Barry Manilow - Manilow Live! - DTS

Rating:
Summary: Best Manilow show currently avaiable
Review: This show is for fans and non fans alike. It's amazing. Barry is in great voice, his selection of songs is superb and the orchestra sounds divine. "Every single day" and "Stars in the night" (from his forthcoming broadway musical "Harmony") alone are worth the 20 something dollars you pay for this DVD. They're some of the most beautiful songs I have EVER heard by ANY performer. Rivetting. They'll take your breath away. No wonder Rolling Stone has called him "the showman of our generation".

Rating:
Summary: Manilow in Nashville
Review: this video and or DVD was inspired by the TV special "Manilow Country" that had aired on The Nashville Network where numerous country singers sung the praises of Manilow. shortly afterward, Manilow taped this concert in Music City. The show was a sell-out of course...all the songs are great and the performance rivals his other video showcases. his signature style is also captured: the piano thumping on up-tempo songs, the light touches on ballads, and in some songs where he doesn't play piano he ends each song with his customary arms wide open send-off as his famed big finishes fade into the sounds of the instruments. ironically, "Mandy", in previous concerts was usually near the end of the show...blending into "Could It Be Magic?"...it's odd hearing the song so close to the opening. "Even Now", which requires a LOT of energy if one insists on sounding the same or near the same as the original version from 1978, is the only one that'll show you that Manilow isn't as young as he used to be...but he makes up for it when he repeats the title at least two times in an effort to build up the big finish the audience is expecting to hear. There is also a Sinatra tribute where he sings "Chicago" and "That's Life". "Copacabana" isn't done as elaborate performance wise as we're used to...but no matter. it's a great video...

Rating:
Summary: Manilow in Nashville
Review: this video and or DVD was inspired by the TV special "Manilow Country" that had aired on The Nashville Network where numerous country singers sung the praises of Manilow. shortly afterward, Manilow taped this concert in Music City. The show was a sell-out of course...all the songs are great and the performance rivals his other video showcases. his signature style is also captured: the piano thumping on up-tempo songs, the light touches on ballads, and in some songs where he doesn't play piano he ends each song with his customary arms wide open send-off as his famed big finishes fade into the sounds of the instruments. ironically, "Mandy", in previous concerts was usually near the end of the show...blending into "Could It Be Magic?"...it's odd hearing the song so close to the opening. "Even Now", which requires a LOT of energy if one insists on sounding the same or near the same as the original version from 1978, is the only one that'll show you that Manilow isn't as young as he used to be...but he makes up for it when he repeats the title at least two times in an effort to build up the big finish the audience is expecting to hear. There is also a Sinatra tribute where he sings "Chicago" and "That's Life". "Copacabana" isn't done as elaborate performance wise as we're used to...but no matter. it's a great video...

Rating:
Summary: Barry's Best video to date!
Review: Very well produced, the sound is excellent, and Barry sounds wonderful. That's Life, and the two Harmony numbers, Every Single Day and Stars in the Night, are alone worth the price of purchase! Great stuff!

Rating:
Summary: trying to Ge the Feeling Again
Review: Want to do something fun? Compare the songs on Manilow's "Live on Broadway" to "Mailow Live" and then the 1975 live album and the "Live in Britian." See something familiar? Yep, it's the same stuff! Similar to what Jimmy Buffett does, Manilow takes "the Old Songs" and sings them again. The audience eats it up,buit if you bought one, you've bought them all. Sadly, Manilow hasn't done anything new in a long time. His last five years output has been a collection of him singing either covers of other people's songs or singing his oldies.(Manilow on Broadway, Summer of 78, Manilow Sings Sinatra, Showstoppers, Singing with the Big Bands. Manilow is best when he does his popular self compositions. Here, he just seems to be doing some kind of contractual obligation. One has to wonder what kind of audience gives a standing ovation TO EVERY SINGLE SONG! Yep, that happens here too! Manilow was absolutley wonderful on two albums: "2:00AM Paradise Cafe", and "Swing Street." Too bad he can't seem to reproduce the freshness and jazziness of those two cds. Maybe he's burned out, maybe he's way past his prime. Too bad. I really like him. But I don't like paying for the same thing every time I buy.