Barry Manilow sings with a chorus on stage at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert on Thursday night. / Ramon Mena Owens, The Desert Sun
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Barry Manilow brought his Las Vegas orchestra and backup singers home for a holiday show Thursday.
And they gave the capacity McCallum Theatre crowd a concert as different from Manilow’s casino show as the Coachella Valley is from Vegas.
The show wasn’t bereft of razzle dazzle. But it had a community feel that isn’t possible in Vegas -- even with Manilow’s international family of fans.
Manilow actually led a sing-along to Christmas favorites such as “Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Feliz Navidad,” with lyrics projected on overhead screens, at a point in his concert where he’s usually building to a sexy big finish.
The big finish at this concert was Manilow singing “Because It’s Christmas” with Leslie McMillan’s All Valley Children’s Choir filling a stage decorated with red poinsettias and a hanging Christmas wreath.
He segued into his usual finale, “It’s A Miracle,” but, with the choir providing a gospel feel, this version sounded more like a reminder of the miracle of Christmas than a miracle of technology.
Manilow created this original, one-time only program, titled “Home for the Holidays,” for the McCallum’s annual fund-raising gala. The tickets ranged from $75 to $100,000 (the sponsorship fee paid by theater champions Jim and Jackie Lee Houston), so the crowd ranged from fans in tuxedos to jeans.
But Manilow brought them all together with humble, self-deprecating charm and impeccable musical taste.
Instead of coming out of a smoke-filled vacuum like David Copperfield, Manilow made his first appearance on the McCallum stage in silhouette. Instead of a knee-length black tuxedo coat and turquoise vest, he was wearing a holiday-flavored red-sequined coat that looked like velour from the back of the orchestra seats.
Manilow didn’t forsake show biz flash, he just toned it down. He set the tone for the show with an opening medley of “Happy Holiday” and “White Christmas.”
But Manilow gave the crowd as many musical surprises as visual.
His third song was a Rodgers & Hammerstein classic that John Coltrane turned into a jazz anthem, “My Favorite Things.” Manilow, starting at his piano and moving up stage, sang it fast while keeping it more accessible than Coltrane’s multi-layered instrumental. His big band arrangement had a Stan Kenton feel with great section playing.
The subsequent song, his debut hit, “Mandy,” also went places Manilow couldn’t take it in Vegas, where he did an audio-video duet. Manilow sang around the beat, like a jazz-influenced singer, and reversed his usual big buildup to end it softly with a falsetto.
His version of “Jingle Bells,” with a Teddy Wilson-styled piano intro, also reflected his attraction to Concord jazz. But his obvious love of the simple songs in his “Bandstand” medley, including three numbers from his upcoming “Greatest Hits of the Fifties” CD, showed why he’s returned to Arista Records.
But his inclusion of Joni Mitchell’s “River,” about a lover who “made my baby say good-bye” as the holiday season arrives, showed Manilow is much more than two-dimensional.
Manilow’s dear friend and neighbor, Suzanne Somers added to the community feel with her section of the program, even adding some unexpected spontaneity with a wardrobe malfunction (broken strap) on “Santa Baby.” Manilow’s arrangement of that song was as important to its success as Somers’ relaxed professionalism. It was perfect for her.
Manilow always appears relaxed on stage. He’s a consummate trouper. But there was a warmth to this show that didn’t make it sound like show biz dribble when he said he was playing in his favorite theater in his favorite town.
He obviously really meant this is his favorite community.
