Divas - VH1 - Live [1999]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Strutting through the audience, the indomitable Tina Turner opens VH1's Divas Live 99 by launching into "Simply the Best", proving she still is. She and honorary diva Elton John belt out an energetic version of "The Bitch is Back", but the highlight is when Turner teases the captivated audience during the slow, sultry opening of "Proud Mary". A sexy dervish on stage, Turner easily out-swaggers her younger backup singer-dancers. Cher joins her to wrap up the classic hit, then segues into her own set in which she seems breathless, but you can't help admire her staying power (four decades!) and forgive her. Diva-in-training Leann Rimes performs "How Do I Live" with a sure, powerful voice. Next to her, Brandy is pleasant but unexciting. Her breathy rendition of "Everything I Do I Do for You" is disappointing, but it picks up when Faith Hill enters. Adding a passion and conviction that young Brandy can't yet muster, Hill grounds the song. Über-diva Whitney Houston gives us the drawn-out vocal gymnastics for which she's famous. Self-effacing she's not, but the girl can hold a note like nobody's business. Mary J Blige matches Houston in a charged "Ain't No Way". Divas Live 99 is a benefit for Save the Music, VH1's project to stress the importance of music education in American public schools. Though not as stunning as the previous year's Divas Live, it's still an enjoyable concert from some of music's favourite performers. --Dana Van Nest, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Rockin' Divas.......2006-12-25

I absolutely LOVED this concert. Mariah is simply amazing - as always. She is a true talent and very humble, which you can see immediately as she steps on that stage - awesome. Some of the other performers seemed like they wanted all the attention on themselves (Aretha, Celine), but a brilliant concert it was. I am now looking for the DVD version of Divas Live with Mariah Carey and Diana Ross, but I can't seem to find it anywhere - PLEASE HELP!

good stuff.......2006-02-18

i think all of the ladies are brilliant except mariah, her voice had so much strength but she lost it and now relies on rap stars to take away the attention away - sadly for her there isn't any on here! it's just pure weakness where she's concerned! however the others are great!

Distingishing the Divas from the Singers........2004-07-17

An amazing show with preformances which seperate the orginal divas from the wannabes.
Mariah, Gloria, Aretha, Shaina shine within their own right. Each a natural preformer with an amazing vocal talents - particualry Mariah and Aretha.
Most disappointing is Celine Dion. Her vocals are substandard and she has no emtional connection with her songs whatsoever giving very bland and soul-less renditions. Whats worse is her constant attempts to upstage to all on the floor with her. The attempt which is most obvious occurs during Natural Woman when she attempts to upstage Aretha who casually and seemingly without effort drowns Celine out. Celine is then ultimatly left with no option but to retreat back into the line with her vocal cords between her legs.
Mariah on the other hand delivers a class A, emotional rendition of My All with her sublime and unmatched bird like notes. Mariah's vocals sparkle as does she in a shimmiry gold dress. She deffiantly proves herself to be an established vocalist and song writer and the Barbra Streisand for the next generation.
Gloria shines also through her smile, her upbeatness and good nature which radiats through the arena.
Shania is not the vocalist the others are but manages to keep up and still puts in impressive efforts on You're Still The One and YOu've Got A Friend.
The most stunning is obviously Lady Soul herself, Miss Aretha Franklin. Her voice flows so effortlessly and she always brings so much emotion and depth to her numbers. She helps propel Mariah as the Diva that she is during Chain Of Fools in which the two preform side by side, respecting one and other and neither trying to upstage the other. This bond makes the song very enjoyable and highlights everything that is wrong with all of Celine's preformances on You've Got A Friend and The Reason.
Well done to all the ladies, poor show Celine. Celine isn't and wasn't the best that night, she should get some emtional connection with her songs and come back in a few years time without the intention to upstage everyone else on the stage and inevitably failing.
Celine needs to learn the differance between Diva and down right show off b!tch.

Great for any fan of Celine, Aretha or Gloria.......2000-10-31

This DVD shows a charity concert given by Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Gloria Estefan, Shania Twain and Mariah Carey in New York. The songs are mostly standards performed solo and in various combinations. It is interesting to compare the various top class performers at work. Some generous and giving, some selfish and wanting centre stage! A minor drawback is the charity element, in this case a very worthy but solely American music charity. Various celebrities have been allocated walk on cameos while several undoubtedly able young performers are osensibly given a few moments in the limelight - this aside it is a great DVD and is well worth the asking price.

Average customer rating:

Various Artists - VH1 Divas Live [1999]
Various
Manufacturer: Bmg
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000A4GPJ
Release Date: 2003-09-22

Average customer rating:

Divas LIVE? Someone forgot to tell Cher...
T-H-E best show ever!!!

Divas - VH1 - Live 1999
Starring: Whitney Houston , Cher , Tina Turner , and Brandy
Manufacturer: Sony Bmg
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Concerts | Music DVDs | Categories | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00004SX6R
Release Date: 2003-09-22

Customer Reviews:

Divas LIVE? Someone forgot to tell Cher..........2004-12-11

I'm a big fan of the Diva live series; its for a great cause, I'm a Diva fan, I love live music and every other year they hit us with a knock out show.

1999 I'm afraid was one of the dip years.

The only word I can think to describe it is: "messy".

Lets start at the beginging:

Tina was a great start to the show. She struts into the arena; legs in different time zones, hair looking like a woodland creatures home. Nonetheless Tina drools through her set. And she impresses. I like Tina and I enjoy her live but to be honest I got bored of her by Proud Mary, lord did she milk that or what? Cher joining her on stage for Proud Mary, however was a nice touch, but would have been better if she'd come out nearer the begining of the number.

Elton John doesn't do much for me. He wasn't bad but he doesn't shine.

Then theres LeAnne... One question VH1: "Why?" She looked like stood on the stage and looked like she might wet herself - she was terrified. Her voice irks me - yes its strong blah blah blah but she gets so nasal - its really not pretty! And to think she was allowed to stay up past her bed time and everything. She'd have been as well at home tucked up in bed rather than on this show.

Cher - lypsynced Believe... naughty girl. I know Cher is a great live preformer - I've seen her live recently. But on shows like Divas Live Cher doesn't have the resources to be all camp and magical and so its just Cher... on the stage... singing. And its boring. She has a good voice, not a great voice and so there is nothing exciting about her renditions... dull dull dull

Brandy was great, slightly over excited, yes, but great nonetheless. She brought a certain cuteness, playfullness to other wise dull show. You ethier like her vocals or you don't. I like them - they're nice and husky and smokey - and excellent choice of song "Have You Ever / Almost Doesn't Count" it displays her lovely vocals well.

Her duet with Faith was alright. It was good, I suppose, just uninspiring. I'd have liked to have seen Faith a little more because she is actually a surprisingly good vocalist which she shows on This Kiss. I just feel she's a bit too much of a "plain jane" to be on Divas Live.

And then Thee Diva took to the stage. This is where the show takes off. Miss Whitney Houston. Her rendition of "Aint No Way" with Mary J is stirring - watch your back ReRe - this is a stunning preformance of vocal pyrotechnics and the highlight of the evening.

And then she launches into "I Will Always Love You". I mean, what can you say? such power, such emotion... spetacular.

I'm Every Woman, I enjoyed this - Whitney and Chaka where great together but Tina, Cher and Elton where very conspicuious in their absence. Its a good way to the end show, ending it on a high.

In all the show was a mess, the Divas didn't match up well and the only part REALLY worth watching was Whitney's set. In all this year for Divas Live is very disappointing. If you want my advice buy 1998 instead: :)

T-H-E best show ever!!!.......2001-03-11

All the greatest divas there are: The incredible Whitney Huston-joined by Chaka Kahn and Mary J Blije, The best voice and legs around-Tina Turner, Faith Hill, Brandy, and most important and most amazing- the one and only - CHER! Cher show simply exploded that night as she rocked the stage singing her #1 hit, believe! All the show is full of celebrities hosting the evening, and the show is really extra-ordinary! VERY recommended!

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