Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2006 12:54:53 -1000 (HST)
From: Jackie M. Young <jyoung@lava.net>
Subject: Barry Manilow Bleeds For Fans (Or 3/31-4/1/2006 Reports) ;)

Probably the most memorable thing about the Fri. 3/31 show is that Barry
slightly cut himself when he was getting down from the piano after the HATM
segment (the high-energy They Dance! routine--in fact, he made a big deal of
how hard it was for him to climb down ;) ), and that he called for someone
to give him a tissue.

*Stupid me*, I had some extra napkins in my purse, but I figured someone
else closer (even though I was in the first row, but off to the left side)
would get there first (and indeed, they did).  Barry joked that he "bled for
us", and that he needed a "medic", etc.  Then he said he wasn't going to
give back the lucky lady's tissue (he said it in kinda a faux-pouty way).

Of course, I was worried he'd get the blood on his lovely jackets, and
Barry, being similarly anal-retentive, probably was too. ;)  (Barry's
costumes have turned into "how many jackets can I change into per
show?"--more on that later. ;) )

The security guards that night were kinda goony--the guy on my side kept
telling folks who weren't causing any ruckus, but who were trying to get
good shots of Barry, to go back to their seats.  Also, one lady got a little
too close to the stage for their comfort, and they told her to go back, too.

Since I was in the front row (but off to the side), I got to hold his hand
again during Copa ;) , but the burly guard came in right after Barry let go
of my hand to keep me from getting too close to the stage (kinda brusquely,
too).  I know we all want to keep Barry safe, but this was a little too much
"protection", IMO. ;P

He was in very strong voice and "up" because it was a Fri. night--in fact,
he mentioned that ("I can say 'tittie' in Vegas").

One irritating thing was that his sound guy that night got it all wrong--his
mic was overmodulated, as was the band's sound.  Not so good for a pro show.
;(  But the sound was fine on Sat. night.

Instead of I Made It Through The Rain and the grandfather segment, he did
Even Now.

For the Dew Drop Inn song he did All The Time (finally!).

I'll do songlists of all 3 shows at the end.

Otherwise, it was about the same show as on Thurs., except I kept worrying
about whether Barry would make it to the end of the show after the bleeding
incident.  He did look like he was "working" to keep focus and
concentration. ;/

As for jackets, I _think_ (sorry, I'd hafta look at my photos when they're
developed to remember better) that he came out first with a handsome dark
blue jacket.  During the HATM segment, he wore a *to-die-for* brown leather
jacket with almost a paisley pattern (I'd seen that in others' photos, and
was *dying* to see that in person!! ;) ).

But on Sat. night (4/1), he came out with a black cotton jacket with white
musical notes all along the sleeves, from the shoulder down.  *Gods*, it was
*soooo* handsome!!!  And then on Sat. night, instead of the _brown_ leather
jacket during HATM, he wore the same jacket in _black_. ;) *Mmmmmm*--*sweet
heaven*!!!

He seemed in much better spirits on Sat. night (early show--there was no
late show because he cancelled [I asked Mattie, the house manager,
afterwards if he gave a reason and she said she thought it had to do with
some recording deal, and that luckily it wasn't anything to do with his
health--but I'm pretty sure Sat's. cancellation was due to the "family"
things mentioned in the Hotline, since folks don't normally go into the
studio at 10 pm ;P ] ), and I think gave us some of the dirty jokes he was
saving up for the late show ("I wore condoms before they were
fashionable--I'm wearing one now").

ALSO, before the Dew Drop Inn segment, he did a song I've never heard
before, I'm Hip (he did the condom line in that song).  It's kinda a
Broadway tune that I _think_ he probably altered the lyrics to, like he did
to I'm Still Here during ONL.  The lyrics talk about how hip he is, etc.
The only line I was wondering about was when he said "And as soon as I can
I'm about to get into narcotics"--though I'm assuming it was mostly thrown
in there in order to fit with the rest of the verses??

So during Dew Drop Inn, he went right into CSWY, instead of doing an album
cut.  Ironically, he picked the same lady to help put his jacket on from the
night before--Debbie from Staten Island!  He actually called her a
"double-dipper", but recovered and said "thanks for coming back--especially
at these prices!"

During the '50s segment, he again sang It's Not For Me To Say to a lucky
lady whose friends generously left their table to go off to the side so that
Barry would pick her.  They came back after the song and were ecstatic for
her, as was she for herself. ;)

During HATM, I was fearful he had taken out They Dance! (one of my faves),
but he hadn't, but had added Not What You See right before it.  *Man*, that
was an Academy-Award-winning performance of that song I saw!!  I could
really see him getting into the character of Joe, and envisioning Esther,
etc.  I was the first one up to give him an ovation, and others followed.  I
think he was *very* grateful we recognized him for Not What You See, since
most civilians don't know much about HATM, and he's always fearful of
introducing new material to them.  (Speaking of civilians, on Sat. night I
was in "fan hell", being surrounded on both sides by high rollers who got
comp tickets in the 2nd row.  One guy to my left was kinda *sneary* about
Barry, the others to my right I think were smoking pot [I saw them light up]
and didn't care too much about the show or Barry and wouldn't get off their
*butts* except during Copa, and then *very reluctantly*. ;P )

I also gave him an ovation for Are You Lonesome Tonight? when he was on the
Rock Bottom Cafe side, and I noticed most of the Rock Bottom folks did, too.
He said the Sat. night audience was a "listening" audience (though I was the
same person I was from the previous night, *mmmm*?? ;P ). ;)

During Copa, he was *so naughty*, he saw us below him as he went up the
stairs, and did a deliberate *grind* right above us!!!

Lotsa BAMs on Sat. night, too, all of which I missed with my camera because
he was so *d*mn* fast!! ;(

I was feeling kinda *queasy* from a bad car van ride I had had earlier in
the day, plus a *mean* sun burn, but after that show, I was in *heaven* once
again!!! ;=)  "Manilow Cures All"--I can see the headlines now. ;=)

So let's see.....songlists from all 3 shows:


_Thurs. 3/30/2006_

IAM
Daybreak/Somewhere In The Night/This One's For You
Mandy/CIBM
I Made I Through The Rain (Grandpa Joe spiel)
Here's To LV (limited version)
Lay Me Down
CSWY
Bandstand Boogie
Venus
Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
It's Not For Me To Say
Unchained Melody
Brooklyn Blues
Do You Know Who's Livin' Next Door?
Come Monday
They Dance!
Boogie Wonderland/Signed, Sealed, Delivered/They Dance!
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
IWTS/Some Kind of Friend/LLWMI/Ships/Ready To Take A Chance Again/IWTS
Copa
IAM/Dancin' In The Aisles


_Fri. 3/31/2006_

IAM
Daybreak/Somewhere In The Night/This One's For You
Mandy/CIBM
Even Now
All The Time
CSWY
Bandstand Boogie
Venus
Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
It's Not For Me To Say
Unchained Melody
Brooklyn Blues
Do You Know Who's Livin' Next Door?
Come Monday
They Dance!
Boogie Wonderland/Signed, Sealed, Delivered/They Dance!
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
IWTS/Some Kind of Friend/LLWMI/Ships/Ready To Take A Chance Again/IWTS
Copa
IAM/Dancin' In The Aisles


_Sat. 4/1/2006_

IAM
Daybreak/Somewhere In The Night/This One's For You
Mandy/CIBM
I Made I Through The Rain (Grandpa Joe spiel)
I'm Hip
CSWY
Bandstand Boogie
Venus
Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
It's Not For Me To Say
Unchained Melody
Brooklyn Blues
Do You Know Who's Livin' Next Door?
Come Monday
Not What You See
They Dance!
Boogie Wonderland/Signed, Sealed, Delivered/They Dance!
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
IWTS/Some Kind of Friend/LLWMI/Ships/Ready To Take A Chance Again/IWTS
Copa
IAM/Dancin' In The Aisles


The *real* miracle behind this all is how that man can be *so sincere* and
keep the material fresh night after night....I guess that's why we keep
coming back for more and more after 30 years.....:=)


Happy and Tired, ;)
--Jackie, Your Intrepid LV Reporter

        ******************************************************
        *  Proud to have the same birthday as Lucy Lawless!  *
        *                                                    *
        * "I think New Zealand geographically comes from     *
        *  ... Hawai'i."  --Lucy Lawless, Late Show, 4/9/96  *
        *                                                    *
        * "Feel the fear and do it anyway." --Lucy Lawless,  *
        *                       Evening Post, 7/4/98         *
        *                                                    *
        * "I LOVED forgetting it because it really made it   *
        * so _live_ and so _immediate_...!!"                 *
        *           --Barry Manilow, Manilow Talks CD, 1998  *
        *                                                    *
        *           JACKIE YOUNG, JYOUNG@LAVA.NET            *
        *            <www2.hawaii.edu/~xenitehi>             *
        *            <www2.hawaii.edu/~manilowm>             *
        ******************************************************