Barry Manilow – Music & Passion

We had tickets to see Barry Manilow’s Las Vegas Show, Music & Passion last night.
Our seats were incredible as we found ourselves in the third road, center. Barry was within whisker-counting range. I always liked his music back in the mid-70’s…but I sure didn’t know how I would enjoy him 30 years later. The “FAN-ilows” were out in huge numbers, complete with their Barry t-shirts and glow sticks.
When he came out, the crowd went ballistic (some of you might have heard the Beatle-like crazy screaming in Ohio)! I almost feared for my life at one point when a woman next to me danced to the tunes with a little too much enthusiasm and landed in my lap.
She must have thought(in HER mind) that she could sing better than Barry as she howled, GROSSLY out of tune, every word to every song. I'm certain that she was thinking that she was the 5th back-up singer. I told her at one point that her clothes didn’t match the outfits of those on stage, and that she was not only off key, but off the music chart all together ~ and I made a suggestion that she might want to hush a bit. (OK, I didn’t SAY that...outloud..but oh, how I wanted to)
Why do people think that when someone pays $125 per ticket to see a person who had over 30 albums, is an accomplished 40 year-professional with 10 band members and 4 back-up singers and 28 lighting and sound professionals, that I would enjoy her off-key rendition of Copacabana?

Despite the would-be-next-American-Idol, I still enjoyed ole Mr. Manilow, as he could still sing his oldies along with some other treasures from the antique music vault in perfect tune and with unbridled passion.
Barry found my gaze about half-way through the second song and for the rest of the night, he looked at me, and me alone, when crooning the most endearing love ballads.
(OK, he MIGHT have been looking at the guy in front of me but at those prices, let me have my fantasy)
Tomorrow, we head home, but I’ll still be in my Mani-Glow for a few days.
Music was the Passion last night.

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