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Name: BarryNet Articles & Reviews Date/Time: 9/10/2019 9:02 PM Subject: Barry Manilow Still Has 'It' at the Hollywood Bowl
EDGE Media Network, 09 September 2019 The man of a thousand songs that make the whole world sing electrified the Hollywood Bowl this past weekend with a lengthy set that proved the 76-year old song-man is still a legendary performer. If anyone doubts that Barry Manilow still "has it," this past Friday and Saturday night would prove them wrong. From the still powerful voice to the charming on-stage banter, Manilow was still the showman he was born to be. While rolling through his hits, Manilow charmed the all-ages crowd with stories of his early years and even of his career as a jingle writer. ("I am stuck on Band-Aid brand cuz' Band-Aids stuck on me!") He played an old recording of his grandfather pleading with him to sing "Happy Birthday" on a vinyl recording device in Times Square and also smirked while speaking of his days as a "sex symbol." All the while, the hits kept coming. "[It's A] Miracle," "Can't Smile Without You," and "Even Now" highlighted the evening, and his hit rendition of "Memory" from "Cats" wowed the crowd, proving he's still [got] the pipes. "I Made it Through the Rain" and two versions of "Could it Be Magic" made their way into his set list, and of course, the master songwriter ended the evening with two of his most famous hits: "Mandy" and "I Write the Songs." All of his tunes still soared with Manilow's trademark modulation (sometimes more than once), which built to an audience crescendo that felt like being at church. Manilow ended the night with a little "Copacabana" that had the massive crowd on their feet, swinging their Bowl-provided glow sticks, and dancing along with America's greatest showman. He definitely wrote the songs that made the whole Bowl sing.
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