Ms. Cole was entertaining, but I felt she didn’t really connect with the audience. At some moments, particularly in “Mr. Melody,” the level of bass was so high it was impossible to hear the rest of the musicians over it. At other times, Ms. Cole was over-amplified, making her sound a bit screechy, which, for me, ruined “Come Rain or Come Shine.”  Yet there were times when the mix was good, so perhaps the sound operator wasn’t paying the best attention.

I found the fact that much of the show revolved around her being “the daughter of…” a little sad.  She sang “Unforgettable” (beautifully) with a projection of her father on two screens.  Not only has this been done many times before, but I also found it just too schmaltzy, although I know I’m probably in a minority on this front.  It’s not as if she hasn’t had quite a successful career of her own, what with nine Grammy Awards, more than 25 albums (eight gold, three platinum, and one 14-times platinum), and 45-rpm singles (eight number ones)!  Still, she was in good voice, there were some good numbers and she looked fabulous.

The best three songs of the evening were a nice ’n’ smooth “Nice ’n’ Easy,” a simple and moving “Tell Me All About It,” and “Smile,” which did put a smile on my face in the end.

As for the venue, this is the third new venue for live music and cabaret to have opened in as many weeks.  Sadly, of all these venues, this works the least well.  The disorganization was phenomenal.  Tickets on one floor, horrendous queues both for tickets and at the bar (two floors down), equally long queues to order wine for dinner, and there was no rhyme or reason to any of it.  We paid for our drinks at the bar, but I was told by people who ordered wine that they never had to pay for it, things were so chaotic.  Wish I’d ordered some!

The biggest problem of all was the food service.  It was in a banquet room, so was served in banquet style.  No problem with that.  The problem was that everyone had to finish eating in completely before Natalie Cole began singing.  We were told to arrive at 7:30 pm, but the show didn’t begin until 10:10 pm!  All in all, this was a four-hour expedition, not to mention travel time, which, in my book, kills any joy one might have had from the show itself.  I know of no other music venue serving food where the show waits until everyone has eaten.

The music room is in the ballroom of a newish hotel.  It’s a bit large for cabaret, but could work, assuming the problem with the sound system is worked out, and there are performers who can attract 800 paying guests.

Harold Sanditen
Cabaret Scenes
July 10, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org