Barry Manilow performs at the Hilton Las Vegas on November 17, 2005. / José Omar Ornelas, The Desert Sun
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Interview with Barry Manilow
Fans declare Vegas show a must-see
The Desert Sun ventured to Las Vegas earlier this month to catch Barry Manilow’s show. The iconic Manilow and his 30-plus-year career have attracted fans around the world — and several of them shared their thoughts after watching his Vegas concert. Here’s what they had to say:
THE FAN: Jan Stone, Lancaster, 78
HER PEDIGREE: She’s seen Manilow “100 times. It’s been so long, I can’t remember.”
WHAT SHE THOUGHT OF THE SHOW: “I thought it was very amazing.”
WHAT SHE THINKS OF MANILOW: “He’s all by himself.”
THE FANS: Janet Taylor, Nicole Feldman, Barbara Thrasher and Marissa Castaneda of Palm Springs
THEIR PEDIGREE: They have waited on Manilow at El Mirasol restaurant in Palm Springs, and they said Manilow gave them tickets to the Nov. 16 show.
WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THE SHOW: “I thought it was a really exciting, intimate show,” Feldman said. “Just the way he reflects back on his career, I thought was very interesting.”
WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF MANILOW: “My feeling about him is, he’s really great,” Taylor said. “He’s one of my favorite customers. He’s always nice. He’s not pretentious. He doesn’t come in and act like a celebrity.”
THE FAN: Alison Green, the U.K.
HER PEDIGREE: A 27-year fan who buys “everything and anything that has his name on (it). My ultimate Barry item has to be my ‘Can’t Smile’ video from when I sang with Barry in 2002.”
WHAT SHE THINKS OF THE SHOW: The arrival of the new ’50s album is very exciting! This music is perfect for Barry. It suits his voice.”
WHAT SHE LIKES ABOUT MANILOW: “Barry’s fans have always known what a great and generous guy he is. I wouldn’t say (his philanthropy) has increased his fan base as such, (it) has just confirmed what we already knew, and that is what a caring man he is. It’s the music that draws in the fans and the sincerity of the man with a heart of gold.”
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Barry Manilow's Vegas show, "Music and Passion," comes not from the folk roots of rock and rap, but from the old tradition of Broadway spectaculars.
It's not about keeping it real, although much of it is autobiographical. It's not about revealing his personal issues, although his positive personal philosophy is revealed bigger than life.
His life story is used as a device to present the songs people travel the whole world to hear. Bells and whistles are added to make them more entertaining.
The show starts like an Imax film with images on a giant screen and electronica samplings of his songs that are the 2005 equivalent of Elvis Presley's opening on this same stage with his "2001: Space Odyssey" theme.
There's a puff of smoke and Manilow arrives to applause in a black, knee-length tuxedo coat with a turquoise vest and matching handkerchief in his chest pocket.
The first song is - what else? - "It's A Miracle," his second No. 1 adult contemporary hit after "Mandy" from 1975.
But there's nothing pretentious about Barry. He does a dance twirl and acts surprised he completed it. He introduces himself, as if anyone doesn't know who he is, and adds self-effacingly: "For those who have never seen me before, I'm Brad Pitt."
The show title is taken from his still playing stage musical, "Copacabana," which helps explain the Broadway sensibility. But he gives the show a subtext with his second song, "Daybreak." He says, "We call the show 'Music & Passion' because that's what my life is about. I think that's what Las Vegas is about, too." But he says in "Daybreak" this could be the dawn of a new day around the world if you want to believe it. So the show also is about the magic of the power of believing.
Barry sings about 20 of his hits, including "Could This Be Magic," "Somewhere in the Night" and his very personal "I Made It Through the Rain."
His duet of "Mandy" to one of his taped performances from 1974 is a highlight of the show.
He also includes segments with songs from his next album of '50s hits, including "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing," which got one of his biggest ovations; a jumping disco set, and tidbits of TV jingles that got him started, including McDonald's "You Deserve A Break Today."
He doesn't cover his years as Bette Midler's accompanist, but again, this isn't just his life story.
Barry has dropped - at least for the moment - his popular bit in which he invites a girl from the audience to sing "Can't Smile Without You" with him. Instead, he sings it at a piano bar on stage left. Returning to his lounge pianist days, he says he can't play happy songs because "I'm an artiste." Then a guy plops a coin in his request jar and, with classic comic timing, he breaks into a big ending.
Barry features as many key changes in one night as you'll see in a season of "American Idol." But he's a master of modulations. He also makes about a half-dozen costumes changes.
He does what he must to entertain his fans. In the end, singing on a platform over the audience with an electronica beat to "Copacabana," it's more than you expect.
