Keepsakes

Keepsakes or rather "things" at times may be seen only as tangible objects that can easily be broken or destroyed. Individuals sometimes look down upon a worn out doll or a beaten up baseball glove because they no longer have any purpose or use. They sit on a shelf collecting dust and serve as hourglasses to show how much time has passed. Keepsakes are much more than the stereotypes bestowed upon them, they are memories of times that once were and offer a free smile when life can at times be cruel. Each keepsake is part of one's story.

Earlier this evening while watching a documentary with my dad about his favorite football team, he would blurt out things here and there that would remind him of something from years past or how he had a certain item that is considered "historical" to the football world. It may not have been my "thing" per say, but I understood what he meant by having certain keepsakes because they serve as a representation of an event or time that is unable to be brought back.

When arriving to our seats at my first Barry concert, we were left two 5 x7 ads promoting Barry's then new Christmas CD, "In the Swing of Christmas." It has always puzzled me how I saved those two small ads though I was not a fan in anyway. Perhaps I kept them for my friend or wanted to make an entry in my life story. Either way, I stuck them in my bag and over a year and a half later one still hangs up on my magnetic board as a reminder of that night and one is in my scrapbook of life along with my ticket stub. Though they may just be pieces of paper that can be ripped as easily as one breathes, they serve as keepsakes of a night I did not realize would change my life.

Over time I have collected far more meaningful and valuable keepsakes such as the Barry autograph I got in person or the photo of Barry shaking my hand, but sometimes it's those small reminders that make you stop and remember just why you're a Barry Manilow fan.

He did it again...

Sitting in my bedroom after a long day of festivities and excitement, I was comforted by the memories I had made only a few hours earlier. I could not help but smile as I recalled that rush of adrenaline that flows through my body when watching Barry work his craft in such a new and exciting way that it seems as though the familiar songs I love, are in fact foreign. With each performance comes a memory I will always cherish and with each memory my love and amazement for the musician and performer Barry is only grows stronger.

I sat there in pure amazement as I watched him, it really is indescribable the feeling that accompanies Barry's performances. It is that feeling I experience when I cannot believe he is actually in front of me when seeing him in concert or elsewhere. Though he was not in front of me in person, the magic he is able to bring forth through his music and his electrifying stage presence, it feels as though he is.

People have always asked me why I would want to see him in concert as often as I do, as he sings the same songs and it all seems the same. The truth is, it is not. With each performance he seems to reinvent familiar songs such as "It's a Miracle" or "This One's For You." To me it is a mystery to how he does it, but when watching the opening medley last night, it felt as though I was seeing him perform those songs for the first time. Perhaps it was the beautiful symphony accompanying him or the occasion he was performing for, but whatever it was it had an impact on me that made me realize why I am truly a fan of his. It always has been and will always be his ability to make you "feel" something. He made those songs into patriotic themes rather than love songs. Each song became a song of hope, something that cannot be easily done with songs such as "Somewhere in the Night."

The moment though that truly took my breath away was "Let Freedom Ring." I have seen videos of him performing that song in the past such as President Clinton's inauguration, but never like this. With the combination of the fireworks encircling the Washington Monument and Barry's compelling patriotic theme, I was truly speechless. I sat there stunned for a few minutes after he had left the stage because the music was just so beautiful and left you thinking for a moment because the message of the song speaks volumes. I believe it was apparent through his performance how thrilled he was to have a whole symphony playing the very notes he wrote and how honored he was to be performing at a place with such symbolic scenary surrounding him.

This was a truly astounding performance that perhaps even made some people look at him again as something else besides some "cheesy romantic." Who knows, but I know that he never ceases to amaze me. Through performances like this I am reminded why his music captured my heart over a year and a half ago. He makes you forget the bad, remember the good, and most of all learn that music will always be a part of you.

Put Your Records On

Today I did something I wish I got to do more often--lay in bed and listen to Barry on my record player. Of course not feeling well was the perfect excuse to lay in bed for hours at a time, but I digress. Hearing his voice radiate from the speakers of my pink record player was such a calming influence that at one point I started to drift off into the land of sleep like a baby may do with a soft lullaby. I felt so at peace...nothing could bother me.

Everytime I listen to my collection of records I always recall the first time I ever got a Barry record which was purely coincidental. I remember I had gone to a thrift store with my mom as she needed to look for something or along those lines and I was wandering around the store when I began to wonder if they had records. So I went around the store searching for even the slightest sign of records when I found a whole aisle towards the back dedicated to the very dusty and out-dated form of music. I stood there looking through each stack meticulously, hoping for some sign of a Barry record. There were certainly a lot of Engelbert Humperdinck and Barbra Streisand records but no Barry. I had almost given up when my eye caught a red cover and when I pulled it out I realized it was "Tryin' To Get the Feeling." The record wasn't in the best condition but I didn't care. I looked at it as if it were covered in gold. At the time I didn't even own a record player, but I had to have it. I bought it with my own money and to this day I still have it, though I have since bought another "Tryin' To Get the Feeling" record in better condition. I will never part with it though as it's part of my story and those things always mean the most.

*The picture is really a picture of my actual record player though "Here Comes the Night" is currently on it. :)*

Barry's got some "good news" in his pocket

I felt so spoiled on Friday with the release of a new vault song, a heartwarming and beautiful letter from Barry that had great news in it, and the clip from the 1984 AMA even though it was shown for a somber reason. I had not felt, as I call it "Manilow overload" excitement in quite a while as things have been fairly quiet. Events like this make a sometimes boring day into a thrilling and exciting one.

"Nature Boy" sung by little (or as I say wittle) Barry was too adorable for words. I giggled in excitement and smiled when thinking about how this may just have been the time "he finally sung something" for grandpa and actually liked it. It was so nice getting a song from "the vault" after 9 months of waiting. Barry definitely spoiled us with that one, at least I think he did. It was much appreciated it though. And then that letter, I had never been so excited in my life to read something from him. I think it was because of a culmination of things; the effects of the death of Michael Jackson, not hearing anything from him in quite a while in general, and just some personal things that made it oh so good to read something from him in his own words. It's funny too because I can almost hear how he'd be reading the letter out loud if he were to. Though I have my opinions on certain parts of the letter, it was such a wonderful gesture of him to enclose a heartfelt letter with such a wonderful song.

And I am so beyond excited for the new original album. I jumped up from my chair and jumped and screamed in excitement when I read he was finally working on it. Since I have only been a fan for a year and a half, I have never been around for the release of brand new material so I am so excited for the day in the future when I can run out to the music store and buy it. The concept sounds very interesting too and I'm interested to see what Barry's take on "rock" will be. It will probably be more so soft rock than heavy metal, but he has only briefly tried guitar driven songs now and then in songs like "Flashy Lady." I think this album has the chance of being a breakthrough album in his career because when he tries new things they always seem to be the ones that are most highly praised. I have complete confidence in him that he will pull this off in a beautiful way, though as he said he has his doubts. Who doesn't have doubts though when diving into something new? It shows he's human. This summer really does feel like last. Waiting for future shows, a new album, and having a vault song. It's nice. :)

Michael Jackson 1958-2009

"It doesn't seem possible. How could Michael Jackson not be with us? This experience is surreal. He was one of the most gifted and original talents the world has ever known. He inspired a generation of young people and amazed the rest of the world. There has never been anyone like him. There will never be another Michael Jackson. I can't wrap my mind around this terrible news."
-Barry Manilow

I don't think there's one person on this planet who has not at least heard of Michael Jackson's name. Whether that person knew him for his music or for the weird antics he was became famous for, people knew him because of the one thing that affects us all: music.

When I heard the news of Michael Jackson's passing I was in complete shock. I had been eating dinner at my kitchen counter while watching the news and the anchors had announced MJ had gone into cardiac arrest. Like many, I shrugged it off and thought this was just another weird chapter in his story. I continued to watch the news and at around 6:40 (EST) they began to talk to TMZ. As they were talking to TMZ, the representative from TMZ turned around and when he faced the camera again there was a complete look of shock etched on his face. The announcement was then made Michael Jackson was dead at the age of 50. At that moment, the face of music would be changed forever.

No matter what one thought of him, the truth is that he had one of the most profound impacts on music in the history of the music industry. Everybody at some point has danced to "Thriller" or has blasted the radio while "Beat It" pulsated through the speakers. Though I would not classify myself as a fan, I remember listening to the "Thriller" album growing up as my mom loves that album. I even recall listening to that album and dancing to "Thriller" at my 16th birthday party. No matter what age, gender, race, etc. one is, many have even the smallest memories of a time MJ filled their ears with music. He might have been weird and oddly mysterious, but at times like this, it is important to remember the good rather than the bad.

Earlier today while reading a friend's blog, I learned that Barry was a part of a "Merit Award" dedication to MJ at the 1984 American Music Awards. Barry performed "Ben" and "I'll Be There" and after performing there wasn't a dry eye in the theater...even MJ shed a tear behind those famous dark sunglasses. When reading this it made me feel fortunate to know that Barry is still around to give us what I hope is years of beautiful music, even if one day he chose to stop performing. Parents, siblings, children, friends, and fans will now only be able to draw from the past, as MJ will never get the chance to keep doing what he loved. Tragedies like this remind us time and time again that in reality "we live on borrowed time."

Negativity is a vile word

There are too options in life: viewing the glass half full or viewing it as half empty. Lately, most have been viewing it as half empty and it's quite depressing. I mean in life you have to take risks otherwise life would be so dull and boring. I do on occasion worry about spending a vast amount of money for shows that cannot be guaranteed, but I'm not going to stop my life just because of what has happened in the past and what could happen in the future. If Barry were to cancel on me I would be very upset but I would know I'd see him again and that my trip could always be rescheduled even though there'd be some stress involved. There are worse things in life, yet people tend to forget that. The one thing I've been told time and time again is that things will be okay, yet those who preach don't always follow through. I am so tired of the constant negativity whether it's from drama related things or the whole Manilow world freaking out because another show was cancelled. And I want to make it clear I do care about the cancellations because many people close to me have been affected by them so I do care deeply about it, but my point is that there two ways to go about this. Know you will see him again or in sit in your puddle of misery. It's your choice.

New York City

From a young age I have always been mesmerized by the brisk motion and ongoing activity New York City provides. The city (as us New Yorkers call it) holds so many memories that have partly shaped the individual I am today because my future lies within the streets of New York.

Yesterday as I visited the city for what seems like the millionth time in my life, that burst of excitement rushed through my body as if I was a first time visitor. Nothing compares with coming over the hill on the expressway and seeing the city skyline within reach. At that moment I know I am home. When looking at the looming skyline I often remember my first memorable city experience at when I was 6. My grandparents took me to the Empire State Building and I remember leaning against the metal barrier looking down at the taxis which seemed like toys a child may play with. To a 6 year old nothing else can offer that sort of amazement. I still have the snow globe from that trip sitting on a shelf too. I then recall my first visit to Rockefeller Centre during Christmas time and learning to ice skate there in front of that gigantic, but majestic Christmas tree. To this day I love being able to tell people I learned how to ice skate at Rockefeller Centre at 8 years old. Then of course standing outside in the freezing cold wind waiting for Barry to arrive at the Good Morning America studio. That is certainly a day that will remain as one of my most memorable city experiences.

As I was leaving Brooklyn later that night I could not help but feel a pang of sadness. The city skyline at night to me is one of the most breathtaking sights in the world. My eyes just never seem to be able to leave the daunting electricity that seems to submerge the city at night. I never want to leave and that pang of sadness was me not wanting to leave what sometimes feels like home.

It really is true when Barry says:

When my heart is torn apart by love I wish I had,

Well, I spend my nights in the city's lights and things don't seem so bad.

Ya know the movement seems to soothe me, and the tempo takes control,

and I lose my blues when the New York City rhythm fill my soul