Billy Stritch and the Girls at Birdland 7/29

Now that we're getting closer...anyone else attending this after the closing of Grey Gardens?

I got a ticket already for this, but I'm still nervous Christine might not be performing. Thats a lot in one day.

Anyways...anyone else going?

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I'm going to Birdland afterward. I've assumed she'd only do a couple of songs since it's not really billed as a "Billy & Christine" show.

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I'll be there, too. Two songs will be better than none! Maybe it will be helpful to her to switch gears after the closing. According to ATC, one of the songs will be a jazz version of "Will You?".

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Updated On: 7/26/07 at 10:03 PM

The show was great! Christine was awesome. She sang three songs; "My Favorite Things", something else, and "Will You", which was beautiful. When she was called up, she was in the bathroom, and had to rush out. It was funny. "That's everyone's worst nightmare!"

Sally Mayes and Klea Blackhurst were great- such great voices! I can't remember the names of the songs they sang, except that Mayes sang "My Funny Valentine".

Stephanie was wonderful and adorable, as usual. She sang three songs, and we learned all about her butt-tucking regimen and life as an "unemployed Broadway star", then she and Billy "got cute" and sang a doodle-doodle song. The first song she sang was "The Sweetest Sound" (I think that's what it's called.) She has an incredible ability to connect with the audience when she's singing...Aand at the stage door, once again proving that she is quite possibly the nicest person on the planet.

The show was too short, sadly; only about 75 minutes, but it was a lot of fun, and Billy Stritch himself was wonderful.

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Elphie, did you wait around to see Stephanie afterwards at all?

Stephanie also sang "The Music That Makes Me Dance" from Funny Girl, which was phenominal as well. Everyone else was really great, I had never heard of two of the four woman and was very impressed. Fantastic night!

Updated On: 7/30/07 at 01:01 AM

It was a really fun night. Great music, great drinks, great company. I had so much fun.

Christine's new version of Will You was breathtaking. It is sure to be a concert standard for her for years to come. :)

I chatted with her for a while after the show. PM me if you'd like to see pictures...as I have no idea how to put them here!

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What a fantastic evening - A perfect tonic for the emotional cocktail of regret and loss engendered by seeing the final GREY GARDENS.

All four ladies were smokin' hot: Sally Mayes in "My Funny Valentine" (her voice especially blends uncannily well with Billy's) Stephanie J. Block in "The Music that Makes Me Dance" (and her butt-clenches), Klea with her silken "The Nearness of You" (one of my favorite songs, and not performed that often!) and sassy comments: "Did you know you can get a MAC award at Staples?" and Christine whose heartbreaking and soaring jazz "Will You" set the place erupting in applause. Great artisty and superb musicianship all around.

Though the ladies were everybodys reason for being at Birdland, the evening would not have been nearly as good without Billy Stritch. He had several solos (mostly from his upcoming 'Mel Torme Songbook' CD) which amply demonstrated that he is one of the finest all-around entertainers & jazz singers out there.

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I must also agree with MasterLcZ. What a great night.

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I also have to echo what a great night it was. I was so glad to have something to look forward to during the GG closing, and this was a lot of fun! I am a new fan of Sally Mays- her voice was incredible.

I loved Will You, of course and Stephanie sounded beautiful.

I spoke briefly to Billy, Sally, and Stephanie afterward and they were all so sweet.

Such a fun event- I am SO glad I got to go.

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Will You?

fallintolight - so great! thanks for that.

Thanks for the video. Although I probably shouldn't have watched it before running to get my tissues first...

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I'll probably upload another tonight:)
I'm counting on it! :P