The Warner Theater is a beautiful old theater, for those that are into that kind of stuff. I'm really not, but I made it a point to take a look around at the place. Very intimate... I had read reviews of other shows and people had said that there isn't a bad seat in the house. This wasn't like an arena show. This was more like a show at one of the Las Vegas showrooms in terms of size and proximity to the performers.
To show you how focused I was on Barry, I didn't even really notice that the arrangement of the band was different until about half way into the first song. I did notice that the backups were much closer to the audience. But Barry had a mini-orchestra there - mostly strings, maybe all strings. Actually, maybe there was more... There was a harp - and lots of violins. And I remember several times during the show I would hear the sound of something that sounded like a percussion instrument - but it seemed to coming from my right. And David was on my left side - so I'm not totally sure. Maybe someone else can fill in those details.
Barry opened with It's A Miracle! I so LOVE that song! The entire audience remained standing for the entire song. In fact, there was a lot of standing throughout the night. There were a couple of songs where I sat down even though everyone in the middle section was standing - because people on the sides weren't, and I didn't want to block their view. But it was a very loud, very appreciative audience. More than once the audience response seemed to just blow Barry away. Again, I feel so proud of Barry when I see an audience reacting that way. Listening to the roar of the audience - and watching the expressions on Barry's face. Priceless...
Barry was full of it tonight - lots of jokes, lots of silly Barry. I didn't take a lot of photos - my seat was great for viewing the show, not great for taking photos. The lighting was different, as well - and I knew it would be going into the show - just had to take my best guess at camera settings. I didn't want to spend time during the show adjusting things. So, I got what I got...
There were a lot of different songs (different from the Vegas show). And even with the songs that were the same, there were differences in the performances. In a way, it kind of felt like a completely different show.
The sound could have been better - at least from where I was sitting. There were quite a few times when I had a hard time hearing Barry - his voice just wasn't loud enough to be heard over the music. And I know that sometimes has to do with where you're sitting in the audience. I didn't hear anyone else comment on that, so I'm assuming I was just sitting in that "spot".
The opening of the show was very similar to Vegas (other than It's A Miracle) - we got the opening medley of Daybreak, Somewhere in the Night and the reworked version of Looks Like We Made It. Somewhere in the Night was very special. I also noticed that some of the lighting was similar to Vegas - the colors were the same - blue for Somewhere in the Night - pink for Looks Like We Made It. The colors just weren't as intense as they are in Vegas.
Barry continued with Can't Smile Without You. There were a couple of people with signs, including one woman who came down the aisle and stood right beside me holding up her sign - I couldn't see what it said. Barry tried not to acknowledge the signs, but finally toward the end of the song he gave in and walked over to the lady who had walked up in front of me. He stooped down on the stage and let her sing into the mic with him. How the heck he managed to maintain that position for as long as he did is beyond me - and then be able to stand back up, too! I snapped one quick photo - would have loved to have snapped more, but just wouldn't let myself do it.
One of the different songs of the night was The Old Songs. Barry sang the entire song - well, I remember thinking that he skipped a verse - I'm not positive. I was more tuned in to the fact that he was singing that particular song, and I was listening to the strings behind him - so I wasn't actually concentrating on the lyrics. At any rate, I love that song - so it was very special to hear it performed as more than just a little snippet.
Before one of the ballads (can't remember which one), Barry grabbed a towel and started wiping the sweat off his face. He said that it was very warm and that he was dying up there - and then he said, "I must look like sh*t!" No, no, no... It's impossible for him to look bad! We kind of think the sweaty Barry is cute, too. The way the little wisps of hair start to curl up when they get wet... Oh, wait - this show is about music, isn't it? Hee!
Even Now was fabulous. With the difference in lighting, the song had a slightly different feel. But it was still just as fantastic. Barry's performance was awesome. He did the whole reaching out for the audience thing, which I just love. From the side, it appeared to be just as effective. The long notes were fantastic - very powerful.
I almost fell over when Barry sang All the Time. As with so many other fans, this song means a lot to me. The whole misfit thing rings true, even today. Barry's performance was beautiful. I wish he would do this one more often. I heard some sniffling from audience members. I had to wipe away a couple of tears myself. A beautiful song and a beautiful lyric. And I've been listening to Dionne Warwick's version on Radio Manilow - she can't hold a candle to Barry. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't believe what she's singing. When Barry sings it, I believe.
A keyboard was rolled out so that Barry could perform the Grandpa Joe segment. It was literally right in front of me. That was an intense feeling to have him sitting that close to me singing. I could see the sweat on his face so clearly. I know that would have been the perfect opportunity to get some great shots to take home with me. But I just couldn't do it. I couldn't disrespect Barry at that point - that's what I felt like I would have been doing. But boy, I would have loved to have some shots of that...
As he does in Vegas, Barry finished I Am Your Child then walked back to center stage to talk about Grandpa again. Then he came back to the keyboard for Nature Boy. There was a big difference here - because the lights weren't dimmed as baby Barry sang. So while Barry was playing around as baby Barry sang, the full spotlight was on him. I did sneak one quick shot - I just had to. Barry's facial expressions were priceless - hilarious. I think he acted out even more with the spotlight on him than he normally does with dimmed lights. It was so cute. Again, to be sitting so close as he's doing that...
Then back to the piano (the big piano) for This One's For You. Basically, Barry was on the opposite side of the stage from me at that point, making it very difficult to look into his eyes. I really couldn't see him well - and that always helps with the audience "connection". But I could still feel it somewhat (he did that during All the Time, too).
Someone yelled out something (a female) at one point during the show. Barry didn't understand what she said. I couldn't understand her, either. But Barry did acknowledge her. He said he wasn't sure if she was saying she loved him or if she was asking him to leave the stage. Ha!
Barry performed Brooklyn Blues and New York City Rhythm - but both seemed kind of odd because the keyboard was still on stage. I guess it wasn't getting in the way of the performers, but it just "seemed" to be in the way. I know it was in the way of the audience members. Of course, I also don't know how they could have removed it since they only do that when the spotlights are shining in a different direction. At any rate, both performances were great. And Barry did a fantastic job on that long note at the end of Brooklyn Blues. Oh, and since the keyboard was still in position at the front of the stage, when it came time for the two Ron's and Joe to play their solo parts, Joey played on the keyboard that was still right in front of me. That was a different perspective on things.
The only 15 Minutes song we got was Bring On Tomorrow - that's still my favorite, though. This is one of the times where there was a noticeable difference in the overall song, because of lighting, sound, etc... It was fantastic - it was just different. The big, bright lights weren't there. This was also probably the most noticeable time for the problems of hearing Barry's voice. There were times during the song when I really couldn't hear him singing at all. It didn't take away from the performance that much - I guess because Barry's presence really takes control of that song. Yeah, I couldn't hear it as well as I would have liked - but watching Barry made up for a lot of that.
In the middle of the show, Barry addressed his atrial fibrillation diagnosis. First he said that he would be speaking to Congress about it - then he said, "And I'll be p**ing in my pants!" Ha! Then he got serious and started talking about why he was addressing it. It all seemed very heartfelt. I never really got it before when a celebrity would identify themselves with a cause like this - never really understood why anyone would pay any attention to them. But then I've never really cared anything about celebrities. But I do care about Barry - so I listened - and I've paid attention to what he's saying. I'm now noticing the stories of the people who have it. And I really do get what Barry says about people not taking it seriously - or at least not getting it addressed. My "flutters" started about the same time as I had my TIA (mini-stroke) 10 years ago - and they've become progressively worse - and no, I don't discuss it with my doctor. But geez, if they lasted for any real length of time, I think I would see a doctor! Can't imagine anyone not going to their doctor if it lasted more than just a short time - but from the stories I've heard, that happens, sometimes with disastrous results. At any rate, Barry got his point across - I think he's going to be a great spokesman for this.
And, yes - he's scaring us half to death. Some of us knew about this, it came out during one of the conventions in Vegas. But I don't think any of us knew just how much this has affected him. And yes, we know Barry has more and better doctors than most of us - but it's still scary. Barry addressed that, too - in fact, it was really kind of touching. Well, it was touching after he had to make a big joke of it - you know Barry, he's not going to let things remain serious long. Barry said (paraphrased slightly), "I don't want you to be worried about me - I have great people taking care of me. I'm healthy, happy and horny!"
BARRY! LOL!
And then he got serious again, "I know you love me... And I love you, too... And I don't want anything to happen to you..." It came across as very sincere, not Barry the showman, just Barry the person. Yeah, he's going to be good at this. Barry almost always has this air of sincerity about him - it doesn't seem like a performance, it doesn't seem like he's just reading a script. I think he's going to do some good.
After he gave his speech about AFib, Barry told us that he had been searching through his catalog looking for a song that would fit the occasion. He commented that no one has really written a song about atrial fibrillation. Then he pretended to be composing a song about it. Got a big laugh from the audience. Then he said that he could only find one song that seemed to fit - and it was How Do You Mend a Broken Heart. He said that if he forgot the words we should just sing it for him.
Barry told us that he wanted to put in another song that he rarely does. He turned to the backups and said, "They want to be intimate. They want to know all the little details about me." Then he turned back toward the audience, leaned down, and very quietly said, "I'll tell you..." He paused for a moment, then stood up straight and loudly said, "Like a horse!!" The audience dissolved into laughter. I looked over at the backups, they were laughing, Keely had her face buried in her hands... And I'm so thankful this happened in DC instead of at the Paris where there's much more light on the audience - because I'm sure my red face would have clashed with my outfit!
And I don't know how Barry did it, but somehow he managed to go from that into a beautiful, tender rendition of When October Goes. That performance was so beautiful. ( No, I didn't take any photos of that, either.) That high note at the end was perfect.
They performed Bandstand - that one seemed kind of strange on that little stage, especially after having seen it at the Paris so many times. It was an abbreviated performance - the Keely/Kye dance was left off. Instead, they just went straight into the Wipeout portion of the song. And Barry did make fun of the dances just a little, but not nearly as much as he normally does.
We got all of Mandy - the entire song. Barry went back to performing it with that long high note at the end, the way he used to before he started playing Vegas. And then he reached out toward the audience - not straight in front of him. When I've seen him do that before, he always reached straight out in front - well, since I was sitting to that side, I wouldn't have minded if he had done it this time! Ha! But, okay, the center of the audience deserved it, too. Seriously, it was really a great pose - I didn't take a photo. It would have been an awesome photo... But I just wanted to watch it. And that long, high note was beautiful. Barry did a great job of connecting with the audience on this one, too.
Then Barry went into Copacabana. I thought that was interesting. Obviously, that was performed differently. No tux - in fact, Barry didn't change jackets all night. But, Barry was wearing my favorite jacket. No, not that favorite... No, not that one, either... It was the ORIGINAL favorite white jacket - okay, it wasn't the original. But it was very similar. This one had lapels that had trim that kind of looked silver in the light.
Anyway, at the time I thought it was kind of interesting that Copacabana was done first, followed by I Write the Songs. But isn't that how Barry did it years ago? I can't remember... Barry says there are a lot of albums under the bridge... For me, there are a lot of shows under the bridge! And what I saw back in the day (hee! you know, when I used to have to walk to school in the snow, uphill, both ways...) can't be compared to what I've seen over the past 10 years because those shows were so different. So, I could be wrong about the order of the songs. Whatever. Doesn't matter.
The last two songs were more of the traditional performances - pretty much straight through, none of the embellishments of Vegas.
After leaving the stage, Barry came back out for an encore. He thanked us for all the years of support. And he gave another little speech about AFib. It didn't seem as if this one were planned at all, because he seemed to get a little excitable and stammered his way through the speech. I'm not saying that in a bad way - I think he's absolutely adorable when he gets that way.
And then he performed One Voice. Mid-way through the song, a choir joined him - young people, kids. The girls all stood on stage, on either side of Barry - the backups were in the middle, slightly behind Barry. And then the boys walked out and stood on the theater floor right in front of the front row. That part was kind of difficult, because there was very little room between the front row and the stage - and they also blocked the view of the stage. But it all worked out. Some of the boys looked terrified at first - they were really cute.
Then Barry took his bow with the backups, and then started walking up the steps before turning to wave goodbye to us. He turned back around and I thought he was gone - but then he stood at the very back and jumped up and down waving goodbye at us one more time.
Fantastic show! I may not have been planning on doing this, but I'm certainly glad I did. There's something to be said about these kind of shows, because everyone there is a fan of some sort. In Vegas that isn't always true. I love that Barry is in Vegas - at least I know if and when I'll get to see him again - so I would hate for that to go away. And I love these outside of Vegas shows - when they're in a small theater - not as crazy about the arena shows. (but not that I would turn any of them down if he ever comes back to Texas) I saw Garry's tweet about how not everyone can afford to go see Barry in Vegas - true. It's expensive. Of course, this trip to DC cost me 6 Vegas shows - not the ticket, but the travel expenses - so if you're crazy enough to travel to see him, it's going to cost! Bottom line is, I'm just thankful for being able to see him this often - and I'll be thankful for any opportunity in the future.
And it really doesn't matter how many times you see Barry, or if you have another show coming up soon - you still just don't want to see him leave the stage. And that is strictly from the heart - it's not rational, it's not that we want him and his crew to work harder for us - it's just our heart talking. What can I say?
