DR live 79 tour special

[daviddh]

just wanted to discuss this amazing concert/performance
i remember watching this in 1980 while Diana was a huge hit
apparently a special for HBO previously
i think Diana is at her vocal peak her and this is an amazing concert, that finally a few years ago, was released on cd.
i read Getting Ready for Love was performed but edited out
the only song i am not a fan of is I Wanna B Bad.
otherwise an outstanding event.
any thoughts, memories,
any other out takes
it seems a but shorter than a usual concert so i imagine songs were edited out to fit the air time

[reese]

I didn't have HBO when this program first aired but one of my local FM stations did a simulcast. A few years later, this was the first vhs I ever purchased. Actually I rented it first, while special ordering the video. You could do that in those days. :-)

I had seen Diana in concert April 1979, right before THE BOSS was released. So when I heard/saw the HBO show I knew some things had changed. I was pleasantly surprised that she performed so many songs from THE BOSS. I don't think she had done too many album tracks before then. I was also surprised by the strength displayed in her vocals. I particularly enjoyed her lower register, specifically in the numbers from LADY SINGS THE BLUES.

Re the set list, I don't think any songs were edited out of the broadcast other than GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE.

I've seen it on dvd in recent years but I'm sure it is a bootleg. The only official release is the vhs, which was issued twice with slightly different covers.

[vgalindo]

I didn't have HBO when this program first aired but one of my local FM stations did a simulcast. A few years later, this was the first vhs I ever purchased. Actually I rented it first, while special ordering the video. You could do that in those days. :-)

I had seen Diana in concert April 1979, right before THE BOSS was released. So when I heard/saw the HBO show I knew some things had changed. I was pleasantly surprised that she performed so many songs from THE BOSS. I don't think she had done too many album tracks before then. I was also surprised by the strength displayed in her vocals. I particularly enjoyed her lower register, specifically in the numbers from LADY SINGS THE BLUES.

Re the set list, I don't think any songs were edited out of the broadcast other than GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE.

I've seen it on dvd in recent years but I'm sure it is a bootleg. The only official release is the vhs, which was issued twice with slightly different covers.

I also believe the Supremes medley was edited down to just “Baby Love”. I saw clips of this concert at another venue and there was a Supremes Medley. It was also released officially on Laserdisc.

[reese]

I also believe the Supremes medley was edited down to just “Baby Love”. I saw clips of this concert at another venue and there was a Supremes Medley. It was also released officially on Laserdisc.

This could be true. She did the Supremes medley when I saw her as well in 1979.

But when she brought her show around in 1980, a review in the local paper published her set list and it was basically the same as the HBO special with BABY LOVE being the only Supremes song performed. If true, this would have been rare.

I forgot about the Laserdisc version. That shouldn't have slipped my mind especially since I was considering buying the disc even though I didn't have a player.

[Boogiedown]

is this the same show??......
[1980]

[reese]

is this the same show??......
[1980]

I believe I have a bootleg from this 1980 engagement. But since it was in the round, I don't think there was a screen. The set list was similar to the HBO special filmed in 1979.

[Bluebrock]

just wanted to discuss this amazing concert/performance
i remember watching this in 1980 while Diana was a huge hit
apparently a special for HBO previously
i think Diana is at her vocal peak her and this is an amazing concert, that finally a few years ago, was released on cd.
i read Getting Ready for Love was performed but edited out
the only song i am not a fan of is I Wanna B Bad.
otherwise an outstanding event.
any thoughts, memories,
any other out takes
it seems a but shorter than a usual concert so i imagine songs were edited out to fit the air time

Hi David. She was doing two performances most days which would pretty much account for the relatively short set.
I agree she was vocally on fire around this time and very much at the top of her game. She loved The Boss album and was very angry with Motown for "not promoting the hell out of it". She had pretty much decided to leave Motown by this time. Had she had someone to keep tabs on her out of control ego the 80's could have been something special for her and us.

[ejluther]

just wanted to discuss this amazing concert/performance
i remember watching this in 1980 while Diana was a huge hit
apparently a special for HBO previously
i think Diana is at her vocal peak her and this is an amazing concert, that finally a few years ago, was released on cd.
i read Getting Ready for Love was performed but edited out
the only song i am not a fan of is I Wanna B Bad.
otherwise an outstanding event.
any thoughts, memories,
any other out takes
it seems a but shorter than a usual concert so i imagine songs were edited out to fit the air time

It’s on CD?

[sup_fan]

this is an amazing show. it takes all of the over the top greatest from the mid 70s Evening With and combined it with one of [[if not the) strongest album of her career. and you're right! she did 5 of the 8 songs and incorporated the album art into the stage visuals. her performance of My Man on this show was just stunning.

and who could forget the entrance with her video projection and then walking down the staircase. Randy's description of the show in his book was just perfect lol. commenting on this staircase that seemed to stretch into infinity. and how at the ending, the dancers carried her back into the projected image. and then holding her above their heads, they climb the stairs back into the Motown heavens, where she'll reign for all time lol

[reese]

It’s on CD?

It must be a bootleg.

[reese]

this is an amazing show. it takes all of the over the top greatest from the mid 70s Evening With and combined it with one of [[if not the) strongest album of her career. and you're right! she did 5 of the 8 songs and incorporated the album art into the stage visuals. her performance of My Man on this show was just stunning.

and who could forget the entrance with her video projection and then walking down the staircase. Randy's description of the show in his book was just perfect lol. commenting on this staircase that seemed to stretch into infinity. and how at the ending, the dancers carried her back into the projected image. and then holding her above their heads, they climb the stairs back into the Motown heavens, where she'll reign for all time lol

You should have seen it in person or did you? It was one of the greatest things I have ever seen. I had already read a description of the Radio City show in RIGHT ON! magazine so I knew it would be elaborate but not this much.

Also, from my balcony seat, I could see the projectionist area. Imagine my horror when I looked down and saw all of this film unspooled all over. I thought they were going to cancel the show, LOL. But they fixed it, thank goodness.

[sup_fan]

You should have seen it in person or did you? It was one of the greatest things I have ever seen. I had already read a description of the Radio City show in RIGHT ON! magazine so I knew it would be elaborate but not this much.

Also, from my balcony seat, I could see the projectionist area. Imagine my horror when I looked down and saw all of this film unspooled all over. I thought they were going to cancel the show, LOL. But they fixed it, thank goodness.

unfortunately i didn't see in person but would have loved to! and can you imagine the moments of panic and terror in the projection booth. not to criticize but we all know that DR demands perfection lol. so if the projectionist somehow f'd things up, he probably knew he'd be in for it! lol

[reese]

unfortunately i didn't see in person but would have loved to! and can you imagine the moments of panic and terror in the projection booth. not to criticize but we all know that DR demands perfection lol. so if the projectionist somehow f'd things up, he probably knew he'd be in for it! lol

Many years later, I saw Diana at Foxwoods Casino. In addition to her live musicians and backup singers, there was also some additional instrumentation and backup vocals on tape. The backup track for WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE started out of sync from the live musicians and stayed that for the entire first half of the song. I would not have wanted to be the sound man after that performance.

On a related note, I love the tape of Aretha telling her sound man that if he didn't get it together, he would not be getting paid. She went on to say that she and every one else in the venue would meet him in the parking lot, LOL.

[daviddh]

yes there is a cd out now ,came out a few years ago

[sup_fan]

Many years later, I saw Diana at Foxwoods Casino. In addition to her live musicians and backup singers, there was also some additional instrumentation and backup vocals on tape. The backup track for WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE started out of sync from the live musicians and stayed that for the entire first half of the song. I would not have wanted to be the sound man after that performance.

On a related note, I love the tape of Aretha telling her sound man that if he didn't get it together, he would not be getting paid. She went on to say that she and every one else in the venue would meet him in the parking lot, LOL.

oooo the only think i can think of worse the f-ing up Aretha's show would be to reach for a piece of fried chicken on her plate. lol

[reese]

oooo the only think i can think of worse the f-ing up Aretha's show would be to reach for a piece of fried chicken on her plate. lol

You know you're wrong for that!

[Jaap]

It must be a bootleg.

Yes, it is a bootleg [sound is not very good]. Released by Immortal, a Dutch-based company specialized in bootlegs of live recordings. Not sure if they are still in business. And of course they used a picture from much later than the recording.

[reese]

Yes, it is a bootleg [sound is not very good]. Released by Immortal, a Dutch-based company specialized in bootlegs of live recordings. Not sure if they are still in business. And of course they used a picture from much later than the recording.

I've seen some of their other cds taken from VHS sources like Tina Turner's PRIVATE DANCER HBO special.

[Boogiedown]

is this the same show??......
[1980]

I had the pleasure of attending this show . Even though the ad shows that picture of her, Ross had not released that album yet and she didn’t introduce any of the music. IIRC. I worked at a record store in SF and I clearly remember hearing the Chic stuff for the first time there and being thrilled by it.
This ad is most interesting. I have no memory of even a cheese plate much less a gourmet dinner. Knowing me, I’m sure I saved a buck by attending a cheaper show time. Would a gourmet meal have meant the extra dollar

Would Diana have done a 10:30 show and then for a premium $ ?? Seems pretty late and puts a big lag time between shows …. maybe a typo ??

[sup_fan]

You know you're wrong for that!

lolol - i just couldn't resist lol

[sup_fan]

I had the pleasure of attending this show . Even though the ad shows that picture of her, Ross had not released that album yet and she didn’t introduce any of the music. IIRC. I worked at a record store in SF and I clearly remember hearing the Chic stuff for the first time there and being thrilled by it.
This ad is most interesting. I have no memory of even a cheese plate much less a gourmet dinner. Knowing me, I’m sure I saved a buck by attending a cheaper show time. Would a gourmet meal have meant the extra dollar

Would Diana have done a 10:30 show and then for a premium $ ?? Seems pretty late and puts a big lag time between shows …. maybe a typo ??

can you reshare the ad? it doesn't look like the link works

would love to hear some of your stories from SF and that store. did you receive large displays for The Boss? was there any push at your store for the Sups disco albums? seems like, according to the Billboard regional disco charts, San Fran was playing the girls' disco songs.

[reese]

Would Diana have done a 10:30 show and then for a premium $ ?? Seems pretty late and puts a big lag time between shows …. maybe a typo ??

Unless I'm reading the ad wrong, it looks like she did two shows on Saturday [7 & 10:30] and Sunday [6 and 9pm]. She did something similar when she appeared in my area later that year.

[Boogiedown]

Sorry sup I was typing a reply then answered the phone and it disappeared:[[ mood killer , I’ll get back to it …
odd , reese you can see this ad but Sup can’t ??
I see it on my phone.

Doesn’t that seem like a long time between shows on Sat 7:30 to what , 9? , then start the next at 10:30.
Also a show on Thursday at 8:30
and a show on Friday at 8:30.
I believe I saw the show on Thursday the first show. As you mentioned Reese This theater has a circular stage that goes round and round. You can’t escape The audience. I remember Diana turning away from the audience she was facing as best she could , but that meant she was now turned where I could see her face and she scolded the bandleader saying, “this piano is out of tune !”
hee haw that had to be opening night for that to be the case .

[reese]

Doesn’t that seem like a long time between shows on Sat 7:30 to what , 9? , then start the next at 10:30.

That does seem like a long time although it might very well take some time to come down from the high of the first show and then get ready for the next one. I wonder how she felt in the Copa days where on the weekends, they sometimes did three shows a night.

[Spreadinglove21]

At what point did Diana Ross stop taking gigs at venues in which she would have to perform 2 or even 3 shows a night in front of an audience being served food and drinks?

[Bluebrock]

lolol - i just couldn't resist lol

You are very naughty my friend, but that is funny as hell!

[sup_fan]

You are very naughty my friend, but that is funny as hell!

it's funny cuz it's true.

also it can't be considered mean since it's true lol