Embarcadero Marina Park San Diego August 28th

[Jessica]

Hey! I was just wondering if anyone has ever been to the Embarcadero Marina Park in San Diego to see Burt? I'm thinking about going, but wondering if anyone knows more about the venue. Any information is greatly appreciated!

We saw burt in Atlanta, GA both nights earlier this year and it was an awesome experience! Would love to see him live again.

Jessica

[guest]

I was in attendance last year at The San Diego Symphony’s Embarcadero Marina Park concert and it was indeed a magical evening. Having seen Bacharach in concert many times over the years I can honestly say this was one of the best venues ever.
The sold out crowd was with him 100%. He seemed relaxed, in great spirits, and as always the production was top notch. The venue, while being outdoors, had a very intimate feel to it. With a backdrop of San Diego’s beautiful skyline, boats passing in the harbor, 2 wide screen monitors I can recommend going without a moments hesitation.
I am looking forward to attending again next month. See you there!

[mark]

I was in attendance last year (as were Alvina and her husband), and I think we'd all agree it was a wonderful evening. The Embarcadero Marina Park is a beautiful open-air venue, with a gorgeous view of the harbor, but it gets a little chilly at night so if you do go be sure to bring a jacket.

The show was great and part of that may have had to do with the fact that Burt had so many friends and family members in attendance. Remember San Diego is just down the road from L.A., so a lot of friends and family were in the house.

The one drawback I recall is that since there was a fireworks display scheduled in the marina, Burt had to cut his encore short. There was a net loss of maybe one song.

I'd love to make it back this year, but unfortunately I don't think I'm going to have the time (or money)

[ron]

Jessica:

We would love to have you join us here in San Diego. I've seen Burt perform at this venue several times and it is a great setting for an evenining with Burt (echoing Mark's and our other guest's comments). Burt & Dionne performed there together a few years ago as well! Last year was a sellout so I suggest you secure tichets ASAP. There is a good chance you'll see Burt at the Del Mar racetrack that weekend as well. Del Mar is just 20 miles north of downtown San Diego on the coast!

Ron
Del Mar, CA

[Jessica]

Thanks for all of your help! We decided to go and purchased the tickets last night. It sounds like a beautiful area, and I can't wait for the concert!

Jessica

[Guest]

Mark,
How is the show when Burt plays there? I mean, is it the version largely made up of medleys of many of the more recent shows or is it more like the shows of the 80s and early 90s, with lots of full versions of the songs? Do the video (I don't think he had videos in recent shows in regular venues) show Burt at the races, as I once saw him with Bill Shoemaker?
Earlier this year I wrote to a good French friend telling him he should go see Burt play with a Symphony orchestra. He just wrote telling he is flying from the East Coast for this show. I am wondering what the program will look like and assuming it will be similar to those he performed there in the past...

[mark]

The show last year, the last time I saw him live, was more or less the same show he's been doing since going back on tour in the late 90s. The majority of songs are performed in a medley format, although he does extended versions of a few that serve as a solo spotlights for his vocalists (If I recall correctly, he typically does full length versions of "One Less Bell To Answer," "Anyone Who Had A Heart" and "God Give Me Strength"). In the handful of times I've seen him over the past few years, I haven't seen any videos.

The show has changed slightly over time, however, and he's constantly making adjustments and substituting songs. For instance, he used to do just a bar or two of "What's New Pussycat" whereas last year he did a longer section of the song. With his small band, he tends to perform "I Still Have the Other Girl" as opposed to "God Give Me Strength."

Actually, I really like the medley format. I think it's very cleverly arranged and I think fans would feel shortchanged if he did full length versions of, say, 15 songs as opposed to abbreviated versions of 40.

[Guest]

Thanks, Mark. I was in awe when I attended my first Bacharach show in New Jersey in the early 90's. It was with Dionne. I am mainly a Bacharach aficcionado, but of course I love Dionne as well. She was in _great_ shape then. At that time it all began with videos of Burt and Dionne, then we had mainly full-length versions of the songs. Burt mentioned that there were some musicians from the Houston Symphony Orchestra. I think he said he had recorded New York Lady with them and added that they couldn't all be there (at this point I laughed and may have lost what followed, which might have been something to the effect that some key members were there. I wasn't sure of what he said but figured he was just kidding around and none of them were there. As it turned out, that day I was treated to the best Bacharach concert I ever attended (I went to about ten) and New York Lady was played exactly as in the Woman album. No shortcuts, simplifications or instrument substitution. As far as I could tell it was indeed exactly the same as the record. Strangely enough it was only on my second Bacharach concert that I realized some guys from the HSO had to have been present. In other shows Burt would mention that he had recorded it with the HSO, but then added that he would do what he could with other fine musicians. Denis Wilson figured prominently in these other performances. The result was never half as good -- however wonderful it was to listen to it live. (I should mention that the second show I attended was in the very same venue one year later and none of the songs sounded as good, especially New York Lady. I was somewhat disturbed by the fact that the audience seemed even more appreciative on that second show. (I seem to recall wondering if Burt was just pleased that the audience was so excited or if he kind of felt bad about the fact that it couldn't appreciate the difference -- but maybe neither, or maybe both things came to his mind. It was raining that day. I wonder if that (1) affected the instruments and (2) made sure only the most appreciative fans attended.)

I guess I could ask...
1) Did anyone here ever listen to a show in which he did say some HSO were present (even though he was not playing with that orchestra)?
2) Did anyone here ever go to a Bacharach performance with the HSO (David Lincoln Brooks, maybe)? Was it as special as I figure it would be?
3) Does the rain affect the sound of the instruments when the show is on an (open) arena?

Question 2 is very important to me. I live abroad and have decided to go to the next Bacharach concert with the HSO, if ever there is another one. (I think there was one last year or the year before that -- or am I wrong about that?)

I thank you in advance for any and all the answers you may offer.

[Martyn]

Hi,

I don't know if this contribution sheds any light but I remember when visiting the UK in July 1996, a concert featuring Burt Bacharach and the BBC Concert Orchestra was broadcast on BBC radio. It was either live or a very recent recording at the time.

During the concert, Burt announced he was going to perform a piece orignally performed by the Houston Symphony Orchestra. He then jokingly added, 'They couldn't be here tonight!' The piece was 'New York Lady'.

Martyn.
Sydney.

[guest Alvina]

Hi everyone, I haven't checked on you guys in awhile. I do want to say any night you can attend a Burt concert is a great night. The San Diego one was an enchanted evening in a beautiful setting. Mark pretty much described it, hower we did have the privilege of going backstage and that was just great. If you ever have the chance do it by all means. The ladies with the symphony were so kind in helping. It was very relaxed with all friends and family there. I would love to go again this year but we were just in San Francisco for a wedding so I am afraid it is too soon. Have a great time and keep us posted.

[mark]

I guess I could ask...
1) Did anyone here ever listen to a show in which he did say some HSO were present (even though he was not playing with that orchestra)?
2) Did anyone here ever go to a Bacharach performance with the HSO (David Lincoln Brooks, maybe)? Was it as special as I figure it would be?
3) Does the rain affect the sound of the instruments when the show is on an (open) arena?

Question 2 is very important to me. I live abroad and have decided to go to the next Bacharach concert with the HSO, if ever there is another one. (I think there was one last year or the year before that -- or am I wrong about that?)

I thank you in advance for any and all the answers you may offer.

I saw Burt with the Houston Symphony at Jones Hall in Houston in May 2003. It was an excellent show and Jones Hall has great acoustics, but I don't think there was any reference to the Woman record or the fact that Burt had a history with the orchestra. If there was, it was just a mention. This was 25 years after the fact, remember, so I can't imagine there were many--if any--musicians still performing who had recorded with Burt. I think I've got the program somewhere; maybe I can do a comparison with the album credits.

I had a chance to talk with Burt briefly after the show but he looked exhausted so I didn't want to barage him with too many questions about Woman and the HSO.

So, yes, it was a good show but I wouldn't fixate on the HSO thinking you're going to get a lot of songs from Woman or stories about its recording. Burt plays to the crowd and the crowd, I think, wants to hear the hits; serious fans have to content themslves with the occasional bone Burt throws their way. I heard that BBC broadcast in which Burt does "New York Lady" and I can honestly say that's the only instance I've heard of his performing it, although it must obviously still be in the band's repertoire.

[Guest]

Thanks a bunch. I want to go to the US to see Burt play with a Symphony Orchestra. I would wish Burt would play with the HSO for two reasons: 1) I am too far away to go to more than one show in the foreseeable future and 2) that night in the early 90s when the performances were just perfect the orchestra seems to have included some members of the HSO. (Remember I think that that is a distinct possibility because in the following year, otherwise same orchestra and venue, the performances were much worse, and, unllike in the previous year, Burt introduced Dennis Wilson, who stood up to play and changed important parts of the song. Ah... These two performances I mentioned were at the Garden State Arts Center.

I wdn't expect them (Burt + HSO) to play more than one or two works from Woman, but I wd hope that, as happened on that perfect night in the early 90s, the quality of the performance would be higher than usual and that maybe they would play more full versions of the songs.

Thanks again.

[alvina....guest]

I know Burt played New York Lady a lot in I am thinking the 80's. My daughter who was in he residency for pediatrics at the time went with me and loved that song. That's my time frame. I am not sure when he stopped doing it.

[alvina....guest]

I know Burt played New York Lady a lot in I am thinking the 80's. My daughter who was in he residency for pediatrics at the time went with me and loved that song. That's my time frame. I am not sure when he stopped doing it.