Past Performances 1976

First Show (January 18) - Roberta (of Honolulu, HI) (7/16/2005)

First and Favorite Show:  My older sister, Margie, turned me on to Barry when I was only nine years old. I fell in love with his music from the first time I heard him sing "I remember all my life..."  She took me and my younger brother, Jimmy, to see Barry on this rainy evening in July, but the rain could not dampen my spirits. I was finally going to see him IN PERSON!!  We sat in the "nosebleed" seats with our Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket between us and our rain gear on and sang our hearts out. I will never forget that night. I have seen him many times since (even had front row seats once!!) but this concert will always be my favorite. - Donna (Weidenmiller) Hutches (Philadelphia, PA) (8/27/99)

First Show - Margie Weidenmiller (Collingswood, NJ) (9/7/99)

First Show - Dan DiMuzio (Philadelphia, PA) (8/7/2001)

First Show - Judy Lowstuter (Annandale, VA) (4/28/2002)

First Show: The first time I saw Barry, he sang a song and tears came to his eyes. I knew then and there that this wasn't just some other singer. This man felt and meant the songs he sang. I was never so inspired before in my life! It was like a revelation. I was having personal problems but that night everything changed for me. I knew I would make it because I believed Barry made it through tough times too. - Jill B. Lafferty (Philadelphia, PA) (4/20/2003)

First Show - Margaret Duffy (Philadelphia, PA) (12/12/2003)

First Show - Barbara Parker (Jacksonville, NC) (7/10/2010)

First Show - Sharon Zotti (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) (3/21/2011)

First Show - Jeanne Crane (Columbia, MD) (3/18/2002)

First Show - Karen Barnes (Crofton, MD) (9/11/2007)

First Show - Deanna Bell (Newton, NC) (4/28/2008)

First Show - Linda Boyle (Columbia, Maryland) (3/23/2012)

First Show - Kim Tenenbaum (Los Angeles, CA) (3/13/2002)

First Show: You're one classy person, Barry...

B - Beautiful Music A - All The Time R - Ready To Take A Chance Again R - Riders To The Stars Y - You're There M - Mandy A - Avenue C N - New York City Rhythm I  - If I Should Love Again L - Looks Like We Made It O - One Voice W - Weekend In New England

...Thanks for all the great years!! - Meri Clark (Kankakee, IL) (5/18/2002)

First Show - Margaret Cavitt (Atlanta, GA) (4/10/2003)

First Show - Mary Ann (of Merrillville, IN) (10/24/2006)

First Show: Some people call Disney their "happy place". I was once asked where mine was... it's at a Manilow concert! - Laura Greve Pappas (Fort Myers, Florida) (3/31/2016)

I was hooked from the time Barry stepped on the stage, and all these years and many concerts later, I am still hooked. Barry's music is the soundtrack of my life. I've been fortunate enough to see him in concert many times, but that first time remains very special to me. Thank you for the music, Barry! - Sue Alexander (Winona Lake, Indiana) (4/22/2016)

First Show - Marianne James (Carterville, IL) (9/5/99)

First/Favorite Show: I went with my brother to this concert and had $15 in my wallet. There were second row cancellation seats for $6.50 each and I pulled the money out with no hesitation. I have never been the same. I can remember Barry singing my all-time favorite, "This One's For You," right there in front of me and crying through the whole song! I've loved that man ever since - no one can sing a song like Barry can. - Janet Hartzel (Edwardsville, IL) (3/28/2000)

First Show - Debbi Bennett (Los Angeles, CA) (1/9/2002)

First Show - Julie Kinsey (Clayton, CA) (9/27/99)

First Show: It was pouring down rain and I was sitting with my girl (Cindy) in a garbage bag on the grass with everyone else. We were all a mass of wet plastic bags. Loved it. What a memory! Thank you, Mr. Manilow! - Dan (of Concord, CA) (3/14/2000)

First Show: I have been to quite a few of Barry's concerts ... I thank Barry from the bottom of my heart for his music and for the wonderful memories. - Cathy Allen (of Kansas City) (10/10/2000)

First Show - Bev Rovelli (Auburn, NY) (8/25/99)

First Show - Susan Geurtze (Sacramento, CA) (12/11/99)

First Show - Pat W. (of Utica, NY) (5/12/2000)

First Show: [What I liked about this concert was] Barry! His persona & charm! He never ages! - Carol Shear (Syracuse, NY) (6/10/2000)

This was my first concert and I loved every moment! We had to leave before it was over as my babysitter had to be home by 10:00 PM. I cried as we left as my favorite song was being sung -- our daughter's name is Melissa so this is why there will never be another song as meaningful as "Could It Be Magic." Barry, keep on going, as you only get better as the years go by! Thank you so much for all these years. I love you and always will! - Debbie Bills (Ballston, NY) (10/27/2000)

First Show: I was only seven years old! My parents took me. We drove up from Wappingers Falls where we lived at the time. They said that I was standing and singing along and knew the words to many songs (though I only have some vague memories of it). - Chris Wilkowski (Austin, TX) (12/11/2001)

First Show - Kelly McCoy-Hebert (Bedford, NH) (1/18/2003)

This was my first Barry concert. We were moving to Durham, North Carolina in a week and I had the option to go to a going-away party for my family or Barry's concert. Duhhhhhh... I chose the concert!! My family has pictures of the going-away party and I am nowhere to be found! Oh well... I drove up from Kingston, New York with my best friend and her mom and aunt and we had a blast! I have seen Barry many more times since then and will again!! - Tracey Lennon (Grifton, NC) (7/10/2004)

This was my second time seeing Barry in less than a year, and this time I wasn't in the balcony! By now, he was "Hot" with a capital H. His show was much more intricate. He was much more confident, much looser in communicating back to the audience, whether by song or banter. My favorite parts were the "VSM" (Very Strange Medley), and the medley of "Mandy" and "Could it be Magic" backed by a magnificent orchestra. It sent shivers up my spine. - Rebecca Keeney (Portland, OR) (12/26/2001)

[What I liked about this concert was] the music! And, of course, Barry!! - Jenny (of Spokane, WA) (10/5/2001)

First Show - Dana L. Russell (Kansas City, MO) (6/13/2009)

First Show: When I saw Barry for the first time, it was in 1976 and I was with my mom. My sister bought the tickets with my money. They weren't the best seats in the house by any means, but I was there and Barry was there and that was all that mattered. I about passed out on the way to the concert. Barry and his girls put on a fabulous show. - Debbie Globoke (Belton, MO) (1/29/2011)

Barry, I have seen your concerts several times. When I first saw you in Dallas, you played the accordion and sang the commerical tunes, and of course "Mandy" and some of your other great songs! It was only YOU on the stage. - Mary Jo Kaler (Fort Wayne, Indiana) (originally from Ilion, New York) (10/24/2011)

When I called for tickets to this show, I was shocked to be able to get front row seats. It was my first Barry concert and I have not missed one since. This was the only one in the front row. - Janet (of Tampa, FL) (12/5/2002)

First Show: I was on the second row, and remember he had great shoes and socks which I could see! - Carolyn (of Nashville, TN) (10/1/2003)

First Show - Donna Stucker (Salisbury, MA) (8/1/2007)

First Show: Barry was new to the scene and had such talent, which has been proven throughout his career. During his performance I had called out to him. He asked me to join him after the show for a beer. The audience responded and Barry said he couldn't take all of us! Having that beer with him would've meant so much! - Toni Ivers (Boston, Massachusetts) (3/22/2011)

My best friend and I had finished working as 'extras' on the movie "Rollercoaster" and I was still staying at her house. She insisted on buying tickets to see Lynyrd Skynyrd and dragging me along. I would only agree if she would go with me to see Barry, and she reluctantly said "Okay." Prior to that, our musical tastes were polar opposite. I listened to a lot of R&B and some classical (my stepfather played trumpet in a jazz band part-time, so I was getting into that... Yeah, I was a bit 'different'!), but Barry was IT for me! Anyway, we went to the other show, and sat through the Marshall Tucker Band and only the first three songs of Lynyrd Skynyrd because the crowd was so rowdy you couldn't hear the music. A couple of weeks later we went to see Barry and my best friend sat through the [entire] show with her mouth agape and eyes shining. The electricity was contagious and Barry was flawless. The place was packed but you forgot about everything and everyone else around you [except] Barry and his music. The next day I went out and bought her all of Barry's albums. After that we both could sit and listen to something musically without the other one groaning in pain! We even bought a Barry songbook and played and sang much to the chagrin of her parents and siblings. Let's just say my childhood wasn't any Utopia but some of the best times were Barry-related. - Kim Copeland (Norfolk, VA) (11/17/2001)

First Show - Jeannie Ham (San Jacinto, CA) (7/15/2007)

First Show - Susan Cooper (Hummelstown, Pennsylvania) (8/21/2012)

First/Favorite Show (December 21st, Opening Night):  3rd row center seats right in front of Morgan Fairchild.  Total Magic!  Barry was never better!! - Marsha (of Brooklyn, NY) (11/16/98)

December 30: My first Barry concert was magical. I knew from the moment I heard him sing "Weekend In New England" and seeing Barry's captivating performance this night, I would love him forever! - Chris Gallagher (Fishkill, NY) (4/30/2001, 12/21/2001)

First Show - Marcy Lawrence (New City, NY) (8/2/2002)

First Show (December 21): What I like most about Barry's concerts is how he emotes to the audience when he sings. He really feels what he is singing and he sings to us. When he talks in between songs, you feel he is speaking directly to you. He has a sense of humor about himself. He does not take himself seriously. And we all love him for that. - Sharon Ginsberg (Edison, NJ) (8/10/2002)

First Show - Adelaide Lombardo (Brooklyn, NY) (11/24/2002)

First Show - Grace Angelo (Mohegan Lake, NY) (7/4/2009)

It was pure magic! It was the first concert that I went to without my parents, I was 13 at the time. I went with my best friend and we had a blast. I knew, there and then, that my love for Barry and his music was going to be with me for my entire lifetime. We had 5th row center seats and there were moments when I could swear he was singing just for me. It was just the start of many more amazing moments that I have had at his concerts. 33 years- it went by so fast, but it has been a wonderful ride. - Jackie Leman (Originally from Brooklyn, NY) (12/24/2009)

I've seen Barry several times since this show, but I had the most fun at the Uris Theatre. Maybe it was being in New York, maybe it was New Year's Eve. And I loved Lady Flash!! - Irene Olnick (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) (4/22/2011)

December 31: Barry started the second half of the show with pouring champagne into plastic champagne glasses which lined the stage. I immediately jumped out of my seat to enjoy a glass of champagne with him (I won't mention my very young age that that time either!). I still have that glass today! - Susan Williams (Dallas, Texas) (2/28/2012)