2018 US Summer Tour

[maartendas]

Neo is on tour as well (and was also not on the previous group photo):

[Surpinto]

Neo is on tour as well (and was also not on the previous group photo):

Hilarious! Hopefully not a part of their rehearsal.

[maartendas]

Hilarious! Hopefully not a part of their rehearsal.

I'm afraid it is by now

[frankstuart]

Well, the San Antonio Concert is about to start. Hope all goes well for the Boys.

I was a little worried about attendance. Last time they performed the Tobin Center there was not a very big crowd when I was there.

Looks like they have sold about 500 (480) I'm certain they will get a very warm reception, especially since the temperature was over 100 there today!

[ForrestB]

Hilarious! Hopefully not a part of their rehearsal.

I'm afraid it is by now

It's from a YouTube video they're referencing.

My godson loves this video and plays it just to annoy me lol .

[Surpinto]

The concert went very well. The lighting at the Tobin does an excellent job illuminating them; although as the lights which are overhead of the stage physically turn they manage to blind the audience a bit.

Otherwise, this concert was an exact replica of Ely with four changes. First, “Smile” was part of the set list rather than an encore. Second, “Salve Me” and “Wayfaring Stranger” switched places on the set list. Third, “America the Beautiful” was added as the encore. Fourth, we got the full version of “Mysterium”. Even “Nearer My God To Thee” was included; though it was not on the set list yet again. There were no solo changes from Ely either. However, if I am missing some changes I hope that others would be so kind as to correct me.

So here are the small differences I noticed including my personal annotations....

Joyful Joyful – They again transitioned from “Mysterium” into “Joyful Joyful” but this time it sounded a bit softer in tone somehow than Ely.

In Paradisum – Very well done by Rocco. It was even better than in Ely.

Smile - No recorder solo by Romeo. He apparently forgot it (in the hotel?) as I overheard him saying so in the signing line.

Voca Me – Same melody as the recorded version, just different lyrics. Sounded better than in Ely because I could hear individual voices in a cool kind of way….even from row 5. I think I heard Rocco in particular a few times but am not entirely certain.

From a Distance – Having heard Merlin sing this several times now I would say that this was the best I have heard him on this song in terms of just a perfect execution.

Wayfaring Stranger – Alex sounded markedly different this time. The sort of raspy quality he has to his voice which gave it some nice character has sort of morphed into something else. I would say that if his voice isn’t at or near breaking then at the very least it has matured; and this has given him a more operatic tone. A more smooth tone somehow. It works.

Sanctus – I have been complaining about “Sanctus” being on nearly every album and performed at every concert forever . I like the song, but have had enough of it. But this performance may have been the best I have ever heard this piece performed. Yes, it is a change from the CD versions, but I do not mean that; I mean the performance itself. It just sounded extremely polished and I could hear all of the harmonies perfectly. “Sanctus” has been renewed and revived for me.

Eternal Light – I liked this song in Ely with Ben on solo, but I must say that he sounded even better this time than at that concert.

Having given the long-form summary I will also give my own personal highlights in no particular order.

• The Lighting. Certainly not anywhere near as elaborate as at other venues, but it was solid and well done. No surprise given the fact that this is a theater with built-in lighting equipment.
• “Nearer My God To Thee”. This song must be recorded with these particular soloists. The beginning of this song, which is sung as a solo, is just so incredibly perfect for Merlin’s voice with that sweet tone that he has. If he had sung the whole piece by himself I would have been happy. But when he was joined by Ben on the duet and then, even more so, by the rest (Rocco, Alex G, Alex M, and Leo) it elevated the music still further. The ending line by Rocco alone cannot be beat.
• Sanctus. Wow.
• Leo's flawless descants on every song he did. He is a true asset to the group.
• In Paradisum had a stronger effect on me than last time. I loved it in Ely but this time I really felt connected to the song and Rocco’s singing was top notch. The song is still stuck in my head.

For those seeing them on this tour I think that they will sound even better after this first concert!

I am sad that I will only be seeing them once on this US tour, but it could not be helped. As always it was great fun to see old fan friends and to meet several new ones! Several long conversations with a particularly new fan friend would have continued indefinitely had pre-concert plans not gotten in the way

Overall, it was a great experience and has done exactly what every Libera concert is supposed to do....make me smile. Cue: Romeo's recorder solo.

[Noob]

Surpinto......thank you so much for your review!! i really appreciate it.

and i can hardly wait for them to come to L.A.!!

[maartendas]

Thank you Surpinto for your quick and personal review. Reading it made me even more excited to come and see them on this tour!

[frankstuart]

Great review! I can't wait to see them in Dallas on Sunday. I had hoped to see both of the Texas concerts but just couldn't swing it money-wise.

I can remember when I saw them in the Tobin Center the last time and can really understand about the lights sometimes blinding the audience. It was the only distracting thing I found at the concert.

Can anyone tell me how many boys are on tour this year? I am preparing a small token of appreciation o give them on Sunday and could use a number to work with. I would appreciate any help someone can give.

[filiarheni]

Thank you, Surpinto, for this first review of the tour, I'm glad that it was a great concert and what you say about In paradisum makes me wish so much I had been there to hear it!

[...]we got the full version of “Mysterium”.

This is what inspires me the most! My hope to hear the entire song live myself - this year? - now rises. So it was connected to Joyful Joyful again. Hm. Why was it shortened in Ely, but not here? Had they intended to do the full version in Ely and decided to shorten it there for some reason? Or was it our whining for the full version and they heard us? If so, thank you, Libera!

Smile - No recorder solo by Romeo. He apparently forgot it (in the hotel?) as I overheard him saying so in the signing line.

Oh no, oh no, poor Romeo! Things happen ... Well, the knowing audience will have amended it in mind and this adds another part to smile about, when remembering the concert in future, even though it now was probably annoying for the boy.

From a Distance – Having heard Merlin sing this several times now I would say that this was the best I have heard him on this song in terms of just a perfect execution.

Glad to hear about Merlin's continuing development, which I could witness myself over the concerts where I heard him.

Wayfaring Stranger – Alex [...] at the very least it has matured; and this has given him a more operatic tone. A more smooth tone somehow. It works.

Interesting. I would like to hear it.

I am very, very curious how Ave Maria was after that deeply impressing performance in Ely, but as I know that this is not really a favourite of yours , I'll wait for others' reviews to give an impression of that song.

[maartendas]

Can anyone tell me how many boys are on tour this year? I am preparing a small token of appreciation o give them on Sunday and could use a number to work with. I would appreciate any help someone can give.

Surpinto tweeted a photo of the list of members on this tour (from the program) and I count 31.

[Surpinto]

Just so it is included here to avoid further confusion. Sorry for the far from ideal photo quality.

Set list:


Credits page:

[dani]

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews.

So no Arthur Palmer which probably means he has left the group. The rest of the boys were all in Ely apart from Neo?

[Surpinto]

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews.

So no Arthur Palmer which probably means he has left the group. The rest of the boys were all in Ely apart from Neo?

Correct.

[Yorkie]

The concert went very well. The lighting at the Tobin does an excellent job illuminating them; although as the lights which are overhead of the stage physically turn they manage to blind the audience a bit.

Otherwise, this concert was an exact replica of Ely with four changes. First, “Smile” was part of the set list rather than an encore. Second, “Salve Me” and “Wayfaring Stranger” switched places on the set list. Third, “America the Beautiful” was added as the encore. Fourth, we got the full version of “Mysterium”. Even “Nearer My God To Thee” was included; though it was not on the set list yet again. There were no solo changes from Ely either. However, if I am missing some changes I hope that others would be so kind as to correct me.

Thanks for your review. It sounds like they were even better than they were at Ely and I have to say that was a really good concert so if they have improved on that they must have been truly impressive. Hope the rest of the tour is as successful.