She opened her set with “Divine Intervention” and immediately broke into the upbeat “I Look Good” and sassy “I’ve Still Got My Health.” “Thank you so much. That was fun,” Midler said, and was greeted with a warm standing ovation from her New York audience.
“New York, New York,” Midler shouted. “How many of you took the train here? How many of you drove here? It is great that some of you still drive at night,” she said, jokingly.
Midler continued with “Do You Wanna Dance,” which she noted was the first song that anybody had heard her sing. “If you’re young, it’s the first song of mine that your grandmother ever heard,” she added.
“Throw it Away” was a sultry ballad that showcased her crisp vocals, proving that Midler is a true song stylist. She noted that while some people rescue cats and dogs, she rescues old songs. “I sing that song for inspiration. I never throw anything away,” she said. “I revive more oldies than Viagra,” she added.
“Tell Him” was the quintessential sing-along tune. Most impressive about her stage was that it was labeled “Auntie B’s Rock N’ Soul” and rightfully so.
Midler sat down on the Madison Square Garden stage to sing “Teach Me Tonight” with her three back-up singers , and they all soared on harmonies. She was able to dust off TLC’s “Waterfalls” and she delivered a spell-binding and emotional cover that left many audience members in tears.
She changed the pace of her set with the witty “Everybody Knows,” as she praised Madison Square Garden for being a “marvelous arena.” She poked fun at such celebrities as Bruce Jenner, Vladimir Putin and New Jersey governor Chris Christie. “The last time we hooked up the bridge was closed,” she said, referring to Christie. Midler also made fun of Tom Brady and his “deflated balls.”
Her version of “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” was expressive and superb, where the audience members were witnessing a true Broadway-caliber performance. Equally remarkable was her revival of “I Put a Spell on You” from Hocus Pocus, where she was dressed in her witch outfit and fake teeth.
It was followed by a medley of hits that included “Merrie Melodies,” “Yakety Sax,” “Optimistic Voices,” “Bird In The Hand,” “A Visit From Soph” and it ended with a reprise of “Merrie Melodies.”
The veteran songstress underwent an outfit change and showcased her inner rock-star on the rocking number “Beast of Burden.” “We don’t get to do that too much. Thank you so much,” she said, graciously.
She tipped her hat to the great Ella Fitzgerald by singing a controlled rendition of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most.”
The highlight vocal of the evening was her stellar version of her signature tune “The Rose,” which was a musical masterpiece that earned her yet another lengthy standing ovation. It was followed by the poignant “From a Distance” and closed with “Stay With Me,” as she took her fans on a trip down memory lane to 1978.
Midler returned for an encore that included the fan-favorite and emotional “Wind Beneath My Wings,” which was another gem that left the crowd teary-eyed. “Thank you so very much. I am so touched,” she said. “You are so sweet to me. I can’t tell you how grateful I am,” complimenting her dedicated fans and followers. She concluded with “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” which she dubbed as “the song that started it all.”
The Verdict
Bette Midler’s “Divine Intervention” tour stop at Madison Square Garden can easily be summed up in one word, outstanding. She had Madison Square Garden in the palm of her hand, and the audience was aware that they were in the presence of a living musical goddess. “The Divine Miss M” put on the best concert by a female artist thus far in 2015. She interacted well with her fans with her humor, and at times even broke their hearts, thanks to her versatile vocals. She is highly recommended seeing live whenever she is in town. If one has never heard Midler sing live, then one’s life is not yet complete. Her Madison Square Garden concert garnered an A+ rating.
New York fans can catch iconic songstress Bette Midler at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 29. To learn more about her tour dates, check out her official website.
