Ross Rocks Hollywood Bowl

[TheMotownManiac]

DATELINE: HOLLYWOOD.......While it's not unusual to sell out The Hollywood Bowl, it's also not "the norm." Tonight at 6pm, 400 fans of classic Motown ended their hours-long lottery-style wait for the release of an estimated 32 tickets. While some were singles in the bleachers, 4 lucky ticket holders got second tier box seats for this non-subscriber event [[although subscribers did have first dibbs on purchases.)

Tonight Diana Ross brought a stunning show to the LA landmark packed with the most diverse crowd humanly possible. All ages, races, socio-economic backgrounds and levels of celebrity shared a commonality of song. Resplendent in red, blue, black, orange and other shades, her magnificent voice and performance expertise brought The Bowl to it's knees. Opening with I'm Coming Out, then The Boss for the next set, Ross' voice was strong, precise and clear throughout the hit laden evening, although my favorite song of the night, "It's Hard For Me To Say" was sung with such exquisite emotive tenderness, the recorded version pales by comparison.

Back to the party, but this was THE ticket to have in L.A. this weekend. All you could hear after the show was raves. Much better production than the bare bones event she brought here in 2008.

[REDHOT]

OK there we have it,the review,like i said before, a lot of the ticket's sold at The Hollywood Bowl,are season ticket's,they were sold around the first of the year,no matter who,was gonna be there,the ticket's were sold,that's why this person,that reviewd the show, stated that it's not unusual to sellout The Hollywood Bowl,all in all,Diana come's out SUPREME,i notice her fans were postin' sold out all over the place,but no one gave a review of her show,i wonder why? mmmmmmmmm lol

[skooldem1]

LOL. You are so funny. Why are you so obsessed over the amount of people that went to see Diana Ross, and if they were season ticket holders or not? Season ticket holders still have to come out of their pocket [[lots of money) for a season ticket. You do know that if there is an event that you DON"t want to attend that you don't have to right? The fact of the matter is that 18,000 people went to see Diana Ross. If you want reviews maybe you should read through the thousands from Twitter last night. I'm afraid that you won't read the kind of reviews that you want to see. Diana Ross sold out the venue and received rave reviews. How great is it that Diana Ross can still pull an audience of 18,000? It's great isn't it? Many celebrities were there also, I've read several accounts, there was Debbie Allen, J Lo, Courtney Cox, Meagan Good, Raven Simone, Halle Berry, and many others I'm sure. People marveled at how good she sounded and how great she looked.

[Methuselah2]

RHONDA performing at the show!

http://ph.cdn.photos.upi.com/view/up...os-Angeles.jpg

DIANA performing at the show!

http://cdn.ph.upi.com/ol/upi/2916644...S-PERFORMS.jpg

TRACEE hosting the show!

http://ph.cdn.photos.upi.com/view/up...os-Angeles.jpg

EVAN performing at the show!

http://ph.cdn.photos.upi.com/view/up...os-Angeles.jpg

ME posting pictures of the show!

http://sunnydogplace.com/images/dog_on_computer.jpg

[REDHOT]

Obsessed LOL,now really,I just stated the facts,just like the person who did the review,remember i also said,Diana comes out of this SUPREME,REALLY LOL.
GREAT picture's Methuselah,thanks for sharing,
p.s since you were there,why don't you give us your review Skooldem?

[supremester]

Dear Red Hot: Thank you for staying positive! Most arenas have corporate booths or suites and The Hollywood Bowl does as well. The attendance in these season ticket seats are counted as paid attendance for hockey games, concerts, lectures and whatever. When Beyonce or MJ sold out an arena, did you add a caveat that the suites were sold before they knew MJ was coming? Get a grip! What makes Miss Ross' sellout a standout [[beside the rather high ticket scale) is that most Bowl Shows are part of a package. Hers was not included in any package, and the seats, minus the SMALL PERCENTAGE of year-long subscribers, RARELY sell out in this fashion.

[skooldem1]

Obsessed LOL,now really,I just stated the facts,just like the person who did the review,remember i also said,Diana comes out of this SUPREME,REALLY LOL.
GREAT picture's Methuselah,thanks for sharing,
p.s since you were there,why don't you give us your review Skooldem?

I didn't say I attended this show.

[Methuselah2]

LA Times review:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...tory?track=rss

[jillfoster]

RHONDA performing at the show!

http://ph.cdn.photos.upi.com/view/up...os-Angeles.jpg

DIANA performing at the show!

http://cdn.ph.upi.com/ol/upi/2916644...S-PERFORMS.jpg

TRACEE hosting the show!

http://ph.cdn.photos.upi.com/view/up...os-Angeles.jpg

EVAN performing at the show!

http://ph.cdn.photos.upi.com/view/up...os-Angeles.jpg

ME posting pictures of the show!

http://sunnydogplace.com/images/dog_on_computer.jpg

Someone should have taken a better picture of Rhonda... that expression on her face make it look like she's possessed by the devil, and pea soup is getting ready to spew forth at any moment. Surely, someone could have found a more flattering shot. If I were Rhonda, I'd be mortified.

[marv2]

Someone should have taken a better picture of Rhonda... that expression on her face make it look like she's possessed by the devil, and pea soup is getting ready to spew forth at any moment. Surely, someone could have found a more flattering shot. If I were Rhonda, I'd be mortified.

Whaaaat? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[marv2]

LA Times review:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...tory?track=rss

Vindication! This review almost states word for word what some of us had been saying in the thread: " Diana Ross on Legacy and Life New Interview"!

Stale set list, weak vocals........He did his best to wrap Christmas tree lights around it all, but the truth was just too strong, hehehehehehehehehe!

[Jimi LaLumia]

we all need to keep harping where ever we can to get Miss Ross to come and sell out Madison Square Garden again on this tour [[like she did during 'Return To Love')... almost every where but New York is listed for this tour!..c'mon, Lady!

[marv2]

we all need to keep harping where ever we can to get Miss Ross to come and sell out Madison Square Garden again on this tour [[like she did during 'Return To Love')... almost every where but New York is listed for this tour!..c'mon, Lady!

Jimi, why don't you try to get her to come to Long Island? To sell out Jones Beach? Gives her a chance to make up with the Island since we were the ones that shut it all down when Jones Beach cancelled her Supremes tour........

[skooldem1]

She already made it up to "the island". I saw her not too long after that, at the Westbury Music fair, and it was one of the best shows I've seen. I went with a friend and they commented that this was like a sporting event. The crowd was wild, they were really into it. The island welcomed her with open arms.

[marv2]

"her voice, though no longer able to hit those glorious high notes, remains remarkably supple...."

"After making her entrance with her 1980 classic “I’m Coming Out,”

"Although her vocals were initially a little rusty, she was charismatic and commanding"

"Her set list has calcified a bit, which is unfortunate, given the vastness of her catalog."

"The night got off to a rocky start with opening acts Rhonda Ross, Pentatonix and Evan Ross. Rhonda, the perfect physical fusion of her mom and her dad [[Berry Gordy) has a lot of her mother’s stage mannerisms and intonation, but her voice is largely nondescript, and was put in the service of completely forgettable original songs. Evan Ross was the definition of lackluster"

[marv2]

She already made it up to "the island". I saw her not too long after that, at the Westbury Music fair, and it was one of the best shows I've seen. I went with a friend and they commented that this was like a sporting event. The crowd was wild, they were really into it. The island welcomed her with open arms.

I wasn't counting that one. 2002, right? That is the one every said that she was so drunk she almost fell over. You know that was the show before rehab.

[Ryon6]

But in the end, she rocked the Hollywood Bowl as the headline states!

[marv2]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...tory?track=rss
At age 69, Diana Ross is no longer the sylph fashionista who forged the template for modern pop diva-dom. Mother of five and grandmother of two, she’s still glamorous and beautiful [[appearing a good two decades younger than she is) and her voice, though no longer able to hit those glorious high notes, remains remarkably supple.


It’s precisely because her voice is still so wonderfully emotive that her sold-out Hollywood Bowl concert Saturday night was both thrilling and frustrating. After making her entrance with her 1980 classic “I’m Coming Out,” Ross segued into a run of Supremes hits that were performed in full -- “Come See About Me,” “Where Did Our Love Go?,” “Baby Love” and “You Can’t Hurry Love.” Although her vocals were initially a little rusty, she was charismatic and commanding, holding concertgoers in the palm of her hand as they sang along to song after song. This segment of the show also contained one of the emotional highlights of the evening.

As Ross crooned “My World Is Empty Without You,” the screen behind her flashed rare photos and performance footage of various Motown greats, not only artists such as Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations and the Jackson 5, but also lesser known groups as well as session musicians. It was a generous gesture that went beyond an artist merely rifling through her celebrity-filled old photo albums; it was a reminder of the centrality of Motown records to modern pop culture. And images of the late Supreme Florence Ballard, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell made the trip down memory lane unexpectedly moving.

TIMELINE: Summer's must see concerts

As the evening progressed and a variety of glittering gowns were rotated, the singer’s voice warmed up and she hit her stride, offering the lovely, jazz-tinged arrangement of “Touch Me in the Morning” that she’s favored in recent years, and then whipping the crowd into a dancing mob with the likes of “Upside Down,” “The Boss” and “Love Hangover.” But it was her show-stopping take on “Don’t Explain” that brought the audience to a hush, earning one of the night’s heartiest ovations. Her voice was crystalline and full of shading that did Billie Holiday proud.

It would have been a perfect set-up for her to tread into a quieter mode and demonstrate, yet again, what a dazzling jazz singer she’s become. Instead, she and her band immediately rushed head-long into a bouncy “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” that ruptured the moment and seemed to catch the audience off-guard.

Although the evening was peppered with songs beloved by die-hard fans [[“It’s Hard for Me to Say,” penned for her by the late Luther Vandross, and the underrated dance track “Take Me Higher”), it was perhaps overly familiar to those who’ve caught Ross in concert over the last several years. Her set list has calcified a bit, which is unfortunate, given the vastness of her catalog. The last time she really did justice to her own artistic accomplishments was at the Pantages in 2004, where she dusted off some Ashford & Simpson tracks she rarely performs, and wowed the audience with an exquisite "Lady Sings the Blues" segment.

PHOTOS: Concerts by The Times

Still, the night at the Bowl was ultimately a success. We might wish she were a bit more adventurous in reminding us just how staggeringly expansive her musical palette actually is, but nothing can deny the goose-bump effect of thousands of people leaping to their feet in unison at the first strains of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and then turning the song’s performance into a near spiritual experience.

The night got off to a rocky start with opening acts Rhonda Ross, Pentatonix and Evan Ross. Rhonda, the perfect physical fusion of her mom and her dad [[Berry Gordy) has a lot of her mother’s stage mannerisms and intonation, but her voice is largely nondescript, and was put in the service of completely forgettable original songs. Evan Ross was the definition of lackluster. Hiding behind aviator sunglasses for most of his brief set, he barely moved while onstage and possesses not an iota of his mother’s [[admittedly massive) stage presence.

Vocally, he fits right in with the generic, adenoidal style of singing currently in vogue in R&B, though his cover of Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It,” showed flickers of vocal influences from both Jackson and the song’s writer, Wonder.

The a cappella group Pentatonix, a condensed and more talented riff on TV's "Glee," turned in an ill-advised cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” before winning back the crowd with a trek through the history of music, which started with choral chants before touching down with Beyoncé.

But vocalist Scott Hoying provided a record-scratch moment when introducing the group. With the guys, he appended a nod to their musical role in the group [[“This is our bass; this is our soprano; this is our beat-box.”) But when introducing Kirstie Maldonado, the lone woman in the outfit, he said simply, “This is our lady.” Scott, you must do better.

[skooldem1]

You forgot the headline:

Diana Ross still show-stopping at the Hollywood Bowl

[marv2]

http://www.ocregister.com/soundcheck...s-evening.html


Her appearance at Hollywood Bowl Saturday night was a fast-paced, hit-driven 70 minutes, covering her career with the Supremes, her solo work and a selection of covers. But it was also something of a bloodless affair, little more than a jukebox revue with costume changes, revealing little about Ross and her relation ...

[skooldem1]

Awww. Whats the matter? You mad?

[milven]

Oh Marv How far Miss Ross has fallen. Playing the decrepit Hollywood Bowl singing the same ol' same ol'

At this rate, we probably can expect her to soon be booked as the opening act for Herman's Hermits on the oldies circuit and having to split the $35 ticket price with three other acts.

[Roberta75]

22 messages in this thread and po marv2 posted 7 of them. lolololol

Bless his Diane obseesed heart. lol

Roberta

[Kamasu_Jr]

Obviously he is very bothered that Diana Ross sold out the Bowl. I bet he's foaming at the mouth and cussing like that girl in the Exorcist. Somebody get the holy water and splash Marv with some. And make sure his head doesn't twist around and he spits out some of that green stuff that's been churning in his guts.

[marv2]

22 messages in this thread and po marv2 posted 7 of them. lolololol

Bless his Diane obseesed heart. lol

Roberta

Yeah, Diane needs someone to be honest about her situation. She shouldn't have to live under the pressure of her fans proclaiming that she is "Dian-0-Mite".................................when she really isn't <G>

[jobeterob]

22 messages in this thread and po marv2 posted 7 of them. lolololol

Bless his Diane obseesed heart. lol

Roberta

Marv LOVES Diana!

A question for him only: did Mary sell out the retirement trailer park in Florida where they were photocopying pages to announce the show and various birthdays and potlucks?

[marv2]

Marv LOVES Diana!

A question for him only: did Mary sell out the retirement trailer park in Florida where they were photocopying pages to announce the show and various birthdays and potlucks?

Jobeterob, it said that Diane's show was stale and not very good but her zombie like fans loved it. Ate it up with a spoon! It was disappointing to hear that Diane's 43 year old daughter being compared to a excorcism character. Scary..........

[supremester]

Honest? Guuuuuuuurl..... like YOU? LOL!!! You, whose nickname on another board is Lielac? LOLOLOL!!! The kind of petty libel you do by taking a good review and creating a deceptive result by using extreme omissions is now illegal in most states. I read both reviews - both quite positive. Your desperate, thilly, weird obsession with slamming a total stranger is.........."odd" don't you think? [[Nearly everyone else does - INCLUDING Mary Wilson, btw LOL!!!) BTW while I believe Zant 110%, I hope to meet you in person at the next Mary Wilson event you attend. PLEASE let me know when it is. I will pay for your admission and/or cocktails.......not like a date or anything, just guys hanging together. You know. Then we can hang with Mary after so I can see that warm, loving hug after she reads Detroitlives1313 101. LOL!!!

[supremester]

I'm sorry.......WHERE does it say "weak vocals and stale set list?" I'll bold the reference you might be misquoting, honeylamb. Diana Ross wows the crowd at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday night. [[Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

By Ernest Hardy August 4, 2013, 2:21 p.m.


At age 69, Diana Ross is no longer the sylph fashionista who forged the template for modern pop diva-dom. Mother of five and grandmother of two, she’s still glamorous and beautiful [[appearing a good two decades younger than she is) and her voice, though no longer able to hit those glorious high notes, remains remarkably supple.
It’s precisely because her voice is still so wonderfully emotive that her sold-out Hollywood Bowl concert Saturday night was both thrilling and frustrating. After making her entrance with her 1980 classic “I’m Coming Out,” Ross segued into a run of Supremes hits that were performed in full -- “Come See About Me,” “Where Did Our Love Go?,” “Baby Love” and “You Can’t Hurry Love.” Although her vocals were initially a little rusty, she was charismatic and commanding, holding concertgoers in the palm of her hand as they sang along to song after song. This segment of the show also contained one of the emotional highlights of the evening.
As Ross crooned “My World Is Empty Without You,” the screen behind her flashed rare photos and performance footage of various Motown greats, not only artists such as Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations and the Jackson 5, but also lesser known groups as well as session musicians. It was a generous gesture that went beyond an artist merely rifling through her celebrity-filled old photo albums; it was a reminder of the centrality of Motown records to modern pop culture. And images of the late Supreme Florence Ballard, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell made the trip down memory lane unexpectedly moving.
TIMELINE: Summer's must see concerts
As the evening progressed and a variety of glittering gowns were rotated, the singer’s voice warmed up and she hit her stride, offering the lovely, jazz-tinged arrangement of “Touch Me in the Morning” that she’s favored in recent years, and then whipping the crowd into a dancing mob with the likes of “Upside Down,” “The Boss” and “Love Hangover.” But it was her show-stopping take on “Don’t Explain” that brought the audience to a hush, earning one of the night’s heartiest ovations. Her voice was crystalline and full of shading that did Billie Holiday proud.
It would have been a perfect set-up for her to tread into a quieter mode and demonstrate, yet again, what a dazzling jazz singer she’s become. Instead, she and her band immediately rushed head-long into a bouncy “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” that ruptured the moment and seemed to catch the audience off-guard.
Although the evening was peppered with songs beloved by die-hard fans [[“It’s Hard for Me to Say,” penned for her by the late Luther Vandross, and the underrated dance track “Take Me Higher”), it was perhaps overly familiar to those who’ve caught Ross in concert over the last several years. Her set list has calcified a bit, which is unfortunate, given the vastness of her catalog. The last time she really did justice to her own artistic accomplishments was at the Pantages in 2004, where she dusted off some Ashford & Simpson tracks she rarely performs, and wowed the audience with an exquisite "Lady Sings the Blues" segment.
PHOTOS: Concerts by The Times
Still, the night at the Bowl was ultimately a success. We might wish she were a bit more adventurous in reminding us just how staggeringly expansive her musical palette actually is, but nothing can deny the goose-bump effect of thousands of people leaping to their feet in unison at the first strains of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and then turning the song’s performance into a near spiritual experience. SO MARV: WHERE IS STALE AND WEAK VOCALS?? Next time you see Gladys - have her dedicate "Imagination" to you. LOL!!!

Vindication! This review almost states word for word what some of us had been saying in the thread: " Diana Ross on Legacy and Life New Interview"!

Stale set list, weak vocals........He did his best to wrap Christmas tree lights around it all, but the truth was just too strong, hehehehehehehehehe!

[captainjames]

Diana Ross still show-stopping at the Hollywood Bowl
That is the key of how the evening went. What the reporter failed to write is that Rhonda and Evan are not seasoned performers but did better than most would have done in front of an audience of around 18,000 -20,000 fans for the first time. Good exposure for them !!!!
At 69 there are only a couple of performers that I can think of that would have done as well as she did and they are not the ones everyone is probably thinking of.

Attachment 6964Attachment 6965

[marv2]

Honest? Guuuuuuuurl..... like YOU? LOL!!! You, whose nickname on another board is Lielac? LOLOLOL!!! The kind of petty libel you do by taking a good review and creating a deceptive result by using extreme omissions is now illegal in most states. I read both reviews - both quite positive. Your desperate, thilly, weird obsession with slamming a total stranger is.........."odd" don't you think? [[Nearly everyone else does - INCLUDING Mary Wilson, btw LOL!!!) BTW while I believe Zant 110%, I hope to meet you in person at the next Mary Wilson event you attend. PLEASE let me know when it is. I will pay for your admission and/or cocktails.......not like a date or anything, just guys hanging together. You know. Then we can hang with Mary after so I can see that warm, loving hug after she reads Detroitlives1313 101. LOL!!!

Ignoring all that blather you just posted [[I don't have time to read it...) I had to be sure that all this ranting and raving you and your buds were doing over Diane's Bowl concert was just that. She really wasn't all that and her kids didn't make much better of a showing. I'm satisfied now with Redhot's question earlier! LOL~!!!!

[captainjames]

"It was a generous gesture that went beyond an artist merely rifling through her celebrity-filled old photo albums; it was a reminder of the centrality of Motown records to modern pop culture. And images of the late Supreme Florence Ballard, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell made the trip down memory lane unexpectedly moving." There were also images of the Tempts as well.

[supremester]

I can imagine just how busy you are than you can't be interrupted with your Ross bashing to read my post, except you did read it - otherwise you wouldn't have gone out of your way to claim that you didn't. It's psychology 101 [[going out of your way to cover up - the elaboration of bad liars.) I'll be posting the OC REview in it's entirety so that those who care will know the ENTIRE concept and tone of the review. If I were you, I'd stay busy and not read that one either LOL!!!

Ignoring all that blather you just posted [[I don't have time to read it...) I had to be sure that all this ranting and raving you and your buds were doing over Diane's Bowl concert was just that. She really wasn't all that and her kids didn't make much better of a showing. I'm satisfied now with Redhot's question earlier! LOL~!!!!

[milven]

Marv, you took a fairly positive review of Diana at the Bowl and presented it here as if it was negative. And from reading your posts here, it seems that you get yourself all excited whenever there is something negative about Diana. Be careful. You're gonna stain your clothing.

[Jimi LaLumia]

OMG!!!!!..ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha HA!.. [[see, we can post like maniacs TOO!!!)...lol
" did Mary sell out the retirement trailer park in Florida where they were photocopying pages to announce the show and various birthdays and potlucks?"
so very RIGHT ON!!

[supremester]

And that surprises you because.........................................?? ??? He left out something from The OC review:

"There were presented not quite as a medley but also not as fully-realized versions of the songs, save for "Love Child," one of the evening's highlights [[and coincidentally a Supremes song in name only)."

Marv, you took a fairly positive review of Diana at the Bowl and presented it here as if it was negative. And from reading your posts here, it seems that you get yourself all excited whenever there is something negative about Diana. Be careful. You're gonna stain your clothing.

[marv2]

Marv, you took a fairly positive review of Diana at the Bowl and presented it here as if it was negative. And from reading your posts here, it seems that you get yourself all excited whenever there is something negative about Diana. Be careful. You're gonna stain your clothing.

I also posted the entire review since none of Diane's fans here seem to want to do it. I am sorry that she was not that good. The reviewer tried hard to cover that up, but it is what it is. At least she didn't stoop to going around barefoot on the stage as she did in Brasil last week. Look on the bright side.

[supremester]

I posted it in full dear. Did you love the OC:
"Love Child," one of the evening's highlights [[and coincidentally a Supremes song in name only). LOL!!!

She can play barefoot and still net a quarter of a million per night in the A List venues in South America, so the Supreme tootsies are safe. It would be different if she had to play trailer parks or covered flat bed pickups in Texas on July 4th LOL!!!

[thisoldheart]

jeez, another pathetic pro versus anti ross fan fight. the rest of us here are truly bored by this two sided unkind behavior.

[David J]

Diana Ross Dazzles Hollywood Bowl


WOW! There I was with in an entourage of six people with scalper tickets valued at $2700 for prime garden box seats at the Hollywood Bowl worried Miss Diana Ross would put on a scaled down concert and disappoint not only my friends [[who had never seen her), but also the 17,000 SOLD OUT fans.

I could hardly eat the food we had brought as I was wrought with nerves. My worries were unwarranted.

First off, Tracee Ross emerged on stage as the emcee.
Then Rhonda Ross sang three jazz songs giving it her all.
She was followed by an acapella group called Phonetix.
Then Tracee introduced Evan Ross announcing his new CD would drop in Sep. [[Unfortunately, he sang flat and chose so-so songs; I've heard better ones online).

Nevertheless, it was great seeing the family together. Even they referred to their mom as Miss Ross. "We're going to have a short 20 min intermission before Miss Diana Ross takes the stage, and if you know anything about my mother, she's very punctual so make sure you make it back from the restrooms in time," Tracee said lightheartedly.

And then...blackness. I had my fingers crossed the diva would have her lavish 2010 stage with that giant video screen. She did! The symphonic overture began. Then the images flashed across the scene like lightning as the music got louder and fans started screaming.

ARE. YOU. READY. -- I'm Coming Out. The crowd went crazy as Ross emerged [[not from a rising stage this time), but via steps center stage in a sparkling emerald and silver beaded gown and chiffon cape. She looked like a million bucks and had just stepped out of a time machine.

After More Today Than Yesterday, "Motown" flashed on the screen to much applause. Ross tore into My World Is Empty Without You, Come See About Me, Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love and You Can't Hurry Love with a new montage of vintage Motown acts flashing across the screen including many with The Supremes. Parts of the audience began dancing.

Next: Touch Me In The Morning [[lovely!) followed by a salsa-infused Love Child. The crowd was mesmerized by the Ross magic and loving not only the stage screen that projected an ever-flowing montage of Ross images and graphics, but also the Bowl's camera work that provided close ups of Ross on the giant stage R and L video screens.

After Love Child, a costume change. Red gown: Upside Down. Most of the audience was up and jamming by this time. Then It's Hard For Me To Say, a song I personally love. Next: Love Hangover/ Take Me Higher/ Ease On Down The Road -- the younger crowd ate up Higher [[I'm part of that crowd).

Blue gown: Jazz time with The Look of Love and Don't Explain. Boom: Why Do Fools Fall In Love.

Yellow gown: Theme From Mahogany/ Ain't No Mountain High Enough. Entire stadium was on its feet by now.

She closed with another costume change. Black gown/ green wrap: I Will Survive, exited the stage, and ended with a reprise of Survive, and then the night was over despite pleas for an encore.

I looked back and was stunned to see the entire stadium on its feet having a blast. True Idol worship. Sure Barbra Streisand gets her standing ovations, but she doesn't get them dancing in the aisles and worked into a frenzy like Ross. Ditto with Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick. In terms of veteran artists, only Cher, Tina Turner, Donna Summer and Diana Ross can work that kind of energy at this age.

Whilst it may have been the same set list, there was something special about this concert. Not only because of the staging and her family sharing the stage, but also because her home town came out in full force to support her. There were also lot of luminaries and family friends in the audience. She gave it her all, moving, dancing, belting it out. She was triumphant and simply radiated. Tabloids, books, controversies? Nothing. Just good vibes. People out for a night of nostalgia, contemporary glamor and fun.

She was in fine voice save for a few hoarse notes, but otherwise fantastic. The new gowns were great and she looked superb. Energetic, youthful, vibrant, glowing, happy.

At 69, Ross still has it. And I believe she isn't done yet.
Whether or not she records again, who knows, but I'm betting she'll pull out one grand finale tour before - dare I say - she retires.

Long live The Queen.

[Methuselah2]

27 minutes of Diana's performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgsdWhul18k

Thanks to Grady Johnson for the YouTube posting.

[David J]

Diana Ross celebrates 40 years of fabulousness in a flamboyant ... Daily Mail

[marv2]

http://www.ocregister.com/entertainm...e-64162--.html



Diana Ross serves up satisfying nostalgia at Hollywood Bowl

Review: Four years since her triumphant return to performing, however, the iconic diva is showing signs of fatigue.


When Diana Ross returned to live performing four years ago, wowing critics and fans alike with a brief 11-date tour that included an indelible appearance at the Pantages Theatre, the result was nothing short of triumphant.

After more than a decade away, the Motown diva was suddenly in miraculously strong form, fully recovered from a stint in rehab two years earlier after a drunk-driving arrest and, two years before that, a botched Supremes reunion that went nowhere fast. Surely no one came away that night anticipating that Ross would restore any record-store bankability; she hasn't been a major seller since "Endless Love" at the start of the '80s, her ensuing work noticed only by staunch devotees, though "I Love You," her collection of rock covers from 2006, has pushed past the 100,000 mark.





STILL A CROWD-PLEASER: Diana Ross, 64, seen here performing in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 9, offered a pleasing 75-minute set stuffed full of Supremes smashes, '70s ballads and more recent covers Friday night at the Hollywood Bowl. [[Ms. Ross did not permit photographers at the Bowl.)

STEFFEN SCHMIDT, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Diana Ross
•Where: The Hollywood Bowl
•When: July 25
•Next: The diva performs again at the Bowl Saturday night at 8:30
•How much: $10-$149
•Call: 714-740-2000
•Online: www.ticketmaster.com, www.laphil.org







Set list
Click here to find out everything Lady Supreme played at the Bowl.




What that show proved, however, was that Ross, having then just entered her 60s, still had a future as a cherished American icon capable of expertly reviving her '60s and '70s pop-soul gems while packing almost as much power [[if not elasticity) in her reedy purr as she exhibited at the time of … well, maybe not "Lady Sings the Blues," but certainly "The Boss." As had been the case with Barbra Streisand or Bette Midler or [[if you caught her on a good night) Aretha Franklin, Ross had reminded that she could still be a showstopper, one who relies on few frills.

Cut to her likeable but by no means spectacular performance Friday at the Hollywood Bowl, her first of two nights at the venerable venue this weekend - and now I just don't know what to think. My kinder side wants to view it as a pleasant evening of nostalgic entertainment. But my critical side can't help but notice the flaws - how hoarse she was in her mid-range, how many times her voice cracked, how it all felt like Vegas plastic, not the sort of crowning achievement one expects from a star of her caliber in such an auspicious headlining stint.

Granted, familiarity does indeed breed contempt, and the surprise of 2004 wasn't apt to be repeated. She performed then like a tarnished legend with something to prove; she performed here like an old pro merely seeing to it that people got their money's worth.

And, to be fair, they did, even from a 75-minute, four-gown show that should have been longer and started earlier. [[The L.A. Philharmonic was solid as ever on two jazzy symphonic pieces, Richard Rodgers' "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" and Duke Ellington's "Harlem." But that appetizer wasn't entirely necessary.)

Announcing at the outset that she would journey through "my lifetime of music, starting with the good old days," Ross didn't miss many signposts. You wanted Supremes smashes? You got five effervescent heartbreakers right off the bat: "My World Is Empty without You," "Where Did Our Love Go?," "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love." You prefer her big ballads? How about the sad affair of "Touch Me in the Morning" or the questioning "Theme from Mahogany"? [["Endless Love" was curiously absent, but I think it got cut on the spot when either Ross got the set list mixed up and started - and then stopped - the wrong song, or she failed to inform the band that time was short and she was skipping it.)

Or perhaps you dig it most when Diana does disco. No sweat - here's "Upside Down," there's an encore of "I Will Survive." Then again, maybe you're the sort who doesn't actually care what she plays, so long as she keeps her Cher-like parade of ridiculously skin-tight dresses moving. [[The first, red with billowing arms of tulle, was the most over-the-top. The last, canary-yellow with a plunging neckline, also had the longest train. The slinky one during the Billie Holiday sequence was the most appropriate, both for the music and her physique. All were so heavily drenched with sequins that the sparkle must have been visible from the dark side of the moon.)

Were I to have checked my thinking cap at the entrance, I, too, would consider Ross' revue a nice diversion, a fine summer's night out. Honestly, the crowd seemed so delighted by set's end, that's pretty much where I'd prefer to leave off my critique. Actually, I was so impressed by yet another contoured version of "Don't Explain," that kinda made it all worthwhile for me - and makes me wish she'd indulge an entire evening of such singing, where the rasp of later life adds nuances younger vocalists can't possibly achieve.

Still, I can't shake some reservations. You tell me: What does it mean when Ross belts the high notes of "More Today Than Yesterday" with more oomph and pizzazz than those of her own classics? That her perma-smile and poodle hair now hides the soul of a seasoned interpreter who wishes she were taken seriously as something other than a nostalgia merchant? Or is it that she's already growing tired of the routine again?

Contact the writer: 714-796-2248 or bwener@ocregister.com

[Roberta75]

http://www.ocregister.com/entertainm...e-64162--.html



Diana Ross serves up satisfying nostalgia at Hollywood Bowl

Review: Four years since her triumphant return to performing, however, the iconic diva is showing signs of fatigue.


When Diana Ross returned to live performing four years ago, wowing critics and fans alike with a brief 11-date tour that included an indelible appearance at the Pantages Theatre, the result was nothing short of triumphant.

After more than a decade away, the Motown diva was suddenly in miraculously strong form, fully recovered from a stint in rehab two years earlier after a drunk-driving arrest and, two years before that, a botched Supremes reunion that went nowhere fast. Surely no one came away that night anticipating that Ross would restore any record-store bankability; she hasn't been a major seller since "Endless Love" at the start of the '80s, her ensuing work noticed only by staunch devotees, though "I Love You," her collection of rock covers from 2006, has pushed past the 100,000 mark.





STILL A CROWD-PLEASER: Diana Ross, 64, seen here performing in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 9, offered a pleasing 75-minute set stuffed full of Supremes smashes, '70s ballads and more recent covers Friday night at the Hollywood Bowl. [[Ms. Ross did not permit photographers at the Bowl.)

STEFFEN SCHMIDT, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MORE PHOTOS »



Diana Ross
•Where: The Hollywood Bowl
•When: July 25
•Next: The diva performs again at the Bowl Saturday night at 8:30
•How much: $10-$149
•Call: 714-740-2000
•Online: www.ticketmaster.com, www.laphil.org







Set list
Click here to find out everything Lady Supreme played at the Bowl.




What that show proved, however, was that Ross, having then just entered her 60s, still had a future as a cherished American icon capable of expertly reviving her '60s and '70s pop-soul gems while packing almost as much power [[if not elasticity) in her reedy purr as she exhibited at the time of … well, maybe not "Lady Sings the Blues," but certainly "The Boss." As had been the case with Barbra Streisand or Bette Midler or [[if you caught her on a good night) Aretha Franklin, Ross had reminded that she could still be a showstopper, one who relies on few frills.

Cut to her likeable but by no means spectacular performance Friday at the Hollywood Bowl, her first of two nights at the venerable venue this weekend - and now I just don't know what to think. My kinder side wants to view it as a pleasant evening of nostalgic entertainment. But my critical side can't help but notice the flaws - how hoarse she was in her mid-range, how many times her voice cracked, how it all felt like Vegas plastic, not the sort of crowning achievement one expects from a star of her caliber in such an auspicious headlining stint.

Granted, familiarity does indeed breed contempt, and the surprise of 2004 wasn't apt to be repeated. She performed then like a tarnished legend with something to prove; she performed here like an old pro merely seeing to it that people got their money's worth.

And, to be fair, they did, even from a 75-minute, four-gown show that should have been longer and started earlier. [[The L.A. Philharmonic was solid as ever on two jazzy symphonic pieces, Richard Rodgers' "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" and Duke Ellington's "Harlem." But that appetizer wasn't entirely necessary.)

Announcing at the outset that she would journey through "my lifetime of music, starting with the good old days," Ross didn't miss many signposts. You wanted Supremes smashes? You got five effervescent heartbreakers right off the bat: "My World Is Empty without You," "Where Did Our Love Go?," "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love." You prefer her big ballads? How about the sad affair of "Touch Me in the Morning" or the questioning "Theme from Mahogany"? [["Endless Love" was curiously absent, but I think it got cut on the spot when either Ross got the set list mixed up and started - and then stopped - the wrong song, or she failed to inform the band that time was short and she was skipping it.)

Or perhaps you dig it most when Diana does disco. No sweat - here's "Upside Down," there's an encore of "I Will Survive." Then again, maybe you're the sort who doesn't actually care what she plays, so long as she keeps her Cher-like parade of ridiculously skin-tight dresses moving. [[The first, red with billowing arms of tulle, was the most over-the-top. The last, canary-yellow with a plunging neckline, also had the longest train. The slinky one during the Billie Holiday sequence was the most appropriate, both for the music and her physique. All were so heavily drenched with sequins that the sparkle must have been visible from the dark side of the moon.)

Were I to have checked my thinking cap at the entrance, I, too, would consider Ross' revue a nice diversion, a fine summer's night out. Honestly, the crowd seemed so delighted by set's end, that's pretty much where I'd prefer to leave off my critique. Actually, I was so impressed by yet another contoured version of "Don't Explain," that kinda made it all worthwhile for me - and makes me wish she'd indulge an entire evening of such singing, where the rasp of later life adds nuances younger vocalists can't possibly achieve.

Still, I can't shake some reservations. You tell me: What does it mean when Ross belts the high notes of "More Today Than Yesterday" with more oomph and pizzazz than those of her own classics? That her perma-smile and poodle hair now hides the soul of a seasoned interpreter who wishes she were taken seriously as something other than a nostalgia merchant? Or is it that she's already growing tired of the routine again?

Contact the writer: 714-796-2248 or bwener@ocregister.com

you posting a review from july 2008 2008 marv2. now we know you have more files on Diane Ross than Hoover had on the Kennedy family but get current honey. lolololol

hehehehehehehehehehehe.

Roberta

[Kamasu_Jr]

jeez, another pathetic pro versus anti ross fan fight. the rest of us here are truly bored by this two sided unkind behavior.

I'm not bored. It's actually funny that Marv gets so agitated when Diana Ross succeeds at something. For years, he has dished it out - now Ross supporters are fighting back and he's jerking and sizzling like a squirrel biting into a telephone wire. Whoop that trick!

[captainjames]

Love the youtube video - Thanks for posting !!!
She sounds and looks good !!!!

[captainjames]

Glad to see Diana still has her saxophone player ~~~ That man can blow a mean horn.

[dba]

Thanks to all the positive posters for the reviews and video!
Do folks have more photos?

[David J]

you posting a review from july 2008 2008 marv2. now we know you have more files on Diane Ross than Hoover had on the Kennedy family but get current honey. lolololol

hehehehehehehehehehehe.

Roberta

A review from 2008??? Lol, seems as if Marv is getting his knickers in a twist & can't stand the thought of Ms Ross getting rave reviews or having anything positive said about her. A bit desperate and pathetic really but if that's what rocks his little Diana obsessed world, then who am I to argue??

[jillfoster]

27 minutes of Diana's performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgsdWhul18k

Thanks to Grady Johnson for the YouTube posting.

Now THERE she's got her shit together! Not under pitch and hoarse like on RTL, the Supremes songs sounded good, and done in a proper fashion with good pics on the big screen. I do find it a bit odd that "Love Child" is arranged identical to the Sweet Sensation version.