[Julie in the rv mirror]

Originally Posted by CarylB

lol .. funnily enough it was Bob Dylan I went to see. Set list disappointed me, but to be fair we went thinking that we should see him once live before he or we dropped off the perch I haven't kept up with his musical output over the years, so I accept I was likely to be disappointed .. (Although as an aside had we been attending a Meat concert for the first time, we would have heard some of the familiar classics .. something for regular concert goers to remember perhaps when saying "Drop Paradise .. etc" I suppose as Meat concert goers the lack of the big early classics in Dylan's set was bound to surprise us )

Performance also disapponted me .. band was good, but we didn't find him so at all. He was pretty static, standing behind a keyboard at the side of the stage for a lot of the time, but cme to the front for his fans at the end.

lol- When you said "icon", I had a feeling you were talking about Bob. Your comments are very typical to others I've read. Good point that if you had been on his fanboard, you would have known what to expect.

Originally Posted by CarylB

As to fear of meeting "idols" .. I'm not someone who's ever hung around waiting to see any performer, because I've never had the desire really. The exception is Meat, but wanting to meet him developed because I felt I understood something of the person he is, something of his qualities and values, and wanted to meet someone I thought was a good person who was also exceptionally talented. I wanted to meet the person who takes Meat Loaf on stage I didn't expect to be disappointed, and I wasn't

I'm not someone who's ever hung around the arenas, either, but I did it exactly once (for some of the same reasons you mentioned), and I got to meet Bruce Springsteen, if you can call a handshake and me mumbling, "Thank You", meeting him. I was so nervous! But, as Suzie said, that was all about me (I'm extremely shy), not him. He was really very nice.

That is so cool, Suzie, that you were at Storytellers! That was a chance of a lifetime- you are very lucky. The closest I have ever gotten to Meat was when I had first row once at a concert.

I belong to a couple of fanboards, and there are a couple of others I look at on occasion, but never post. It's a matter of degrees, I guess.

Originally Posted by suzieq

Ok, for the Barry Manilow moment here. I saw him in concert in 08', his version of Mandy was absolutely flawless performance wise, notes wise, lyrics wise. Stunning. And I actually bought his CD because of the conviction. When you connect with an audience through a song, it's very powerful. However, I am no where near subscribing to his fansite or ready to comment on how sexy he is. That's all reserved for the honorable mentioned in the site here. :)

Originally Posted by PanicLord

Another thread mentioned Barry Manilow's cover of Read Em And Weep. This is a good example of how Meat owns a song when he sings it. He wipes the floor with Barry, who otherwise is a decent enough singer and a good showman. But whereas Barry hits each note acceptably, Meat sings the whole thing like his life depends upon it, and really performs the song. So much better.

I saw Barry for the first time last year; it was my husband's Christmas present. My only complaint was that the show was very short- he only sang for about 70 mins. And he is a showman- dancing, singing, etc. But, I liked him the best when he just sat at the piano and sang. Mandy was wonderful, but I thought Weekend in New England was simply stunning. That one song was worth the whole show, IMO. So yes, he connected. But Read "Em and Weep"? Sorry Barry...not so much. I agree with PanicLord- Meat owns that song. But I wonder what I would think of Barry's version had I not heard Meat's first?

I'm also obviously here because I am a Meat Loaf fan, and I will say that his songs have touched me, and that he is a great live performer. However, I am terrible at gushing- online, in person, on paper- any kind of way. I'm horrible at putting my feelings into words. So, just as I said to Bruce, I guess I'll just say, "Thank You."