Boston is so different to other cities I’ve visited in the US in that it almost feels like a large town. It’s got a very personal and intimate feeling to it. From the Freedom Trail, to the unique shopping experience of Newbury street, I have to say that this is a city I definitely want to spend more time in. It is very much a walking city and the Freedom Trail is a must.
The trail takes you to 16 historical sites which cover over two centuries of American History. Newbury Street, is the main shopping street in Boston and even if you’re not a shopper, this street is a must see. It is lined with 19th century brownstone houses which contain hundreds of restaurants and shops. It really is a unique shopping experience. We also went to a great jazz bar at the top of the Prudential Tower which I think is the 2nd tallest building in the city. What better way to see Boston at night but with a cocktail in your hand and smooth jazz playing in the background?

I have to say that last night’s and Friday night’s performances with Celtic Woman at Radio City, New York City have been the highlight of the tour so far. We’ve performed in quite a lot of venues at this stage like the Fox Theatre in Detroit MN, Chicago Theatre IL and some extraordinary arenas like The Xcel, St Paul and The Mohegan Sun Casino Arena in Uncasville but I have to admit that there was something very special about Radio City at the weekend. It’s great stage resembles a setting sun. Its system of elevators was so advanced when it was constructed that the US Army incorporated identical hydraulics in constructing WWII aircraft carriers. According to Radio City lore, during the war, government agents guarded the basement to assure the Navy’s technological advantage. Another remarkable element to this art deco interior is that there are no pillars in the room which means of course that there is no seating with a restricted view.

I actually felt nervous when I walked out onto the stage. It was probably more a fusion of nerves and pure adrenalin. It is definitely going to be difficult to match that feeling over the next 4 months of touring. Although, I was reminded afterwards that we are playing Red Rocks Amphitheatre in July!

Hello all! Well it’s been a busy month on the road! Can’t believe it’s a month already! In some ways it feels as though I’ve only been out here 5 minutes but in other ways, and I’m sure this applies more to people back home, that I’ve been gone ages! It’s been a fantastic first month. Lot to learn and take in and hard work but it really has been enjoyable and interesting journey so far. 16 shows down so far so I’d like to think I’ve pretty much got the hang of it. Thing is. when you get a little more confident you end up not concentrating as much and inevitably, something tends to be forgotten about. Minor or course.
We’ve covered a lot of ground and we’ve had some looong bus journeys, some 12-13 hrs long. On Sunday night when we left Greenville, South Carolina our bus driver Bob was faced with a snowstorm. Not the easiest thing to drive through I imagine especially when the passengers are listening to christmas songs and drinking their heads off in the back. At one point we even got off the bus when we were stuck in traffic and had a snowball fight right on the freeway. The journey ended up taking almost 18 hours in the end. Something you could not survive on a normal bus!
I intend putting up more posts here as soon as I get my beautiful new Mac Book at the weekend. Has been a disaster being out here for the past 4 weeks without a laptop. That’s soon going to change. There’s too much to write about in one post so I’m going to make things easier on myself by writing smaller ones more frequently. It’s 2:40am and we’re on our way to Schenectady, NY for a day off. I intend sleeping for the day.

Hi y’all!

Still surviving here in Evansville, Indiana. Just had 2 days of rehearsals. Think I’m finally getting the hang of this Celtic Woman. So much to remember with positions on stage and choreography and of course memorising all of the music. Evansville Auditorium is pretty big and has a capacity of about 1,800. It’s pretty exciting seeing the stage and meeting all of the crew and band. A good gang of people. Went out with a few of them last night to a place called Fast Eddie’s. Last night was Thong Thursday where a few girls in the crowd volunteered to get up and basically moon the lads. Shaking their booties all over the shop. A little too much cellulite for my liking and the girl who scooped top prize was definitely a stripper. The experience was more funny than anything else.

Woke up dying this morning. Don’t know what was in that beer but it was definitely on the dodgy side. Then again what was I to expect for paying $4.95 for a pitcher of beer. Anywho, I’ve made a decision to stick with the bottles for now on. At least ya know what you’re getting.

Evansville is a funny place. It looks as though it got left behind in the 70′ but at the same time, it’s got a certain charm about it. It’s real mid-west America where the guys wear their caps with the peak pointing backwards, very 90’s. The people here are very friendly though and I have to say I love the way they greet you and say goodbye. ‘Y’all have a nice day now’!! Always makes me smile.

Hi all!

So it’s day one on the road with Celtic Woman. Nothing really to report today as all we really did today was travel from Dublin to Chicago and then a connecting flight from Chicago to Evansville, Indiana. We are -6hrs GMT here so at the moment I’m pretty dam tired to say the least. Trying to adjust to the time zone here as quickly as possible as we’re straight into rehearsals tomorrow for the tour which kicks off on the 11th. Contemplated going out for a stroll to wake myself up but it’s a very cool -9c outside so I wasn’t long turning back. Instead, myself and Niall headed down stairs for a couple of coffees. The lady who served us was incredibly pleasant and immediately recognised our Irish charm! How could she not?  The coffees were on the house but of course we left her a tip. Had me a little stroll around the casino which is also downstairs and on the way in, the security card while checking my Irish passport told me about how he had spent 18 years in Europe but had never made it to Ireland even though, wait for it……. he had Irish ancestry! Of course he did! What American doesn’t right?? My first evening in the US and I hear that! If i get a dollar for everytime I’m told that over the next 5 months, I’d be able to donate my CW wages to charity and still be loaded!

I have to say though, Americans are cool people. Very warm and welcoming. Well that is apart from the guy in immigration at Chicago Airport. 

“What is your reason for your visit to the United States?” he asked, to which I replied ” I’m singing with an Irish group Celtic Woman” I replied. “I’ve never heard of them” he mumbled. He then asked how long I was staying in the US to which I replied “5 months”. The look he gave me! You’d swear I’d insulted his entire family! 

I wouldn’t mind, but he was a China man! Seriously!

Well, just one day until I’m off to the States for a five month tour with Celtic Woman. I can’t believe it’s finally here to be honest. At the moment I’m doing what I do best. Procrastinating!! I’ve a room full of clothes upstairs with an empty suitcase open on my bed but for some reason I’m just not ready to put the clothes in to the case? For me, packing has always been a process consisting of several stages. Thinking about packing, thinking about what to bring. I’ve even made a list of things to bring and I never make lists!

When I’m away I intend using this blog as a way of documenting my experience on tour. Where I am, the venue we’re performing and just basic day to day info about what I’m up to and how I’m finding life on the road.

Take care of yourselves and make sure to keep in touch.

What are they all about? I think I can safely say that the majority of people who live in western world attempt to quite smoking, lay off the booze, lose some weight and attempt to get fit. These are the most popular resolutions I can think of. It’s crazy!! Just think of the amount of money spent on Nicorette patches and gym membership around this time of year. A few weeks pass and then these once optimistic people find themselves having a ’sneaky fag’ or driving past the local gym as opposed to going into it. We’ve seen it all before. I’ll give you two examples of how true this is. My dear father, God bless him, proclaims every year at the end of December that he is going to kick the habit and give up smoking once and for all. He’s 60 next July and has been smoking since he was 16. Ya gotta ask yourself if you’ve been smoking that long, what on earth is the point in giving up now? Surprisingly this year there hasn’t been any mention of giving up. Perhaps he’s realised that he’s gotten to the stage where he can no longer delude himself. The other example is that I was in the gym this evening and I have never seen the place so packed. I guess that’s what inspired me to write this. Anyway as I stood there waiting to get on one of the rowing machines I just thought to myself, give this a week or two and the place will be back to normal. The new year resolutions out the window as well as the gym membership bought as a christmas gift.

I could write that my resolution is to post more blogs up here but we all know that that wouldn’t happen. God is May my last entry? That’s pretty bad! Apologies.

Well I guess what I predicted in my first blog was actually true. It has been 3 months since I’ve last written anything but I promise to the distracted multitude of people who eagerly log on to my page each and every day to see if I have written anything. There shall be no more tears shed onto your keyboards as I have decided to make a firm commitment and a conscious effort with this blog and to document whatever comes to mind whether big or small.

Funny I should use the word ‘commitment’. I often get slagged by friends whenever it comes around to commiting to something. Be it a casual rendez-vous or some sort of music gig, I used to always say “oh yeah, of course I’ll be there. You can count on me etc.” only to send a text or a phone call some time later to withdraw the ‘commitment’ I so eagerly made due to usually double booking myself. I think I may have adopted that negative trait from my father. He’s a builder so that says it all really. “Ah sher this house will only take a few days to build, I’ll be over to build your house next week”.                       I have made a conscious (I think it may have been a new year resolution!) effort to avoid these awkward situations by just saying no. It saves a hell of a lot hassle and of course slagging in the end.

I was on my way from Dublin to Cavan the other day. I’m no stranger to this journey as I drive up and down to Christchurch Cathedral a couple of times a week.  Anyway, I was driving through Dunshaughlin which is always a bit of a nightmare to get through but even moreso since they’ve commenced construction on the M3, the new motorway from Clonee to Kells. (due to be finished sometime in 2020!!)  When passing the construction site I realised that it wasn’t temporary traffic lights controlling the traffic but a man in a high visibility coat rotating a stop/go sign which was lodged  into a traffic cone. The guy, apart from looking like he was freezing to death, did not look particularly impressed. Why in the hell would he be? At first I found the sight quite amusing and actually chuckled a little bit to myself but then I just thought how preposterous  it all was. I mean we’re living in 2008 for God’s sake! We landed on the moon almost 40 years ago and here I was looking at some poor bastard  in baltic weather conditions controlling traffic with a sign stuck into a traffic cone. Wouldn’t it be more cost efficient for the NRA and the Meath County Council to splash out and hire some temporary traffic lights and give this poor guy something constructive to do? The mind boggles.