Ask the Person Who Saw Barbra Streisand in Concert Two Nights Ago

in Brooklyn.

Describe please! (Did she do "The Main Event"? Disco seemed to relax her, unlike covering "Life On Mars?" etc)

No, the only disco she did was "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," with the accompaniment of three backing singers. She shoved most of her uptempo material into a semi-medley of "Woman in Love" - "Stoney End" - "No More Tears"

But she did seem really into "No More Tears," I'd say it was one of the highlights

It's interesting you bring up "Life On Mars?," which come to think of it would have been a powerful thing to hear in this year of Bowie's death. However at one point in her second of two sets she performed a video duet with the late Anthony Newley on the song "Who Can I Turn To?" and Newley's vocal sounded eerily like the voice of David Bowie

How much did you pay for your ticket?

$104.50, at the Barclays Center box office. That was for "upper level." In the future I would try to get "middle level" or "lower level" since I was seated so far above stage and figures on it appeared very small. However I was surrounded by some serious Barbra fans, based on how they sang along to even the obscure numbers.

Forgot about "No More Tears", glad she's still into it. Here's her version of "Life On Mars?", from Butterfly---wonder if she recorded any other Bowie? Wouldn't mind her doing a whole album. (no ilx video probs for me on latest Firefox, with their YouTube High Definition add-on):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpDQ_UDkoyo

Wonder why all new video postings showing up as black stripes, at least for me.

Video problems?

^^îs why

Hm. Works on my phone. Haven't clicked on that link yet, thanks.

did she do Lover Man? christ her version is fantastic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZCQJo9GxGo

This thread title keeps making me think of this

hah

did she do Lover Man? christ her version is fantastic

No. She did just three of her 1960s songs:

"Happy Days Are Here Again," which she noted she has sung for three US presidents including JFK (!) and hopes to sing for Hillary
"People"
"Don't Rain on My Parade"

I'm seeing her tomorrow!

Awesome, come back here afterwards and we can discuss!

DON'T tell me not to LIVE, "just sit and putter"

Life Story? Sort of obsessed with that song right now.

During the concert she said that someone recently pointed out to her that she's had Number One albums in the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s, and '10s (btw, it's nice that someone told her that) and so her plan for the evening was to sing at least one song from all of her Number One albums. "Life Story" is from Guilty, which she already had covered with "Woman in Love." She just about followed through with that plan, although I don't think she sang anything from Love Is the Answer, her 2009 album with Diana Krall on piano, which was also a Number One

Wrote a glowing review of the show but (honestly) noted that her voice is different now than it was 50 years ago. WELL. This just in (from a man, because obviously):

Enjoyed your review of the concert. However, you say her voice is "weathered so slightly." Don't know if it's a problem with your ears. Her voice last night was just as good as when I saw her years ago in Newport or in "Funny Girl," or many of the movies. Wondering if you were just something negative to say. At age 74, she's a remarkable performer with an incredible voice that sounded great. Sorry, but I don't think I find your assessment credible and can no longer pay attention to any of your reviews.

Her voice is absolutely different now, you're on solid ground there. That was constantly obvious during the show I saw.

Where can we read your review?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2016/08/17/barbra-streisand-enchants-with-career-spanning-show-garden/S27YqoEadWMptZf5paBzQK/story.html

"Life On Mars?," which come to think of it would have been a powerful thing to hear in this year of Bowie's death

no no no

On the other point, Bowie admitted some debt to Anthony Newley I think?

Is it in the ballpark to say Streisand was the first megastar to employ the "belting" style from Broadway that has morphed somewhat, but been a (the?) dominant sound in female pop vocals since? I can see arguments being made for Merman (not as huge as Babs) or Garland (clearly a forerunner, but different).

My dad (who came of age in the big band era, and whose taste in jazz singers was typified by Sarah Vaughan) dismissed Babs as "a screamer."

Worshippers are always a tough crowd, maura. "Enjoyed your review" to "I don't think I find your assessment credible" is a bananas leap, obviously.

Not so uncommon, alas, and not male-exclusive, apparently. I hadn't thought of Streisand as being like Merman, who seems like a fuck it, go for it BELTAH---launching cannonballs over the sawdust, over the tinsel for that matter---Streisand can be as loud---or louder, maybe---but always seemed more refined than Merman to me, representing a younger generation, moving to the 'burbs and maybe beyond. Never thought of comparing her to Vaughn, who was more varied, maybe more of an artist in her prime, though awfully mannered toward the end--not saying Streisand isn't mannered, but it got to be more distracting in old Vaughn's case (Would like to hear old Streisand live; older singers can make good use of vocal changes, like when old Sinatra growled his way through that Wolf Trap concert on 80s cable).
She did seem like she learned from Garland, who was like a parallel to, even a predecessor to young Sinatra, with the legato and vibe..Wasn't he still chirping with the Hoboken Three when she was bringing the subliminal blues via "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" in Meet Me In St. Louis? The studio made the songwriter change the most explicitly foreboding lines, but Garland put it across. Still, Streisand was and maybe still is rowdier, yeah.

oh I didn't mean to compare her to Vaughan, i was just using S.V. as a ref point for my dad's taste.

Would've liked to hear that Streisand version of "Pure Imagination," as the only person I've ever heard do it live was... Stephin Merritt. (who would be a good Wonka at least)

I didn't realize people don't like Babs' version of "Life on Mars?" I think it's wonderful.

On the other point, Bowie admitted some debt to Anthony Newley I think?

More like major debt. The Newley influence is all over Bowie's first album and the single "The Laughing Gnome," and that was just the start of it

i just thought she clearly is not a match with "LoM," like Sinatra with "Downtown."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/streisand-at-verizon-still-in-one-of-a-kind-voice/2016/08/19/2d879166-6619-11e6-96c0-37533479f3f5_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_streisand-12pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

Washington Post theatre critic liked the show here.