Niagara Falls 

Donna Summer’s star still shining bright
By Molly HirschbeckNEWS STAFF REVIEWER
Updated: 07/25/07 8:28 AM


NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — The glittering grand piano sat atop dual white staircases, creating an illuminated walkway for the superstar that would waltz down the steps. A small orchestra to the left of the stage warmed its strings, and a disco ball began to lower overhead.

Every element of the stage setup seemed like it was an essential part of the show. However, as the night’s guest of honor announced as she later took the stage, creating the glamour wasn’t as easy as it looked.

“It isn’t easy being a diva these days,” Donna Summer told her laughing audience. “Outside, I may look like this, but inside is a different story.”

Summer, 58, bent over like an old woman, holding her back and hobbling around stage with an imaginary cane.

Yet her powerful performance in Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort’s Avalon Ballroom Tuesday night proved that the singer needs no aid to entertain.

Following a medley of her hits performed by her band, the disco diva opened with a bang, rising up through the piano and belting out “She Works Hard for the Money.” The crowd roared its approval, apparently happy that Summer wasted no time getting to her hits.

Summer continued on to comment on the beauty of the landscape.

“I was standing at my window this morning, looking out at the falls, and it’s breathtaking,” she said. “You’re blessed.”

With her pipes sounding as good as they did 20 years ago and her energy just as strong, Summer’s show was indeed a treat for fans. In addition to performing the hits she has become known for, including “ No More Tears (Enough Is Enough,)” “Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff,” Summer also sang a number of covers. A rendition of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” triggered an immediate crowd chorus, and the slow, beautiful “Smile” was sung with just a spotlight on Summer and a slight backing of strings.

One of the night’s treats came when Summer showcased her vocal range on Sade’s “Pearls.”

Another concert highlight included Summer selecting three members of the audience to join her onstage. Little did they know they would become her backup singers for “On the Radio.”

As Summer swayed and sang her upbeat classic, the three women stepped up to their mike and belted “Whoa odher-oedh.,” just as the diva had ore-mail:mhirschbeck@buffnews.com

Concert Review

Donna Summer

Tuesday night in the Avalon Ballroom at Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort.

Dear Donna,

I don't know if you necessarily are aware of any of this so I thought I'd share.

1. Why no merchandise, we were all looking forward to some t-shirts, something, that always makes it fun? (My guess is that it wouldn't be cost -effective to make anything new for the abbreviated tour this year and that there wasn't enough stuff left from the last tour to bring with her this time. A full tour next year with a new album will probably bring new merchandise.)

2. Did you know that we couldn't even give you flowers? So many were disappointed. (There are a number of venues that are like that. Sometimes you will find a nice security guard who will offer to take the flowers back for you, but not always. And it's not just post 9/11 jitters - there were flowerless venues before that too.  :-(  ) 

3. Your "fanatics" were dying for you to test some of your new material on us, any reason why not? (Well, going by the radio interview and things Donna has said at shows, they don't have a final tracklist nailed down for the CD yet.  So if she sang something new and then it didn't make the CD, there would be a mass exodus to Nashville to find that vault and rip it open once and for all!   LOL  Either that or she just wants us to be surprised when the CD does come out.)

4. When you talked about Mary's forthcoming CD, can you give us a little more detail, when? and where to find out more?  (Ummm... YEAH!  What he said.  When's it coming out? I think I need to email someone.  LOL)

5. And while it was very exciting to have my friend pulled onstage to do the backups, we will never have any pictures of that memory. Couldn't someone have been staffed to at least give us a polaroid? (A POLAROID? They still make those?  LOL  I don't know why they stopped taking pictures, but I did find at Foxwoods that even though photography was strictly prohibited, when fans were brought up on the stage, security really didn't mind that people were trying to get pictures of the divas. That will probably vary from venue to venue and maybe even from security person to security person.)

6. We love your version of Sade's Pearls more than Sade's by a zillion, so, can you make it available on your website as a digital download so we can purchase it there? The live version would be just fine. (What he said. iTunes would work too - but please put it on ALL the international iTunes stores at the same time.  :-) )

- Toronto Fan