On December 4, we presented the Leahy Family Christmas. An email to our audience members brought in these responses:
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Outstanding!
This was a real treat and a great way to start the Christmas season. However they wore me out just watching them. I have told everyone that I'm seen since then about how great it was.
Thanks to the Hancher staff for continually bring superior entertainment to Iowa City.
Bryan and Ginny Clemons
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Before intermission, sound was painfully loud. As a result, music was unpleasantly distorted. Problem was remedied during intermission and sound was much better the second half.
The program was very "slick" including music, lights, mist, etc. I expected something more authentic and traditional. I seriously doubt that the music they played in their family home resembled what we heard. It was a pleasant but somewhat disappointing evening. I enjoyed the Natalie McMaster concert last December a great deal more.
Joe McGrane
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This was a fun evening and the family is certainly talented. We especially liked seeing them in the encore, play different instruments. It would be fun to discuss child rearing with the mother and father - they certainly were successful in getting their whole family "into the act." We sat in the third row so we could see just great but the music was really loud! The Riverside Casino Administration is certainly supportive of the Hancher program and we are lucky to have this venue as a program location. We think everyone had a good time - thanks for bringing them in December.
Al and Jean Hood
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We have seen Leahy several times and always enjoy them. They provide wonderful family entertainment. We took my in-laws to the Hancher performance as part of their Christmas gift and they loved it! Thank you for bringing Leahy to Iowa City.
The only negative associated with the performance was the facility, which doesn't have a sloped floor, so short people like me have a harder time seeing. Fortunately, we were in the 9th row and it wasn't a big problem. Also, the smoke from the casino drifted into the lobby of the performance area, which is undesirable. I didn't want to check my coat for fear it would smell like cigarette smoke when I got it back.
Tamra
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Great show---what a talented and professional family. The venue was good----the weather cooperated, and it was a great way to celebrate the Christmas season.
Thank you, Bonnie Thomas
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My wife and I loved the Leahy concert at the the Riverside Casino Resort. I have been following Leahy for about 2 years now and was excited to see them in person. The only thing I would have enjoyed more was if the venue would have been in a hall with theater seating rather than in a flat floor room, I understand that your college property had some storm damage in the past so this is why it was held at Riverside. Other than that it was a terrific concert!!!!! Thanks so much for hosting this group for us to see.
Brian Soderlund
Farmington Mn.
[Editor's note: I was curious as to whether Brian and his wife came to Iowa City JUST for the Leahy event. Here is Brian's response. "Hello again Ron, Yes we drove down from Farmington Mn. to see them and it was worth it!!!!"
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They were very good!
Sherwood
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A fantastic show. Could not have been better
RC
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The Leahy family was fantastic; the venue was terrible. We had tickets in the second row, off to the left of the stage. We could not see anything…How can you set the chairs up and not see that your audience cannot see the stage. I will say the usher was fantastic, he took us to our seats and immediately sense our disappointment. He found a Hancher representative who found other seats for us and luckily we could still take in the show as a family (there were 10 of us). We were lucky to have seats in the same price range available, but the representative first said that if seats in another section were available we could pay to upgrade and then move. Why would someone think paying more in this situation would be an acceptable way to remedy it? I ordered the tickets well in advance, looked at the seating diagram, and picked what I thought were pretty good seats. How would we know by the seating diagram that our seats faced a black curtain and that a couch on stage would block the entire view for some of us sitting in that row? Like I said we were in luck because there were seats in our same price range that were back further, but we could see the stage.
Aside from the seating the cigarette smoke form the casino was unpleasant and the volume was too loud bad, but that was fixed by the second set. I know finding new venues and trying to keep quality performances coming to Iowa City must be a challenge. I’m looking forward to having a new Hancher. But until then I think we may go to DesMoines to the Civic Center for theater and other live entertainment or at least avoid the casino. Given the price of tickets I’d like to see quality shows, be able to see, and be comfortable.
Sincerely,
Sandy Daack-Hirsch
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The Leahy Family was AWESOME. Riverside has a great venue to see them in. I enjoyed myself so much. What a wholesome family. I am so glad I saw them. I would make this an annual event, if they were available.
Thank you.
Judy Cross
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Really enjoyed the show from a very talented family of artists. Thanks again.
Judy
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They were fantastic! What an enjoyable and entertaining evening I’d love to see them again.
Liz
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This was a wonderful concert. I got hooked on their style of music after hearing Natalie MacMaster last year. I hope you continue to book Natalie, the Leahys, or comparable artists. I love their upbeat style and incredible talent.
Thank you. W.
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I loved this group and I hope you can get them back again. The concert was very good, excellent musicians and very enjoyable.
Vicki Siefers
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Absolutely wonderful entertainment.
Keith
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I'm a huge fan of Leahy and Natalie MacMaster. So whenever they are in the area, I'm there. I enjoyed Leahy's Family Christmas. It was a great way to begin the Christmas season. I love their family-focused music and outlook on life in general. Fantastic musicians!! Sincerely, Molly Bagby
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I enjoyed the performance. The music and dancing were very nice. I liked having the "Irish" Christmas shows the past two years.
Amanda Ross
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Here I am writing about the holiday show staged at the Riverside Casino again.
The show was fabulous. What an amazing group of talented people.
Th staging of the show at the casino detracted from what should have been a warm holiday experience. The main problem is the smoke pervading everything. My clothes reek of smoke several days after the show.
If Hancher continues to use the casino as a venue, perhaps the doors to the casino should be closed and weatherstripped in effort to keep the smoke on the other side of the doors.
I think I suggested last year getting behind an amendment to the smoking in public places law to rescind the exemption of casinos.
The flat floor is also a problem at the casino as well as other venues. It's simply impossible to see from many seats.
Carolyn Stewart Dyer
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The performance was wonderful. We enjoyed the evening very much. Now we would like to see Natalie McMaster and hope she comes back next year. The little children added so much to the concert.
Nora Lee and Wayne Balmer
Jim and Andrea Balmer
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We did enjoy the show, as we have seen the family perform a few years ago in Kansas. Although I was aware that this was a Christmas show, I did not expect the level of Christain influence that we saw displayed. We are very open people and stayed at the show despite this religious doctrine being spread but saw many people leaving after the first few Christain ballads were performed, obviously very unhappy. There were also comments around us about this....I just think it should be made clearer for the future that this is a Christain, Christmas show.
Stephanie
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Great performance
Gary
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Great fun! Nice way to start off the holiday season.
Ann