Total Eclipse: The Music of Jim Steinman
 

So people 14 Jim Steinman songs are being performed twice in NYC tonight. I'd love to watch the videos if anyone gets access :)

Theres a rumour that some of the songs may feature on the BTWA album and Ellen & Karla are performing together live for the very 1st time!

Can't wait so see that one!

Will these be kind of like the Dream Engine shows?

no
Karla and Ellen were performing. It's going to be up on youtube. Jim was there as well

I believe that Jim attended the 2006 shows as well.

I hope that they are similar. IMO besides Tanz the 2006 shows were the greatest performance of Jim material by anyone, ever.

So did this happen then? How come no reviews?

saw some photos on FACEBOOK

"Incoming!!" Duck and cover now!!!

YouTube Video

I find it somewhat funny that they didn't change the lyrics to make them more male centric. It's kind of unusual hearing a guy sing "You'll always be the boy..." and "I'm lying like a child in your arms..."

I suppose he could be gay, but regardless I still found it kind of funny

There is a broadway review with pics up as well. No setlist as of yet but that is coming.
This was a one off thing.
Sounds like it went over very well

Set List

It's all coming back to me now
The Future Aint what it used to be
Making Love Outta Nothing at All
Holding out for a hero
Anything for love (Featuring Ellen Foley)
Paradise
Objects in the Rear view Mirror
Safe Sex
Two outta Three Ain't Bad
Bat Out of Hell
What Part of my Body Hurts the Most
Heaven Can Wait
Total Eclipse of the Heart
Lost Boys and Golden Girls (Karla DeVito)
Rock and Roll Dreams Come through (Karla DeVito)

Basically the best Jim Steinman songs apart from For Crying Out Loud and More than you Deserve together in a concert. What a gig this must have been!

I can think of a few more... :cool:

Pray tell Evil...

Would have been a great outing if living near there but to be honest other than What Part of My Body all these songs have been released before and sung better by the original singers in my opinion. I sure hope there will be more Steinman news this year other than just this.

Bad For Good
Surfs Up
It Just Won't Quit
Original Sin
Left In The Dark
Faster Than The Speed Of Night
Lemon
Frying Pan
Is Nothing Sacred?

I could go on. If they were put all the best Jim songs into one show it would be a 4-5 hour concert. :D

Sounds like a good night! Despite rigorous googling I can't find any reviews or videos :( any links?

oh... it's been removed ... :( ... I would loved to have seen it... I'm well fond of Ellen and Karla ...

Dang it. Somebody had to have saved that youtube video somewhere.

Just search 54 below on Youtube :)

Seen the photos on broadway world now. Ellen looks awesome! Karla looks like she would have a wicked sense of humour too.

I saw one of some guy doing a wretched version of TEOTH. I was hoping to see at least some clips featuring Ellen and Karla.

Total Eclipse 5/5/15
I hope it sounded better in person b/c this is not as good as I would have expected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxxkBdqfWSk

Some pics from 54 Below ( not while singing)

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article...elow-20150506#

Jimmy doesn't look too happy, hopefully he was feeling good and got to enjoy the show. Maybe just a bad pic, and heck it's not like you need to smile to enjoy it, I just wonder about how he was feeling...Wishing him all the health! Glad to see him rockin' out with his designer clothes, he has a very cool design sense. (Except for the glasses! :P)

shared with public on Ben Millers FB page, photos and who was singing what.

https://www.facebook.com/drquoz?fref=photo

On a scale between West Life and Bonnie Tyler I think Jeremy did a pretty fine job of Total Eclipse of the Heart. I can't wait to see the whole concert!

I am really looking forward to hearing Constantine Maroulis cover "Objects....." He is so totally hot.

if anyone is on Instagram I found this-


https://instagram.com/p/2UugA_ssK6/

Hmmm. Good thing he had the sheet music

I sincerely hope that was rehearsal. I can't log into instagram and the video just seems to keep looping.

that was....um...um...........

*PAGING MEAT LOAF TO 54 BELOW. MEAT LOAF TO 54 BELOW. STAT.*

Judging by the lighting and Ellen's comments I'm thinking that was the actual performance.

__________________

Ellen Foley has made a comment regarding this ? What???

Holding out for a hero
new arrangement

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article...elow-20150507#

Isnt this getting an official YouTUbe release?

On facebook

Your link is offline now

this one still works for HOFAH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixJOEjRyArw

the link works for me, now. It is also on youtube.
could you just tell us what Ellen said, unless she made a public statement I can't read it. and why can't I find a video of him singing the entire song?

It is on facebook
Here is the quote

It was a great night. Just think that Constantin Maroulis might have invested a modicum of effort in learning the songs. I know you were on American Idol dude, but come on.

Thanks RA. that says what I expected it was going to .
Objects is such a beautiful song , why oh why ?

A lot of the performers were from Broadway. One of the comments made was that it lacked some of the emotion that the Dream Engine brought to the songs in 2006.

Wow.

I didn't know it was possible to make a Jim Steinman song boring.

It doesn't sound like this show was very good.

This show just makes you appreciate MEAT even more...

Okay so I quitelike the new version. To me the worst sort of cover is one that offers nothing new or improved. This at least was new and the lady has impressive range. However trying to out song or out produce the originals? Never gonna happen. Confirms how good the originals were and how hard it is to top them.

Steinman loves the new arrangement of HOFAH and so do I. Yes Constantin should have learned the songs better but this type of review at 54 Below is typical and the style of broadway performers using the sheet music in this type of performance is also an accepted convention. If it was a well rehearsed, polished performance it would have been in a Broadway Theatre, not in a restaurant/bar. This performance was about getting Jim's songs into the mouths of the new Broadway stars and presenting the songs to the Broadway of today. I think that Pat Cerasaro and his team did an amazing job. Saying 'Meat does this better' is ridiculous, that's a given. Of course he does. Meat is the only singer who can convey Jim's songs truthfully but Meat wasn't singing at this concert and the singers who did perform were amazing. Yet again Jim proves that he is relevant for today and his songs will live forever.

Really?

I actually think Steinman's music is quite irrelevant these days. I think a small scale show in New York is bad evidence to counter act that thought surely.

No one except for Meat has had such success with doing Steinman songs and still pulls in the crowds by thousands. This pretty much proves that it's not the just the songs that matter. You need a lot more than that to survive in the industry.

I hate when people say this.

Is he the overall best? For sure. But many artists have sang Jim songs just as well and with just as much emotion, including Karla and Ellen.

Maybe not the ONLY!! Singer, but I would say perhaps the best I've heard

I agree with that statement.

I like the new arrangement as well, but we have to remember that Jim only did the music and Dean Pitchford did the lyrics.
I think that if anyone was hoping to put their best foot forward as far as advancing Jim's songs go, you'd want the vocalists to at least know the words.
Not knocking Pat's efforts which were great but I think Ellen and Karla were the highlights.

I really hope these all surface on youtube soon

Bat Out of Hell has been added to you tube from 5/5/15.
Tyce Green
not bad at all


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_J6KEsFpiQ

What Part of my Body hurts the most

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMBQnhLAOms

Yes, I agree. There is something about the way he really PERFORMS a song that brings it to life. When he sings "there were nights when the wind was so cold, that my body froze in bed when I just listened to it right outside my window", I see in my mind a woman lying in bed awake gazing out of a castle window into a starry night, with breath shining in the moonlight. I FEEL the cold. When I listen to I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us, I can see a hero on a horse galloping through windy narrow paths in mountain valleys over a drawbridge into a castle, and running through the rooms until he gets to the main room where there is a massive fire place and he starts arguing with the villain of the piece.


Sure there are other great singers.


But no one else does that for me when I listen to them sing Jim's songs.

This song so badly needs Meat to do it!! Or somebody over the age of 25;), who's voice has broken

Not bad,, not great

WHAT THE HELL!!!??

How did this show happen? How did they convince Jim, Karla and Ellen to show up?

Someone save Steinman music from dreadfulness in 2015 please. First we got a terrible unrehearsed rendition from Patti Russo of Total Eclipse posted on Youtube which includes forgetting lyrics, drinking water and laughter during that song. I've been a defender of her music and efforts but when it's that crap I just have to be honest. Now it's another bunch of people who don't seem to feel/know what the hell they are singing about or at least are totally incapable of conveying these feelings to the audience. Give the song which calls out for someone with the most experience in terms of feelings to the youngest guy there. Could have just been the bar tender singing Body. Seriously! This is the opposite of Broadway in my opinion. Rather watch Alfie Boe sing a non Steinman song on TV/YouTube than this crap.

So true!

Plus a full band treatment, as hinted in this version of Body.

Well I enjoyed Holding Out For a Hero. I'll say that much.

I'm looking forward to seeing Karla do Lost Boys & Golden Girls. I have a hunch that's going to be fantastic.

Just watched the above links uploaded on youtube.

I never like to be highly critical or compare but I will say this..

Man, I LOVE the way Meat sings the songs he sings! Meat PERFORMS the songs. x

Pat Cesaro and Jim set it up. Pat is deeply involved with Broadway and recruited the singers that he felt were the best.
I think that it was done with the best of intentions but there will never be a proper release other than youtube as some of the singers clearly were unprepared.
Ellen and Karla should be the standouts and the funny thing about that is they had to reach back to the BAT era to get the best.
Kind of expected to see Rory Dodd too.

I doubt Jim did much more than simply turn up. Having seen the Youtube clips I'm glad I didn't. :shock:

you are probably correct to a point. I really don't think Jim is capable of any meaningful contribution to anything anymore.
I believe that Pat approached Jim with the concept and Jim agreed.
A lot has been said about how this is bringing a new generation around to Jim's music but after watching some of the videos I don't see that happening.
Also it was a supper club where the performance took place so I doubt it had a huge crowd as tickets were still available the day of.

this one may be the best one....so far
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNyfwOMAsjY

That makes me sad. :(

no one comes close to Meat

Dunno mate, you've not hard me after a few drinks.

I agree. She ain't that bad. She probably should have done the entire show on her own.

Ariana DeBose did an alright job on Future. I am looking forward to her co-singing "Safe Sex".

Making love out of nothing at all
Josh Young. I like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIGz6LgtQ1o

IACBTMN
kate rockwall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUdDAkX75Zg

You're right. Nice rendition and he actually knew the song

I realize that this was not a huge show and the performers were young so I don't want to be too harsh. Some of it was OK but it came accross like a rejected Jim Steinman themed "Glee" epsiode based on what I have seen thus far.

Jesus christ. WHY ARE THEY READING OFF A CHEAT SHEET?
NO emotion in 90% OF these clips.

especially Body.

LOVED Josh young's MaKing Love tho. Hes the 10%

I'm waiting on Ellen and Karla. I think there's a reason they're being left for last

Safe Sex
Kate and Ariana


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx9QjXSre3Q#t=38

Anything for Love
Justin Sargent and ELLEN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQEkopbCPOw

Now I want them to put up Constantine Maroulis 2 songs. He has put up some great pics of himself on Facebook. He looks really good, but I'd like to hear him sing those songs , the entire songs-- and of couse Ellen and karla.

I'm glad that for two decades I was able to see Meat Loaf do Anything for Love properly. Musical directors have come and gone in the NLE but I honestly think a lot of the musical shaping of the live performances came from Meat himself. No one else gets it imo.

I honestly don't get this. Steinman writes music that you need to feel, breath and live. What these people on stage are doing has nothing to do with performing the lyrics. It sounds more like they are singing lullaby's.

And really... Ellen on AFL... wtf was that? If Jim Steinman had a great evening it must have been because he was listening to his iPod instead of, whatever you want to call it what was going on on that stage... :shock:

I couldn't watch the whole of AFL .. and I'm sure no radio station would have played it had it been recorded like this all those years ago! I have some sympathy for the singers at this do, because Meat wholly owns every song he records and delivers, and is an almost impossible act to follow, but every song sounds as though it's an average number in any musical imo, and these songs simply are much more than that, and should come across as that.

I rarely find myself in accord with Adje, but he's right .. these songs are ones you need to feel, breathe and above all else LIVE. Meat puts himself to one side and becomes the song, breathes depth and truth into it. He always says acting is about finding the truth, and this imo is never more completely demonstrated than when he sings. As Andrew says, the NLE may change, and we've seen new and stunning life breathed into the musical arrangements with the current band Meat has. But the essence of each song? .. this is something Meat creates reaching deep into his soul. I have never seen a singer do this so completely, so truthfully. Steinman has written some of the best love songs ever written .. but Meat brought them to life in a unique way that others cannot match.

Two Out of Three
Constantine maroulis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWipMIvNEA0


so we are just missing "Objects..." one of the most beautiful heartfelt songs Meat has ever done. and Karla's songs and Ellen in HCW
Ellen is good but I did not think her voice fit AFL, compared to Mrs. Loud and Patti, who, btw, should have been the one singing that. The female part is so beautiful and well, female. Meat and Mrs. Loud did the best ever and Patti singing with him , voice of an angel.

So pretty much what we have are a bunch of guns for hire who judging by youtube have covered more than just Steinman's songs.
I think that Jim's songs can border on the epic in all it's glory and sometimes just plain camp depending on who is singing.

I'm sure there are many singers capable of performing Steinman songs well. Unfortunately it appears they were all busy on the night this show took place. These songs should be sung with heart, fire, gusto and bollocks. Cerasaro and his merry men did the equivalent of knitting each song a woolly cardigan and buying them a pair of slippers.

A wise man once said "Walk on road? Walk left side safe. Walk right side safe. Walk middle sooner or later get squish just like grape. Here karate, same thing. Either you karate do yes or karate do no. You karate do guess so, just like grape." Constantine Maroulis demonstrated the same philosophy applies to singing Steinman songs. He made himself look like a total squished grape.

I don't know what the aim of this show was, but what's been achieved is making some of the greatest songs ever written sound like absolute shit. All involved should be embarrassed. And if Jim genuinely thinks this show was good then I'm hopeful that Paul Crook handles ALL production duties on Meat's next album. And I never thought I'd type that. :yikes:

I don't mind Constantines version of the song. To think he was the most criticised one for this.


Ill say this..AGAIN... Meat PERFORMS the songs. And he is a master of the performance of them.

Thank the gods for Meat singing these songs and that I/we have the pleasure of witnessing them sung and performed the most AWESOME way by the most AWESOME performer EVER. I will always acknowledged that...FACT.

V x

I don't want to watch the rest of the videos.

I'm done. I'm gonna go put on 'Over The Top' from 2006.

I'm with you. Until Karla's video comes out at least. Holding out for a Hero was probably the best IMO but all the rest has me felling :evil:

On second thought, I'm with you.

Karla is awesome. I hope she still sounds good.

"....Objects....." ( finally )
thank you Meat Loaf for singing this song so perfectly-- no one will ever come close to what you did with this song.

Justin, Dan, and Constantine

btw, I thought Justin, the first young man, tried really hard and Dan put some effort into this song.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na6OvxzyBII

You said it. Meat makes the song so special and gives it life. These emotionless, soulless posers stand around with their hands in their pockets reading off a lyric sheet.
Meat puts his all into it and believes in the song, these guys just sing it with as much passion as if it were "Who let the Dogs Out".

Thank GOD for MEAT LOAF.

*sigh*

SORRY for DP but...

Are WE SURE this wasn't "LIVE BAND KARAOKE PRESENTS JIM STEINMAN?"

Harry's New York Beer Bar with the occasional impromptu karaoke cover of a Jim Steinman song by the bar staff (Noise cancelling headphones available for anyone who can't be arsed hearing the music)

Sorry but the last few posts are very disrespectful to the performers, especially Ellen and Karla
Sure maybe some of the renditions were a bit off but no one is ever going to do it better than Meat.
But that doesn't mean they should be open to ridicule either

But. They are...that's the beauty of having an Opinion! :D

I think most of the renditions were terrible. Does that mean I'm behind disrespectful? No...ITS my OPINION!

You're right.

EVERYBODY gets a trophy!!

Oh! Is this a George Carlin piece?! :D

Everyone that goes on stage is open to ridicule. That's why it takes guts to perform and you have to give everything and not care about anyone's opinion in order to be successful.

Surely in Meat's case it was one of the main reasons for his success; go out there and show confidence in the possibility of all rejection.

If someone comes on stage with a lyric sheet it simply isn't impressive I think. It's closer to karaoke than a performance which allows for connecting to the audience which is something many of us have gotten used to with Steinman's music. If they came on stage at the Eurovision with a lyric sheet they would get nil points. Is that ridicule or reality?

Oh now THIS IS GOOD. Thank you for putting my words and thoughts down for ME!

Other than Ellen's singing on AFL , we haven't heard either of them sing . I haven't heard anyone criticize either of them. We are looking forward to hearing their songs.
I understand they are young but note they do preform on a somewhat regular basis ( at least some of them do ) at 54 Below soooo....,
It was just so painful to watch them sing "Objects...". The first young man did put forth effort and was not tied to his lyric sheet and even the second did try.
I just wanted to cry after hearing what they did to that beautiful heartfelt song.