Okay, so what is a fricken’ “fanilow”? Well… a “fanilow” is in fact what we choose to call hardcore fans of the American singer ‘Barry Manilow’. For those who have never ever heard of this wonderful musician he is around 70 years of age; he’s originally from Brooklyn, New York, has been a singer since God knows when and has had MAJOR plastic surgery. However, we are a “fanilow” because he is AWESOME.
So, how do I know all this? Here’s the deets:
My Dad won tickets with a radio station; he simply entered a competition and he actually won! The question was to finish the song lyrics: “Her name was Lola, she was a…. BEEEEEEEEEEEP!” Did you get it? Yes, the answer was “showgirl”. So, the presenter congratulated my dear father after he called up and my Dad replied with “Oh, thank you. That’s SUPER DUPER!”
Yes, he said it!
So, as I have ALWAYS wanted to see this man in concert, my Dad kindly invited me to join him. And, I was absolutely surprised!
What was Barry like? He was VERY professional. You could tell that he’d been working for years because he made it all look so easy! His stage presence was marvellous and he really made you feel happy!
What about his voice? I was shocked. Considering this man is 70 (odd) years of age he really can still sing! He held notes that I could never ever dream of holding (as my voice is awful). But, as I previously mentioned he made the singing part look so easy; you could hear every lyric, every note and every ounce of emotion!
What songs did he sing? This concert was not specifically designed to cover only one album, so his song choices varied. He did sing my FAVE songs ‘Could It Be Magic’ and ‘I Write the Songs’. He also performed ‘Mandy’ which sent all the girls crazy!
So, costumes? The greatest thing about Barry is his theatrical side – he’s “Broadway-esk”. He arrived on stage wearing some VERY shiny costumes and they sparkled all over the arena. This guy really knows how to rock the bright colours!
Something I know about Barry that I didn’t know before? He has recently produced a musical which has been released in the US. It’s called ‘Harmony’; on the night he performed one of the leading songs – a love song- which totally swept me away. The storyline appears to be AMAZING; if you’re a true romantic then I would advise you to see this show! It’s not out in the UK yet, but if you’re in LA? Then buy a ticket! Ah… love.
What did I take away from this show? During the night, Barry made a remark which has imprinted my opinion. He said (I’m paraphrasing) “Make sure you always do what you love. If you’re not doing it right now, then leave it and find something that you do!” This short quote made me realise how we should fight our dreams; he inspired me so much that I’m now working towards achieving my goal as a singer/musician. I hope you fight for what you love!
Would I see him again? HELL YES! I was incredibly impressed by his professionalism, attitude, shiny costumes and marvellous talent. There’s a reason why this man has been performing for so many years!
Overall rating? 10/10! Brilliant!