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.
