Barbra: The Music, The Mem'ries, The Magic Explained

Concert Tour Name:Barbra: The Music, The Mem'ries, The Magic
Artist:Barbra Streisand
Album:
Start Date:August 2, 2016
End Date:May 6, 2017
Number Of Shows:16 in North America
16 in total
Gross:$53 million
Last Tour:Barbra Live
(2012-2013)
This Tour:Barbra: The Music, The Mem'ries, The Magic
(2016–2017)

Barbra: The Music, The Mem'ries, The Magic was a concert tour by American recording artist Barbra Streisand. The tour initially visited nine locations in North America,[1] then was extended twice for a total of 16 shows in 14 cities. The performance in Miami (December 5, 2016) was filmed for a Netflix release on November 22, 2017.[2] A live album of the same name recorded during the concert tour was released on December 8, 2017.

Critical response

Variety noted: At 74 years old, Streisand doesn’t always hit the power notes — as ironically evidenced in opening number, "The Way We Were" — but a few spots of pitchy imperfection could hardly detract from the sheer magic of watching a living icon return to the stage after a three-year absence, recounting her storied career through a varied set list that included tracks off each of her No. 1 selling albums, from "Stoney End" to "Woman in Love" to "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)", her disco-fied duet with the late Donna Summer.[3]

Los Angeles Times

Barbra Streisand was working toward a moment — the end of the first act of the first show of her first concert tour in years — when she decided something wasn’t quite right. She’d just brought the house down at Staples Center with a thrilling, deeply felt rendition of Stephen Sondheim's "Being Alive," and now, in a demonstration of her range, Streisand's large band was easing into the hushed "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from "Yentl," her movie about gender and Judaism in Eastern Europe in the early 1900s. Yet an adjustment was in order. Turning her attention to a small table near the edge of the stage, the singer picked up what looked like an unlit candle, turned the thing over and flipped a tiny switch. The decoration flickered to life.[4]

NewsDay

When Barbra Streisand stepped onto the Barclays Center stage and almost immediately began belting out "The Way We Were," it was clear we were in for a daring show. Starting with a beloved showstopper is like throwing down the music gauntlet, promising that what is in store will surpass previous tours. And somehow Streisand delivered."This is what the evening is all about," as she launched into the classic, before adding, "Think of your memories too."The limited nine-city "Barbra: The Music . . . The Mem’ries . . . The Magic!" tour, which also includes another Barclays Center show Saturday, is in some ways a preview of her upcoming album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway out on Aug. 26, which includes duets with Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy and others. But it's also a way for her to once again put her imprint on today's culture.[5]

Commercial reception

Ticket pre-sales began for American Express card members on May 18 for U.S. venues and May 19 for the Canadian venue; along with a pre-sale purchase fans received a copy of the new album. General public ticket sales began on May 25. Tickets prices ranged between $90 and $510.[6] [7]

The tour is presented by Live Nation Global Touring and S2BN Entertainment.

Set list

This set list is representative of the performance on August 11, 2016. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.

  1. "The Way We Were"
  2. "Everything"
  3. "Being at War with Each Other" (Carole King)
  4. "Everything Must Change" (Quincy Jones)
  5. "Woman in Love"
  6. "Stoney End" (Laura Nyro)
  7. "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)"
  8. "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" (with Babyface)
  9. "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"
  10. "Being Alive"
  11. "Papa, Can You Hear Me?"
  1. "Pure Imagination" (with Seth MacFarlane)
  2. "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" (with Anthony Newley)
  3. "Losing My Mind"
  4. "Loving You" (with Patrick Wilson)
  5. "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" (with Jamie Foxx)
  6. "Isn't This Better?"
  7. "How Lucky Can You Get"
  8. "With One More Look at You"/"Watch Closely Now"
  9. "Children Will Listen"
  10. "Don't Rain on My Parade"
  11. "People"
  12. "Happy Days Are Here Again"
  13. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was"

Sources:[8] [9] [10]

Tour dates

All dates were sold out.Attendance indicates theatre capacity.

DateCityCountryVenueAttendanceRevenue
August 2, 2016Los AngelesUnited StatesStaples Center13,557$3,806,180
August 4, 2016San JoseSAP Center11,367$2,687,997
August 6, 2016Las VegasT-Mobile Arena12,946$3,535,905
August 9, 2016ChicagoUnited Center13,748$3,780,492
August 11, 2016BrooklynBarclays Center29,250$8,802,145
August 13, 2016
August 16, 2016BostonTD Garden13,493$3,663,178
August 18, 2016Washington, D.C.Verizon Center12,101$3,152,751
August 20, 2016PhiladelphiaWells Fargo Center13,963$3,529,637
August 23, 2016TorontoCanadaAir Canada Centre13,140$2,481,950
November 27, 2016HoustonUnited StatesToyota Center11,591$3,022,440
November 30, 2016TampaAmalie Arena10,035$2,413,705
December 3, 2016SunriseBB&T Center12,262$3,247,670
December 5, 2016MiamiAmerican Airlines Arena10,071$2,080,785
May 4, 2017UniondaleNassau Coliseum11,435$3,119,293
May 6, 2017BrooklynBarclays Center14,464$3,682,129
Total[11] [12] [13] [14] 203,423 / 203,423 (100%) $53,006,257

Notes and References

  1. Barbra Streisand Announces Movie Star Duets Album & 2016 Tour Dates . Joe Lynch . Billboard. May 16, 2016 . August 12, 2016.
  2. Web site: Review: Netflix's 'Barbra: The Music... The Mem'ries... The Magic!' captures Streisand in top form . . 21 November 2017 .
  3. Web site: Concert Review: Barbra Streisand is Joined Onstage by Jamie Foxx, Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds . Malina Saval. . August 3, 2016 . August 12, 2016.
  4. Web site: Review At Staples Center, Barbra Streisand is a down-to-earth diva with Donald Trump on her mind . Mikael Wood . Los Angeles Times. August 3, 2016 . August 12, 2016.
  5. Web site: Review: Barbra Streisand delivers hit parade at Barclays Center . Glenn Gamboa . NewsDay. August 12, 2016 . August 12, 2016.
  6. Web site: Breaking News: Barbra Streisand is Headed Back on 9-City Tour; Plus Reveals Third Broadway Album . May 16, 2016 . May 16, 2016 . BroadwayWorld . News Desk . BWW . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160517101643/http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Barbra-Streisand-is-Headed-Back-on-9-City-Tour-Plus-Reveals-Third-Broadway-Album-20160516 . May 17, 2016 .
  7. Web site: On sale now: The Music… The Mem'ries… The magic! – Barbra Streisand. Barbra Streisand official website. en-US. 2016-07-16.
  8. Web site: Barbra Streisand Setlist. setlist.fm. August 11, 2016. August 12, 2016.
  9. Web site: The Verdict: Did the NY Critics Love Barbra Streisand's Magic! Tour?. Playbill.com. August 3, 2016. August 12, 2016.
  10. Web site: Barbra Streisand concert 2016. YouTube. 10 August 2016. August 12, 2016.
  11. Billboard Boxscore :: Current Scores . September 6, 2016 . Billboard . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20160906220733/http://www.billboard.com/biz/current-boxscore . 2016-09-06 .
  12. Billboard Boxscore :: Current Scores . November 25, 2016 . Billboard . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20161115180126/http://www.billboard.com/biz/current-boxscore . 2016-11-15 .
  13. Billboard Boxscore :: Current Scores . https://web.archive.org/web/20161213183555/http://www.billboard.com/biz/current-boxscore . dead . 13 December 2016 . December 12, 2016. Billboard.
  14. Billboard Boxscore :: Current Scores . June 8, 2017 . Billboard . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20170607195220/http://www.billboard.com/biz/current-boxscore . 2017-06-07 .