Review: SHAMROCK TENORS: CHRISTMAS IN BELFAST At The Kennedy Center

“Shamrock Tenors: Christmas in Belfast”

The Kennedy Center experienced a brief Northern Irish invasion of blended vocals, exuberant patriotism and seasonal good cheer as the Shamrock Tenors descended on the capital. The group, consisting of Northern Ireland natives and their relations, include Raymond Walsh, Jack Walsh, Matthew Campbell, Jimmy Johnson and Nathan Johnson.

Fresh from an Australia tour, the boys, who have been together for most of 8 years, put on a scaled down show that combined Christmas favorites with classic drinking and parting of ways songs.

The Shamrock Tenors have achieved an impressive rise to a big name act, both at home and globally. They have sold out venues worldwide and performed notably for fans at London's Trafalgar Square, bringing high-energy Irish music accessible to audiences across the globe.

 Original Tenor Ray Walsh is the founder of the Northern Irish five piece harmony and multi-instrumental group.  When starring in London's Les Miserables, he had the idea to create a group that would showcase the talent and native feel of the music from back home in the north of Ireland.  This was decades after "the troubles" but only recently embracing a oneness of Irish musical culture.  

Act I was a fine energetic start for the Tenors, all in a line with dapper plaid vests and matching shirts and shoes, their trademark. Their rendition of “Bound for Bethlehem” combined an upbeat jaunty tune with a Christmas motif, early on show off comfortable vocal blending early on. Another personal favorite was the haunting ballad­ “Red is the Rose.”

All the Tenors added their own touch as they came in and out of each part of a song. Nathan Johnson showed a soft, lilting quality. Matthew Campbell, along with playing several instruments onstage, had a cutting, achy-breaky quality. Jimmy Johnson, in full throated form, is also our dancer of the group, but only quick-stepped a wee bit before stage-acting like he came up lame, so ‘Riverdance’ this is not. Methinks he was a bit strung out from the overseas trip.

The key quality of the tenors (and one could quibble that there appeared to be only 2 true tenors in the group) was that their smooth accompaniment and vocal blend was evident, like the feel of a comfortable cardigan. And their easy banter, playing to a home crowd of like-minded Islanders of Eire, made it like a homecoming.

After the break, we were treated to their rendition of “Christmas in Belfast,” another combination of the season and the blended culture.

 Won’t you come on my love-

Won’t you come on a spree.

Where the drink flows like water-

Where else would you be.

And I know you may think it’s not much to see-

But Christmas in Belfast…

Is perfect for me.

Finishing with crowd favorites “Danny Boy” and “Whiskey in the Jar” was a satisfying wrap-up. “Ireland’s Call” was a fitting bow.

The show was a bit streamlined but hit all the right notes, especially setting up in a new venue. Lighting was both subdued and annoying, with blue backlighting setting a pleasing tone but harsh white strobes cycling and hitting the audience, especially ill-timed when focusing on the singers. But the production team of Director Ray Walsh and US Producer Michael Alondra made it work in a new venue—not an easy task for a touring show as this.

As Raymond Walsh said in a recent interview “People are proud to be Irish and music is a huge part of how we celebrate our identity.”

The Shamrock Tenors bore out the fact that folk music is meant to be a collective experience - is meant to be clapped along to, danced to and yelled out. In a word it was stirring - it was so easy to leave troubles at the door, and lose yourself in the jaunty performance of the Shamrock Tenors. They are having a great time, so we should too.

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