Post by lora on Mar 23, 2005 19:31:06 GMT -5
Sorry I hadn't posted this yet. I kept some really strange hours over my spring break and I'm still exhausted from that. This is the very same review I posted in the livejournal that I keep, so I apologize for not changing it up a bit for you guys. I just don't have the energy to write it again!
I went to see Lorna Luft perform in "Songs My Mother Taught Me" at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana on Monday. It was quite possibly the best day of my entire life. I tried to create an analogy for my mom so she would understand. (She's the poor soul that accompanied me.) I tried to equal it with her seeing Lisa Marie Presley in concert...but my mom isn't a Lisa Marie fan. She said, "The only thing she has going for her is the fact that she's Elvis's daughter." And I said, "Exactly." It would be like a Beatles fanatic seeing Julian Lennon in concert. Maybe I'm just more attached to Judy than a lot of people are to the singers they like. When a singer you love is dead and gone, seeing their offspring, you hope they can rekindle some of the magic. Granted, seeing Lorna Luft in concert still isn't as great as I imagine seeing Bette Midler would be, but it's a different kind of great. Comprehende?
Now for the journey! We left at 12:30 on Monday afternoon and filled up my car with gas. The trip started off nicely. I was so anxious. It was a good thing I had the driving to keep me occupied or I would have gone nuts. Once we got past Elizabethtown, KY, we would be on the interstate until Muncie. I let Mom pick the CDs we listened to, which isn't like me. I normally force my music upon others. Ha ha.
Anywho, we drove nonstop all the way into Indiana. Shortly thereafter we found somewhere to pull off so we could use the bathroom. There we found quite a novelty - a perfume machine. You put in a quarter, choose a fragrance, and brace yourself for the spray. The white trash part of me wanted to try it...luckily, Lora the Socialite cringed inside and realized what a preposterous contraption that truly was.
Back on the road, we drove until we reached Anderson, IN, on the other side of Indianapolis. We ate at Ryan's then decided to go in Meijer across the street to kill a little time. We could have stayed there for a bit longer, but I was too excited. The quicker we got to Muncie, the better. We found the Ball State campus very easily - finding Emens Auditorium was another story. We had to drive around campus for fifteen minutes or so. I thought the roads on the University of Kentucky campus were odd. This place was ten times worse. We finally found where we were going and got parked about an hour before the show. My odometer clocked in at exactly 250 miles at that point. In addition to quite possibly being the one there that traveled the furthest, I could have been the youngest one as well. A lot of the people there were sixty or older. But I don't think anyone could have been happier to be in that seat in the third row than me. Before the show, I sat there with my mom, talking about Judy, talking about the stage, anticipating the show. The curtain was lit with an emerald light and when that curtain opened, I couldn't stop smiling. There was a small band onstage. I waited for them to start, but instead there was a screen overhead that began playing a clip from Judy's short-lived television show. Judy was introducing the song she was about to sing. It was a song she had commissioned to be written for Lorna. They played the clip of the song, in which Judy actually sang to young Lorna. Then...at the end of the clip...the band began to play.
I knew this was it. Butterflies arose in my stomach as I awaited the sight of Lorna. Out she came, dressed in a gorgeous burgundy gown. I was grinning from ear to ear. There she was. My dear, sweet Lorna, right before my very eyes. She did a quick little intro and then went right into an original song written for the show about Judy. I wish I remembered the song order a little better. There were just so many. The first half mainly consisted of Judy's live songs that she did in her later years, around the time of her stints at the Palace and Palladium in the '50s and then her famous Carnegie Hall show in '61. No one can belt them like Judy but Lorna did an excellent job with each and every one. I specifically remember her rendition of "Chicago", which is one of my favorites from the Carnegie concert. Lorna also did "What'll I Do" while clips of Judy with the Rat Pack played. Frank Sinatra was Lorna's godfather, Dean Martin's daughter is her best friend, and she performed with Sammy Davis Jr. for years. As Lorna said herself, these guys practically raised her. She told some really sweet stories about each of them. A lot of people now just think of the Rat Pack as a bunch of boozers. It was nice to hear them humanized.
I also recall Lorna singing "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine", both of which used the same arrangements as Judy's Carnegie versions. She did a song by Jerry Herrman called "Time" that I absolutely adored. She sang "Be A Clown" while pictures of Judy from different movies rolled over the screen, pictures of her and Mickey Rooney goofing around and various other cute things. I knew which movie each and every scene came from. It made me particularly happy that so many clips from The Pirate were shown, since many people aren't familiar with the movie at all. It's one of my favorites. Lorna also had pictures of her and Judy together up on the screen, but for the life of me I can't remember which song they were played over.
Intermission came after about an hour. This was the point where I kept saying, "And my camera is right out in the car, Mom." I had e-mailed someone at BSU, who contacted Lorna's management, who said cameras were not allowed. I brought mine just in case. But my mom urged me not to take it in. She was afraid my $200 camera would be confiscated. That prospect did not make me happy...so I agreed and left it in the car. However, security was extremely minimal and I'm completely sure that I could have gotten, at the very least, one picture without being noticed. The secret is to keep the flash off, which most people don't think of. Stage lighting is sufficient. Your flash will rarely reach the stage anyhow. It usually only illuminates the heads of those in front of you. But I digress. Anyway, I was wishing I had gotten a picture of Lorna. I never took a camera to any other concert I had been to, and I can still see each of those vividly. Still, it would have been nice to have. *sigh*
After about fifteen minutes, the lights were lowered again and the band went into the overture from, again, Judy's Carnegie Hall concert. I knew every single beat of that overture and probably looked like an idiot tapping it out. But I adore that overture. Lorna came out at the exact moment in the music where Judy entered during her Carnegie Hall concert. This time she was wearing a black pantsuit. She threw out a few more anecdotes, and then she broke into an altered version of "Born In A Trunk", with the lyrics changed to fit Judy's life. There were even new lyric snippets added in to represent all of the major films that Judy did. In the middle of this was also the very same "You Made Me Love You/For Me And My Gal/The Trolley Song" medley that Judy did at Carnegie Hall. The "Born In A Trunk" segment was fantastic, and very long. Lorna then told about after Judy died. A few nights later, she was having trouble sleeping, and she went outside and sat on the patio. The sky was empty except for one little star shining brightly overhead. I don't know what you would call the song that she then sang, but the lyrics were, "Twinkle twinkle little star, I know who and what you are." She sang this song, then a video of Judy doing "Over The Rainbow" played, creating a lovely little duet. Lorna went offstage to an ovation, and came back for an encore. After that, she received another standing ovation. She took her bows, and then went all the way down the stage shaking hands with people in the front row. When she was on my side, I was five feet away from her. Five feet away...
I was so drained after the show. I know that probably sounds silly, but it was so emotionally draining for me. So many of those songs brought me to tears, not only because Lorna did them so well but because all I could hear in the back of my mind was Judy. Also, I clapped my little arms off. Lorna was dazzling to watch. It's obvious she got her talent from her mother. So much energy, so much beauty. She just radiated. I wanted to stick around for a minute or two, but I didn't know if there was any chance of Lorna coming out to do autographs or anything, so I decided not to. After all, we had a long journey ahead. But I made it. I drove all the way home with no trouble. I nearly passed out when we got home at 2:15 in the morning, but all the exhaustion was well worth it. I will never forget the day I saw Lorna Luft in concert.
I went to see Lorna Luft perform in "Songs My Mother Taught Me" at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana on Monday. It was quite possibly the best day of my entire life. I tried to create an analogy for my mom so she would understand. (She's the poor soul that accompanied me.) I tried to equal it with her seeing Lisa Marie Presley in concert...but my mom isn't a Lisa Marie fan. She said, "The only thing she has going for her is the fact that she's Elvis's daughter." And I said, "Exactly." It would be like a Beatles fanatic seeing Julian Lennon in concert. Maybe I'm just more attached to Judy than a lot of people are to the singers they like. When a singer you love is dead and gone, seeing their offspring, you hope they can rekindle some of the magic. Granted, seeing Lorna Luft in concert still isn't as great as I imagine seeing Bette Midler would be, but it's a different kind of great. Comprehende?
Now for the journey! We left at 12:30 on Monday afternoon and filled up my car with gas. The trip started off nicely. I was so anxious. It was a good thing I had the driving to keep me occupied or I would have gone nuts. Once we got past Elizabethtown, KY, we would be on the interstate until Muncie. I let Mom pick the CDs we listened to, which isn't like me. I normally force my music upon others. Ha ha.
Anywho, we drove nonstop all the way into Indiana. Shortly thereafter we found somewhere to pull off so we could use the bathroom. There we found quite a novelty - a perfume machine. You put in a quarter, choose a fragrance, and brace yourself for the spray. The white trash part of me wanted to try it...luckily, Lora the Socialite cringed inside and realized what a preposterous contraption that truly was.
Back on the road, we drove until we reached Anderson, IN, on the other side of Indianapolis. We ate at Ryan's then decided to go in Meijer across the street to kill a little time. We could have stayed there for a bit longer, but I was too excited. The quicker we got to Muncie, the better. We found the Ball State campus very easily - finding Emens Auditorium was another story. We had to drive around campus for fifteen minutes or so. I thought the roads on the University of Kentucky campus were odd. This place was ten times worse. We finally found where we were going and got parked about an hour before the show. My odometer clocked in at exactly 250 miles at that point. In addition to quite possibly being the one there that traveled the furthest, I could have been the youngest one as well. A lot of the people there were sixty or older. But I don't think anyone could have been happier to be in that seat in the third row than me. Before the show, I sat there with my mom, talking about Judy, talking about the stage, anticipating the show. The curtain was lit with an emerald light and when that curtain opened, I couldn't stop smiling. There was a small band onstage. I waited for them to start, but instead there was a screen overhead that began playing a clip from Judy's short-lived television show. Judy was introducing the song she was about to sing. It was a song she had commissioned to be written for Lorna. They played the clip of the song, in which Judy actually sang to young Lorna. Then...at the end of the clip...the band began to play.
I knew this was it. Butterflies arose in my stomach as I awaited the sight of Lorna. Out she came, dressed in a gorgeous burgundy gown. I was grinning from ear to ear. There she was. My dear, sweet Lorna, right before my very eyes. She did a quick little intro and then went right into an original song written for the show about Judy. I wish I remembered the song order a little better. There were just so many. The first half mainly consisted of Judy's live songs that she did in her later years, around the time of her stints at the Palace and Palladium in the '50s and then her famous Carnegie Hall show in '61. No one can belt them like Judy but Lorna did an excellent job with each and every one. I specifically remember her rendition of "Chicago", which is one of my favorites from the Carnegie concert. Lorna also did "What'll I Do" while clips of Judy with the Rat Pack played. Frank Sinatra was Lorna's godfather, Dean Martin's daughter is her best friend, and she performed with Sammy Davis Jr. for years. As Lorna said herself, these guys practically raised her. She told some really sweet stories about each of them. A lot of people now just think of the Rat Pack as a bunch of boozers. It was nice to hear them humanized.
I also recall Lorna singing "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine", both of which used the same arrangements as Judy's Carnegie versions. She did a song by Jerry Herrman called "Time" that I absolutely adored. She sang "Be A Clown" while pictures of Judy from different movies rolled over the screen, pictures of her and Mickey Rooney goofing around and various other cute things. I knew which movie each and every scene came from. It made me particularly happy that so many clips from The Pirate were shown, since many people aren't familiar with the movie at all. It's one of my favorites. Lorna also had pictures of her and Judy together up on the screen, but for the life of me I can't remember which song they were played over.
Intermission came after about an hour. This was the point where I kept saying, "And my camera is right out in the car, Mom." I had e-mailed someone at BSU, who contacted Lorna's management, who said cameras were not allowed. I brought mine just in case. But my mom urged me not to take it in. She was afraid my $200 camera would be confiscated. That prospect did not make me happy...so I agreed and left it in the car. However, security was extremely minimal and I'm completely sure that I could have gotten, at the very least, one picture without being noticed. The secret is to keep the flash off, which most people don't think of. Stage lighting is sufficient. Your flash will rarely reach the stage anyhow. It usually only illuminates the heads of those in front of you. But I digress. Anyway, I was wishing I had gotten a picture of Lorna. I never took a camera to any other concert I had been to, and I can still see each of those vividly. Still, it would have been nice to have. *sigh*
After about fifteen minutes, the lights were lowered again and the band went into the overture from, again, Judy's Carnegie Hall concert. I knew every single beat of that overture and probably looked like an idiot tapping it out. But I adore that overture. Lorna came out at the exact moment in the music where Judy entered during her Carnegie Hall concert. This time she was wearing a black pantsuit. She threw out a few more anecdotes, and then she broke into an altered version of "Born In A Trunk", with the lyrics changed to fit Judy's life. There were even new lyric snippets added in to represent all of the major films that Judy did. In the middle of this was also the very same "You Made Me Love You/For Me And My Gal/The Trolley Song" medley that Judy did at Carnegie Hall. The "Born In A Trunk" segment was fantastic, and very long. Lorna then told about after Judy died. A few nights later, she was having trouble sleeping, and she went outside and sat on the patio. The sky was empty except for one little star shining brightly overhead. I don't know what you would call the song that she then sang, but the lyrics were, "Twinkle twinkle little star, I know who and what you are." She sang this song, then a video of Judy doing "Over The Rainbow" played, creating a lovely little duet. Lorna went offstage to an ovation, and came back for an encore. After that, she received another standing ovation. She took her bows, and then went all the way down the stage shaking hands with people in the front row. When she was on my side, I was five feet away from her. Five feet away...
I was so drained after the show. I know that probably sounds silly, but it was so emotionally draining for me. So many of those songs brought me to tears, not only because Lorna did them so well but because all I could hear in the back of my mind was Judy. Also, I clapped my little arms off. Lorna was dazzling to watch. It's obvious she got her talent from her mother. So much energy, so much beauty. She just radiated. I wanted to stick around for a minute or two, but I didn't know if there was any chance of Lorna coming out to do autographs or anything, so I decided not to. After all, we had a long journey ahead. But I made it. I drove all the way home with no trouble. I nearly passed out when we got home at 2:15 in the morning, but all the exhaustion was well worth it. I will never forget the day I saw Lorna Luft in concert.
