Loreena McKennitt at The State Theatre (11-08-23)

As I sat in my seat and waited for the auditorium lights to turn down, I looked at the low-lit stage and kept wondering, “Are those real candles?”

Five candelabras containing 35 candles, each with its own character, some flickering, some dancing, while others pulsed. I don’t know why I needed to know their veracity. It just seemed with the expanding technology of stage lighting, is a light source from the middle ages still needed?

Loreena McKennitt is back on tour after an eight-year hiatus. The reason for the tour is to celebrate the thirty year anniversary of her Juno-winning album, The Visit. Actually it’s going on 32 years now due to COVID. She wrapped up her American portion of her tour in Minneapolis, then concerts in her home country of Canada before the European leg next year.

Since 1985 McKennitt has released ten studio albums and has sold over fourteen million copies. Her music has been described as Celtic World Music. And based on the bio she told the crowd, she can best be described as a musical archeologist who has looked for the threads of Celtic traditions throughout the world with visits to Portugal, Germany, Tuscany, Turkey, Siberia, Mongolia and the beginning of the Silk Road in China.

Like the glowing candles behind her, McKennitt had a warm, inviting stage presence.

“Come on in,” she started off the evening. “The water’s fine.” And she proceeded to share funny stories about buying a skull from a hustler at Shannon’s Airport and being saved from arrest while illegally busking in London. (The police officer decided to nab the exhibitionist in the nearby bushes instead.)

In between the stories and thoughts on industrialism and smartphones in the classrooms, McKennitt played from her cannon with songs like “Stolen Child,” “The Mummer’s Dance” and traditional Irish folk tunes from her upcoming album The Road Back Home.

Mckennitt was backed by a four-person band. Caroline Lavelle provided backup vocals while playing the cello, recorder and accordion. Dudley Phillips was provided moments to lead on bass. And Brian Hughes on an array of guitars and Hugh Marsh on violin provided an early highlight with a duel of one-upmanship that was rewarded with the biggest response from the crowd.

Throughout the night McKennitt switched from piano to a Troubadour Harp, a musical instrument smaller than the classical pedal harp. The reason she decided on the smaller instrument was due to her mode of transportation at the time: a Honda Civic.

After a brief intermission, McKennitt returned to play The Visit in order and in its entirety. It was the highlight of the evening for the audience was well versed, McKennitt and her band were well seasoned as they played the stirring “All Souls Night,” the traditional “Bonny Portmore” and “Greensleeves” with a tinge of Spanish guitar.

Then there was McKennitt’s voice. The best description I can find is comforting, the kind of voice you would want to hear on a cold, dark night with candles flickering.