The Fresno Bee November 28th 2008

From the Fresno Bee
Celtic Thunder brings its music to Fresno
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz /
11/28/08 16:13:55

Celtic Thunder revolves around five male singers who earned their spots through auditions -- but don't mislabel this group as another fabricated boy band.
If that had been the intention, tenor Paul Byrom says, he wouldn't have been interested. Phil Coulter, a legendary music figure in Europe and Celtic Thunder's musical director, called him about auditioning for the project. Byrom, 29, already had established a solid career as a solo recording artist and live performer.
"I told him, 'I don't want to be in a boy band or group or anything like that,' '' Byrom said in a recent telephone interview. "He said, 'Good, this isn't either.' "

The premise is to showcase five singers of different styles. Each singer gets his share of solos in addition to ensemble numbers. An orchestra adds lush musicality to the concerts.
"I said, 'Count me in,' " Byrom recalled. He is the lone operatic tenor, but he fits his strong, trained voice into the structure of the show. Celtic Thunder features songs of Celtic themes as well as more familiar songs, such as the Eagles' "Desperado."

The group has been together only since mid-2007, but already has attracted lots of attention through its popular special that aired this year on PBS stations across the country. Celtic Thunder has released two CDs and is in the midst of a 48-city U.S. tour.
Byrom said Celtic Thunder's success has been "mind-blowing."
"We're just five normal guys who happen to sing," he says. "We're enjoying every minute of it."

Here's more of our Celtic Thunder rundown:
The other CT members: Damian McGinty (the youngest at 16), Keith Harkin (the blond one), Ryan Kelly (who just turned 30) and George Donaldson (He's the oldest, in his early 40s, with the shaved head. He's also the lone Scot in the group; the others are from Ireland.)

The Celtic Woman connection: Sharon Browne, original producer of Celtic Woman, is the show producer.
The Coulter effect: Musical director Coulter has a long resume. He started his career doing studio and stage work for such artists as the Rolling Stones. He wrote or co-wrote several hit songs, such as "My Boy," recorded by Elvis Presley. He also is a performer.

The staging: In addition to the orchestra, expect lighting effects, costumes and a stage that strikes a Celtic mood.
The appeal: "One of the great comments we get is that it's a show that the whole family can enjoy," Byrom says.

The song list: The songs include Celtic-flavored compositions by Coulter and others. But there also are familiar pop songs, such as Foreigner's "I Wanna Know What Love Is," the Moody Blues' and Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms."
The chemistry: Just because you pick five talented guys for your show doesn't guarantee success, especially when you spend so much time together.

But Byrom reports they have had no problem in this department.
"You can't automatically assume that all five will get along great. I'm glad to say that we all do. We all get along together like brothers."

For more Celtic Thunder: There's an official Celtic Thunder Web site, as well as an official site on YouTube. The group also has MySpace pages.

The benefits of being in Celtic Thunder: Byrom says it would be hard not to enjoy all that's happening for them right now. "You're doing what you want to do on a regular basis, in some of the biggest venues in America," he said, adding this quip: "In the end, it beats getting a real job."
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