Gael Force: Ireland's Greatest Entertainers

Rating:
Summary: A great concert of traditional and contemporary Irish music
Review: Every year I go to Milwaukee's Irish Fest to see performers like Tommy Makem and Natalie McMasters. As great as they are it would be absolutely awesome if some of these groups from Ireland made their way across the pond to play, but I am probably going to have to end up going over there some year. This 1997 concert runs 100 minutes long and starts with three great songs from the Chieftains and then mixes traditional and more contemporary acts representing the best of Irish music. For me the highpoint of this concert were the Black sisters singing "Song for Ireland" although you were not hear Sinead O'Connor sing any better than she does on "She Moved Through the Fair." There is a little bit of mixing up with the artists, such as Brian Kennedy joining Clannad for "In a Lifetime," and the only complaint is that this concert is just too short. We should have gotten at least three tracks from all of these artists. One thing for sure, "Gael Force" is the perfect title for this great concert by Ireland's greatest musical performers.

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Summary: Pioneering Irish Music into the DVD generation
Review: Failte! This DVD and producers need all the encouragement they can get for DVD as a new and better format for Irish Music. The music represented here is a wide cross section of styles. From traditional Irish Folk Music to Rock and Roll to World Fusion, this DVD has it all. If your taste in music is on the wild side, you have the Afro Celt Sound System playing world fusion music (Whirlygig). This includes an African Djembe player and an African Harp player. If you taste is traditional Irish, you have the everlasting Cheiftains in an opening dance number. Mix wild and traditional, and you have a frantically fast paced fiddle tune from Ashely McIsaak with Kevin Coneff smokin' on the Bodhran for back up rhythm. You see the equally everlasting and reincarnated De Dannan playing the Donnegal Reels. If you want to see why the Irish have a reputation for singers, there is an overpowering foursome (including my favorite, Mary Black) doing "Hard Times Will Come No More." Nomos, one of the most undiscovered bands outside of Ireland, does "Set You Free," with the talented young bodhran player, Frank Torpey, demonstrating his innovative new style. Did you know that Gaelic culture extends to Spain? This is your chance to see a Spanish Celtic Music Band Play. Altan shows up on stage with Tommy Hayes playing bodhran to one of the famous husband-wife, twin fiddle lead songs. Other DVD's to check out are "The Cheiftains Through Ireland" and "Solas." There are rumors of a Dervish DVD to come out soon of a recent concert. If producers want to keep putting Irish Music on DVD's, especially traditional Irish Music, I will be eager to keep buying them. I play along and VHS tapes wear out while DVD's do not. Slan!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent cross section of Irish music
Review: I have watched the video over and over. It is a wonderful compilation of styles and tastes. I enjoy every performer and every musical number.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, inspiring
Review: I have watched the video over and over. It is a wonderful compilation of styles and tastes. I enjoy every performer and every musical number.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: I ordered this mainly for the Mary Black performance of "Song for Ireland," but I have to tell you, there are so many high points, from Christy Moore's rendition of "Hills of Donegal" straight through to Sinead O'Connor's "He Moved Through the Fair," that it's useless to try to point them all out.
Order it...sit back...and enjoy!
(Only thing missing was Ireland's greatest rock group, "The Saw Doctors!")

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: I ordered this mainly for the Mary Black performance of "Song for Ireland," but I have to tell you, there are so many high points, from Christy Moore's rendition of "Hills of Donegal" straight through to Sinead O'Connor's "He Moved Through the Fair," that it's useless to try to point them all out.
Order it...sit back...and enjoy!
(Only thing missing was Ireland's greatest rock group, "The Saw Doctors!")

Rating:
Summary: An excellent cross section of Irish music
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video. Having seen a concert in The Point Theatre, I was thrilled that the producers chose such a venue for this celebration of Irish music. Truly an experience that reaches the soul of Irish music in its many forms. Outstanding performances by Mary Black, Brian Kennedy, Sinead O'Connor, De Dannan and The Chieftains

Rating:
Summary: Celtic Dreams
Review: I watched it first on PBS and couldn't wait to get a DVD copy for home. The performances are all great, especially that of Mary Black with her "Song for Ireland", sure to make everyone of Irish heritage want to visit home. You will enjoy this!

Rating:
Summary: So Much from So Little
Review: Ireland is such a small island to put out the world's best music and best influenced music as its people moved about this world. Most all the groups are very traditional along with some new touches and thank goodness no U2, sorry. The almighty Chieftains play MC to this Gale Force concert and play with a few of the acts such as Leahy, these brothers and sisters of instruments & dance will blow you away as will Ashley MacIsaac's fiddle playing & kick- thank you Canada. Sharon Shannon's accordion and band is like Irish jazz and Altan never fail to amaze me. Stop me now or I will keep going! Yes it is too bad that Natalie MacMaster, The Saw Doctors, Young Dubliners and several other greats are missing, I guess we need a Gaelic Woodstock for this, but there is more than enough here for a great concert. I have the DVD and its 5.1 DD sound is all that it is supposed to be and the camera work is perfect as well. If you are looking for a very well rounded Gaelic Concert with a touch of newness then you've got it in Gale Force, find out where America got its foundation for its country music. Now, where is part two!? I also recommend The Chieftains DVD "Water from the Well", see great shots of Ireland and great music from all facets. See these old but young at musical heart guys play in churches, bars, civic halls, etc.; this is not a concert but all the songs are played live in whole in-between great words of wisdom. Hope this helps you out.

Rating:
Summary: Not To Be Missed!
Review: This is an outstanding collection of Irish music. I get the shivers everytime I watch it. Brilliant performances all round but especially from Mary Black, De Danann, Brian Kennedy and Maura O'Connell. The atmosphere in The Point is great as always. A great mix of styles make this a must for any fan of Irish music.