The Greatest Spectacle - Barry Manilow

What comes to mind when you hear the name Barry Manilow? For me it was Vegas. I always saw his big billboard driving into the city and his name lit up above the big casinos on the strip. In many ways, Vegas is the perfect place for one of the great showman of our time but he also continues to tour for his rather obsessive fans. Barry Manilow got his start in the 60's writing commercial jingles. The Band Aid and State Farm songs are just a few that he created and it wasn't until 1973 that he released his first album. He soon gained massive popularity with singles like "Mandy" and "I Write the Songs" and became a sex symbol during the late 1970's. Although he did write music, most of his hits were composed by other artist while he often did the arrangements. While he had quite a few hit records, he was never accepted by many critics and music enthusiasts due to his style and schmaltz. While bands like Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin were dominating album oriented radio, Manilow catered to an older and more restrained audience and many people simply didn't get it. Despite that, his fan base is heavily devoted to him and Manilow continues to sell tickets in Vegas and elsewhere. At 75, he has no plans to stop recording and playing the music that he's stayed true to for 45 years.

I fully thought I was going to hate this show. His opener was sax-man Michael Lington. He's a gifted player and has a good stage presence which you often don't find with instrumental acts Manilow then came on and I braced for the worst.  I'm a rock n' roll guy at the core and the name Barry Manilow reminds me of elevators and plastic surgery. At first, I struggled to comprehend the appeal to the man and the music. But as I listened to his show both nights, I realized his showmanship and aura is what continues to drive people to his shows. Backed by a fantastic band, his songs retained their timeless charm and romantic qualities that made them hits 40 years ago. I haven't seen fans so devoted to a person in a long time. One of the patrons told me this was her 198th show and another said she's been following him since 1982. It's a testament to his appeal for sure. While I'm not going to go out and buy a Manilow album, I will advocate for his dedication to the music that made singers like Sinatra famous. While that type of music may never regain the popularity it once held, thanks to artists like Manilow, it'll never fade away either. As someone who says he likes all types of music, I have to respect that.

My favorite part of the show was when he sang my favorite Manilow song, "Can't Smile Without You". It has everything I normally hate in music but somehow, I can always sing along when I hear it. Damn you Barry!

Looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Barry Manilow 

Michael Lington