I was so happy to be back at the show tonight. And I came so close to not being here. Just before I flew out, one of the major computer systems where I work completely failed (for those that don't know, I'm responsible for all of the computer systems where I work). I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to leave. Then when I got here, I had to stay on the computer in the room remotely trying to work on the problem back at home right up until time to leave for the show. I was supposed to meet someone before the show - I think I ran over several people trying to make it there in time! If there were traffic cops for pedestrians, someone would have given me a ticket! I think the first time I even breathed all day was when I sat down in the showroom. But I made it!! A couple of people in the showroom spoke to me and asked me some questions before the show - I know I was looking at them as if they were from another planet. No, I wasn't on drugs! LOL! My brain was just trying to switch to "Manilow" mode from the "OMG, the sky is falling" mode.
Barry seemed happy to see us when he came out on stage. It was a very loud crowd. I did see a lot of fans in the audience, but it wasn't your typical fan show. It was just a very loud, somewhat civilian audience. I say somewhat, because based on the conversations I was hearing around me, there were a lot of people there who considered themselves to be Manilow fans, but they had never seen a Manilow show. Or they had only seen one or two. I heard one woman say that she just had to come back to the next show because she enjoyed herself so much at this one.
The set list was the same as it was the last time I was here. I know we're all anxiously waiting to hear Bring On Tomorrow. Guess we have to continue being patient, even though patience is definitely NOT one of my virtues. Seriously, the show is so great, I don't find myself consciously thinking about the set list during the show - maybe before or after I think, "hey, it would be cool if Barry sang <insert name of song here>" - but during the show, I'm just enjoying it.
I got to see Barry's new jackets for the first time. Love the blue jacket that he wears to open the show - of all the jackets he's had at the Paris, this is my favorite. And I really like the blue velvet that he wears during the love song segment. That one is beautiful when the light hits it just right - it's a very deep blue. The blue kind of fades a little if the lighting shifts, but when the lights are right, it's gorgeous. Got a couple of photos of the new jackets. I really felt like I was taking lots of photos tonight, but when I got back to the room, I don't have many at all. They're almost all sharp and in focus, but there just aren't many of them.
Very loud audience during Can't Smile Without You. I actually sang along tonight - first time in a long time. Regardless of whether or not the lyrics seem to indicate it's a sad song about a breakup - it was a happy song tonight!
Weekend in New England is always beautiful - can Barry perform that song badly? I don't think so! Tonight's performance was kind of "in the middle" - not extremely passionate, not extremely tender - actually, no extremes. Except that at one point Barry did appear to lose himself in the song somewhat, because he kind of shook his head as if he were having to shake himself back to reality. Barry did reinforce the fact that he's "still got it" to us - or maybe I should say, we reinforced it to him!
At one point tonight, I think during the Grandpa Joe segment, Barry gazed out at the audience and I caught a look in his eyes that took me back to the beginning. It's just an expression he gets sometimes that takes me back to the mid 70's - something in the eyes - an innocence, or a vulnerability, or something. Don't know how else to describe it - just know that it always tugs a little at the old heart strings every time I see it. And that's why HE'S STILL GOT IT! Ha!
Brooklyn Blues had the killer note of the night - that was a WOW moment if I've ever seen one. At the end of the song, the backups backed up (hee - that sounds funny!), and then Barry sings the final note of the song - you know the classic Manilow pose - head back, right arm lifted high. He's been holding that final note for a really long time in the previous shows I've seen. But this time Barry just kept holding that note on and on and on... The Energizer Bunny fell over dead on the stage, but Barry kept on going! LOL! It was awesome! When he finally stopped, the backups were giving him thumbs up and congratulating him. And, when Barry turned back around to face the audience he had the most genuine, most adorable grin on his face. Priceless moment for the memory books.
The New York songs have it, I guess. New York City Rhythm was very lively tonight. During the dance portion of the song, Barry always makes a joke asking if he should go on Dancing With the Stars - then he says these are the only steps he knows. Well, tonight, he added, "It would be so boring!" - and that cracked up the backups! Too funny! Joey went nuts on the piano - Barry said he needed a valium! During the musical chase around the piano, Ron W. jumped in with his own little embellishment at the end. I think the competition is back on!
Ooh, I heard new sounds at this show. [disclaimer: new to me, not necessarily new to the show] I heard a different sound from Barry's piano during I Am Your Child. The best way I can describe it is to say each note Barry played sounded as if it were half piano and half xylophone. It was really kind of cool sounding. You know how on a great piano when you play one of the notes at the top end it kind of sounds like a bell ringing? Well, when Barry played the high note toward the end of the song ("I am your chance..."), it not only had the ringing sound, it also had a "plink" sound. Every note that played had two distinct sounds with it. Sorry, that's the best I can describe it - but it sounded fantastic.
I really liked the ending of This One's For You tonight. I liked the emotion at the end of the song. Barry actually stomped on the floor as he sang "...things that you should know..."
Bandstand was a lot of fun. I think the stage was set from the beginning, because after Russ and David's drum solos, the curtain came up and you could see Barry and the backups laughing. Hmmm... Wonder what was so funny? Whatever it was, it translated into a very fun segment of the show. Barry was cutting up so much... And every time I tried to take a photo of him, he would stop - LOL! That's okay - I'll catch him eventually - LOL! I tried to take a photo of Kye during his little solo dance - but Barry made me start laughing when he started trying to imitate Kye. (It's Barry's fault, Kye...)
Seriously, that blue velvet jacket adds something to the love songs segment. It really does. It's kind of a contrast to the bright red curtains that are behind Barry - makes things very colorful. But there's something about the blue velvet that just "fits" Barry. And it just "fits" the entire segment. At first I thought it would really accent his eyes, but I didn't notice that so much. In fact, it almost made his eyes look violet - interesting. As for emotion, Barry seemed to have plenty of it - I even caught a shot where it appeared he had tears in his eyes during Our Love Is Here to Stay. It was sung very tenderly - and Barry had a very sweet smile on his face throughout the entire song.
The ending of Theme from Love Story was very powerful. That song also had a good degree of emotion. Usually that song comes across as more of a "performance" to me - it's a BIG song. I think in the past I've stated that sometimes I'm just in awe of a performance, and sometimes Barry really makes me feel. Theme from Love Story is almost always a big performance to me - it's like this huge power ballad that keeps you pressed back against your seat. You're in awe of the talent. But rarely does it make me feel anything other than that awe. But tonight, in the moments leading up to the big finish, there was a softer, and even more vulnerable Barry that peaked out briefly. Kind of neat.
Even Now was beautiful. The killer note at the end of Brooklyn Blues totally eclipsed the usual killer note at the end of this song. But that's okay - Barry managed to get our attention in other ways to make this song stand out. There seemed to be more emotion than usual toward the end of the song, but there didn't seem to be the degree of frustration that you see sometimes. The emphasis seemed to be on "God, I wish you knew" - that's where I saw the most emotion/passion - Barry almost grimaced at that point. It definitely made the point. And even though the long note didn't grab me as much as it usually does, Barry's reaching out toward the audience did. Very effective.
New effect for Mandy? Or am I just now noticing it? I think last time I was here I mentioned this "icon" effect that I've always noticed during Barry's performance of Mandy. This time there was a different feel. At the Hilton, I used to comment on what was done with the lighting during Ships - and how at the end of the song, there was a feeling of Barry standing alone in the universe, because of the way that everything around him was totally black. I saw something similar during Mandy tonight. The stage was completely black except for a lone row of yellow lights at stage level in the background. The curtain was down so you couldn't see the band. Barry's piano moved up toward the front of the stage. There were two amber spotlights shining down from behind Barry - and you could clearly see the smoke/fog swirling in the light reaching all the way down to him. To me, it was a striking lighting effect. Again, it had the sensation of "just Barry" - almost a sensation of Barry floating in the universe because it didn't seem as static as what they did at the Hilton. Kind of makes you wonder what it would look like if there were a handful of stars twinkling in the background - but then again, my imagination kind of put them there, anyway. At any rate, that all seemed very different this time to me. When I get home, I'm going to have to look at the photos I took at previous shows to see if this is just the first time I'm noticing it, or if it's new. Tried to catch a photo of it - didn't turn out all that well - but still, you can kind of see the effect I'm talking about.
Copa was as much fun as it usually is. And Barry looked just as fantastic in the tux. Still got it, still got it, still got it! <sigh> :-)
No post-Manilow depression tonight. Have two more shows to look forward to. Besides, Barry just makes it too much fun.
