ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 25, 1996 TAG: 9603270095
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: CONCERT REVIEW
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
It wasn't exactly the same old overboard Reba. ``It was subtle,'' said Reba fan Michael Bell.
Subtle for Reba, that is. She did make her grand entrance onto the stage Friday night at the Roanoke Civic Center coliseum aboard a private jet. It was a toy jet, but you get the idea.
Jet propulsion aside, Bell and other Reba McEntire fans who attended the country singer's sold-out concert Friday seemed to agree that this was a slightly more subdued Reba than in years past.
I asked some of her fans to give their thoughts on the show as a sort of point-counterpoint to my take on the concert. I did this because I generally pick on Reba for going a little overboard on all of the costume changes and big entrances and showmanship. I just think it's ridiculous.
But I believe this time around, Reba held the reins in somewhat tighter. As Michael Bell said, ``I was expecting a lot more flash, a lot more glitz and glamour.'' Instead, ``she went back to what got her here.''
Not that Reba just stood there and sang. Far from it; there was plenty of flash and dash. Her stage was like none other that I've seen. It stretched from one end of the coliseum floor to the other, with expanded stage areas on each end and in the middle, plus a pair of walkways breaking away from the center runway, all of it surrounded by seating.
Understated, it was not. If I were going to make a snide comment, I would say this configuration reminded me of a fashion show, particularly when combined with Reba's many costume changes, which were too numerous to count. But Delores Kirschner made a good point. ``Everybody had a better chance to really get to see her,'' she said. ``It wasn't just the people in the first couple of rows.''
The staging wasn't perfect, though. Bell observed that at times Reba seemed uncomfortable with the size of the stage. Another fan, Anita Price, said that from her seat, there were areas of the stage obstructed from her view. Yet, she paid the full ticket price of $28.
Otherwise, despite the elaborate stage and six giant video screens, Price said the show was surprisingly ``low-key.'' It was as if Reba were restraining herself just slightly to sustain some anticipation. ``She kept you guessing,'' Bell said.
In fact, it wasn't until her encore that Reba fully hit her trademark over-the-top stride, when during her cover of the Bobbie Gentry song ``Fancy,'' she used a double (rumored to be a female impersonator), and some fireworks to dabble in some David Copperfieldlike illusion that fooled - and wowed - the audience of 8,821.
Kathy Greenstein said this added element was like theater. ``It was more magical.''
Longtime Reba backup singer Linda Davis was billed as a special guest at Friday's show. Davis performed two songs with Reba and sang one solo. Billy Dean opened the show. Both got high marks from Reba's fans, particularly ``hunk'' Dean, who was described more than once as ``hot.'' He also sang pretty well.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 linesby CNB