I'm so blessed to be here. You know, we all get caught up in the fun and excitement - but sometimes I have to just stop and think about how fortunate I am that I'm able to be here so often to see the people (and animals!) that I love. Sometimes I mention that it seems as if I see gratitude in Barry's face when he's performing. Well, this time it was me - gratitude for my being at a point in my life where I can be here, for Barry still being here with us. This experience goes far beyond just going to see a show and the local attractions. Well, needless to say, I'm quite sentimental this trip. I don't have tons of photos for you from this show - I took some, but for the most part, I just needed to be there "with Barry" this time.
There were some interesting differences at this show. I heard some musical differences, and there were also some differences in Barry's performances. It always amazes me how Barry can make a tiny, tiny change and yet it still be noticeable. It's even more amazing to me that the changes I'm talking about (in his performances) usually don't seem to be deliberate changes - they seem to be more in line with his mood that night. I don't really know if that's true - I'm just saying that's how it appears. That's probably one of the things that make each show so fresh for me - I truly don't see the same show every night. I feel something different coming from him every single night. Amazing.
Musically, I heard a couple of things I've never heard before. One was an instrument - I think Brandon was playing it, but don't hold me to that - the lighting was very dark on the band. Can't even remember which song it was now. I don't know the instrument - if I were forced to try to say what I was hearing, I would say it was some sort of woodwind - definitely not brass. Could have been a keyboard, since those things can sound like a million different instruments these days. Whatever it was, it was really neat and it really stood out.
The other musical difference I heard was the ending of a song. And I can't remember where this was, either. Sorry! I guess I have too much going on in my head today. But this was like the closing notes of the song were totally different - it felt like a completely different ending than what we've been hearing all this time. It was nice, too. And very much a surprise.
I know - these are terrible descriptions when I can't even remember what songs I'm talking about. My mind won't be quiet - I just can't pull it back up. Will probably hit me in two or three weeks at about 3:00am!
Daybreak was the first of the different performances (actually, almost everything was different in one way or another). No lighthearted lecture tonight - this time it seemed as if the song were more for Barry, it seemed more turned inward. Yet he still connected with the audience. It was just a little more serious than it's been for the last several shows. I like it this way, too.
Somewhere in the Night was just as beautiful as always. This performance was also a little more serious, not as sexy or even romantic as it sometimes is. But it also didn't feel like a performance. It felt genuine, felt as if it came from Barry's heart. The opening lines especially had that quality - "you found time enough to love". And during the chorus, Barry again sang it as "YOU'RE music too magic to end." Had a completely genuine tone to it.
Looks Like We Made It was extremely exaggerated at first. Big-eyed Barry, he even grinned as he did it. But then as he sang the "new" lyrics to the song, the mood got a little more serious - and, again, genuine. It seemed very heartfelt as he sang those new lyrics and gestured toward the entire audience.
Brooklyn Blues had the same great groove to it. Tonight Barry seemed immersed in the music - he seemed kind of far away. Not in a negative way - just a little more turned inward. He was like that for a lot of the songs tonight - he didn't seem distracted - it didn't feel as if he were distancing himself from us. How do I describe it? It felt - genuine - I know that word keeps popping up in the review. When I say that, I mean it felt like we were seeing Barry, not BARRY. Even though he was working hard on his performances, they didn't feel like performances. And it also didn't feel as if he were trying to get specific responses from the audience, or make us view the songs in specific ways. Okay, how about this - it didn't feel like Barry was trying to sell the songs as much as maybe he was just being honest. Don't know if that makes sense, it's hard to describe. Fantastic performances all night - but none of them felt like performances, they just felt like Barry. Oh, and he blew us away with that long note at the end of the song again.
Well, I've never seen Barry do this before! At the point in the show where Barry does his ballad (which is Even Now, lately), he sat down at the piano and just started playing around. He kind of asked, "What should I do?", but it wasn't directed toward the audience - more like he was talking to himself. I listened to his piano playing, but couldn't detect a familiar melody. Then Barry sang a line from Ready To Take A Chance Again - oohs and aahs came from the audience - then Barry shook his head vigorously and said, "No, no" - then he turned and gave us the most adorable grin. Then he sang a line from The Old Songs - more oohs and aahs came from the audience, plus a few squeals and sighs - then he shook his head again and said, "No". Then he sang a line from Trying to Get The Feeling - more vocalizations from the audience - and then Barry said, "Nice one, right?" And then he said, "Oh, I know - this is it" - and he went on into Even Now. What a cute and unique moment! Hey, Barry can feel free to do any of them - heck, he can feel free to do ALL of them!
Even Now was a great performance. It wasn't the showstopper that I've seen in the past, but it was a very solid performance. There were moments where you could see a lot of passion in the song. I think I've figured out how to describe it - Barry was working just as hard physically as he always does, there just wasn't the same degree of emotion being projected out into the audience. And nothing wrong with that - 99% of the audience wouldn't be able to see a difference because they haven't seen the show elebenty-seven times! (Oh, good grief - the whole world will be writing in LOL-speak soon!) One of the big emotion moments was during the "God I wish you knew" part there toward the end. Throughout that entire part, up until the point where Barry turns to walk to the back of the stage, there was tons of emotion and anguish on his face. His two long notes at the end of the song were fantastic. Very strong and powerful. I might not have felt the song as strongly as I have in the past...no, that's not accurate... I did feel the song - it just wasn't the same emotion I've been feeling for the last several performances. This one was different - the tone of the song was different, so what I've described in the last several reviews really doesn't apply. It WAS a very strong performance and Barry worked hard enough to be out of breath at the end. The look in his eyes seemed to be something more than physical exhaustion, which says that he was definitely in the moment. I know what it is - it didn't feel like a love song tonight - that's the difference. And again, another example of how Barry's songs and performances can be so versatile.
I Am Your Child was so beautiful tonight. This performance seemed reflective - the same mood/tone that I was trying to describe earlier. Not somber - more like Barry was recalling things from the past and maybe the future as he sang. His voice was so smooth. And the look in his eyes could just carry you away. He continued the same tone over into Nature Boy, except with this one he more actively reached out to the audience. He wasn't quite as silly while baby Barry was singing. But toward the end of that portion of the song, where I've described in the past that he's begun to use his finger to mini-conduct, tracing out the ups and downs of the notes of the song, he got this look in his eyes - he really appeared to be looking out at the audience - and I would describe it as being in the "lecture" mode again - as if he was trying to get us to listen to the lyrics and understand them. I've never seen him do it quite that way before. Then when adult Barry took over the singing, and walked to center stage to sing those final lines again, the connection got even stronger - Barry looked out into the audience - it seemed as if you could feel the message coming from him.
This One's For You was VERY emotional. It seemed to be more turned inward and reflective than it normally is. There just seemed to be a lot going on with that song tonight. More than once I saw Barry cast his eyes upward. The song can have so many different meanings - of all his songs, this one seems to evoke the greatest range of emotions. At the end, as Barry took his bow, it seemed as if there tons of emotion IN HIM - not part of the performance. Was it real or performance? Don't know, doesn't matter - had the same effect. It seemed so real that I wanted to just give him a hug.
New York City Rhythm was lively tonight. Well, it always is. You can always count on NYCR and Copacabana to be upbeat and to get everyone in a great mood. Actually, the American Bandstand segment fits into that category, as well.
Tonight I opted to take some distant shots of New York City Rhythm. The lighting during that song is just so beautiful. Some of the songs in the show have one or two colors that seem to be almost a theme for the song - for instance, Somewhere in the Night primarily has a deep blue color. But some songs are extremely colorful - NYCR is one of them. When you think about it, I guess it goes along with the song, and with the choreography. Everything about the song is lively - I think that goes along with the entire concept of New York City rhythm - what it's like in New York City - the fast pace, the lights, etc... Anyway, I took a couple of shots just to give an example of the lighting.
Love Is Here To Stay wasn't overly romantic or sweet. It was a very nice performance. Barry's voice is so gentle during that song. Very soothing. Even if the performance itself doesn't necessarily convey strong emotions, there's just something about Barry's voice that still gives you goosebumps.
15 Minutes was excellent. Barry had tons of attitude during the performance. Something felt a little different about it - maybe lighting - I'm not sure. Barry seems very comfortable doing the rock star bit. And the audience seems to love it. The fans certainly do. It's one of my favorite parts of the show.
Bring On Tomorrow continues to be so beautiful. Everything about the song - well, and the way it's presented in the show, for that matter - is just such a knockout. It blows me away every time. I really find it fascinating that Barry time after time can do this to me with ballads. That's seriously not the kind of music that I'm immediately drawn to. I go for rock - hard rock, heavy metal. I go for a lot of the contemporary Christian music with the uplifting messages. I go for the bubblegum oldies. But love songs are not my first choice. And yet for almost 37 years now, Barry has made me fall for these love songs over and over and over again. He has a magic touch.
Barry was very silly during Bandstand tonight. No pretending to dive into the audience (I promise we'll catch you - seriously! We'll never let you go, but we'll definitely catch you!) But he did some extra silly little dances, not to mention some, uhm, hip movement in response to the drum beat. LOL!
Mandy seemed to have extra emotion tonight. Many times Barry seems to be a little distant when singing this song, even if the performance is full of emotion. But there was something about tonight's performance that seemed more personal and interactive. Somehow Barry just felt closer to us. There was something about the look in his eyes.
I Write the Songs also seemed to be performed with more emotion than usual - and there were some great connecting moments with the audience. I think it's interesting the way that sometimes Barry seems to be pulling energy from us, and sometimes we seem to be pulling energy from him - and sometimes it's mutual. Tonight felt mutual. That's all perception and interpretation, of course. But that's what I remember most about tonight's performance of this song - for that matter, the entire show.
No matter what, everyone always seems to be having a great time during Copacabana - the audience, the band and backups, Barry... Everywhere you turn you see huge smiles. Tonight's show was no exception. Barry had the most beautiful smile on his face throughout the entire performance.
