Linda Eder @ 54Below

No matter what she sings she is wonderful live. I saw her twice in Denver.  Once after Jekyl & Hyde closed there and she did a free concert as a thank you to Denver for supporting the show. The second time I saw her with Burt Bacarach. Both times she sang Someone Like You. That was years ago. It is kind of her signature song so there might be a good chance she will sing it but just get a ticket and hear her live.

This was so long ago that it's probably not relevant, but in 1999 and 2000 PBS ran two episodes of My Favorite Broadway, both hosted by Julie Andrews and containing some wonderful performances, as well as a few not so wonderful. 

Linda sang "Man of La Mancha" on one and a really nice related trio of "I'm Gonna Love You," "I Don't Know How to Love Him," and "What Kind of Fool Am I" on the other.

Some other gems, The Sir Andrew Love Threesome: Audra sings "Love Changes Everything," Marin sings "Unexpected Song," and Judy Kuhn "I Don't Know How to Love Him." Audra sings "Down with Love," Young Anna Kendricks dressed as a prim little girl sings "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" with the hideous Cabaret Kit Kat Girls hissing around her. Rebecca Luker sings her lush "Falling In Love With Love," Karen Ziemba sings "I Wanna Be A Rockette" joined by all the real Rockettes. PBS doesn't do Broadway like it used to. All of these are probably up on YouTube.

bct14972 said: "Her "Man of La Mancha" is, sacrilegious as it may sound, the definitive version for me. It's insanity."

 

Could not agree more! That section of whistle notes is jaw dropping.

She does a wonderful show. Definitely go see her!

So, you got me interested enough to queue up the DVD and I thought that Linda really nailed the song. And got a large ovation from the audience to which you would have thought would be more impressed by bigger name stars.

If she had sung "Impossible Dream" then I might have had to defend Richard Kiley. A couple of years ago, probably upon his death, I opined the unfairness of Jack Jones having a hit with his bland version while Kiley remained pretty anonymous. Sure enough, a member of his family read it and got back to me. Of course Kiley's version would never have gone commercial. I think.

Anyway, it's all up on Youtube including extra tracks that never made the DVD that was sold.

Both June 54 Below shows have at least one $110 side view seat available and after that it's $145 and $175 left.

Updated On: 6/19/17 at 11:40 AM

I've seen her several times, but not for about 5 years now (she seems to have slowed down her touring). She's done "Vienna", "Man of La Mancha", and "Someone Like You" every time I've seen her (though the whistle tones aren't quite what they once were). But she's done fresh material each time as well (including a cover of "Rolling in the Deep" the last time I saw her). She's a glory to hear live and seems to have adjusted her set list to the capabilities of an aging instrument quite well. (I don't mean to imply she's old or losing her gift, just that a 50 year old voice can't do everything a 25 year old voice could.) Her interpretive skills have blossomed over the years, and her stage patter has gone from a little stiff to incredibly engaging. Go see her!

Here's Linda singing "What Kind of Fool Am I" - starting at 2:50pm. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrNIwJf4dWk

I was at 54 Below for the 2nd time a couple of weeks ago and I was thinking what a nice, intimate venue and I'd finally get to hear some pure, undistorted voices.

Nope. Everyone miked. To play a large dining room.

Are these mikes like security blankets? If you're a bit off on the tone does the amplification cover it up?

It's something that I don't understand. It's the best thing that opera has going for it (well, besides some of the music).

Thanks for the link. I thought that I would have to hunt around to find songs that didn't make the DVD.

Wick3 said: "Thanks everyone for answering my question! My friend and I decided to bite the bullet and go see her at 54Below!!! :)

 

I hope you enjoy it!  I've seen Linda more times than I can count.  Probably 20-30 times?  Her last two shows that I caught at 54 Below didn't have much of her own music.  She always does Vienna, Man of La Mancha (even though she can no longer hit the highest note), and Someone Like You. Lately, she does a sort of "my favorite Broadway songs" show. Each time she sang basically the same songs, with only a few differences, from her live album that was released a few years ago on her website. (She records and releases her own albums these days - she's without a record label.) You might consider picking up that CD, if you don't already have it. Have fun!

 

adamgreer said: "She has such a thrilling voice- it's a shame she's a terrible actress. If she was a better actress, she could have had an amazing stage career. 

That's an interesting take. I've always thought of her this way: What an intelligent woman to know that she isn't really an actress and not pursue that avenue after J&H. She discovered she was really more of a singer and instead has had an amazing career as a solo artist, both recording albums and performing live. She certainly doesn't appear to be hurting, that's for sure!

"