Barry Manilow Says Goodbye to St Louis in Style
–by Laura Tucker
Barry Manilow is an iconic artist whose career spans 50 years and countless hits. His first album, Barry Manilow was released in 1973 and made him an instant star and permanent fixture in music. His showmanship and talent are legendary; and in his 80s, he’s still packing arenas with adoring fans. Many of them are decked in bedazzled outfits, adding an element of sparkle to the audience. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the memo.
He just wrapped up a ninety-night residency at the London Palladium to bring his music back to the US for what could be the last time. And the fans are here for it all, from the quirky, but contagious, “Copacabana,” to the melodic and melancholy hit “Mandy” and every great song in between.
The opener was a musical comedian named Dennis Blair. He was scouted at a Vegas show and now shares his Smother’s Brothers style of entertainment on this tour. He warmed up the audience in preparation for the main event.
At 7:45, the lights lowered and the green glow sticks that were dispensed, lit up the room before the stage lights began to spin around, building anticipation. The early start time was perfect for the predominately older crowd, and the star. The venue was also especially chilly at his request and I soon regretted my short sleeves.
Appearing in silhouette, below the name Manilow, it was time. Like Sinatra, a first name is no longer necessary. The lights brightened and exposed a royal blue sequined blazer. His set was a steady stream of hits that began with “It’s a Miracle” and didn’t let up all night. He took us down memory lane with “Bandstand Boogie”, the American Bandstand theme), “Can’t Smile Without You” and “Looks Like We Made It” He moved around the stage with the energy of someone much younger and enjoyed several well-deserved standing ovations throughout the show.
With an infallible sense of humor, he cracked jokes throughout the show. At one point saying, “Where am I again?” Referring to the Enterprise Center. He reminisced about the days when arenas had thoughtful and beautiful names and now they are all named after sponsors. He said, “Next thing you know I’ll be at the Preparation H Arena.”
He gave us a little backstory about his career. Much of it I knew, but I had no idea he attended Juilliard. He said, “I never intended to be a super mega-star sex god!” Very tongue-in-cheek. But Juilliard was expensive and he wrote jingles to make ends meet. He is responsible for both. “Stuck on Band-Aid” and “Like a Good Neighbor- State Farm is There”. That jingle alone paid his tuition several times over. Through these commercials, he was discovered and signed to a record label.
He was last here in 2016 and his first time in St. Louis was in 1975 when he played at the Kiel Opera House (next door). He said “And I still look fabulous!” Indeed he does! I overheard a few people talking about the previous times they had seen his shows. It’s easy to understand why once isn’t enough.
The highlight of the evening came with the first encore. The giant screen projected a segment from the TV show “The Midnight Special.” We got to watch Barry back in 1975 performing “Mandy.” His vocals were strong and his face was young, reminding us why we fell in love with him in the first place. The video played through the first verse until he reappeared and chimed in on piano and vocals to complete the song. The crowd erupted with joy.
The next best moment was near the end when he played “I Write the Songs,’ ironically written by Bruce Johnston. The anthem dedicated to music itself had the audience on their feet, swaying to the euphoric feeling of oneness and singing as loud as their voices would allow. As he sings, “Now when I look out through your eyes, I am young again, even though I’m very old,” I couldn’t help but realize how lucky I was to be in attendance to witness the Manilow magic in person.
Our favorite artists raise us and earn our unwavering support; no matter their age. And Barry Manilow proves that age is just a number.
