Miss Diana Ross as charismatic as ever in Hartford

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http://www.thehartfordguardian.com/2013/08/14/diana-ross-brings-excitement-to-an-exquisite-evening-at-the-hartford-bushnell-theater/

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Tags : Diana Ross at the Hartford Bushnell Theater


Diana Ross Brings Excitement to an Exquisite Evening at the Hartford Bushnell Theater

Posted on 14 August 2013 by The Hartford Guardian


By Ann-Marie Adams, Ph.D.

If they could, many people would want the legendary Diana Ross to be frozen in time, preferable in the 1970s when her waif figure, high cheek bones and big, brown eyes captivated the world as she crooned softly with songs that evoke positive imagery: I’m Coming Out; A’int No Mountain High Enough and I will Survive.

But that’s for deluded individuals who have failed to simply be in awe and appreciate the immeasurable contribution Ms. Ross, as she is affectionately called, has given the world for more than 50 years.

Five decades of performing on the world stage, Ms. Ross’s melodic voice has given the world 14 consecutive hit songs—more than Elvis—since she was first catapulted to fame in 1963. Overall, she has had 28 number-one records and 70 best-selling singles. And she has done it with class, compassion and commitment to her fans.

She did it again on Tuesday at the Hartford Bushnell Theater.

Just being in the packed orchestra was exciting. The international star many have seen in memorably movies like Lady Sings the Blues, Mahogony and The Wiz was about to be on stage live as the white curtains revealed crest moons and red stars in the backdrop. Her most ardent fans, many of whom have traveled to at least 10 of her shows, had secured front row seats.

Before she entered the stage in a sequined, floor-length gown applique with silver studs, we hear her familiar soprano voice: ‘I’m coming!”

Diana Ross-Michael Sherer-HartfordGuardian2013The crowd roared. The trumpets blared. And the band played as she walked on stage and sang what is seemingly now dubbed a gay anthem: I’m coming out/ I want the world to know/Got to let it show.

The audience rose to its feet and welcomed Ms. Ross to the stage. She kept the tempo mellow throughout most of the evening, though, with hits like, My World is Empty Without You, Stop in the Name of Love and Love Child –only briefly interjecting contemporary R & B tempo with a few songs, so people could groove to the beat.

Toward the end of the third set, she sang the theme song from her hit movie: Mahagony: Do you know where you’re going to?/Do you like the things that life is showing you?/Where are you going to?/ Do you know?

And she ended the evening with Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand with almost everyone in the audience standing and waving hands in the air like cornstalks bending to and fro in the wind. Many succumbed to the feeling of pure awesomeness in the theater.

Sean Lyons of Simsbury displayed unbridled joy throughout the performance. Lyons, who started a Facebook campaign to bring Ms. Ross to Simsbury, learned that promoters already had her on schedule to perform at the Bushnell. He and other fans organized a talk at the Simsbury Library, where they shared close or near encounters with Ms. Ross.

Appreciative of her fans, Ms. Ross offered the mike to Sean Lyons to sing a few bars of the closing song.

He was exhilarated.

“I’ve been preparing for that moment all of my life,” he said beaming as he made his way outside and into the capital city. Lyons is a student at the University of Hartford.

Most fans in that audience shared a lifetime of memories listening to Ms. Ross, now 67 and still stunning. And she is still the boss, as she produces and makes final decisions on her show.

During her years as a superstar, she had some bad press, mainly branding her as a Diva. In retrospect that word should be examined and be contextualized. It is possible that Ms. Ross, to many white writers in Jim Crow America, was branded a Diva because in that era a black female superstar was an anamoly. The glamorous image of a dark-skinned black woman as a sex symbol was an affront on white sensibilities. Many believed then—and still do today—that black women should not be “playing the lady” or be cared and catered to. There’s more history to this fact of American life, which has yet to be articulated extensively in public discourses. However, we won’t address that subject in this column. But for now, know that the word Diva might very well be the pre-Jim Crow code word for a contemporary corollary phrase: “angry” black woman.

And it is with that knowledge, this writer will say that it’s time to give Ms. Ross her proper credit on a grand scale. Her fifty years of entertaining the world was distilled in one exquisite evening last night at the Hartford Bushnell Theater.

And it left the audience, including this writer, wanting more.

Dr. Ann-Marie Adams the founder and editor of The Hartford Guardian. Follow her on Twitter: @annmarieadams
Email us: editor@thehartfordguardian.com

[David J]

Thanks for posting this great review, some inaccuracies [[ her age ) and several inaccurate facts about Diana's career, but nevertheless it is still a heartfelt, and respectful review. Lovely really.

Ms Ross has still definitely got it.

[smark21]

Given how poorly written and researched the article is, where did she get her Ph.D? One of those diploma mills that advertises on daytime talk shows like Maury Povitch or Jerry Springer?

[dba]

Wow not even two people posting to this thread and the negative folks have started spewing their non sense. Do us all a favor and take your negativity elsewhere

[smark21]

Sorry, it may be a positive article, but the shoddy writing and the amount of inaccurate facts in the first half of the article detract from the positive message of the second [[and better) half of the article. And the fact that the writer slapped a Ph.D. after her name for such a deficient piece is even worse and makes thinking readers like myself question her credibility. I like positive articles on Diana Ross, so long as they are well written and accurate with regards to facts. This article did not meet my standards. Diana Ross has high standards when it comes to her professional presentation. Why shouldn’t Diana Ross fans have high standards when it comes to professional writers crafting appreciation pieces? A poorly written article riddled with inaccuracies just makes the writer and the article look bad.

[mindful1]

Loved the review [[errors and all) because it is true! Diana tore the proverbial roof off that theatre! It's what I have found so fascinating about her performances; just when you think complacency may have settled in she pulls out all stops to enthrall an audience...