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Barbra in Saint Paul, MN. Xcel Energy Center. October 24th 2006 |
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Song List
ACT 1
IL DIVO
SET
Come Rain Or
Come Shine
A dazzling Streisand makes magic at XcelBY ROSS RAIHALAPioneer Press Pop Music Critic
Photo: BEN GARVIN , PIONEER PRESS Barbra Streisand sings "Starting Here, Starting Now" during a performance at the Excel Energy Center Wedneday night. With that hair and those fingernails and that voice, Barbra Streisand may seem larger than life. But it took all of ten seconds into her magnificent performance Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center to prove she’s still only human. A few bars into show opener “Starting Here, Starting Now,” Streisand let out a giggle after an audience member lustily and loudly called out his approval. It was the first of many loving shouts from the crowd and, also, the first of a handful of times Streisand allowed herself to step away from the script and give us a glimpse of her true self. And to be sure, this evening was scripted. Every line of every song and every word of her voluminous between-number patter scrolled on one of at least six teleprompters onstage and one rather massive screen perched up in the rafters of the arena. Often, Streisand followed right along, particularly during the groan-inducing comedy bits like the now-infamous stand-up routine with a George W. Bush impersonator. She also played to the locals with a bit that name-checked the Jucy Lucy and Leeann Chin takeout. Her estimable acting skills helped sell most of it, but those rare moments of improv felt genuine. As hard as it may be to believe, Streisand can generate real warmth when she feels like it. But, really, she could have sat in a dark corner behind her 56 touring musicians and left the sparkly sailor suit and black-and-gold Donna Karan original in a heap back on the bus — as long as she let those golden pipes of her rip. And, wow, she did. While a bit huskier and a touch on the raspy side, Streisand proved that, even at 64, she remains one of the modern age’s true masters of delivering a song. She occasionally hesitated in hitting some of the high notes in a set list heavy on standards and show tunes, but it barely mattered. She can still sing circles around would-be divas a third her age and imbue the hoariest cliches with a newfound sense of meaning. It was magic and memorable stuff, indeed, particularly her takes on “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” a selection of “Funny Girl” numbers and “Ma Premiere Chanson,” the first song she wrote herself. Not so magical, however, were guests Il Divo, a four-piece pop opera chorus that brought little to the evening beyond some himbo good looks and the opportunity for Babs to take a mid-gig break. They joined her several times and performed a pleasant, if utterly unessential, mini-set that included versions of “Unbreak My Heart” and “My Way.” But by the time they trampled in on an otherwise delicate and stirring take on “Somewhere,” one couldn’t help but wish they were somewhere else. Anywhere else. This was a night that belonged to Babs. Review: Streisand gives fans an evening to savorShe blended elegance and emotion in a way that has been her hallmark for 45 years.
Jon Bream, Star Tribune Think about it: Barbra Streisand, the Voice of American popular music for the past 45 years, has done only two extensive tours since her legendary 1967 Central Park concert -- that's if you consider 12 concerts in 1994 and 20 this year as extensive. So her Twin Cities debut Tuesday at Xcel Center was probably the only appearance the 64-year-old icon will ever make here. Unless, of course, she comes back for a fundraiser for some Democratic candidate. So was it the concert of a lifetime? Maybe, maybe not. It certainly was a thrill -- and not a cheap one at that, with tickets going for as much as $450. And it was often thrilling, occasionally exasperating (more on that later) and the ultimate for Streisand fans. This show wasn't as spectacularly staged as her 1994 tour. This was Babs on an intimate stage with two orchestra pits (for 56 traveling musicians), surrounded by runways, decorated simply with four vases of roses. She wore glamorous outfits, read her lines (and lyrics) from a huge teleprompter and, mostly importantly, sang her tush off. Her voice was like -- let's say it was creamy, rich and a little bit raspy, which added wonderful textures and a remarkable realness that's often missing on her sterile, overproduced recordings. To be sure, she didn't often reach for her spectacular high notes, but she practiced such restraint and control that it didn't matter. She offered the right mix of elegance and emotion, a mix that has been her hallmark. Streisand's impeccable taste didn't extend to the entire show. She misstepped by inviting Il Divo, the pop-opera quartet, to join her. The four singers ruined two of her best numbers, "Evergreen" and "Somewhere"; after she sang magnificent first verses, Il Divo blasted the beauty away. As for the quartet's own three-song set, let's just say it was like margarine -- generic margarine. Streisand smartly reined in the George Bush bit that got her heckled in New York. She did a quick Q&A with a Bush impersonator but didn't sing a duet with him as she had done earlier on the tour. Her Q&A with cards from the audience brought much-needed spontaneity to the carefully choreographed -- what else do you expect from La Diva? -- evening. She winged responses to folks from Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. Her only faux pas came when she mentioned she'd eaten at the Nook on "Ham-line," instead of "Ham-lynn." Enough kvetching. Because Babs put so much humanity and personality into her performance, especially in the second set. She was philosophical and funny, spontaneous and diva-like (she seemed to chew out a fan for being on her cell phone), and loose (she took her shoes off) and lively -- and terrifically real on almost every song, including the lighthearted soul of "Stoney End," the intense and graceful "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" and the rousing encore "Happy Days Are Here Again."
Fan Reviews: My name is Nick and I have just gotten home from the Barbra Streisand Concert in St. Paul Oct. 24th. THE SHOW WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!! I was in the 11th row of the floor and was the first person to stand and applaud when Barbra was raised from beneath the stage; I saw the tip of her head and jumped up. Her voice was wonderful, a bit hoarse, but wonderful. She did not let one song go by without a jaw-dropping moment included in it. Il Divo was good, not to much, not to little. Streisand joked about being in Minnesota for the first time, infact, she was hilarious throughout the evening. The Bush skit was funny, tasteful, and the perfect amount. One of the most touching moments was when Streisand was informed that there was a Holocaust survivor in the audience. She came back for 2 encores (Don't Rain On My Parade and Happy Days) to roaring applause. The audience loved her, and she felt the love; I believe that her first impression with Minnesota was a great one. The song list was basically the same as the previous shows, minus Smile. Barbra was better than ever tonight, she moved around (did the can-can during Parade), and seemed very relaxed and peaceful; my life is complete!!!!!!!!
SHE IS THE BEST, AND TONIGHT SHE PROVED THAT SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THE
BEST!!!
Foxy56:
I saw The
Concert in 1994. MNBabsBoy
I just got
back, and what an experience. I have never been so drawn into a live
performance by a single artist before. The "Funny Girl" overture played,
and then there *she* was.
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Craig Hall -- www.barbranews.com -- 2006 |
