Customer Reviews

Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Barry Manilow's PBS special is just what I expected. He delivers his best to his audiences. It is old music but it is good music with moving lyrics. His acoustic arrangements highlight his talent and the talents of those on the instruments. The PBS special was like a comforting cup of hot chocolate on a snowy, winter night. You will love the interaction of Manilow to his audience. His connection with his audience is real. He is not "up" on a stage this time. There is a walking ramp he uses that unites him with the audience in delivering an enjoyable "feel good" hour of music.

I saw Barry taping this in Steiner Studios in Brooklyn. This was a 2 day shoot and the footage from the second night is the one that is being released on this DVD. Although there were "some" seat fillers, the majority of the viewers were fans who entered online at Barry's website to win tickets. I was one of the winners who was seated between the piano stage (stage two) and the main stage (stage one) but was even more lucky enough to have been seated in the chair directly at the end of the steps of stage one (main stage) and got to speak to and assist Barry when he exited the stage. The camera was on me several times (full shots) while signing various songs.

KUDOS to Barry for delivering a stellar performance. He is a performer who will always remain in the hearts of true fans! I recommend this DVD to anyone who is a true Manilow lover.

If you are a Manilow fan, as my wife and I are, and especially if you love '70s music, as we do (we dated and were married in the 70s), you simply cannot go wrong with this DVD concert. Barry is in fine form and incredibly enthusiastic as is the audience (we know it's probably an invited audience but who cares - the audience is attractive and fun to watch watching Barry). Excellent audio and video quality. Even if you are not necessarily a Manilow fan, one would still have to appreciate the great craftsmanship that is apparent here throughout. A definite concert must-have.

Got out my Bose over-the-ear headphones and potable DVD player for this one. This was a stinky week at work and I cannot think of a better way to spend early Saturday morning than with Barry, a cup of decaf, and a cranberry muffin. I generally write a review as I'm watching or listening for the FIRST time, so you get my first impressions of a product. I believe that is probably the most helpful assessment I can give you. That's why I am using both a potable DVD player and a PC.

This 2-disc DVD opens with Barry at his white Yamaha digital piano, playing and singing "Mandy," lookin' mighty spiffy in a classic dark suit with a blue shirt to set off those baby blue eyes. (I could have gone to this taping for PBS in Brooklyn in September 2007, but I didn't because I had been off work so much in September and was afraid to take off another couple of days. I am still kicking myself. Ouch!)

DISC 1 (50 minutes)
"New York City Rhythm" is next This song is hot! "I Am Your Child" of course, is a beautiful song that the fans have heard many times. I think it reminds of how important it is to try to teach our children the right things and do the best we can with them. (Anyway, they say, "Be good to your children. They will select your nursing home.")

Barry talks about and performs "The Commercials (Again!)" (Band-Aids, State Farm Insurance, McDonald's, Vicks), which has previously been referred to as "Very Special Melodies" (VSM). Based on a Chopan prelude, the beautiful "Could It Be Magic?" is next, followed by the acoustical version of "Copacabana (At The Copa)" from Barry's 70 CD. I love this version, kinda salsa-sounding. The audience claps along as he walks among them around an elevated walkway singing it. He steps down for a minute and dances with them. Frank Valli's "My Eyes Adored You" follows. Oh sure, just make me melt right here into the keyboard!--Beautifully done!!! "Looks Like We Made It" is next, another Barry classic. Barry begins "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" telling us about its relationship to a 1941 photo of a boy carrying his polo-stricken brother on his shoulders. What a beautiful song about helping each other, and in a deeper spiritual sense, about our inter-connectedness to each other. (It's no wonder that Barry sings this song with so much passion, because he has and continues to help so many people in so many ways.)

A snippet of "The Way We Were" follows, the beautiful song previously done by Barbra Streisand in the 70s. He briefly talks about the 70s and mentions the clothes he wore back then and how he went from bouncing checks at the A & P one day to bouncing to the top of the charts the next! Another of my favorites--I love the Barritized version of "It Never Rains in Southern California" also from his 70s CD. I heard Barry do this song on QVC in early September 2007. I was waiting for my CD to come while I was at a conference in San Diego (Southern California). There was a bad storm coming from Vancouver and the sky was black everywhere I went that week. All I could hear was this song playing in my head, and although it rained all around me, not one drop of rain touched me while I was in Southern California. I got to go everywhere I wanted to go.

"The Old Songs (Intro)" is followed by the "Seventies Hits Medley (Can't Smile Without You, Even Now, It's a Miracle, I Made It Through the Rain, Daybreak, This One's for You, I Write the Songs"). "One Voice" ends this CD. It is done by Barry, without musical accompaniment, in an empty studio, and it sounds absolutely fantastic! I'll be right back. I need another cup of decaf for disc 2.

DISC 2 (Extra Special Outtakes) (20 minutes)
"Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?" is soooo hot! I love this song and he doesn't do it very often, mainly for the London audiences I think. After the song, Barry kibitzes with the audience as he realizes he is talking into his water bottle and starts laughing.
"The Way We Were Medley" follows with "The Way We Were, It Never Rains in Southern California, You've Got a Friend", and ending with "The Way We Were". I especially LOVE "You've Got a Friend" on this outtake. It is soooo uplifting and moving! Oh, the love-energy in it is just phenomenal! "All The Time" completes Disc 2. He begins, telling us how many letters he received about this song because it's about feeling like a misfit. (Apparently, lots of people associate with this song and it tells them you are really OK and you are not alone.)

The packaging consists of a clear plastic dual-disc holder with a Barry paper photo insert and the outer photo paper pix that you see. No additional material this time.

Great DVDs, visually very clear and with excellent sound quality. This is certainly an excellent addition to my collection and I am quite pleased with it. If you don't know it already, Barry does every song fresh. He does not lip sync. He continues to be warm, friendly, uplifting, and appreciative of his fans. He reaches out and touches them, with his hands and his heart as he moves among them, Barry has worked hard to get where he is today and is admired and respected by millions. This DVD is CURRENT Barry, doing some classics from the 70s as well as some songs from his 2007-released Greatest Songs of the 70s CD. I highly recommend it. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it at least a 10.

Update July 2008: This TV Special was recently nominated for Outstanding Music Direction for the 2008 Emmy Awards! Way to go, Barry!

One of the best of Barry's concerts! All the songs are great! Add it to your video collection!

I first saw this video on an airplane last year and loved it. I was immediately hooked as a Manilow fan. Never really listened to Manilow music before seeing this. HEs a great performer, some say greater than ever. And this show is awesome. He walks around the room, shaking hands with audience, even dancing with some. And his last number is just him a microphone and the empty room with chairs. But he fills the room with magic like u were there with him.

He looks great, sounds exceptional too, a fantastic selection of songs, perhaps MORE new ones would have been nice, what i mean is the songs he didn't originally do, but i enjoyed what was on here none the less, i would love to see a follow up of the EIGHTIES album, but that is not relevent here, the extras dvd is a lovely bonus, the medley of "the way we were/you've got a friend is BREATHTAKING! that bit with the water bottle is hilarious, in that unique Barry fashion!

I love this dvd..enough said!

what can i say barry manilow is the best singer that ever lived he came to rochester on tuesday and it was a great concert for his age i cant believe that he still can get those high notes it was amazing this is the best concert i have ever been too in my life A++ 5 STARS

I watched this television special on PBS.

It is a feel-good program that those who experienced the 1970's will really embrace.

Mr. Manilow's songs stand the test of time. And, his conversational style truly engages the audience and viewer.

This is a must have for all Manilow Fans. Barry is looking so good and his rendition of the hits of the Seventies will take you down memory lane. He is so talented and the mini-orchestra that accompanies him on some of the songs just adds to the ambience. It's a wonderful evening captured forever. This DVD is rated A+++++++!!