The Prodigal Returneth



  Finbar Wright returned to the solo concert stage this past April, 2006 and, appropriately,  to the jubilation 

and  cheers of his native Irish people and his beloved Ireland !  He was no longer the young, impish, blush 

of a lad they had come to know and adore in the 1990s, but rather a mature, debonair, elegant gentleman 

comfortable in himself and with a deep appreciation of all life has brought his way.



From the first strains of "Some Enchanted Evening", that first night in Cashel, the entire tour was just that, 

an enchanted evening with Mr. Wright, where thousands were transported to a romantic time and place most 

only dream of in this age of disharmonic, unintelligible lyrics over electrified noise. 



Each of the twelve venues had to add seats due to the demand and managers were asking for added concert 

dates to accommodate the want. Sold-out concert after sold-out concert the listeners enjoyed, savoured, 

luxuriated in and even idolized the man they had waited 6 years to see again in a solo performance. The 

primarily Irish audiences absolutely cherish Finbar Wright, using terms such as "genuine", "brilliant", "heartthrob", 

"gorgeous", "sensual" to the ultimate "National Treasure". Women sighed and swooned and men admired and 

respected his masculinity. "Smooth", "professional" and "true entertainer" were but a few of the many 

pronouncements by the male concertgoers. 



The songlist was eclectic including everything from Finbar's hit single "Whatever You Believe" to Cole Porter's 

"Miss Otis Regrets" and "Don't Fence Me In". "Blue Moon" was a particluar favorite as Finbar proved his versatility 

with a slight rock-n-roll tonality. There was a wonderful hint of Jazz running throughout the program and even into   

the neopolitan standard "Arrividerci, Roma" with Finbar snapping his fingers and swaying to the sexy, fluid rhythms  

provided by expert musicians on keyboard (music director Andy O'Callaghan), drums (NSO percussionist Des 

Lacey) and bass (NSO bassist Tommy Donoghoe). Occasionally, a string quartet or solo violinist would join the 

ranks on stage giving a more orchestral feel to the program. Interludes included a "Brazilian Medley" and a "Forever 

Young Medley", again, well executed by the "jazz" trio. 



The tenderly rendered song "Wonder Child" captured the fascination of most and the clamour for Mr. Wright's 

6th golden recording, "Another Season", began at the very first intermission. "The Essential Finbar Wright", 

newly released by Sony Records, flew off the merchandise tables but did not include album number six, which 

housed "Wonder Child". Upon discovery of that fact "Another Season" became as "hot" as the "Essential" as 

hands grabbed at every glimpse of this last (so far) Wright recording. 



Two crowd-pleasers were surely, "I Dine Alone" and "Old Rustic Bridge", both of which Finbar did seated on a 

barchair with microphone in hand. He was particularly sincere and comfortable in his delivery of these two songs 

and his demeanor harkened back to the days of the "coolest of the cool", Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and even 

Bing Crosby. Sitting down, at ease with life, he offered what balm he could to our interminably rigid lives. It  

would have been impossible not to feel the work-a-day-world tensions fade; if only he could bottle that we would 

all be allot better off.



Finbar also offered up what is becoming his trademark genre, Spanish music, in the form of "La Paloma" and the 

latino flavoured "South Of The Border", written by Irishman Jimmy Kennedy. It is this reviewer's fervent desire that Mr. 

Wright, one day, record a wholly Spanish album. A Finbar concert is a time for dreaming, afterall. 



A particularly rousing moment came when, at the beginning of the second half of the concerts, Finbar ran out on stage 

and flew into "Blaze Away", or the "Bonfire" song as many were calling it. An energetic World War II piece that had the 

audiences clapping rhytmically from the start! Finbar was robust and belted out this number with such verve as to 

rival any fierce oratory Knute Rockne ever invigorated to the fighting Irish of Notre Dame!



Finbar Wright cuts a dashing figure on stage and off as throngs waited not-so-patiently for any chance of a "meet & greet" 

afterwards. From the moment his head full of flowing black locks appeared through the doorway women gasped, men 

smiled and children giggled with delightful anticipation. He was accommodating to a fault as CDs, posters, pamphlets, 

tickets, photos, all, were placed before him. Sometimes it went too far with some asking far too much, taking to excess 

presumed liberties. But, Mr. Wright smiled through it all, ever gracious to the last, and noone left disappointed. 



After being away from the Irish solo stage for six years it must have been with some degree of restlessness that Finbar 

approached this tour in the beginning. Had they forgotten him? Did they feel abandoned by his turn toward the American 

stage with the Irish Tenors? Would they come back again to see him? The angst must have been unbearable. He need 

not have worried. Clearly he is loved by his own people and any feeling of discontent was alternately longing for their 

beloved Finbar to, one day, return to them. And so he did, carving out an imperishable niche in the hearts of all Ireland. 



By Sharyl Madeloni

Copyright Finbar Wright-UFO" 2006