| Large Man Singing |
17 February 2003
|
Luther Vandross Still Has It
Luther Vandross at Radio City Musical Hall on February 14, Valentine's Day. The romance was so thick no one yakked when a staged marriage proposal interrupted the third song of the set. The only question was would the thin Luther show, or would fat, happy Luther arrive to sing his heart out. Pleasantly, the entertainment came size XXXL.
It says at great deal about a singer's talents when the warm up act is a comedian. Mr. Greg Morton did a short routine that would work in any comedy club in the land. Another musical act would have been listened to most begrudgingly. People who come to see Mr. Vandross want their medicine straight.
Many entertainers have the voice, the training and the experience that Mr. Vandross has. Some may well possess more of it. However, he is in a league of his own as a showman. He is relaxed, witty, and even the premeditated portions of the show are delivered with a wink.
The only misfire was the smoke machine used in the final number of the two-song encore. Since no one was going to stand on the chair holding a disposable lighter at the end, why did it appear necessary to drag out an effect that Deep Purple overdid a generation ago?