At American Airlines Center, Tina Turner was fabulous and flaunted it
08:05 AM CDT on Monday, October 27, 2008
By MARIO TARRADELL / Music Critic mtarradell@dallasnews.com
Tina Turner. In a word — fabulous.
The 68-year-old icon performed for more than two hours Sunday night at American Airlines Center during her first tour in eight years. Before what looked like a hair-from-sold-out crowd, Tennessee's Anna Mae Bullock rocked 'n' rolled, turned soulful, got the blues and even summoned the heavens during a bit of Tina-styled gospel.
The woman looked fabulous, easily fitting into mini-dresses that showed off her lithe legs. She's a force of nature, maybe even a freak of nature. Time has been mighty kind to her, both physically and artistically. She offered up a career-spanning set of songs, all of which felt new again in her capable hands.
The opener, "Steamy Windows," and her signature tune, "What's Love Got to Do With It," among others, proved every number for her is an emotional experience. She puts her being into each song.
She also knows how to put on a show that delivered on spectacle without ever using flash to compensate for a lack of artistry. Ms. Turner chews up production. During "We Don't Need Another Hero" from the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, she was in the classic costume for her role as Aunty Entity. With dancers in appropriate get-up, she sang under a steel arbor-like contraption.
For "Goldeneye," it was all about Bond, James Bond. She emerged from a lighted ring up high. Her dancers were decked out in gold trench coats.
The eye candy was wonderful. But she doesn't need it. She was fiery during "What You Get Is What You See," sultry during "Private Dancer," explosive during "Undercover Agent for the Blues," electric during the Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and fearless during "Nutbush City Limits." She sang that one from a crane that stretched out into different areas of the audience.
Watching Tina Turner perform is akin to witnessing entertainment royalty. She remains simply fabulous.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
So Julia and I are sitting in her doctor's office. . .
. . . and I'm looking through the dearth of magazines in the examining room and one of them is all about pregnancy . . . Hey, I was desparate, and I turn the page, and see this advertisment for the "hands free" double-expressing, breast pump. I couldn't breathe, and just handed the magazine to Julia, who immediately started busting out laughing....and of course, at that time the doctor chose to make an entrance.
Julia was like, "Dad, I'm sure he believes I'm in here for anxiety and depression when we're laughing our heads off!"
Well, can you blame us, the woman's just talking casually on the phone, entering appointments in her calender, and she looks like the Borg are hijacking her colostrum!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Performance Schedule - Schoolhouse Rocks! The Musical!
Thursday, November 6th - 7:30
Saturday, November 8 - 7:30
Friday, November 14th - 7:30
Saturday, November 15th - 2:00
My Dearest Daughter . . .
For those of you who haven't been emailed . . . . I can't imagine who I might have forgotten . . .
Julia came through this week in spades.
FIRST, she qualified for the Texas All-Region Choir in Soprano 1, even though when she qualified last year it was in Alto 1. She was the first female vocalist to qualify in recent memory last year, and as far as we know the only vocalist from her High School to qualify for two consecutive years.
SECOND, the has all A's but for Algebra 2, which she has been struggling with all six weeks (and never gave up, by the way.
FINALLY, tonight, Julia gave me a birthday card that she told me she found to give me from "Mom" . . . I read it, thinking how sweet for Julia to pick out a card to give me as if Debbie were still here with us. No. When I opened it up, it had Deb's signature. It was a Valentines Day card that Deb had given me God knows how many years ago, and Julia found it a few weeks ago when she was going through her Mom's sheet music. Certainly, Deb had a hand in this "timely revelation" . . . and it brought me to tears.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)