~Catching up with Barbra in Brooklyn ~

“Everything as if we never said goodbye”, sings Barbra during her opening number from the musical, “Sunset Boulevard”. As for me, I’m glad and grateful that she has not said goodbye to performing after all these years. Otherwise I would have never had the chance to be here, with tears in my eyes, watching her down from the very steep section 225 at the Barclays Centre.

This newly inaugurated  entertainment facility in Brooklyn can accommodate up to 19,000 people (96% packed house for Barbra’s concert tonight). The experience is rather like seeing Barbra perform in the valley from a mountaintop. And I paid nearly $200 for this seat. Rumor has it that the seats closer to the stage can cost up to $5000 each. With my $200, I would have been in the third row right in front of the stage if this were a Katy Perry concert. But then again, I would never be at Katy Perry’s concert unless I got drugged and dragged there.

At 70, Barbra is still one of those few artists whose star power and artistry never seem to wane but continue to inspire generations. The first time I heard Barbra’s music was on a compilation MP3 disk when I was about 17 (which by the way is not very long ago). I was quickly captivated by a voice so powerful yet delicate and her singing style quite unlike anybody’s. I have been spellbound ever since. In my country, we have very limited access to international imports and goods, music being one of them. I could bear with the scarcity of Coca-Cola but I needed more Barbra. Of course there were always plenty of pirated CDs by Madonna or Michael Jackson but unfortunately not artist like Barbra. Later when I started travelling abroad, I began collecting her CDs, biographies, TV specials, movies and concert DVDs and even her recent coffee table book, “My Passion for Design”. In my library now, there is a little Barbra shrine where I keep all her collectables. 

It is disappointing to see no mention of Barbra on the digital board or even her poster hung at the venue. Talking about poster, I’m slightly mad that she is reusing her photos from her 2006 concert tour. Could this be her, the Jewish Barbra, idea to cut the cost and not hang big posters and banners at the venue too? Quite possibly! While queuing to get in, I become increasingly fidgety. I begin to doubt whether my ticket is valid. I get too paranoid and stressed out at times like this. I bought the ticket online. In a worst scenario this ticket could be fake. After flying all the way from Asia and learning at the door that my ticket is nothing but fake would have sent me to my early grave. I bitterly wrestle with my negative thoughts until a lovely lady checks my ticket and kindly lets me in. I feel like a grinning refugee at the border who finally gets the approval stamp to cross over to the land of milk and honey.

In the lobby, they are selling merchandise and concert programs, a large glossy photo book. I would have bought it if it weren’t sold at a whopping $40 price. While I am quietly thinking to myself how ridiculously priced it is, a voice from the crowd tells me that all programs are sold out. They call that “The Streisand Effect”. She sells. (Later at the urinals, I befriended the guy next-door who bought the book and shamelessly browsed through the pages in the loo. Forgive me, Barbra!)

It is really illusory and dreamlike to be watching her move about, sip chicken soup (she claims that she was not feeling well earlier that day) or sing on stage. During the first few songs, I am so consumed by the excitement that at times, I forget to blink or even breathe. I wonder if she is feeling jittery as this is her first homecoming concert in over four decades but I certainly have butterflies in my stomach. Il Volo, the Italian operatic pop teenage trio, appear on stage to duet with her on “Smile”. “My tenors are getting younger and younger” Barbra jokes making a reference to Il Divo who accompanied her on her last tour. These boys, despite their tender ages, sing so beautifully. Their rousing version of “O Sole Mio” keeps the crowd entertained while Barbra takes a short break.

Barbra sings two fan favorites that she has never performed live before. I would have liked her to perform “Woman in Love” but I’m also pleased with “No More Tears (Enough is Enough), the disco duet she did with the late Donna Summer in the late 70’s. She sounds a bit hoarse during the high notes but how could I complain about such a tasty treat that was offered generously, considering this is the first time ever she performs it live.

Barbra then pays tribute to her long-time collaborator and friend, who just passed away a few months ago, Marvin Hamlisch, with his Oscar-winning movie song and her signature hit, “The Way We Were” and “Through The Eyes Of Love”. She looks visibly emotional but keeps it together and gives us a moment to remember. I look around and see people weeping. “Being Good Isn’t Good Enough” which can be heard on her latest album “Release Me” mirrors the kind of artist that Barbra is. Notorious for her perfectionist attitude, she breathes a whole new meaning to the song from the 1967 musical, “Hallelujah baby” which is about a young African-American woman’s struggle for equality and her rise to stardom. Barbra concludes her Set 1 of the show with a Broadway medley; “Rose’s Turn” and “Some People” (from Gypsy) and “Don’t Rain On My Parade” (from Funny Girl). The latter, needless to say, receives a well-deserved standing-o.

Jazz trumpeter Chris Botti accompanies Barbra on “Lost Inside Of You”, a sweeping ballad from the movie, “A Star Is Born”. Once again, a rare performance of the song and she manages to pull buckets full of tears from the audience. “Evergreen”, one of my all-time favorites, is done dutifully but without very much emotional impact, I must say. Maybe it’s me who came here with mountains of expectations. It leaves me wanting more.

The second set opens with “You’re The Top” in which her voice cracks a number of times but she manages masterfully till the end. Then comes a video clip made by her son, Jason Gould for her recent birthday, with him singing "Nature Boy" in the clip. It is such a lovely thing but a tad too long for the audience as it spans a full 4 plus minutes. But who would have thought Jason could sing so well? And most importantly, why hasn’t he done anything with that angelic voice? Now aged 45, Jason is releasing his debut album and will carry on the Streisand legacy. Proud Mama invites her only son to the stage and together they perform a touching rendition of “How Deep Is The Ocean”. 

“I had my share, I drank my fill 
And even though I’m satisfied, 
I’m hungry still. 
To see what’s down another road beyond the hill 
And do it all again 
So here’s to life”

One of the finest moments arrives with “Here’s To Life”, a song from her “Love Is The Answer” album that fits her far better than that incredible Donna Karen suit she wore during her first set. Barbra once famously said that she is “an actress who sings”- this performance alone verifies how true that statement is. Her poignant delivery hits all the right spots for the audience that consists of folks near, around and from Barbra’s age bracket (I could easily be the youngest member in my section 225). Like “My Way” or “The Impossible Dream”, it is one of those songs that needs to be sung by a seasoned veteran like her.

A dramatic finale is anticipated of course and it finally happens with “Make Our Garden Grow”, one of those Broadway tunes she recorded for “Back to Broadway” album but did not make it to the album. (It is also the song that features her famous 19-second belted note. A video clip of her singing that note again and again till perfection in the recording studio can be found on Youtube.) “We are Mother Nature’s guardians, it’s our responsibility to keep her healthy for our children’s children’s children” Barbra shares her message of concern for our weary world with the audience. All her guest stars and The Brooklyn youth choir join her on stage for a stirring rendition of the song. A snippet version of “Somewhere” is also performed subsequently, although she warbles only the last two mammoth notes of the song, “Some” and “where”, it is more than enough to send shivers down my spine.

Folks are already leaving the venue with determination to hop on the train before anyone else when she returns to stage for encore. In fact she gives us two; an exquisitely sung Jazzy number, “Some Other Time” and politically-charged, “Happy Days Are Here Again”. The latter is sung, after preaching the crowd, humorously of course, who they should vote for in the upcoming election.

Barbra possesses a magical presence. Not to mention, that glorious voice. Her lush lower register, rich velvety tone and one of a kind vibrato that she built a career on are still very much present. Although her voice has become somewhat deeper with age and her upper range getting thin, she is still capable of hitting amazing high notes with accuracy and incredible control. Apart from sounding raspy during some high notes, her voice is astonishingly in top condition all throughout the show. The concert, from every move she makes, her dialogues, projection of images and clips to guest appearances and the orchestra, is tightly rehearsed and even the smallest flaws are not easy to spot. 

To be honest, this is the concert I never thought that I would be able to see. I had given up on that dream of seeing her perform live one day. Simply because a) Barbra seldom gives concerts (Believe it or not, this one I attended is her 82^nd in her entire career!) b) she never performs in Asia where I live and c) she’s already 70 years old. Fate has smiled upon me that I am on vacation in the States in the same time she is touring (which may or (hopefully may not!) be her last tour).

Barbra, with her countless accomplishments as an entertainer, has already been regarded and celebrated in the way Pablo Picasso, Katherine Hepburn, Andy Warhol, Luciano Pavarotti and Frank Sinatra are and will be even more so in years to come. I am incredibly lucky to have seen Barbra Streisand perform live. This may just be a concert to some but for me is a lifetime memory to cherish and a piece of history that I was able to take part in or witness. And I, here with a huge grin on my face, can say that some dreams do come true.

Kylie Minogue- Aphrodite World Tour (Jakarta Concert Review)

Kylie Minogue-Aphrodite Tour Opening Sequence

After nearly two hours on the plane, three hours spent stuck in the Jakarta’s legendary traffic and a mere three and a half more hours waiting at the venue, I finally got the chance to see Kylie Minogue rise out of the giant golden sea shell singing the song appropriately-titled “Aphrodite” with the spectacular Greek mythology-inspired back-drop. Kylie sang “I'm fierce and I'm feeling mighty, I'm a golden girl, I'm an Aphrodite, alright?” The tired Jakarta crowd was astounded not only by the first sighting of the superstar whom they have been in love with since her loco-motion days in the 80s, also by the scantily-clad male dancers dressed up as beefy Roman soldiers. What a beautiful sight! My fatigue was gone and that was when I thought “The game is on! This is what I came here to witness: the visually-stunning extravaganza.” Kylie who recently has been celebrated as “The Goddess of love” went on to sing a few more songs including “The One”, “Wow” and “I Believe In You” in her Grecian-inspired outfit. The crowd responded with loud cheers and sheer joy.

Kylie performing with her hot male dancers

Then my favorite bit of the show came, “Cupid Boy”. During that performance, I, Carrie Bradshaw, couldn’t help but wonder how the heterosexual guys who were simply dragged into the show by force by their girlfriends or wives would think and feel about the whole gay pride thing happening on the stage. I mean, really, it was inevitable and it was coming from every angle at a rapid rate. Kylie as usual hit all the right spots and all of us boys (hence, THE ITALICS!!) of course, felt like home.  We were in heaven. No question about it!  No other diva (Not Madonna, Not even GaGa) has ever put on a show for us (ITALICS again!) in the way Kylie does. Kylie, to me, is THE biggest gay icon and the only one who lives up to this title. More power to you, Kylie!

Kylie on a unicorn

Since we were the very first few to arrive at the venue, we found ourselves a place very close to the stage. Seeing Kylie up-close was sort of like a spiritual experience. I could cry. I must have said “OMG, She’s beautiful” 45 times in 3 minutes. Indeed, she looked so gorgeous and her smile lit up the whole stadium.  She had us all singing in unison when she sang her hit “Spinning Around”.  Now that’s a hit everyone knows unlike the only-the-hard-core-fans-know songs she performed in the first segment.  (You’ve got Jakarta in your hands now, Kylie!)

One might wonder how can an already-super-sexy song like “Slow” could be made any sexier. Pas De Problème pour Kylie. She managed it just fine by spicing up the song with Cabaret/Jazz elements.  The Goddess looked enormously hot with the female dancers dancing in circle and fanning her with the feathers that were probably kept from her previous Showgirl tour. Talking about the power of feathers! It always works!

I was also very glad that she sang one of my favorite songs “Confide In Me”. (I always love doing that high “Meeeeeeee” note in my head voice. C’mon, don’t we all?)  However, the biggest surprise came when she performed her global hit “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”. The originally-electro pop song was given a rock edge and it of course brought the house down.  Kylie, looking triumphant, in her beautiful metallic Dolce & Gabbana gown got the entire stadium on their feet.  Everyone was going “la la la la la la la la la la “

Kylie performing "Looking For An Angel"

“Looking For An Angel” was the most theatrical segment and I personally think it was also the peak of the show. At the end of the song, an angel emerged and rose to the sky while the other two angels standing by. It was awe-inspiring indeed.  She went on to sing her classics “Love At First Sight” and “Can’t Beat The Feeling” before she toned down the show’s tempo with the performance of her ballad “If You Don’t Love Me”.  The song not only showcased her vocal range but also brought her closer to her fans. It was one touching moment.

Like as if that was not enough, she came out shortly after wearing a whole new outfit to deliver one of her old hits “Better The Devil You Know”.  Most of us, die-hard fans know the lyrics by heart and had a good old sing-along session with that performance.  We were totally having a moment. Subsequently, Kylie decked out in denim shorts and torn-tank top with an orangey furry jacket worn over asked the audience what they would like to hear her sing. Some of the queens in the front row requested “Put Your Hands On Your Heart” and we requested “Loco-motion”. She sang both songs acapella. I thought it was really cute of her to interact with the audience. What a sweetheart!

One of the tracks from her latest album “Aphrodite” called “Better Than Today” was performed next in addition to the acapellas. Then Kylie disappeared after singing “Put Your Hands Up( If You Feel The Love)” and the band intro. It was time for encore.  The crowd went quiet for a while feeling unsure what to say or do. That was when our group (a Brit, a German, an Austrian, a Mexican, an Ecuadorian, a Burmese and two Australians) started singing the chorus of “All The Lovers”.  We were so loud and of course the others had no choice but to join in as well. We were no doubt having the most fun at the concert. For some reason (or rather just as usual), Jakarta crowd was somewhat low-energy that night.  They were mostly sitting and peacefully watching. Undoubtedly, it wasn’t us.  We were there to party.  We wanted to dance and have fun.  Here, I am talking about group-jumping, hand-clapping, wild-dancing to screaming out words of adoration to Kylie even at times in Spanish (Well done, Carlos!). We were W.I.L.D!

Kylie performing "All The Lovers"

Obviously, Kylie was not going to wrap up the show without giving us a spectacular encore.  A few minutes later, she reappeared on stage in her 8^th and final costume of the night with her glitter-robed dancers singing “On A Night Like This” from her “Light Years” album. I could feel the stadium come alive singing along the catchy chorus. Her voice sounded a bit tired by then and she opted for a lower note while singing the song’s climax. Nevertheless, it was a crowd-pleaser.  After that song, her oh-so-beautiful-to-look-at dancers took off their robes and took their positions on a wedding cake-like small stage in the center. They all looked naked as they were wearing skin-colored tights and bejeweled underwear. Kylie performed her soon-to-be classic “All The Lovers” as the finale. What can I say? It was sensational. Love was in the air. She filled up the stadium with so much love that it lifted us all. What a great way to end such a stellar concert!

If I were to go to heaven (NOT that I doubt I wouldn’t), I would absolutely want it to look like Kylie’s concert. I would imagine heaven with all the happy elements Kylie brings to her shows like the unicorns, rainbows, angels and feathers. I would also like heaven to have gorgeous muscular men who dance in tights and do acrobatics. Seriously though, even to say that her dancers were amazing would be an understatement. Her dancers not only possess eye-catching beauty but also boundless energy that kept the show electrifying all throughout.  Kylie’s live vocals were in top form. Although she is never known for her vocal abilities or technical singing skills, there were moments during the show where we went “Wow, girlfriend CAN sing!”  She always seems to know how to work her voice within its range. What I also love about Kylie is that she looks very much of a diva glamed up in sequined- gowns and six inched Louboutins yet she seems very approachable and sweet. I have been to so many concerts but this one will always have a special place in my heart. Not only it was worthy of money and time spent, it also made me want to send her flowers and invite her for tea.  Cheers to ALL THE LOVERS...

Janet Jackson LIVE in Jakarta (Concert Review)

Once I touched down from the flight to Jakarta from Bali, I switched on my Blackberry and franticly looked for the text from Michael. There it was and it said “I picked up your ticket.” I thought, “That’s it. It’s on and I’m going” I felt so relieved and overjoyed. This whole thing was a last minute plan and I feared I wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Since this morning I had been on the phone and online trying to get this ticket and among other things that drove me crazy, it surely was not my day but finally…..Whew!  So I immediately hopped on a cab and asked the driver to drive as fast as he could and the destination? “Plenary hall, Jakarta Convention Centre to catch Janet Jackson’s concert”. When I got there at the convention centre, the scene was hectic. Heavy traffic, motorbikes honking and cutting each other, people everywhere, some trying to re-sell the tickets with much higher prices and this long queue that seemed endless for the purpose of security check. (Look at the world we live in right now!) I nevertheless, stood in the line gleefully and patiently waited for what seemed like over an hour (I didn’t mind at all, I knew Janet was in there!!!!) 

Then I got in and saw giant posters of “Janet Jackson: Number Ones (up close and personal)”. I almost peed in my pants and couldn’t stop grinning. I joined my friend, Michael in the silver B section for which we paid 900, 000 rupiah which is over 90USD each. The highest ticket price for the night was 5 million rupiah (500USD), followed by 300USD, 150USD and ours at the bottom. (I believe that’s quite a lot for a concert but believe me the concert was 90% full. There’s so much wealth in Jakarta.) Soon after, the moment we all paid so much for had arrived: Miss Jackson came out in a futuristic metallic outfit (the entrance wasn't as spectacular as I expected) and started singing her medley of hits that included “Pleasure Principal”, “Alright”, “Nasty”, “Control”, “What have you done for me lately” and the recent “Feedback” which brought the audience (55% GLBTQ in my honest humble opinion) to their feet cheering with thunderous applause. Janet looked amazing and she performed tirelessly for this first segment of the show but as it was a medley-type performance, some of the fan favorites were cut very short and she pretty much improvised her moves and only joined the dancers during some of the dance breaks. After that she left us with a huge TV screen displaying her previous TV and film works (“Fame”, “Poetic Justice”, “Nutty Professor II”, “Why did I get married” to name a few) which went on for about 15 minutes.

By the time she came back, she was in a glittery gown exposing her beautiful big bosoms that caused a national hysteria in America during one Super Bowl event not so long ago, sitting pretty and ready to serenade us with some slow jams. She sang her classics such as “Let’s wait a while”, “Come back to me” and all of us fans responded devotedly by singing along but by the time the piano intro to my most favorite Janet song “Again” came on, I went totally nuts. Yes, I completely lost it because it reminded me of those days as a kid with MTV on and that song would play and how I would sing along on top of my lungs without even knowing what it means. And there she was singing the song live right in front of me. That was indeed “THE MOMENT”, a dream come true for me. What a great song! This Oscar-nominated number-one hit is also one of the very few songs that stretches Ms Jackson’s vocals and she did it even better live. The crowd was in tears and so was I. After that, she changed her outfit yet again and returned to what she does best, sing & dance simultaneously. The late great Aaliyah, Ciara and even Beyonce’ can only wish to do what Janet did in her prime and still is doing today to some extent. Her endless flow of energy, at the age of 44, is simply remarkable.  My friend, Michael and I danced and sang along to songs like “Doesn’t really matter”, “Miss you much”, “That’s the way love goes” (the sexiest song ever!!!!) and “All for you”. We screamed Janet and squealed like school girls. It was fun!

Later on the audience was treated to the rock-themed segment of her show in which she sang some of her classics with rock edge like “Black Cat”(my least favorite Janet song and Michael agreed with me too!), “If” (Yes, she did that crazy dance break as precise as she did 15 years ago. Love it!!!) , “Scream” the duet with her brother Michael and the iconic “Rhythm Nation” as a conclusion. Of course, the crowd went wild and asked her to come back on stage for encore.  Yes, she did with her fifth and final outfit of the show, a beautiful white outfit with shoulder pads. After she performed her latest single “Make Me” (which is quite upbeat and slowly growing on me), just as I expected she closed the show with her global number-one hit “Together Again”. The crowd’s response was amazing, the whole stadium jumping with joy and singing along the lyrics, “everywhere I go, every smile I see, I know you are there smiling back at me.”

Janet’s concert, on the whole, was spectacular. We walked out feeling satisfied. We felt that she’s such a phenomenal performer and she gave her all (although I was a bit disappointed that she did not interact with the crowd that much apart from occasional “Jakarta”, “I love you “and “How you doing”). I also did expect the production to be bigger than it was but then again, to quote Janet- “I will be as up close and personal as possible. These concerts are not about special effects. This is a love affair between me and those of you who have supported me and my work for all these years. I’ll be singing and dancing from my heart.” There were some parts she lip-synced understandably due to the high demands of dancing and singing all at once but at least not like Britney who lip-syncs in entirety. I personally am glad to have caught her on this tour knowing she doesn’t tour Asia that much and this was indeed a great opportunity for her die-hard Asian fans. We love you, Janet!