5/5 Great!!
  by CherManilow#1Fan
This is a great concert at an even greater price! Theses days it is hard to find something really good for under $10 and boy this is a hidden gem! He has an exceptional voice and really knows how to put on a show. Even though it has a very small audience of around maybe 30 people is no bother to me. All of his DVD's are not just great but FANTASTIC!! I highly recommend this DVD!

5/5 Happy Holidays with Barry
  by Kathy W (Baltimore)
A & E's A Barry Manilow Christmas, Live By Request (December 2003), Barry's first holiday-themed television special. This show was broadcast from New York City and it was snowing at the time, at least from New York through Washington, DC.

It began with a medley of "Happy Holidays/White Christmas/Happy Holidays,"
Followed by "My Favorite Things". Very big-band, extremely well orchestrated, and so "UP"!

Call-in requests began. The first call was from Washington, DC and was a "Jingle Bells," version based on Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters rendition--again, very upbeat. "The Christmas Waltz" was next. Such a beautiful waltz and also performed on one of Barry's Christmas CDs.

Of course, Barry kibitzes back and forth with the audience and continues to display his never-ending humor and charm. Eric McCormack from the "Will and Grace" tv show called and requested "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Barry brought a recorded track of 5 layers of recordings of himself and sang live with them as he bopped Barry Bobbleheads . The audience was laughing so hard. By the way, it was really beautiful. The stage was set beautifully, like a very comfortable home, with fireplace, tree, and a view of snow falling from the window. Of course the commercials are removed from the original programming. (Oh, darn! I REALLY wanted to see commercials--NOT!)

Jose Feliciano appears, doing "Feliz Navidad" (1970) (Feliz Navidad, Prospero Ano y Felicidades). Followed by "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" an improvised duet by the Boys (Barry and Jose) (By the way, I just made a Rudolph at Build-a-Bear)-- cute song with some fancy guitar pickin. "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," the super fantastic high-energy captivating version recorded on Barry's 2002 Christmas album, sang live of course. (Barry sings all his songs live. He does not lip sinc.) Cyndi Lauper is next, doing "At Last" very well done and powerful song but not a Christmas song. Cyndi and Barry do a duet "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" next. A lady from Venezuela called in and requested "Copacabana," so Barry did a Christmas version of Copa. (Well, Barry had bells in his hand.) "There's No Place Like Home for The Holidays" followed, again, a version from Barry's 2002 Christmas Love CD.

Barry thanks a Sargeant on the phone who is stationed overseas, by hooking his call in with his wife at home and singing "I'll Be Home For Christmas" to them while they get reacquainted on the phone. How sweet! How beautiful! And such a pretty song, done with so much emotion. I think some of the audience were a bit weepy-eyed (mee too). "It's Just Another New Year's Eve" followed. Barry autographed some Christmas CDs while it snowed inside, on the audience and stage. The special finished with Barry and the audience sing-along of "Deck the Halls and Jingle Bell Rock". Then Barry sings a bit of "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) and finishes with one of my favorites, one from his first Christmas album "Because It's Christmas (For All the Children)". (Aw, heck, they're ALL my favorites!especially when BARRY sings them!)

The songs were all big band style; the show was high-energy and a whole lotta fun. Excellent quality, sharp, clear, great sound. Most songs were also the same arrangements from Barry's Christmas CD, especially the 2002 Christmas Love CD. I cannot recommend it enough. I only wish I was in the audience! The orchestra was great too, including the drummer. Barry danced a wee bit here and there, too.

Thank you, Barry. This was beautiful! About one hour and seven minutes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it's at least a 10. G-e-e-z-e. I hated to see it end, matter of fact, I started it up again while I polished this review. With the holidays approaching, this DVD would make a great holiday gift, too.