LIVE: IDINA MENZEL– August 11, 2017

Venue: Meadow Brook Theater

City: Rochester, MI

Date: August 11, 2017

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

There are certain performers that I thoroughly enjoy that seem to be way off my regular listening, but anyone that knows or follows me knows that range is quite large.  Broadway superstar Idina Menzel is one of those performers.  I have every release in her catalog in my collection and have seen her perform in concert in small theaters and on Broadway – and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see her play a smaller intimate local amphitheatre.  Hoping to hear all of the songs I know and love, I started a wish list of songs that would make a phenomenal live set from Menzel, but she had other plans… and I was still floored with her selections and her performance.

From the moment the house lights dimmed slightly and the stage lights rose while the band took their spots, the crowd seemed to come alive on a damp and dreary Detroit-area Friday evening.  Idina kicked the festivities off with “Queen Of Swords” from her latest release, Idina.  The intro, with her beating out the rhythm on two large snare drums set the pace for the song and the evening.  Her smile is infectious and draws you in, only to be hooked by her voice.  This song morphed into another new track, “Small World” and the audience went along for the ride.  The band behind Menzel was perfect for the songs and vocal accompaniment.  Reaching into her bag of Broadway tricks, Idina and her musical entourage broke into “Seasons Of Love” as the skies opened up and poured rain over the venue and any part of the crowd that opted for the lawn or back of the pavilion. During this tune, Idina shed her long coat and tossed it into the crowd for a lucky fan.   As fans worked their way into the covered area, Idina kept singing, but inviting everyone to stay dry and safe.  The extended version of the Rent classic seemed to suit the evening and moment perfectly, as did the next song in the set, a cover of Barbara Streisand’s “Don’t Rain On My Parade.”  While some overcast sunlight still poured across the stage, the lighting was beautiful and perfectly synchronized in order to accentuate the setlist Menzel chose for the tour and evening.  Not one to rest on her laurels, Idina made sure to feature several songs from her latest release prominently in the set, surrounded by classics from Rent and Wicked as well as some covers and standards… and we cannot forget material from Frozen.  If you ever wanted to see a fun performance that features great vocals and singing as well as jokes and some story-telling, grab a ticket for Idina’s tour when it rolls near you.

Complete set of IDINA MENZEL show photos HERE

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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries