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When I Think of Home
It was a very special night. Venus was out. I was out. Well, that’s been a fact for years—decades even. And Donna Summer gave the best performance we’ve seen in years at one of her favorite venues, the Gibson Amphitheatre (formerly Universal) in Universal City at the entrance to the San Fernando Valley’s vast expanse of suburbia just North of Hollywood.
What started to look like another downer created by corporate complications of what used to be simple and enjoyable entertainment events turned out to be one of the most spectacular and enjoyable events in recent memory for me. Now, don’t get all depressed about this review. Everyone knows that I call it like I see it…otherwise it just wouldn’t be me. But, I will tell you the story of the evening in all its drama and glory, and by the time you get to the review of the performance itself, you will see that even The T has put away all of his trademark sarcasm, cynicism, and overall jaded LA-ness because I have nothing but great things to say about Donna’s performance last night. (And I really am a nice person #;-)
It was also probably the hottest night of the year or in years in LA. The mercury had dropped from the day’s high of 104F to a balmy 94F or so by the time we pulled up, the DJ Amanda remix of “I Remember Yesterday” cranked on my Bose sound system, to the valet parking entrance at Universal City Walk, which is a huge entertainment/theme park/shopping complex built by Universal Studios and recently acquired by General Electric. Did I mention the corporate thing?
We were spared the hassle of trekking from one end of the “Walk” to the other that is normally a part of the valet parking experience—the entrance to the Amphitheatre is at the far end of the complex. At an open vinyl-screened chain link fence gate, a woman hawked “Donna Summer concert, if you have your tickets, this way.” And we were whisked from the neon glitter of City Walk down a rather industrial looking alley between two concrete high-rise office and warehouse buildings. At the end, we were queued around what fragrantly must have been a dumpster while we were counted off in groups of twenty to disappear behind a hedge. A makeshift security operation was there at another chain link gate. “Ladies to the right, gentlemen to the left.” What was this? A square dance? While I’m glad for the security given the sheer insanity of people and the obvious looming threat of terrorism anywhere that large numbers of people gather these days, a few things ran through my mind.
First, Universal City Walk was known for an incident where a gang fight broke out about ten years ago and people were shot, maybe even died. Second, why were men and women being separated, with men being passed through a metal detector and women not? Tejano singer Selena was shot and killed about ten years ago by the female president of her own fan club, Yolanda Saldivar. (Ironically, Selena was also a big Donna fan and sang some of her songs as part of her crossover plan to mainstream pop.) What would protect any of us, including Donna, from the same fate with this asinine set-up where a female could bring in a weapon or her male accomplice could slip the weapon to her during this security procedure? Lastly, isn’t this California in 2005, so what about equal treatment of everyone?
OK, so that was almost the last negative you will read. I know, thank goodness. Once inside, things definitely started looking up. The first thing I saw was a sign at the door stating, “Tonight’s performance features strobe lights, lasers, and artificial smoke.” While that’s probably also the result of some lawsuit filed and therefore a disclaimer to protect the corporation, I said, “Cool, they’ve got everything I like in a concert.”
I’d like to think that this column can take a little credit for the turn out and make-up (as in composition, not cosmetics) of the crowd. It was a comfortable milling of mostly over-40 people in the recently renovated Gibson venue. There were ample bars and the usual selection of memorabilia available. “love to love you, baby” t-shirts that reversed to Donna Summer ’05, The Journey, Ordinary Girl, The Journey cover photo screen-print tank tops, etc. One particularly spectacular drag queen was intently perusing the wares for sale while many onlookers snapped photos of her, complete with Rocky Horror Picture Show drag get up, top hat, boots, and riding crop. The wife of one photographer said within earshot as I walked by, “Be sure to get the riding crop and everything, honey.”
There were more queens there than a BBC miniseries on English royalty. The ratio of queen to straight person was about the same as Henry VIII’s ratio of Queens to himself. It was quite a sight! Joe said, “I guess we’re back.” Indeed. I haven’t been cruised as much since the Love Boat was canceled from TV. I rather liked it. And that was just going from the door to the bar to our seats.
The venue is much more comfortable than many others, with good seats, decent tiering between rows so that you’re not looking into the back of someone’s head, and ample legroom. Our seats were just left of center (how appropriate) and about half way back from the stage to the back wall. They were top tier in pricing and we bought the day they came out, so I don’t know how that all works, but I would have liked to be closer. I don’t think the place was sold out, but it was close to it.
The opening act was a young comedian, Tyrone Barnett. He didn’t get much of a rise out of the mostly gay audience, but fortunately he wasn’t on stage too long. I think that these big venues would be better if there were a stronger opening act. Sort of like Tina Turner opening for Lionel Ritchie (OK, it was twenty years ago), or Cindy Lauper opening for Cher at The Staples Center in 2002. Hey, what about Village People opening for Donna? Or Gloria Gaynor? She could sing “Last Dance” at last!
Anyway, the curtain went up at 9:04 to the overture that we’ve all heard about. Bruce was perched up in center stage at the sequined white piano, and Mary Ellen (lookin’ foxy in hair like Donna had on the cover of her “Carry On” single) and Phyllis grooving to the left of stage. There was a nine-piece orchestra, two drummers, two guitarists, and three-piece brass section scattered on either side of dual staircases made to look like piano keys. I did think that the piano set-up was more than a little of an homage to Liberace. All we needed was a full-length fur coat and some big queen up there instead of the handsome Bruce.
Donna rose from behind the piano on an automated lift and in a cloud of smoke. Bruce helped her down from the lift and piano, and then she started down the stairs, as “She Works Hard for the Money” was the opening song. I have to say that I don’t think I’ve seen Donna looking so lovely, sexy or comfortable on stage in a long time. Gone was the black pantsuit, and instead was a ravishing strapless floor-length gown with a sheer over-layer and mid-calf under-layer in sort of a gold/bronze color. Empire-waisted, encrusted with sequins, and with detached sleeves that looked more like full-length gloves, it was a glamorous and radical departure from what we’ve seen lately. Hair was longer than we’ve seen (mid-back length), and sort of like an updated version of the same style we say on the Once Upon a Time cover back in 1977—soft, wavy, and full. The crowd was amazingly rapturous to see this vision descend to the stage. A stage, I think, finally worthy of her greatness and stature.
During the part when she asks where everyone is from, there was a whole lot of “West Hollywood” as the response, but there was also everything from the trademark “Tarzana?” to “West Africa.” Donna was visibly and audibly overcome by the warmth of the applause and cheers. She stopped in the middle of the stage, and in a soft and sincere voice I’ve never heard her use before told the audience how that in front of this audience she felt like she was coming home as she looked out amazed at the audience.
Thanks to the gigantic monitors that most concerts have these days, we could see great close-ups and different camera angles. Donna’s expressions and facial movements were very sexy and very reminiscent of her 1970s concerts. Throughout the first set, she evoked very closely the image from the cover of The Journey. I couldn’t help but notice the similarities and use of trademark moves from the image so carefully crafted back in the Casablanca days. The effect was phenomenal.
I think it would be easier to list the songs that Donna didn’t sing, since she ran through so many during the two-hour show. I can’t remember the exact order, but some of them included “Once Upon a Time,” which she said that she wrote for her daughter [Mimi] when she was seven years old, and now [Mimi] has a seven-year-old; “I Love You,” “Smile,” and “MacArthur Park,” including my favorite part, the bridge, at which point my eyes filled with tears because of her original and authentic recreation of its first performance at Universal back in 1978. She told a cute story about the metaphor behind the cake in the rain that left the audience laughing, including the message that “to protect the love you’ve worked so carefully to create, you wouldn’t put your husband in a room with, say, Halle Berry, and then leave the room. But then, of course, he’d be perfectly safe, with me.” In that dress? Even I might not be safe in the room with Donna (her in the dress, not me!).
The next costume change was into tighter sequined sleeveless dress and scoop neck. Donna perched atop the sequined piano for “My Man Medley.” She came down and visited with the audience some more with amusing stories. She sang “I Got Your Love,” “A Little Help from My Friends,” and “A Natural Woman” after telling an amusing anecdote about when she first heard Aretha sing on the radio, and some naughty banter about breast size. Her performance of “A Natural Woman” was classic Donna Summer—strong, gospel-tinged, clear, projected and very much like her performance (one of my favorites, as you all know) with Paul Jabara on “Never Lose Your Sense of Humor.” Halfway through “A Natural Woman,” Donna and the orchestra took it up a few notches and put a disco beat behind it and Donna finished out the last version at dance tempo.
The arrangement was really quite fitting, and coincidentally, exactly what I had envisioned Donna doing for a new album (some of you may remember my advice-full posting on the Forum a few months back about the topic). Maybe it was due to the age of the crowd or the unfamiliarity with the songs, but they sat through “I Got Your Love” and the second half of “A Natural Woman.” I found that odd because of the contemporary groove and bass line of the former and the retro-disco style of the latter. So the excuse that “I Got…” was too modern for the crowd would be wiped out by the familiar beat of “Natural…” I guess it’s a bitch when your audience is aging. I did see some with mobility assistance devices.
The third costume was Joe’s favorite, a very flattering white pantsuit that looked a lot like the “Once Upon a Time” dress from the gatefold of the double album. It was modern, summery, draped- and tailored-well, and quite smart. We had the now-standard back-up singers for “On the Radio.” The crew of five started with her daughter Brooklyn, brought up from the audience, and Donna called out for “Fabrizio, a fabulous shoe designer from Italy, who I hear is in the audience tonight.” Three others were called. When she asked their names on stage, the first replied “Fabrizio!” which took Donna a little off guard. It was all good fun. If you check out the
video,
Donna is calling from the stage for Fabrizio. About half way through you can hear someone yelling “woohoo” or something like it. That’s me.
We were also treated to “Nights in White Satin.” It was a stunning rendition, and quite a feat for Donna to pull it off (like there’s a doubt that she would?), because of the way the song is written and was originally sung by The Moody Blues in 1967. The original version derives much of its plaintive and melancholy style from its accent and extension of the consonant sounds: “Gazzzinnnggg at peopllllle, sommme hannnnd in hannnnd…”
Oppositely, Donna has traditionally emphasized the vowels, as I’ve written before, so a song so strongly entrenched in the opposite style could pose quite a problem. Donna, of course, pulled it off with aplomb, preserving the song’s original mood and feeling, and bringing to it a vocalization that was 100% Donna Summer. The original was 7:24 on The Moody Blues’ album in 1967. Maybe Donna can turn it into an 18-minute remake for us? She’s done it before.
We also got a medley of “Try Me, I Know We Can Make It,” “I Feel Love” and “Love to Love You, Baby.” During LTLYB, I actually saw some hip action going on from Donna very reminiscent of some of her more noteworthy and “innovative” performances back in the day. We also got, believe it or not, some cooing and moaning towards the end, and Donna sang both the verses and the chorus. Surprisingly, “Cold Love” kept the audience on its feet! During the band introduction we got another treat, Donna singing the verse from “Boogie Oogie Oogie” (originally by A Taste of Honey) while the bass guitarist did his solo: “If you thinkin’ you’re too cool to boogie, boy oh boy, have I got news for you. Everybody here tonight must boogie, there are no exceptions to the rule.”
“Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff” made up the closing medley. Conspicuous in their absence were “This Time I Know It’s for Real,” and “Dim All the Lights.” But, I don’t know where they could have been crammed in. With a library that big, it must be really tough to try to get the legendary stuff in and still present some new material.
The audience would not let Donna off that easily. Thunderous applause, stomping, chanting, and shouting continued for a good 5 minutes or so. I lost my voice from screaming so much. It literally stopped working because I had screamed so long. After another costume change, we heard “Last Dance,” which started with a rather interesting violin solo that began as a classical interlude and ended up being a barnstorming country fiddle exercise and then led into Donna from the wings with “Last Dance” vocals. After two reprises of “Last Dance,” and a slow departure from the stage where Donna had to keep bowing and backing out, there was more applause that wouldn’t let up.
Fortunately for us, a timid-looking Donna re-appeared and told us that she would sing one more and that she hadn’t done it for anyone else, and after some signaling back and forth across the stage and some attempts to get into the different rhythm, we got “State of Independence.” Nathan DiGesare says on his website that the concept was planned only the night before for “possible use” in LA. I have to wonder if anyone even doubted that Donna would be so tremendously received here. From his website, www.nathandigesare.com: “I was up the night before programming ‘State of Independence to possibly use at the Universal show Friday evening.” And, “We had fun performing this show. A surprise to many was Donna singing STATE OF INDEPENDENCE for an encore…It was a great evening and a highlight of mine on this tour.”
Outside after the show, everyone was talking about it up and down City Walk. I had to laugh as this cute little guy went running up to his friends and practically screamed, “Oh my God, you won’t believe it! You’ve been to every one of her concerts right? Well, she sang every song! She sang ‘Love to Love You, Baby,’ she sang…” and on and on and on. In the restaurant that we stopped into on the way out, there was a table that was seated before us and the three men and one woman there had just settled in as we passed by. The foursome was right in front of a small stage set up for the mariachi band that was on break at the time. The woman at the table said, “Wouldn’t it be just awesome if Donna just came out the back of Universal and came right here to this stage to perform?” I agreed. Donna IS everywhere after this concert.
LA was Donna’s home for nearly twenty years after returning from Germany. It’s where she lived during the Casablanca, Geffen and Mercury years, where she met and married Bruce, and where Brooklyn and Amanda were born. It’s one of the places where she’s loved and treasured. I am thrilled to say that my hometown did not let Donna down last night.
As Stephanie Mills sang in the musical The Wiz, “When I think of home, I think of a place where there’s love overflowing.” Donna, welcome home. You are our Diva.
--David Thornton, Los Angeles, California, USA; August 26, 2005
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