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Gladys Knight Shows Off Headliner Ability
With Just One Pip, Singer Impresses
LAS VEGAS -- In a town filled with overblown spectacle and self-aggrandizing glorified lounge singers, it's not only a blessing but a minor miracle to find Ms. Gladys Knight and her simple, elegant, and wholly satisfying new show at the Flamingo. To see her is to understand what Vegas headliner shows should be like. Of course, she's probably best known for her years with the Pips, and, not to trivialize her accomplishments with that Grammy-winning group, but thinking all you're going to get from this show is a medley of "Heard it Through the Grapevine," "Midnight Train to Georgia," and "The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" is selling her short. Sure, those songs are there and done in true Motown soul style, but there's a lot more than that to both the show and the singer as a solo artist. First, can we state for the record that the woman looks amazing? Okay, okay, I was 30 feet away, she was wearing makeup, and the lighting was really good, but we all agreed that she doesn't look a day over 35. For those of us who are 35 and look a solid 10 years older than that on a good day, this accomplishment deserves some recognition. Second, and undoubtedly more important, she sounds amazing, as well. Her voice, always a cross between silky and husky, has deepened with age, and I don't mean pitch. Rather, it has gained a resonance and fullness that wasn't always there on some of her early recordings. Backed by a solid band and singers, Ms. Knight tore through a few of those greatest hits just to warm up the audience, and then she got down to work. Whether it was a faithful but still original cover of "Wind Beneath My Wings" or a dance-in-the-aisles Motown medley of Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha Reeves, and the Temptations (just to name a few), she kept the crowd on the verge of tent-revival energy. Speaking of which, her selection of gospel songs, including a stunning rendition of "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," was a special highlight. The crowning moment -- the part where she takes hold and doesn't let go -- comes relatively early in the show. After a good-natured rant against pigeonholing singers and their music, Ms. Knight launched into a version of the country lament "Please Help Me I'm Falling" (featured on her recent Grammy-winning album, "At Last") that was at once uplifting and heartbreaking. A little bit country, a little bit soul, and all passion, her performance on this song alone proved whatever it is she may have needed to prove to a cynical Vegas audience. Coming along for the ride is one of her former Pips -- her older brother Bubba -- who provides a little bit of backup nostalgia and a lot of laugh-out-loud comedy. Playing the role of the relative at the family reunion that everyone is embarrassed by, he comes close to stealing the show at times, but Gladys is always there to reel him back in and step back into the spotlight. Ms. Knight mentions during the show that her very first headlining gig was with the Pips at the Flamingo, on the very stage that she is now making her home. What a thrill it is to have her back where she belongs.
Grade: A+ Gladys Knight
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