I arrived at Kean University in Union, NJ way too early. I was lucky enough to get Row C center for Idina Menzel’s concert The last two concerts I have been to I have been stuck in the back row cause both times tickets went on sale I was on a plane coming home. The concert was on a Sunday so I got there around 6 pm and the concert started at 7pm. I got to meet Laura who flew all the way from Spain to see Idina. Of course, they had huge signs that said no photography during the concert. I ended up buying a tour t-shirt before the concert so they wouldn’t be out of my size. They finally let us into the theater and I was in right down front. Heck, they even gave us a nice program.
The opening act was Chris Mann. He was amazing and his CD comes out with Sony in March 2009. Very talented and I wish him great success. During Chris’ set and when they set up Idina’s equipment Chris went outside to sign CD’s and to take picture. So sweet. I was able to get my picture with him and talk with him for a few minutes.
Idina came out to thunderous applause. She was wearing what I thought were blue jeans but they could have been black and a weird top but heck anything looks good on her.
Here’s the set list in no particular order:
Don't Let Me Down
Here
Heartbreaker
Devorah/Rise Up
Embraceable You
Where Do I Begin
Brave
I Stand
Get Up Stand Up
No Day But Today
I Feel Everything
Forever
Company
For Good
Gorgeous
Kiss From A Rose
Defying Gravity
After the first two song Idina took her high heals off cause she said she couldn’t stomp around in them without sliding. She asked Deb her tour manager to get her boots but she had to wait awhile so someone in the audience offered her their uggs. Idina accepted and put them on. Idina kept asking the lady who’s boots if she was borrowing if her feet were cold. She apologized that she was stinking them up cause she had bare feet. Deb bought out her boots and what looked like black and white checkered socks. Idina talked about Mr. Rogers and what did he change. His shoes or sweater. It took Idina about 3 tires to get the words right during Here. She kept saying “relevation” instead of “revelation.” I don’t remember when it was but Idina moonwalked on stage and she was very good at it. Idina talked about a wedding she went to Tuscany and how they supplied vodka, which she thought was water and a few hours later everyone was singing Karma Chameleon and singing it like Idina did. “Come a Come a Come a Come a Come a Chameleon” When she was younger before Rent she was a wedding singer and that is the way she sang it. During Rise Up when Idina was talking about her younger sister Cara you could see tears in her eyes. She was getting choked up. During No Day but Today she ran into the audience once she realized how big the theatre was. She went to both back corners. During I Feel Everything she had a nice slow version then she went crazy with it and danced around stomping around. She told us she had a fight with hubby and the first version was suppose to be crazy. I loved the stomping version. You could tell Idina was an Obama supporter cause she did mention the election. There were thunderous applause when she talked about this. Sometime during the concert she talked about how the band played Scattergories the night before and Sharon her backup singers was a ballbuster who decided whether and answer was right or wrong. Holly one of her backup singers put for W Athletes “Wimbledon Winners” and Jimmy the drummers put for L for Heroes Liver Transplanters. Before one of the songs, she saw a fuzzball on the stage and improv a little song about a fuzzball. She goes it cause bought the cheap ass rug at Target. Before she sang For Good she said she loved the gifts that people were sending her but they were green and she said to send tequila. She goes I am just joking cause then that is all she would get. During the show when she was talking with Holly and Sharon they were talking about how Sharon wanted Idina to add a little riff in Company and Idina didn’t do it. She told Sharon she chickened out and she made Sharon do the riff it was amazing. She had Jimmy the drummer even tell us a joke. It was so cute there was a guy in the 3rd row to my left that was singing along with Idina through the whole concert and when Idina was going through the audience she stopped and kneeled down next to him and sang with him. Deb had brought Idina out a drink and before The Rent Medley she had to move it cause it was in her way. Then she moved the bottled water and her tin of mints was sitting there and she told the guitar player they were fine where they were. During the concert, she had mints (I think that is what they were) that she kept popping in her mouth. She had to apologize once that she was taking forever to chew them. Before the Rent song someone mooed and she was like are you mooing or booing me? She said she is never sure cause the first time someone did that I was like and she made a funny face. Someone in front of me had a stuffed cow. The song that always gives me chills is Defying Gravity. It gave me chills when I saw Idina as Elphaba the first time I saw Wicked and I still get chills when she sings it at concerts.
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