Bette At The Top Of Her Game
by The Genuinely Divine Geno


Photo: BaltoBoy Steve Weiner

This show was my 3rd time seeing KMB, 2 in Philly and Atlantic City and must say, this was the best so far. Bette was ON !!!. The crowd was so loud and with her every step of the show. My tickets were for Section 110, row 10. Lo and behold there was no row 10. Guest Services were gracious enough to move us to Section 115, row 7..
Right on the corner of the stage!!!!!

I didnt mind having a side view as I've seen the show already, I was closer to Bette!!! I can clear up the issue with the woman looking at the screen also, as I was sitting right behind her. As Bette strolled over to our section she noticed the woman looking at the screen instead of her and in her typical manner, picked right up on it and we were in Hysterics about it. She also sat on the floor and someone yelled "Its my Birthday" To which Bette replied "Happy Birthday, Listen to me, I dont even know the Bitch". OMG I was on the Floor. She was at the top of her game in Philly and we knew it and gave her all our Love.

My seat was also at the right angle where I could see Bette in the wings as I guess the dressing rooms were right off the stage so I got to see her on and off stage as well. Highlight of the night: When a Man Loves A woman. She got a screaming standing ovation!!! She never sounded better!!! Im still reeling about the show and hope she does a Cher and stays on the road...LOL..

Best Wishes...Geno

Photo: BaltoBoy Steve Weiner

First let me just say what awesome seats I had - 8th row center stage. "Yes there is a god after all" ...recognize that line from anywhere??

On to the show!!! AWESOME!!

Bette was incredible last nite (no surprise there). The Philly crowd was so in to the show and Bette responded. She was animated beyond belief last nite. She was making the goofiest faces and hamming-it-up during all the "light" moments of the show.
When she came out she did the usual chatter and said something like "Oh Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love AND A BLUE STATE!!!" With that the crowd went nuts. She said how with "W" in office again, she'll have to stay drunk for the next 4 years! Got a BIG cheer with the Dick Cheney website joke ;-) She said that Bush's daughter's were so happy that "daddy" is in for another 4 years...they're now planning to transfer to the "electoral college" (ha-ha-ha!!)

She was busting on the Mayor about how the voting lines were so long, almost as long as the line to get a flu shot. But that the Mayor could get his..."he wouldn't want to get another BUG now would he?" Referring to the last time she was in town, the Mayor's office was bugged by the FBI and at that time she said "I would have invited the Mayor, but I heard he was having his office rewired" - very funny!

As for the political issues, it was if she just wanted to have a good time. Bette did talk briefly between From A Distance and WBMW about how we all got out to vote and now we've made our "decision" and that we shouldn't just be "9-5 Americans". I think she was referring to helping others/community service and to stay informed. Remember, there is a BIG senate race coming in the next 2 years.

Bette was very emotional during I Think It's Gonna Rain Today and From A Distance and absolutely TORE-UP When A Man Loves a Woman. The crowd (again) went crazy - up on their feet cheering. I think she actually became part of that song last nite. You know, when she's singing that song and she starts shaking her head and hands and then her legs start going....she's gone!!! Unbelievable performance.

During the Soph jokes, she went over to one side of the stage to start the "winding his watch joke" and she noticed a woman staring at the screen right next to her. Bette yelled at her..."Hey, why are you looking a the damn screen when I'm standing right in front of you??!" The crowd started cheering and Bette then said she would do the next joke for this woman. She starts to tell the joke and the woman (again) looks at the screen. Bette was floored!! She looks at the audience and says, "She is still looking at the damn screen. Look at me...I'm right in front of you. See me?? Look at my lips, they're moving..." A very funny and light hearted moment.

The second act seemed to fly on by. Maybe it was because this was my last show but, when she was singing Do You Want to Dance, I was getting sad because I knew the show was almost over - and sometimes you just don't want to see a good thing end ;-(
Anyhoots, I had a great time, took 2 more Bette "virgins" to this show and they were totally blown away. They couldn't get over how Bette can get around in that fishtail - I told them she's been doing it for so long it's second nature to her...but still hysterical.

Thanks to Philly for making it a great show. Thanks to the KMB crew and band...most of all thanks to Bette for bringing this show around a second time. You helped me forget about the events of the world for a few hours...it was a great ride and good luck with the rest of the tour!

Philly's own Divine Mrs. M,

~J

A VIEW FROM ABOVE: PHILLY MULLETS LOVE BETTE TOO!
by The Divine Mr. Rich B.

Photo: BaltoBoy Steve Weiner

I decided to give my highschool friend my 8th row seat for the first act, since she was a Bette virgin, and was good company for my 80 year old mom.

So I proceeded to the top tier with other friends. My I was high! (up) I could see Mom down on the floor, so I called "The Divine Miss J" who was also on the 8th row. She was kind enough to show mom where I was. No, it wasn't Jersey, but almost :>)

Seeing the show from afar was a new experience for me. The floor of the stage was wooden, just like a boardwalk. You could see all the mechanisms behind the stage as well. The lighting was wonderul.

The sound was fine. However we could not see anything beyond Bette. So the side screens screens were very helpful.

The audience cheered her arrival and was on it's feet during "When a Man loves A Woman". The were also quite moved with Bette's rendition of "Skylark, "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" and "Shiver me Timbers"..The rest of the set list remained the same.

Bette did not shy away from her Bush bashing, although Kerry was never mentioned by name. Bette let the audience know how relieved she was that the election was finally over. Commenting on information overload.. she prefers to read the papers than watch the endless political ads on tv and the Internet, referring to moveon.org and Cheneys favoirte website, f%ckyou.com. The audience lapped it up. When she said the Bush daughters must be happy with their daddy's re-election because they now could go on to the "electoral college".We were in stitches.

A few things I will say re: the Philly date. Audience was alive and on their feet. Local humor was tops. Bette seems happy with that and relieved the election was over.

She did some schtick on election coverage, continuing her Bush assault, acknowledging that she will need 4 more years of drinking. Saying as Americans, we have our regular 9-5 job and jobs as citizens. She elaborated more in the second act before or after singing "From a Distance"/"Wind Breather My Wings" and "The Rose" She paid tribute to all of us, for making an effort to vote...acknowledging that America was waking up. As the 1st half came to a close the crowd I was with in the rafters were loving the entire Soph bits.. Not a joke or word was missed!

Act 2 brought me down to mom and Miss J...Boy what a difference! More of what I am used too. But I must say, sitting in two places of the arena seemed like I saw two shows.

Delores, one of my favorite parts, no matter what the critics say, came and went flawlessly. Mr. Roger followed, with Bette again reminding us what a dangerous world we live in.."I Like to Be Told".

"From A Distance" brought the first standing ovation of the 2nd act.."My personal favorite "Do You Wanna Dance" followed. "WBMW" and "The (sing-a-long) Rose". Someone gave Bette a lay which she wore, then proceeded to lie down, saying she was "fapitzed".
Catching her breath Bette made mention of some guy in the front row, whose arms were crossed for most of the show..The camera showed him on the large screens. Hysterical!

She also noticed a girl watching the screen who was on the side but very close to the stage. Bette walked over and said something like, "you don't need to watch the screen I'm only a few feet from you".

Someone yelled Happy Birthday (It's My Birthday). Bette's response "Happy Birthday", and elaborated by saying "why did I wish that person a Happy Birthday?, "I don't even know her!

She did do "In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening" as the encore..

All went well..one of the best and most memorable shows I have seen. She really seemed to try and heal all the Kerry supporters.(80% of Philadelphian's voted democrat)

It made me forget about the election to the point that I wondered did Bush really win, or was it all a nightmare. I needed her tonight!

Mom loved it too.

Bette's one of this country's national treasures, performer, entertainer and a real trouper, hands down!

Rich B

Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes
by The Divine Miss Lorine


Photo: BaltoBoy Steve Weiner

Another great show last night. I can't even explain in words what it was like to be in the first row. She was having a ball and did the same songs, excluding Keep on Rocking. Her back must still be a little sore.

She of course had a couple of cracks about the election, how she'll just have to stay drunk for the next four years. She called Philly the blue state. The crowd, I thought, was pretty hopping. Loud and exciting. The band and harlettes kicked ass as usual.

And do I need to comment on the Divine? I didn't think. Ok, maybe just a few words, she was fantastically amazing. I never get tired of her jokes and songs. Her facial expressions, will always keep me smiling. She even picked on a guy off to the side because she was standing right in front of him (on stage) and he was watching the screen. She said "look I'm standing right in front of this guy and he's looking at the screen. Here, this jokes for you." She started to tell the joke and the guy looked at the screen again, "she's like what are you doing? i'm right in front all you can see on that screen is the side of my head."

It was really funny. It was definately a night to remember.

Ms M Phenomenal!
by Stan, Bonafide BetteHead


Photo: BaltoBoy Steve Weiner

Went to the show in Philly last night. Ms M was phenomenal! She was really ON and into it. I saw her 4 times last leg and this was my first of this leg. The crowd was pretty good this time. Of course there were the "Golf Clappers", as I like to call them. But for the most part everyone was really into it. She kept her political comments to a minimum, or at least no more than usual, with a comment or two thrown in here and there about the election. The one I remember most was that, "Our forefathers couldn't envision nuclear weapons and now we have a president who can't even pronounce it!"

The show started late and the sound was a bit off in the very beginning, but it was fixed quickly and Bette sounded incredible all the way through. Highlights for me were, Skylark, When a Man Loves a Woman, Tenderly and Shiver Me Timbers in the first half.

The Britney Bunch was cute and really got a big laugh. Soph was a lot shorter this time and there was no Vase joke. She did comment to a woman in the front row, "I'm standing right in front of you and you're looking up at the screen! The shit I have to put up with!" She dedicated the next joke to her. It was a very funny moment.

I liked Delores coming down on the hook. They really shortened, or at least tightened up the Delores segment and it flowed much better than previous shows. From A Distance was very touching and everybody was crying. We sang all of the Rose to her, which was another touching moment. She did the Cool, Cool, Cool encore and it was great. Loved her sitting on the piano. It was a great way to end and go home with that memory.

Stan, Bonafide BetteHead