Readers please note, this is the loooong version of a piece I submitted to the Órla's Garden Fan Site.It was one of those exquisite moments…
A few of us Órla’s Garden members were chatting in our hotel lobby early Thursday afternoon. Suddenly it completely sunk-in. This was
the long awaited Órlapalooza! I was really here and during the next several hours my wife and I would share commardrie over a meal with 30 plus Garden members, witness Órla’s US Tour launch from the front row and speak with the lovely, gifted lady after her performance. For me it is simple moments like this that are often very profound. It also caused me to reflect on how God has continuously blessed my life far more than I deserve.
The road trip portion of Diane and my journey had started at “O dark hundred” Wednesday morning. A quick drive across central Nevada on my fav highway, US 50 “The Loneliest Road in America” brought us to Salt Lake City, Utah and the Órlapalooza HQ Hotel before 3pm. During the next many hours new friends and old would arrive full love for Ms Órla Fallon and anticipation for Órlapalooza. Amidst much anxiety on our part, Kelli, Zee and Lucie would finally arrive, very late and tired but happy. Kelli’s perpetual smile and positive personality is something I wish everyone could know first hand!
The following morning our open
breakfast meet included just about everyone. It was a great time of fellowship… renewing old, making new friendships and beginning the celebration of Órla’s 2011 US Tour launch. Later that morning Diane and I went shopping. LOL! SLC merchants must have seen us coming! We dropped about $400 at the nearby mall buying some new dudes for this summer.
After hanging out with other Garden members in the afternoon we walked over to the Red Rock Brewery for the pre-concert,
Órlapalooza dinner. A great time was had by all! Good friends, good food and surprise gifts provided by the Órla’s Garden Fan Site (aka: Kelli and Zee). Dinner festivities concluded with plenty of time to walk back to the HQ hotel and freshen up for Órla’s concert.
We got parked and arrived early to the theatre lobby. Going straight to the CD/DVD sales table we purchased one of each for Órla to sign later. Órla’s manager, Mr. Denny Young, was standing right there! I introduced Diane and myself and thanked him for everything he is doing to help Órla. Denny asked if we were having an after-concert party and if he could join us. Of course we replied! Gary and I gave him the details. Denny then told us we were in for something really special from Órla tonight. Even his sage advice could not prepare us for what awaited!
American’s love Órla Fallon! Our gathering had representatives from the far corners, the heartland, the gulf coast and the intermountain west. Most of us had orchestra section seats. We weren’t there simply as consumers of incredibly fine music. We were also there to support and encourage “our girl” as she embarks upon this very important chapter in her exciting career.
The concert was beyond WONDERFUL! Perhaps I shouldn’t go into much detail for fear of spoiling. What I will write is Órla was on top her game. Her stage presence is as captivating as ever and her presentation is as pure and honest as we have come to know and love. The very accomplished Nashville musicians
Tin Cup Gypsy are clearly honored and worthy to be Órla’s band for the tour as is Amberly Rosen on fiddle. Everybody provides backing vocals and Órla already has everyone singing in Gaeilge!
Such a beautiful sound! The set list is incredible and 5 or 6 numbers longer than I expected. Huge thanks to Dan “the man” Shea for organizing all of this beautiful music and playing keyboards.
I will risk this partial spoiler and say that the one new Órla song (to me) is
I’ll Fly Away. Órla and her Troupe present this in a very Bluegrass and very fun way. You just have to see it yourself!
Órla has that rare ability to make you feel like she has asked you over to a little house concert at a mutual friend’s place. Órla’s desire is to speak a bit about nearly every song or tune. She expresses why she loves the song, what it means to her and encourages each person in the audience to find a place in their own heart for it. Órla is very good and so honest with this; it is one of the many things that make her so special. By doing so Órla also slows the pace of the set list down and gives one time to savor each moment of her incredible performance.
When the
final and
encore were beautifully presented and the concert was over I was elated! I’m still on cloud 9.9 and will be for months to come.
True to Órla’s wishes the Meet and Greet would be casual and unstructured. Órla likes to meet her friends, as she calls her fans, on her feet with no furniture causing separation. (The first time I met Órla I was very star-struck and tongue tied. But that was then and this was now.) Upon meeting Órla I endeavored to speak compliments and encouragements. Although my ability with words never measures up I think Órla liked what I said. I wasn’t counting but Órla sighed and hugged me two or three times in between signing three things intended as gifts for my friends/family. Órla must be the warmest and most personable star on the planet! Such a joy to be part of this Órlapalooza M & G, yet I fear we kept Órla up way to late. Please forgive us Órla…
Back at the Órlapalooza HQ Hotel lobby, near midnight, 15 or so of us we were sitting and chatting over munchies and mild drink about the beautiful concert and joyous M & G. We were thinking it was so late Denny wouldn’t be able to make it. Suddenly there was this wild and crazy looking guy just outside the main doors gyrating and jumping up and down like he wanted in but the doors were locked. Somebody shouted “its Denny! I ran to the doors to let him in! Of course the doors weren’t really locked; Denny was just clowning around with us. Coming in to join us Denny sat and talked with us for perhaps 25 minutes or so. He was very interested in us and thanked us on behalf of Órla and himself for attending her Tour Launch and told us we had no idea what it meant to Órla. Denny also asked some very intriguing marketing questions and made some broad predictions about the road ahead for Órla. Finally it was very late and he needed to go. With a round of applause we thanked him again for helping Órla and for the, two part,
Music of Ireland documentary. Truly a very nice and knowledgeable man! Órla is fortunate to have found him.
Attending Órlapalooza was a birthday present from my lovely wife, Diane. It is the best birthday present I’ve ever received! Thank you Diane! You are my
little one and I love you!
These wonderful memories will stay with me the rest of my days. I thank you all, especially Kelli and Zee, Mr. Denny Young and the incomparable Ms Órla Fallon!
David, Órla's fan FOREVER, northern Nevada, USA
