One of the most highly anticipated tours to make its way through the Western New York area for 2019 was Celine Dion’s ‘Courage Tour.’ After a long successful run in Las Vegas, Dion closed her show this summer as she geared up to make a return to do a major tour across North America. She released her 12 studio effort titled “Courage” less than a month ago on November 15th. The release went straight to number 1 on the billboard charts.
There was a near capacity crowd that showed up to witness Dion’s first show in Buffalo in over a decade. She had a huge backing of a 17 piece band behind her. The show was big in every sense of the word as a video montage of Dion played for about 2 minutes before she made her grand entrance coming from beneath the stage. After waving to various parts of the crowd, she started to sing the Pandora Box song “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” An appropriate way to start things, I would say. One of her background singers, Barnev Valsaint joined her on the duet of “Beauty and the Beast.” Dion made numerous costume changes but one thing that remained throughout the show was her fantastic voice. Her tone and power shined through each track and that was the most impressive thing. She continues to show why she is regarded as one of the top vocalists around.
Being of French Canadian descent she sang a song in French called “Tous les blues sont écrits pour toi,” (which means “All of the Blues Are Written for You”). She showed tons of emotion doing the Eric Carmen song ‘All by Myself.’ She was taken back by the response of the crowd throughout. On a few occasions, I thought Dion was almost moved to tears due to the response she was getting. Towards the end of her set, she made a remark that she loves to sing about love, hope and courage. Well her encore covered all of those feelings as she did “My Heart Will Go On” and John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
The last handful of years have been strenuous on Dion to say the least. She lost her business partner and husband, her brother and now will face being the 1st artist to have an album debut at number 1 and drop off the charts completely by the next week. Will all these major obstacles, Dion has tackled these obstacles head on and persevere. After her performance in Buffalo this past Thursday night, you can say there seems nothing that can stop Dion when she puts her mind to it!
Setlist:
It’s All Coming Back to Me Now (Pandora’s Box cover)
That’s the Way It Is
I’m Alive
If You Asked Me To (Patti Labelle cover)
The Power of Love (Jennifer Rush cover)
Love Can Move Mountains
Beauty and the Beast (Alan Menken cover)
You’re the Voice (John Farnham cover)
Tous les blues sont écrits pour toi
To Love You More
Courage
All by Myself (Eric Carman cover)
Imperfections
The Prayer
Because You Loved Me
Let’s Dance (David Bowie cover)/Another One Bites the Dust (Queen cover)/Flying On My Own/Kiss (Prince cover)/River Deep, Mountain High (Ike & Tina Turner cover) Lady Marmalade (LaBelle cover) medley
Encore:
My Heart Will Go On
Imagine (John Lennon cover)
We would like to thank Kevin Kennedy from PSE Entertainment for the credentials to review the show.
