Paris Las Vegas - December 8, 2011

BB-30



This was a fabulous show! It was really upbeat really fun. Almost made it through the night without any tears. Almost...

Muffy wasn't there tonight - don't know why. We all hope she's okay.

I hit it really lucky. The front row seat right in front of me was empty. So I had a completely unobstructed view. It was like having a front row seat but still having my second row security blanket!

Barry had fun with us during Somewhere in the Night again. And we had fun with him, too. After what he did on Wednesday night, I think everyone was watching his eyes - ha! Well, tonight they got that sparkle in them - I love it when I see that because I know something's coming. Barry slowly leaned toward the audience with a teasing expression on his face. Then lifted his right hand to about waist level and slowly wiggled his fingers at us. The audience squealed! Barry got a big grin on his face and waved his hand at us as if to say, "Ah come on, you guys!" We love it!!! The woman sitting next to me leaned over, chuckled and said, "You get that??" Yep, I got it - we all got it - some of us are still trying to recover from it! The expression on Barry's face proves he knows exactly what he can do to us!

I think Barry finished up the medley with Looks Like We Made It - but heck if can I remember!

For Can't Smile Without You tonight, Barry let us be sad first, and then glad. Whew! We don't need the pressure of having to relearn the lyrics of a song we've been singing for the last million years! Barry must realize that we're very fragile right now. Hee! Actually, I've been using that as an excuse - I've been telling people, "Don't mess with me! I'm emotionally unstable right now!" Ha! It works! Everyone backs off! Probably wouldn't be a good thing to say at the airport, though - those TSA folks have absolutely no sense of humor...

Anyway, we paid our nightly visit to the big karaoke bar. Everyone sang loudly - and actually sounded pretty darn good. I guess it was a musical crowd. Barry only played around with the lyrics a little - but it was entertaining - I heard some people behind me giggle when he did. It still makes me smile - I don't care how many times he does it, it's going to make me smile. And makes me forget to sing along! Yeah, I still think he does it on purpose so he won't have to hear me sing! Ha! (if I seriously thought he could hear me, I would be hiding under my seat during that portion of the show instead of singing!)

For the ballad segment, Barry said that someone had requested Even Now. Then he said that he loved requests. That could be a dangerous statement - I half expected to hear a million requests thrown his way after he said that! I've never yelled a request up to Barry. Well, duh - like that's a surprise - it's only taken me 7 years to sing along with CSWY! What would I request? Hmmm... Weekend in New England - I love that one. Tryin' To Get The Feeling - I love the foot-stomping angst of that one. See the Show Again - but that would make us all cry right now. Ooh, All the Time! That would definitely make us cry - but we all love that one so much - it would be worth the Kleenex. I can think of lots of ballads and mushy love songs, but most of them I've never seen him perform while sitting at the piano. Keep Each Other Warm - always makes me melt. If Tomorrow Never Comes - oh, that would flood the theater! Somewhere Down the Road - just go ahead and shoot us and put us out of our misery! See what happens when Barry makes us think about songs we would love to hear?! Hey, maybe that's why I can never understand anyone when they're all yelling out song titles - because so many are being yelled out!

Anyway, Barry asked for his A again and sang Even Now. Mesmerizing... How mesmerizing? Well, my intent was to take some photos this time since I had this golden opportunity of a clear view. But I couldn't do it. I snapped a few shots at the very beginning of the song. But as it progressed, I just couldn't lift up the camera. Barry did a fantastic job of connecting with the audience, a fantastic job of making us believe the song. Barry really reached for the audience again tonight. I was so wanting to get a shot of that. I started to lift the camera and then I just couldn't do it- he had me totally under his control. I couldn't take my eyes off him - couldn't break the spell. I love it when he does that to me! He does it a lot, but it never gets old.

Brooklyn Blues was back to it's groove tonight. Barry again used hand gestures to help emphasize the lyrics. He had a slight smile on his face throughout most of the song. But there was also a slightly different tone to the song. Haven't been able to think of a way to describe it. You can see it in this photo - this isn't a typical facial expression for this song. Thoughtful - maybe that's the best word. Barry seemed to be contemplating the lyrics to the song. I think maybe he set a new record for that long note at the end. Incredible!

I couldn't bring myself to take any photos during I Am Your Child tonight. For some reason it seemed to be invasive tonight. As on Wednesday night, this performance didn't see sad. Barry's performances seem to have taken on a new tone. For one thing, at both shows this week, Barry really seems to be putting a lot of emphasis on the "I am what you taught me to be" portion of the lyrics. I noticed that both nights. Or maybe he isn't - maybe that's just what my ears are hearing because that's relevant to my life right now. Well, I guess it doesn't matter - what we experience during the show is our own personal "truth" - maybe the person sitting next to us is experiencing something totally different. At any rate, Barry's vocals were beautiful.

This One's For You was very, very emotional. It didn't start out that way. At the beginning it just felt as if Barry were sending a message out across to the stars to someone important to him - not sad - just a heartfelt message. Even at the line that's been getting to us, "might just miss me, too", I could feel that tug at my heart and feel a little bit of a lump in my throat - and I did hear a few sniffles in the audience around me. But it wasn't nearly as emotional as what it has been. But then at the end it got more emotional. And for that final gesture that Barry makes toward the audience... I had to "work" - I had to do something to break what I was feeling. So I lifted up the camera to take a shot of that final pose where Barry stretches his arms toward the audience. It was either that or cry - not ready to cry - gonna be doing a lot of that on Sunday night, I have a feeling. Anyway, ever feel like you shouldn't be doing something, even as you do it?

That final pose was special tonight - the way Barry moved into it was different from anything I've seen before. It was very deliberate, almost in slow motion. It was a statement in and of itself. And actually, that made me want to cry even more - no matter how he sang the song, nothing communicated "This One's For You" more than those final seconds as Barry reached out toward us. And so while part of me was saying that I should just experience it, another part was telling me to "work or fall apart". So I worked - and immediately wished I hadn't. Barry normally holds that pose for a few seconds before taking his bow - but not tonight - he only held it for maybe two seconds (if that long). I saw the emotion in his face, and that shook me out of my own little self-pity world. The emotion in Barry's face mirrored what I've been feeling - probably what most of us have been feeling. It was like he had absorbed it all from us. Yeah, I did get the best shot of that final pose that I've ever had. But I can't look at it without feeling guilty - partially because it always feels like I'm "invading" when I take a photo during one of Barry's powerful moments on stage. (can't document it unless I do, but still...) But mainly because what I saw on Barry's face was reflecting back out at me. We'll never know what he uses as motivation for his songs - and all that emotion tonight could have come from anything in his world - might have had nothing to do with the closing of the show - could have been 100% performance. But like I said last night, when Barry believes it and we believe it at the same time, it's real - doesn't matter what Barry is believing - at that point in time whatever WE believe is real. And for that moment what I saw was Barry being affected by us. When he ran off the stage, I had to just sit there for a moment - it kind of haunted me. But I'll say he managed to guilt me into not letting myself get down for the rest of the show!

But just like the other times when Barry has appeared to get a little emotional after TOFY, he came back bouncy for New York City Rhythm. If possible, I think he was even cuter with his Dancing With the Stars comments than he was the night before. I love watching Barry's little piano solo - loved watching the expression on his face as he played. He always looks like he's having the time of his life. Each of the keyboard players did a little something extra tonight. Ron P started off his solo with a bang. Joey seemed to play longer. And Ron W really added to his part during the piano chase.

We got the Christmas segment again. I was expecting it, but there's still something about how quickly they move from NYCR into the Christmas segment that throws me off a little. Or might just be because I've been to so many shows I've been conditioned to expect the love songs segment. At any rate, I think the Christmas segment was even more fun than Wednesday night. I love these songs! And I love the way the segment has been arranged. The "paintings" are all holiday/winter related - Santa Claus, carolers, snow. And of course, the lighting on the stage... And the big Christmas trees with presents...

The Santa Claus is Coming to Town bit is loads of fun - even better than last year. Kye asked Barry what was up with a Jewish guy loving Christmas so much - got a big laugh out of the audience. And Barry said (as we've heard many times before) that he loves it because it's "the only time when people stop hollering at each other" - and, of course, Barry was yelling as he said it. So Kye said, "Barry, babe... You're hollering." That got a huge laugh out of the audience. Then they started performing the song, complete with their cute choreography. Then they came to the "bad girls" bit - I'm still feeling left out, you know... (although a few more performances of Somewhere in the Night like the version at this show and I'll be going right down that bad girl road, too! Well, MY version of bad girl...) Barry starts it off asking Kye if he's been good this year - and Kye says, "Absolutely" - and Barry says, "You're full of sh*t - I know you" - big laugh from the audience. And of course when Barry says the bad girls are coming to his house, there's a huge cheer from the audience. Wow - didn't know there were so many bad girls in the audience - no wonder they call this place Sin City! Then more of the cute choreography to finish out the song. Love it!

Then the girls come out for Happy Holiday - they stand around one of the Christmas trees as Barry opens the song. Looking at the photos, I see that the coats aren't trimmed in red - instead the girls are wearing red scarves. I was right about the colors, though! It snowed for us again! The streamers always seemed to have a mind of their own and target you. The snow flakes seem to have a mind of their own, too - and worked their way into unexpected places! And I see that Tinkerbell has paid a visit to Barry's scarf!

Then Keely and Kye join Barry for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I think it was even funnier tonight. I managed to catch a shot of Barry pretending to slap Kye as Kye danced with the stool. And also a shot of Kye doing his funny Santa voice.

Then Christmas is Just Around the Corner. I had forgotten the order of the songs and I was afraid at one point Barry wasn't going to do that one. And I was thinking, "Nooooooooo!!!" Hey, what can I say? I'm a big kid when it comes to Christmas - I never grew up when it comes to Christmas. Wait, I never grew up, anyway. But, whatever... I love Christmas Is Around the Corner because the song just gives me that giddy, Christmas feeling every time I hear it. I got a shot tonight of Barry doing the "you're gonna love it" line.

Then they performed The Christmas Song. I love this because Barry sounds so sincere as he's singing it. And, of course, they bring out the pathetic-looking little Christmas tree to finish it out.

River was really beautiful. I snapped a few shots - although I was kind of gun shy after TOFY! Barry's vocals and interpretation were fantastic. When he got to that second high note in the song, he stood up to hit it - really fantastic. The performance was very emotional - you could really feel what Barry was singing.

As if the song Because It's Christmas wasn't enough, I got a series of shots of Barry as he began the song that will knock your socks off. They actually kind of convey the mood of the song. It's really kind of a happy performance - no, kind of joyful, like Christmas. It's tender and it's touching, and it makes you feel really good. I also tried to catch a shot of the lighting effect I had described from the night before. This doesn't totally capture the feeling, but it's close.

The choir came back out to finish the song with Barry. It looked like the same group of kids from last night. Some looked more relaxed - some looked just as scared!

Tonight Russ changed up his drum solo for the start of the American Bandstand segment. Don't ask me to tell you what he did, because I definitely don't possess the right vocabulary for that. But it was different. I honestly don't remember this piece of choreography from the segment. It looks more like a revival - hallelujah! I zoomed out deliberately to try to catch Barry as he mimics the dancing - or shall I say, makes fun of the dancing? I loved the closing of the song this time as Keely pretended to be pushing Barry out of the way of the curtain that was coming down. Reminded me of the show where it looked like he really was about to be hit by the curtain.

Barry wore the same blue jacket for Mandy - I just love that jacket. Yeah, I know - NEW FAVORITE JACKET! Tonight that golden glow as Mandy started was so striking - I think part of it had to do with the jacket as well - the effect is much more striking with the blue jacket than with the white one. I had to get a shot of that. I was pretty pleased, actually, with the way it turned out.

Barry's performance was magnificent - very powerful, very passionate. It really got to me. (not in a crying sort of way, but in a catch-my-breath sort of way) The long note in the middle of the song was fantastic, the amount of emotion that Barry put into it incredible. I love the way he progressed through it, all the way to a clinched fist at the end.

Even though I promised myself that I wasn't going to get down, I still felt a little of it with I Write the Songs. Couldn't help feeling it a little. Even under normal circumstances that one has the potential to make you feel a little sad - because we never want the show to be over. Barry sang IWTS very passionately tonight. I love the way he pointed at the ceiling as he sang, "I am music..." If I'm remember correctly, he did that more than once.

Of course, everything was happy again with Copacabana. Barry didn't do the "ah, love" part at all. Interesting how that jumped out at me. It's not part of the original song - but we've become so used to hearing it, I actually missed it!

Also interesting how the blue jacket turned purple during IWTS and then a different shade of blue during Copa.

Since I had an unobstructed view, I was able to catch Barry going down through the trapdoor and also back up. He's so cute!!! Hee!

And super cute doing his "step", too. In fact, this is about as classic of a pose of that as you can get!

It's A Miracle was very upbeat, as it should be. Tonight Barry's only reference to leaving was to say that we should keep an eye out for him to be in our town. Uhm... Probably not for me, since I live out in the boonies where the biggest traffic jam is when two cows try to go through the gate at the same time! But hey, I'll still hope for somewhere in Texas - that in itself is a big deal (because have you ever tried to drive from one side of Texas to the other?!?!) And I just don't know if I'll make any of the other scheduled shows. Depends - on a lot of things - but lack of love for Barry and desire to be there certainly aren't obstacles.

I'll admit to getting a little misty eyed as Barry took his final bows. But, really - how can you look at this and be totally depressed. If you can hold this image in your heart, you have to smile.

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