by Michael P. Coleman
Ponce de León never found the mythical fountain of youth, but it exists. If you’re not a believer, you weren’t at Diana Ross’ sold out performance at Thunder Valley Casino last weekend.
Ross ended her 2014 US tour just outside of Sacramento, taking the stage at just after 8pm last Saturday to the strains of one of her many mega hits “I’m Coming Out”. As the spotlight fell on her face, there were audible gasps in my section, as the 70-year-old Motown superstar and grandmother of two appeared roughly half of her age. And it wasn’t just Ross’ appearance that seemed to defy time — she has certainly taken care of her voice, performing decades of hits in their original arrangements and sounding like she did more than twenty years ago. The very top of her still girlish, youthful register has been replaced by a heft at the bottom that she employed to maximum effect, especially on the ballads.
Ross played to her multi-generational fans right away, first with her remake of the 70s chestnut “More Today Than Yesterday”. She then segued into some of the night’s many highlights, delivering pitch perfect renditions of a few of her classic 60s hits with The Supremes: “My World Is Empty Without You”, “Baby Love”, “Stop! In The Name Of Love”, “You Can’t Hurry Love”, and “Love Child”.
A quick costume change later, Ross slammed the crowd with her disco anthem “The Boss”, during which she seemed genuinely moved that the crowd took over for her on the song’s ad-libbed bridge. The legend slowed things down with a gorgeous version of her 1973 #1 pop smash “Touch Me In The Morning”, which created a template for the power ballad that has been employed by everyone from the late Whitney Houston to Ariana Grande over the last four decades.
The Not-So-Elusive Chanteuse then hit the dance floor again with two more #1 hits, “Upside Down” and “Love Hangover”, and followed them with “Take Me Higher”, and The Wiz’ “Ease On Down The Road”. Ross then danced offstage for another quick change, leaving her audience to boogie with the band and beg for more.
A jazzy, sublime version of Dusty Springfield’s “The Look Of Love” followed, and after Ross coyly asked “Do I have any jazz and blues lovers out there?”, she delivered another show stopper, “Don’t Explain” from her debut film “Lady Sings The Blues”.
Ross closed the show with “Do You Know Where You’re Going To?” before segueing into “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, her first solo chart topper, and her cover of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”. After minutes of rapturous applause, Ross returned to the stage – in yet another incredible costume! – and lobbied an “Endless Love” encore that left the crowd breathless.
Filing out of the amphitheater, I overheard several talk about how youthful Ross looked and how, after a half century in the public eye, she seemed to be having as much fun on stage as she did at the beginning of her groundbreaking career. As I approach the big 5-0 next year, I can only hope to be as spry in 20 years as Ross was Saturday night. She seems to have found that mythical fountain of youth and, to paraphrase one of my favorite movies, I want whatever Ross is having.
Michael P. Coleman is a freelance writer based in Sacramento, California. Reach out & touch him at michaelpcoleman.com, at mikelsminseye@me.com, or on Twitter: @colemanmichaelp
