Diana Ross & the RSNO, Glasgow review: 'her sweet tone shone through'
Diana Ross, Hydro, Glasgow ★★★★
It’s a big week for pop concerts in Glasgow but Diana Ross pips the lot for legendary status. As is the diva prerogative, she made her expectant audience wait for her appearance – but only a little, as she was also the consummate professional, poised to deliver a bumper set of songs from right across her remarkably varied catalogue of soul, pop, disco and jazz standards.
Her own ample band was supplemented by a swooning RSNO who followed a potted profile film with an easy listening overture. Keyboards teased her arrival to I’m Coming Out, uttered as words of reassurance. Ms Ross was onstage for the next two hours, save for a couple of speedy costume changes, paying tribute to all corners of her career, from deep cuts such as More Today Than Yesterday to crowd favourite Chain Reaction.
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Hide AdA run of Supremes classics from Baby Love to Stop! In the Name of Love was followed by the Seventies easy listening rapture of Touch Me In the Morning, a soft focus perfume ad of a song, and the yearning I’m Still Waiting. Despite her professed struggles with her in-ear monitors, her sweet tone shone through.
Belting ballad Home proved more challenging and Do You Know Where You’re Going To was downright wobbly but, elsewhere, Ross was imperious on the super sultry Love Hangover. The smooth classic jazz of Billie Holiday cover Don’t Explain exposed her voice like no other song in the set, revealing only that she sounded far younger than her 81 years.
Her daughter Rhonda Ross Kendrick joined her for the mawkish Count On Me from her most recent album Thank You, while she spooled right back to her self-titled solo debut to deliver the euphoric Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand) like spiritual affirmations.
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