Bernadette Peters must be the greatest Broadway performer alive.
If there were any doubts, she exploded them during an electrifying, sold-out concert Saturday evening as part of the Colorado Symphony’s pops series.
As hard as it is to believe, Peters turn 58 on Tuesday. She looks far younger, still bursting with energy, zestiness and sex appeal to rival any 20-something performer.
Though related in some ways to what can be heard in jazz clubs or cabaret rooms, Broadway singing is like nothing else. It can be big and brassy or slow and sentimental, but it has to have show-biz flair and emotional honesty at its core.
Peters presented a wonderfully varied program – familiar and not-so-familiar songs from Broadway shows past and present – with surprisingly complex lighting that significantly enhanced the evening.
For sass and spunk, nothing could top her all-out take on “There Is Nothing Like a Dame” from “South Pacific.” Peters has a special affinity for Stephen Sondheim, and she offered memorable takes on several of his songs, including a touching version of “No One Is Alone” from “Into the Woods.”
That’s entertainment.
– Kyle MacMillan
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys rode into Denver on their three new tour buses in the midst of the winter’s lowest temperatures. But they heated up the Paramount Theatre on Feb. 17 with rich four-part harmonies and an off-the-wall energy supplied mainly by tenor Joe Bonsall and the five-piece band.
The cold kept the crowd far below capacity. But the legendary country stars worked like the house was packed. Bonsall, Duane Allen Richard Sterban and William Lee Golden each had a chance to shine on lead vocals. The deeper-than-deep-voiced Sterban thrilled the audience with his solo parts on the classic “Dream On” and “Old Familiar Love.”
The Boys also rocked their fans with a high-octane rendition of the old favorite “Elvira,” with Bonsall handing lead vocals, and a stomping, high-fiving take on their ’50s- rock-style hit, “Bobbie Sue.” They went for the tear ducts with a version of “Fancy Free,” a lost-love song that sounded as fresh as when it hit the charts in 1981.
– Ed Will
Gogogo Airheart
After a rousing opening set by Subtitle, a gangly young rapper with permanent bed-
head, San Diego’s blossoming disco-punk act Gogogo Airheart mounted what turned out to be an inconsistent show Tuesday at the
Larimer Lounge.
The band describes its music as “an emotional breakdown you can dance to.” Its booty-shaking melodies (especially “Heart on a Chain”), introspective lyrics and visceral stage presence made a connection with the band’s meager but enthusiastic Denver audience.
There were moments of inspiration, notably from core band members Mike Vermillion (vocals) and Ashish Vyas (bass). But Gogogo simply didn’t sound as good on Tuesday as it does on its recordings.
While the occasional off night is to be expected from a band with such a hectic touring schedule, one would think that after a decade of making music together, a tight live show would be second nature to Gogogo Airheart. Instead, this night saw a band that was unpolished and underdeveloped.
– Elana Ashanti Jefferson
