Bobby Bank/WireImage
As Barry Manilow
worked his way into the chorus of "Weekend in New England," asking
"When will our eyes meet? When can I touch you?," screams of "Now!"
erupted from the Fanilows at the Palace of Auburn Hills in suburban
Detroit.
"Really?" a grinning Manilow said, briefly interrupting the song as he exulted, "I still got it!"
Forty years after hitting pay dirt with "Mandy" and in the midst of his One More Time! tour, which he insists will be his last "big" road trip, Manilow proved that he is indeed still a genuinely consummate showman, as gracious and engaging as ever and perhaps even smoother thanks to his recent Las Vegas residencies. Moreover, the 71-year-old entertainer clearly knows why he's still (metaphorically) touching those fans, and he's not about to change his tune, or tunes, even now.
The repertoire also played on Manilow's winning past, eschewing his two 2014 releases -- his Grammy Award-nominated Night Songs and My Favorite Duets -- in favor of proven fare such as Even Now, Somewhere In the Night and I Made It Through the Rain. He also rolled through 15 of his biggest singles in a jaw-dropping 15-minute "Gonzo Hits Medley" that wrapped up with a red-robed choir accompanying him on a reprise of "I Write the Songs."
But Manilow also won by digging deep into his catalog for material such as the lively "Jump Shout Boogie," a medley of the Four Seasons' "Let's Hang On" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and a biographical segment that included "Brooklyn Blues" (featuring a saxophone solo by opener Dave Koz), "I Am Your Child" and another bookended by "Let's Dance!," that touched on Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland," Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours."
The One Last Time! tour continues through June 17, wrapping up with a show at the Barclays Center in Manilow's home town of Brooklyn.
"Really?" a grinning Manilow said, briefly interrupting the song as he exulted, "I still got it!"
Forty years after hitting pay dirt with "Mandy" and in the midst of his One More Time! tour, which he insists will be his last "big" road trip, Manilow proved that he is indeed still a genuinely consummate showman, as gracious and engaging as ever and perhaps even smoother thanks to his recent Las Vegas residencies. Moreover, the 71-year-old entertainer clearly knows why he's still (metaphorically) touching those fans, and he's not about to change his tune, or tunes, even now.
Barry Manilow on His Final Tour: 'For Me, It's Enough'
Though his voice showed a bit of strain, particularly on the high
end, after four shows in five days to start the tour, Manilow delivered
his tightly scripted, encoreless 90-minute show with breezy, well-honed
confidence. And he invested even his most reliable and familiar schtick
-- the bouncing-ball singalong to "Can't Smile Without You," inviting a
fan to dance with him on stage during Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" and dueting on "Mandy" with his 1975 video self -- with convincing, and infectious, enthusiasm.The repertoire also played on Manilow's winning past, eschewing his two 2014 releases -- his Grammy Award-nominated Night Songs and My Favorite Duets -- in favor of proven fare such as Even Now, Somewhere In the Night and I Made It Through the Rain. He also rolled through 15 of his biggest singles in a jaw-dropping 15-minute "Gonzo Hits Medley" that wrapped up with a red-robed choir accompanying him on a reprise of "I Write the Songs."
But Manilow also won by digging deep into his catalog for material such as the lively "Jump Shout Boogie," a medley of the Four Seasons' "Let's Hang On" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and a biographical segment that included "Brooklyn Blues" (featuring a saxophone solo by opener Dave Koz), "I Am Your Child" and another bookended by "Let's Dance!," that touched on Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland," Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours."
Barry Manilow Scores 50th Hit On Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart
The Fanilows couldn't have asked for much more, except...and they got
it, with a show-closing rendition of "Copacabana (At the Copa)" that
ended with a quick reprise of "It's a Miracle" and an arena-filling
explosion of streamers. Music, and smoothly rendered passion, are still
Manilow's fashion, even after all these years.The One Last Time! tour continues through June 17, wrapping up with a show at the Barclays Center in Manilow's home town of Brooklyn.
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