Connie Francis
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:11 am
A Strong Finish from Francis
by June Wulff
Boston Globe, October 8, 2007
The applause broke out before the orchestra started the overture, before the projection screen dropped down for the first of too-many times, and unfortunately long before Connie Francis sang from the heart, which was after intermission. The 68-year-old pop star received a standing ovation when she appeared in rhinestone-trimmed jeans and jacket to dedicate the show to Tony, who was in the hospital.
But her "guy" wasn't the only one in need of help. Act I was like a bad rehearsal marred by feedback, lighting changes that looked like a kid was backstage flipping switches, and a large onstage orchestra that was too loud for the singer, who was motionless, not always on key, and delivered personal tidbits like she was speed reading from a script.
In addition to the large orchestra, Francis was backed for two hours by a female singer and a projection screen that chronicled her storied career with photos of her album covers, Bobby Darin, lots of teased hair, her performances around the world, and clips from "American Bandstand."
The concert started with "Let Me Try Again" followed by "Unchain My Heart," both uninspired and eerily apropos. A weak version of the "American Bandstand" theme preceded a strong "Who's Sorry Now," which brought applause and pieces of white paper falling from the balcony -- were they tissues? "Stupid Cupid" was lively, as was Francis, finally, but toward the end of the song, she messed up the words and said, "I don't know where the heck I am." A little later she asked the piano player if he had taken a tranquilizer before the show and told him to pick up the tempo.
The fans who grew up with Francis's music enjoyed hearing about how her love life portrayed in the press didn't match up with her reality. She joked that her Italian father kept her "prisoner" since an Italian girl only left home in a wedding gown or a casket. The crowd went wild when she delivered a strong "Where the Boys Are," as she introduced it as "the gay national anthem."
After intermission, Francis returned in an elegant black dress to sing "Malaguena" and other foreign-language hits, and she paid tribute to legends including Judy Garland (with a medley of Garland's hits, including "The Man That Got Away") and Edith Piaf ("La Vie en Rose"). Despite some off-key notes and forgotten lyrics, she was committed to the evening's second half, and there was a richness and strength to her voice, especially when accompanied only by guitar and strings.
Still, Francis apologized for her performance, saying she had a "day from hell" because of her boyfriend's hospitalization. But given her strong tributes to others, perhaps Francis is just tired of paying tribute to herself.
by June Wulff
Boston Globe, October 8, 2007
The applause broke out before the orchestra started the overture, before the projection screen dropped down for the first of too-many times, and unfortunately long before Connie Francis sang from the heart, which was after intermission. The 68-year-old pop star received a standing ovation when she appeared in rhinestone-trimmed jeans and jacket to dedicate the show to Tony, who was in the hospital.
But her "guy" wasn't the only one in need of help. Act I was like a bad rehearsal marred by feedback, lighting changes that looked like a kid was backstage flipping switches, and a large onstage orchestra that was too loud for the singer, who was motionless, not always on key, and delivered personal tidbits like she was speed reading from a script.
In addition to the large orchestra, Francis was backed for two hours by a female singer and a projection screen that chronicled her storied career with photos of her album covers, Bobby Darin, lots of teased hair, her performances around the world, and clips from "American Bandstand."
The concert started with "Let Me Try Again" followed by "Unchain My Heart," both uninspired and eerily apropos. A weak version of the "American Bandstand" theme preceded a strong "Who's Sorry Now," which brought applause and pieces of white paper falling from the balcony -- were they tissues? "Stupid Cupid" was lively, as was Francis, finally, but toward the end of the song, she messed up the words and said, "I don't know where the heck I am." A little later she asked the piano player if he had taken a tranquilizer before the show and told him to pick up the tempo.
The fans who grew up with Francis's music enjoyed hearing about how her love life portrayed in the press didn't match up with her reality. She joked that her Italian father kept her "prisoner" since an Italian girl only left home in a wedding gown or a casket. The crowd went wild when she delivered a strong "Where the Boys Are," as she introduced it as "the gay national anthem."
After intermission, Francis returned in an elegant black dress to sing "Malaguena" and other foreign-language hits, and she paid tribute to legends including Judy Garland (with a medley of Garland's hits, including "The Man That Got Away") and Edith Piaf ("La Vie en Rose"). Despite some off-key notes and forgotten lyrics, she was committed to the evening's second half, and there was a richness and strength to her voice, especially when accompanied only by guitar and strings.
Still, Francis apologized for her performance, saying she had a "day from hell" because of her boyfriend's hospitalization. But given her strong tributes to others, perhaps Francis is just tired of paying tribute to herself.
