The demise of "Here at the Mayflower"

After reading the latest show reviews, I'm so incredibly glad I was there the night he came back after vacation in July. There were some glitches. Perhaps the show didn't flow as well as people would have liked. There weren't as many hits. But...there was "Here at the Mayflower." Hearing those coveted songs: Talk to Me, The Night that Tito Played, Not What You See, Welcome Home and Sandra (although not on the CD but should have been) is the reason that I went back after such a long break. And I'm glad I did.

There is no better performance than Talk to Me. That song is the absolute best one on The Mayflower album. And Barry's performance of it brought every single word to life. The ups, the downs, the anger, the sadness, the frustration that people experience in relationships came out that night when he performed it. It was the quintessential moment in all the shows I've seen. Although I've had other "great" show moments, this, for me, embodied the essence of Manilow.

It's such a shame that things went back to "normal" and the show only contains two Mayflower songs. But alas...

I think Rick Nelson said it best, "you can't please everyone, but you've got to please yourself".

People want what the want,
Texas Fan

Mayflower and Mishaps

I was back in the Hilton Theater after months and I have to say I've missed the guy. He's just got "it" and never ceases to surprise me with his showmanship and his ability to roll with the punches. And tonight's show was filled with tons of punches. It was a night of Mayflower and mishaps.

I sat in the balcony tonight and I have to say believe it or not I loved it. Firstly because you could actually enjoy the show without screaming maniacs sitting next to you, jumping up and down and yelling during the songs. And secondly because you really do get the full affect of the sets and the staging from that high up and far back. The opening is so much more effective when you can see it from the balcony. The silhouettes are more impressive and the visual affect of the musicians, the singer and the smoke is breathtaking.

As I hoped, Barry decided to give us a replay of the Mayflower segment from the convention shows. As he began to set the stage for the segment, people began to leave. He had already done several of his hits, included an amazing arrangement of "Trying to Get the Feeling" and "Even Now". He walked over to the left side of the stage and he said, "You're leaving? What's the matter? You want to hear Copa?" Then he began to ask the people to stay. People in the balcony begin filing out as well. He seemed incredibily frazzled by it all.



Then the Mayflower segment began and as he was attempting to sing "Not What You See" the keyboard began to malfunction. It was playing two notes when he pressed one key. He yelled out for Ron to help him out and the song was salvaged. He continued to stay in character however and pretend to play as he sang. An incredibly moving performance. Then came "The Night That Tito Played."


The keyboard was moved to the other side of the stage and when he began to play Sandra, the same thing happened. Keely could not hear the music and he said, "We can't do this song. Let's move on." When Ron again rescued him and he and Keely were able to finish Sandra.

After that, "Talk to Me" was absolutely breathtakingly done, and he finished with "Welcome Home" which made me cry, because that song has always meant so much to me. Then he moved on to "Mandy/Could It Be Magic" and did not sing "I Write the Songs". He ended with the usual Copa and the "It's a Miracle Reprise".

I couldn't help but feel the songs he wanted to sing were met by the audience with little enthusiasm. There was very little audience interaction except for a few handshakes on the front row. He stayed far away on both sides of the stage and kept trying to get the audience to participate in the music.

But for me, the show was a once in a lifetime moment. "Sandra" and "Talk to Me" made it special, culminating with "Welcome Home". I would have hated to be the one responsible for the keyboard mishap however. It ruined the flow of the show and noticeably disrupted the rhythm.


That's life however. You can't plan for those unexpected mishaps. The show, however, was about 70 minutes long.

That's my Manilow fix until October, if I'm lucky enough to squeeze him in the weekend of my daughter's wedding. Hmmm....you think I could convince him to make an appearance and sing "When October Goes" (her favorite song)?

Here at the Mayflower, it's bedtime!
Texas Fan

Manilow sings "Sandra" and "Talk to Me"

Since I've been AWOL for a few days, I thought I would comment briefly on the Mayflower show at the convention. After reading Dana's wonderful review of Friday night I wish even more that I had been there. I would have loved to have heard all the songs from the Mayflower album. I would have loved to have seen him perform them. The very first time I saw him live in concert, he was introducing the Mayflower album and Turn the Radio Up holds very special memories for me. But...there are two reasons why I wish I had been at those shows: Sandra and Talk to Me.

My very first show in Vegas I met my first Barry friend. We connected immediately. He was still doing a few Mayflower songs in the show and at the end of the evening, Mandy told me about her love for the album. It was the first thing we shared in common and it brought us together as friends. As the months progressed with many emails and phone conversations, we returned to Vegas for a few days and spent more time getting to know each other. We talked about he Mayflower album often and she told me her favorite song on that album was Talk to Me. I must admit I had hardly listened to that song before Mandy came along, but she said it resonated with her life at the time and I should listen to it. So I did. And since then, every time I hear that song I think about Mandy and the beginnings of our friendship.

The day we were both to go home, she kept telling me about this one song that reminded her of me: Sandra. I had never heard it before. I had never heard of the 4 anthology albums either. She pulled out her trusty Ipod and let me listen to the song for the first time. I was mesmerized by the story it told. It was my life in so many ways. Mandy was right. And now every time I listen to Sandra I think about Mandy too and the catalog of Barry's music that she introduced me to on that trip and during the months that followed.

It would have been wonderful to sit in the show together hearing both those songs performed live. It would have been great to relive those first bonding moments that we had because of the music. But, perhaps, if we're lucky, he'll keep them in the show and we'll get to see them together soon. If not, I will always be reminded of those first few months of beginnings when I listen to those songs. And think about the symmetry of it all that Barry put both those songs together in his show. As YBA said, it was a "twilight zone" feeling when I read about it.

To this special friendship,
Texas Fan

P.S. Thanks YBA for the Sandra mention in your blog!

Ask and "Ye Shall Receive"

To celebrate the BMIFC Convention during the weekend of May 22-24, and as a personal thank-you from me to you, I've put together a segment of songs from my beloved "Here At The Mayflower" album that I'll be performing during those shows.

This segment will include songs we've never done. I hope everyone that has supported the "Mayflower" CD makes sure that they're at the Hilton for that weekend. I think it will be a very exciting and special group of shows.

See you there

Barry

Wow. What an exciting Hotline Message! Those that are attending will be in for a TREAT! I hope hope hope that someone is there who can write excellent reviews (Dana?). It's going to be one of those wonderfully magical moments. And just wait until the rest of the audience hears the genius that is Manilow. I predict there will be MANY new fans and MANY skeptics eat their words!

Thanks Barry!

Texas Fan

Manilow Mayflower Musings

All the comments over my recent post has made me think (dangerous..I know) about how Barry's Here at the Mayflower might be turned into a Broadway play or television mini-series. Granted, I'm not a media expert, but the potential within the catalog of songs is extraordinary.

I could envision this as a mini-series. It could be as steamy or as G-rated as you prefer. Take for instance, Apartment 4J: Talk to Me. A couple is working through some very difficult problems. Perhaps one of them has had an affair and the other found out; or it's an older couple that has grown apart after their kids have moved away. The possibilities are endless. Then there's Apartment 6C: Not What You See and I Miss You: a picture of love that has lasted a lifetime and the sadness that comes with the loss that occurs after all those years. Not to mention the Elevator Operator who relays the stories of all the tenants in Do You Know Who's Living Next Door, and the poignant story told in She Shoulda Been Mine.

What about you? How do you see the stories unfolding?
Texas Fan

The Night That Tito Played

Mayflower is back! Barry has brought back a song from the Here at the Mayflower CD. The Night that Tito Played is an interesting choice that I'm sure made for some great fun at the show. It's upbeat and a great dance number, "moving and swaying under the moon" (or the famous Manilow stars).

This concept CD never really got the attention it deserved. Every song tells a story and the entire album has something for everyone. Even a non-fan can get into the rhythm of They Dance or Come Monday. Adding any number of these songs to the show is a win/win in my estimation. Because this pleases the fans AND is musically appealing and crowd pleasing for the civilians (yes, I did use that term!).

What's next? Freddie Said? Now that would be my idea of art imitating life!

Lovin' it,
Texas Fan

Motivation and Manilow

This morning I woke up singing one of my favorite Manilow songs:

Come Monday, Come Monday,
My life starts again.
My new point of view is beginning.
Come Monday, that one day
My ship's coming in.
And this time I'm ready to roll...

Mondays are always about new beginnings. I can't help but wake up every Monday and feel like I can always start over. Barry captured that feeling in the stories in this song. The players are making a plan, going back to school, joining a gym, losing weight, and generally starting over. Those stories motivate me in so many ways today. They motivate me to pursue my goals, my dreams and to know that we all need to start over at times. The past is the past so to speak. The future is as great as we want it to be.

We've had tons of "Mondays" in the Manilow world. And on this Monday a new week begins and the promise of some great shows in Vegas. Plus, the motivation to count our blessings and be thankful that when we need a jump start, Barry's always there to ramp up our engines and motivate us to do great things!

Feeling motivated,
Texas Fan

Here at the Mayflower

Here at the Mayflower has been on my playlist all week. I've been listening to the songs again and again; enjoying the genius behind this original album. This album could be easily made into a Broadway musical, with each song introducing a character and the entire album becoming a picture of the stories of our lives. It shows Barry's insight into human nature and people's individual struggles. He covers the gamut of human emotions: love, loneliness, loss, family, hiding behind masks, gossip, losing touch with someone, stress, negativity, joy, death, failure, unfulfilled dreams, and even eternity. The underlying message seems clear-do we really know who people are, the struggles they are going through and the dreams they wish for?

If you haven't listened to this masterpiece in awhile or you've never truly "listened" to it, you're missing out on some of the best insight into our behaviors and the affect they have on the people around us and the paths our lives take.

There is so much more to this collection than just great music and lyrics. It makes you stop and think about your life and the lives of those whose paths you cross. This truly "moves" and cuts deep into our souls. Here at the Mayflower is the Mona Lisa of Barry's collection. Every time you "look" at it you see something different.

Truly Astounded,
Texas Fan

Border Train

This has been a Mayflower week for me. And this song seems to echo the feelings that have flowed in and out of my head at moments of tremendous frustration and moments of great joy. The ebb and flow of emotions and the shear drama in life at times makes me want to "hop on that train" tonight.

Got nobody left to listen to
Got no promises to keep
Something's gotta be out there
Find a world for me out there
No more livin' half asleep

There are days when I feel that my life has passed me by. There are dreams that I had when I was younger. You wake up one day and 50 years have passed and you wonder where the time has gone. My kids used to watch a cartoon called Rugrats and one of the characters used to say he had sponsatilities (aka responsibilities). It's not all bad to have those, but sometimes you find yourself living your life for everyone else (your kids, your husband, your aging family members). Your "me" time tends to get pushed to the back burner until you find yourself asking where "me" went.

There's an island in the misty night
Little platform by the track
I dreamed I saw a light for me
A face, a place so right for me
That I'd never think of lookin' back

Most of us have those dreams. Dreams that we had when we were a kid. Dreams however, tend to take a back seat to reality. And we compromise, or settle when we should hold on to them tightly. We should always be moving forward toward that "place that's right" for us.

Through the shadowland
Like a silver band
Got no kind of plan
I ride the border train
Somewhere new to be
Light the way for me
Moon and memories
I ride the border train

It's those elusive dreams that seem to be just within our grasps but out of reach that tend to haunt us. That train just keeps traveling on the "border" of our dreams and we need someone to light the way for us.

There'll come a time
With no goodbyes
When I'll simply grab
That border train
And at journey's end
They will all be real
My lovers and friends
And I swear to God
There's time for me
And I'll live the life I waited for!

Tonight I believe with all my heart it is finally "time for me" to "grab that border train" ...forgetting what lies behind and pushing forward to what lies ahead...to live the life I've waited for!

In the arms of an angel and God,
Texas Fan