Fans of the standards haven’t had much to look forward to in recent years, and this is especially true if they’ve been venturing out to Las Vegas in hopes of catching a classic crooner delivering a legitimate concert without the over-the-top bells and whistles. The truth: contemporary music is going the way of the dodo, but Barry might save the day.

Barry Manilow is the top-selling contemporary artist of all time, with over 80 million albums sold to date. In that world, he’s as big as Elvis or the Beatles in rock and roll, and is certainly able to pack folks into the Paris Las Vegas to see a show from a bygone era with Ultimate Manilow: The Hits.  

There’s something about Barry that drives women wild, and that’s primarily what his audience is made up of. Well, that and husbands who were dragged against their will. Even still, Vegas is the world’s biggest tourist trap, and enough tourists happen to be contemporary music fans to make Manilow’s show one of the biggest in the city.  

You won’t find anything mind-blowing or overtly original in this show. Basically, Barry strips it down from the start, keeping it true to his “contemporary” style, and belts out the songs that made him famous. This, unfortunately, is a dead art in Las Vegas. You will be very hard pressed to find another straight music concert hosting over an hour of standards.  

Most of Barry Manilow’s audience shows up ready to belt out Mandy louder than the singer, but it’s some energy that’s much needed in that atmosphere; when it’s quiet in the theater, hearing the band play while Barry two-steps it through the bridge can be a bit on the boring side. I guess it all depends on how big of a Manilow fan you are.  

Hearing his hits like Can’t Smile Without You and Copacabana brings a bit of refreshment, almost, as the soft sounds remind you that Las Vegas doesn’t have to be loud and bright all of the time. However, this loses its appeal once Barry decides to break stride and plug his Mayflower writing spectacle.  

Mayflower is like a mini opera deal, to put it lightly. It’s an album Barry wrote in 2001, with each song dealing with a different tenet of a building. They’re not exactly the “hits” as promised, and the production gets a little wild.  

It’s hard to tell while Manilow deviates from the hits to play his newest stuff, but it’s his show and his music and his chance to shine. The fans don’t necessarily care, as most are aware of his newer music. But most did show up to see a classic show, so it’s a little off-putting.  

Overall, it’s a decent show if you dig Barry’s type of music. It is a little expensive, however, costing between $100 and $250 per ticket. It’s the type of show you’d go to only if you’re a big Barry Manilow fan.