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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
10:07 PM 22nd June 2016
arts

Barry Manilow Supported By Dave Koz

 
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Saxophonist Dave Koz has played alongside many artists such as Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross and tonight's headliner Barry Manilow.

His smooth jazz might be better suited to smaller venues rather than large venues such as tonight, however, he played to the back of the hall. He appeared to be highly appreciated too.

"You make me smile, Manchester" he said. It was his medley of more familiar tracks such as That's the Way I Like It (KC and the Sunshine Band) and Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder) that got the audience on their feet. If you like smooth jazz this is an artist worth checking out.

Barry Manilow has been visiting Manchester since 1982 and it is one of his favourite cities he informed the mainly female audience at the Manchester Arena. The comments might have been as sugary sweet as some of his songs but the fans still lapped it all up.

This was a classy Las Vegas style show topped with professionalism and panache but this could be the last time he tours.

He sings Can't Smile Without You, whilst the words are projected onto the screen behind him, but the fans don't really need them as they probably know them all off by heart.

He jokes with his band as the drummer tries to play the faster version of Could It Be Magic whilst Manilow tries to play the slower version. Of course the faster version that Take That did wins the day.

His newer tracks such as Brooklyn Blues show a jazzier side to him and you can see that this is the style he probably started off his career.

Saxophonist Dave Koz appears on stage to add some jazzier tones to the tracks.

Dave Koz
Dave Koz
The lighting dimmed on the slower tracks and as the audience were given free glow sticks when entering the arena they turned the venue into a sea of green.

His latest album is a collection of duets with artists who have passed away, so we get him singing with a video of Judy Garland on Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart.

He invites two fans up on stage to perform Bermuda Triangle with him. Fortunately they know the words to the track and can sing.

Manilow's first big hit, Mandy from 1975 he performs as a duet with his younger self on the video screen.

With a choir behind him all dressed in red he closes the gig with the big track Copacabana. If this was going to be his final visit to Manchester it was certainly a marvellous way to go out.

Barry Manilow and Dave Koz
Barry Manilow and Dave Koz