"KISS MY BRASS!!"

Today's article is a kind of "live report."
If you don't have any interest in the pop concerts, please read another article.

February 18th, 2004, Bette Midler appeared at San Diego Sports Arena.
Most of the audience was over 40. Some mothers came there with their daughters.
I had gotten arena tickets. The 16th row. It little bit far to see her face. But the position was still good because the stage design was really attractive, like a play. I can enjoy the art on stage.

About 8:20pm, Bette Midler came on stage riding on the white horse of Merry-go-round in the air.
I thought the line-up of this show would focus on some tribute songs about Rosemary Clooney which were recorded her latest album. Actually, the numbers of the concert were not only Rosemary's songs. She sang all her own famous hit numbers. She sang "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Friends" in the beginning of her show. That was a good surprise for me. I love her old numbers. She also talked a lot. Unfortunately I can understand less than half of her talk with my listening ability. Sometimes she was vituperative about Janet, Christina, or Britney. It was not so serious. It was just fun.
She also sang the great cover number "When a man loves a woman." I was surprised she could still shout really well in this song over 25 years after when she had recorded this song. About 1 hour after, the show took a break after the song "silver me timbers."

After the break, she appeared again on the stage with the costume of mermaid that was popular style of her concerts. Sometimes she rode on a moving chair. Sometimes she moved by jumping on her tail with her back chorus member. Some cover numbers of musical play songs, "from the distance," "chapel of love," She sang many good songs.
With the famous number, "wind beneath my wings", the show ended once. Most of audiences were still not satisfied. Everybody still clapped their hands. Suddenly one scene of the movie "The Rose" was showing on the screen of the stage. Everybody wanted to call "Rose" on that screen. The situation was similar as real audience. As "Rose", who was acted by Bette Midler, appeared on the scene, the real live Bette Midler also appeared on the encore stage. The encore number was the rock number, "keep on rockin'." The audience was really excited. Then she sang greatest ballad number, "the rose." Everybody sang with her. The voices surrounded all over the hall. At last she sang "friends" again. The show was really over. The time was about 11:10pm. It was marvelous! I really enjoyed it.