Diana Ross 'Brilliant and Breathtaking' at City Center

**PeaceNHarmony** · 05-06-2017, 11:40 AM

http://www.out.com/michael-musto/201...were-star-born

Click link and scroll for Musto's rave [[what else!?) review; here's copy-n'-paste:

"At City Center on Friday night [[after having already done several nights there), the dizzying Diana Ross sparkled, providing a lovefest consisting of wondrous oldies and fabulous fashions. She entered in a glittery green gown topped by a green chiffon cape, singing “I’m Coming Out” to thunderous applause from a lot of people who could certainly identify. The Motown legend looked great, smiled infectiously, and definitely wasn’t phoning it in. Rather than toss off a quickie melody of Supremes hits, she did entire versions of many of them—like “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” and “You Can’t Hurry Love”—delivering each one with such loving care, you felt it was her first time performing them. Singing the haunting “My World Is Empty Without You,” she was backed by slides of late, lamented music legends who’ve left a void. Joking “This is my life story,” Diana went into a captivating “Love Child” [[“Scorned by society… Different from the rest”) and during an instrumental riff at the end of the song, she went offstage, then re-emerged in a red sparkly gown and furry jacket, singing a rollicking “The Boss,” by now having reminded us that at 73, that’s exactly what she is. This led to winning versions of “Touch Me In the Morning,” “Upside Down,” “Love Hangover,” and “Ease on Down The Road” [[from The Wiz), as I realized that Diana was determined to serve a full platter of career highlights, making for a hearty meal of glittery nostalgia. After another change—into something that was very Big Bird by way of Liberace—she delivered a stunning version of Billie Holiday’s “Don’t Explain” [[which Miss Ross performed in her Oscar-nominated Lady Sings The Blues). It was unfettered and direct and brilliant and breathtaking—the high point of the evening. And I was thrilled to know there was even more to come. I turned to my friend and said, “She’d better do Mahogany,” and sure enough, after yet another fashion switcheroo, Diana gave us that kitschily appealing theme song. And she really had the audience going with “I Will Survive,” encoring with her trademark crowd connecter, “Reach Out and Touch [[Somebody’s Hand)” as arms waved and we swayed as one. As the band played some more “Survive” riffs, daughter Rhonda Ross Kendrick came up to sing a few bars and then they all exited, with Diana professing love for each and every one of us. I wish they’d have played her off with one of her own songs—maybe “Someday We’ll Be Together” or “Remember Me”—and I also wish the concert had gone on for 100 more hours, so I could hear “In and Out of Love,” “The Composer” and so many others of my faves—but that wouldn’t be realistic, and to paraphrase the Billie Holliday ditty: “Don’t complain.” Diana gave 100 percent, and the result reminded us of the power of showmanship, star quality and live singing."