DIONNE WARWICK

May 19, 2015 performance

Nokia Arena, Tel Aviv

If you ever wondered what it’s like to be made love to in musical form, then you obviously missed renowned Dionne Warwick’s singular performance at the Menorah Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv Tuesday night, which left the audience with goose bumps.

Decked out in a sparkling black pantsuit, sultry 74-year-old Warwick sat perched center stage on a white bar stool, bringing a tear to every eye and melting every heart in what was a classic evening of timeless music performed by a living legend.

Over 5,000 fans were wooed and soothed with her repository of love songs. This was her first performance in Israel after five decades of music-making that won her five Grammy awards, more than 60 charted singles and global album sales totaling more than 100 million copies.

A delightful evening stroll down memory lane, Warwick started the evening out by capturing the essence of nostalgic longing with a medley of her biggest hits by Burt Bacharach and Hal David: “Alfie,” “This Girl’s in Love With You,” “(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me,” “Say A Little Prayer For You” and most notable, “The Look of Love,” during which she placed her hand on her heart every time she sang the word “love.”

In command of a magical voice, the American powerhouse then took the audience to a journey to Brazil with two sensual songs, “Jobim Medley – Quiet Nights, Wave, Waters of March” and “Aquarel do Brazil,” rendering images of the flora and fauna of Brazil. Conductor Rob Shrock, playing piano, didn’t need synthesizers or prerecorded tracks to keep the Brazilian funk flowing, perfectly synchronizing with Brazilian drummer Renato Brazo, electric bassist Dan Demoralis and Todd Hunter on keyboards. Warwick’s band members have played with her for more than 20 years.

To our benefit, everything came together as if it was her first recording. Giving us a mix of old and new, she sang two previously unrecorded tracks off her latest, 50th anniversary CD, titled NOW, “99 Miles to LA” and “Love is Still the Answer.”

She closed the show with classics “I know I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “What The World Needs Now Is Love.”

“We need that song more than ever, right?” declares Shrock to The Jerusalem Post. Warwick personally asked everyone to sing the chorus line three times.

With respect to Israeli music and Israeli artists, a surprise appearance by pop star Maya Bouskilla, flaunting a scarlet red halter dress that dazzled the senses both visually and aurally, ended the show with a duet with Warwick, a fond rendition of “That’s What Friends Are For.”

Tickling sensations and good feelings, amid a sea of the smitten and teary-eyed – the night was a spectacular living, breathing intercourse that not only pushed emotional buttons but left you inspired and motivated to get past the dark times. Thank you, Dionne!