Monday, December 29, 2014

Goodbye, 2014! Buddy B's Favorites in the Year's Entertainment

2014 was mostly fabulous for me and I kiss it off with great fondness. 2015 looms, full of excitement and promise at the starting gate. What a lucky guy I am in so many ways! For example, I am so grateful for the positive, new friends who stepped into my life over the year. Nick Lion, Jerry Torre, Lola Anava, Tony Mansfield, Richard Skipper, Ron Giles, Karin Nagi and several others.

Expect bigger and better interviews and events from my blog in 2015, and thanks to everyone reading this and helping make it so popular. But now is the time for looking back at my reviews to write about the Best Entertainment of 2014, according to Beaverhausen. While I didn't want to dwell on all the bummers this year (especially in film), I couldn't help but bring up a few Worst lists, as you will see.

BEST recorded albums: Chrissie Hynde's first solo effort, apart from The Pretenders, Stockholm Syndrome; Candi Staton's Life Happens; Cheek to Cheek (Lady Gaga/ Tony Bennett); Aretha's Great Diva Classics; Susan Boyle, Hope; Kristin Chenoweth, Coming Home; The Salvatones, Wonderful World; Bette Midler, It's the Girls. WORST: Barbra Streisand, Partners; Annie Lennox, Nostalgia; Barry Manilow's My Dream Duets; Idina Menzel, Holiday Wishes.

BEST books: my friend Kevin Scott Hall's dark yet inspiring A Quarter Inch from My Heart, John Waters' Car Sick; the reissue of author Henry Farrell's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane; Joan Rivers' Confessions of a Mad Diva; James Gavin's Is That All There Is? The Strange Life of Peggy Lee, Frank Spinelli. M.D., Pee-Shy.

BEST cabaret: Ronnie Giles' "Revenge of the First-Rate Lounge Act" at Don't Tell Mama;  Pia Zadora at The Metropolitan Room; Carly Ozard's "Midler on the Roof;" Kim Grogg, Amy Beth Williams, and Vickie Phillips, each at Don't Tell Mama.

BEST theater/concerts: Drop Dead Perfect; En Avant: An Evening with Tennessee Williams; Chrissie Hynde @ The Beacon; Ronnie Spector, and Darlene Love, each at BB King NYC; The Salvatones, St. Peter's Church.

BEST tv: HBO's The Normal Heart; HBO's Moms Mabley documentary; ABC's series, How to Get Away with Murder.

BEST movies: Get On Up, Frozen.

BEST club event: So Gay, So What! at Icon, Astoria; TRIO at The Village Underground.

7 comments:

  1. Buddy you nailed it brilliantly we have the same taste for talent ...you missed Richard Pryor Jr and Melba Moore at The Metropolitan Room ... And must add I did like Barry Manilow's new album the only duet I didn't like was the Whitney one and I did like Streisand and Buble doing It had to be you.....lol just saying...I really love your blog ...always so informative...I'm your fan forever!!!

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  2. Dj B.B.-Thank you so very much, and you are far too kind....may God bless you always!

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  3. Hey Buddy,
    Great write up for the past year.
    I need to interview you for my show Artists Exposed.
    All the best to you in 2015!
    Tym

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  4. Buddy, thank you so much for the nod. I'm a fan!

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