155 replies to this topic

[celinesounds]

Toni's vocals are really great on this album. This album deserves a good promotion

[Bellamy]

Quote

TONI BRAXTON DEBUTS VEGAS ACT: Singer opened stage show ‘Revealed’ in Flamingo Showroom on Thursday.
(August 7, 2006)


      *Toni Braxton, unveiled her Celine Dion-like live production show “Toni Braxton: Revealed” last Thursday at Flamingo Las Vegas.

      An invitation-only audience (that included Earvin "Magic" Johnson, 'Vegas' "Entertainer of the Year" Danny Gans, EUR's Lee Bailey, record exec Garnett March and more) saw the Severn, Maryland native perform such hits as "Unbreak My Heart" and "Breathe Again," in a production described as a musical and visual journey that showcases Braxton's recording career, family and personal voyage.”

      "Toni's background is so diverse that we were able to leverage her Broadway experience and combine that with the energy of her live concert tour," said director Andrew Logan. "Her passion as a singer and skill as an actress has allowed us to take the show to another level."

       Braxton’s elaborate stage show includes nine dancers and choreography that incorporates a variety of styles. Costumes range from a seductive, flamenco-style dress to vintage inspired couture. One outfit sports over 11,000 Swarovski crystals constructed on nude netting with over 25,000 decorative stones. The hand-beading process alone took 120 hours to complete.

       “Revealed’s” specially-designed set features a 9' x 16' LED screen display that runs a video montage of Braxton's personal life as well as imagery tied to many of her most popular songs. Audiences are given an inside look at Braxton as a mother and an artist.

       After the premiere Thursday, Braxton and her husband Keri Lewis headed to Pure Nightclub for a private afterparty.       

       Tickets for Toni Braxton: Revealed are available by calling 702/733.3333 or 800/221.7299 or at www.flamingolasvegas.com. Ticket prices are $69, $89 and $109 (plus tax and handling fees). Showtime is 7:30 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday.

Source: http://www.eurweb.co...ry/eur27877.cfm

[catwomanrrr]

I like it how they call is "CELINE-DION-like"

There will NEVER be a show like Celine's!

[smw]

I really don't know what to think.

Celine wasn't the first to go to Vegas to perform. However, she was the first person of her stature to be "part of a show" of this genre.  Brilliant...and it's made her wealthier and envied by fellow artists.

Toni has more sex appeal than Celine(so I've been told, not my opinion), so that will sell tickets. Also, people who just don't like Celine will go see her show. However, I don't see her being able to perform 6 nights a week. That takes someone who LOVES to perform and be onstage. Celine says it's always like being in her living room when she's onstage.

Anyway, we'll see. But I see a lot of show cancellations in Toni's future, and it probably won't sell out. But I see her hanging on for a little while.

...But, yes, Celine brought Vegas to a new stature and it's just one more thing that she'll be remembered for. And it's just one more thing for other artists to compare themselves to.    

Edited by smw, 08 August 2006 - 11:38 PM.

[catwomanrrr]

By the way, after Toni's premiere show... guess where she went to celebrate for her AFTER-PARTY????

----> She went to Celine's club - PURE!

http://www.puretheni...tos/pure_gal47/

Edited by Joy, 09 August 2006 - 12:02 AM.

[Clari]

!!

My mom's boss had some mail lying around and it was a coupon for Toni's show!!   I guess ticket sales were low.

[Bellamy]

Poor Toni needs to discount on her premiere.

[nano]

[smw]

How many records has Toni sold?

[catwomanrrr]

smw, on Aug 9 2006, 11:52 AM, said:

How many records has Toni sold?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think, between 22-25 million records.

[Bellamy]

Joy, on Aug 10 2006, 04:40 AM, said:

smw, on Aug 9 2006, 11:52 AM, said:

How many records has Toni sold?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think, between 22-25 million records.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and 90% in the USA only.

[Koolan]

sorry toni, might have to cut the contract short

[Tal]

Tonight, either on Extra or Access Hollywood (cant remember which) they're going to go behind the scenes of the show.  They showed some costumes and they're really nice actually.

[Lawna]

well best of luck to Toni, but Celine will be remembered for Ushering in the New generation of Vegas Headliners.

[winforlife]

This is a recent interview about  Toni's singing and life in Vegas. Her  routine sounds exactly like Céline's. It's a lengthy interview so I kept what I thought would be interesting.  Toni takes Céline's advice seriously about establishing herself in the Vegas community and drinking plenty of water!  Toni sounds as though she is trying to emulate Céline's staying grounded attitude.
Céline is mentioned several other times

Robin Leach is the interviewer-haven't heard his name in ages!

RL: So Toni, what does 'Revealed' actually reveal?

TB: First -- it's all music ,dance and non-stop hit songs. It is sexy, a little adult. It does not mean topless, but it is very tastefully sexy.

RL: And very high energy? The dancers look just like MTV video girls, right?

TB: A lot of eye candy, great dancers up there which is really good for me. They lead me into the same energy and we all shine together.

RL: Talking about eye candy you are 5’1, yet your portrait is the size of a football field on the front of this hotel. How does that feel?

TB: I was so excited. No one told me, so when I saw it, I just couldn’t believe it. I was a little overwhelmed. I’m driving on I-15 and I suddenly see parts of my head and body being slowly revealed across the building. I was behind the wheel of my car and sort of did a double-take. It is a great feeling.



RL: You have become a Vegas resident and have been here for 8 months, not touring. How do you feel about a home base in Vegas and not having to go on the road for a while?

TB: Well, first of all, I was a little nervous at first because I never knew Vegas. Then I discovered it was so suburban. Touring is great but I can’t bring my kids on the road all the time. This was the perfect thing for me. It enables me to sing and be a mom. My day consists of waking up at seven to get my son ready for school, we eat breakfast, talk about what he dreamt about, then my husband and I take him to school. By day I am a mom, and by night I put on some red lipstick, turn into a stage performer and do my thing.  

RL: You have two kids right? Is the second one is school yet?

TB: No, he is 3 years old. We’ve got him into a school already for when he's four. I am acclimated and ready to do Vegas. We found a house in the Southern Highlands area. It's very quiet and I love it. Vegas is quiet sometimes -- can you believe it?


Dancers in Toni Braxton's 'Revealed' rehearse for its debut.

RL: You looked at all the different shows around town to see what was happening and one of the shows you went to see was Celine. You got into a conversation with her and asked her about living in Vegas?

TB: She said to me I absolutely had to live and perform here. She told me I had to drink plenty of water, and I've taken her advice. She said it’s great. It's a new Vegas and an exciting Vegas. I just go wow; I can't believe I am here. I see all the street signs with the stars’ names on them and I am like I have to go here.

RL: They may give you a Toni Braxton Drive.

TB: Oh that would be great.

RL: Other than when I saw you at the Venetian on New Years, how often have you preformed in Vegas and where were you?

TB: I preformed here eight years ago at the Aladdin for two nights and that was it. Now, suddenly, I’m living here, performing here and with my own theater! Now that’s incredible.

RL: What is it like to be on the road all of your life and then suddenly settle down. What’s the emotional feeling of that?

TB: It brings normalcy and security to your life. I did Broadway and that was great but that wasn’t a Toni show and I want to do my thing. So, for me it is just time to have a normal life, put down roots and yet still be a performer at night. I feel like Batgirl jumping between the two roles!

RL: What are we going to know about Toni Braxton that we didn’t know before?

TB: What kind of a performer I am, why I am in the business, why I do what I do. I am going to reveal a few things that maybe only a few people have seen or know about. I am bringing out old video footage from when I signed my first record deal. So you will see me with all my flaws. When you get older, you are not afraid to show these things. I’ve been through so much that I don’t care now that everybody knows my whole story.    A la Céline   





RL: Have your kids been to see you performing yet?

TB: They have been here while I’ve been doing rehearsal. That’s the fantastic part about working where you live. They are a part of everything I do. I am able to be a part of everything they do.






DM: I got a call about three or four months ago from her manager asking if I would meet with her. I immediately remembered one thing -- the dress she wore at the Grammy awards in the 2000. Then I remember 'Unbreak My Heart' and a few of those songs. The way the Flamingo is going is a little sexier, a little more fun, a little more hip, so she would be one of the most interesting entertainers on the Strip, she is still current. I mean, Celine is a superstar, but besides that there isn’t any entertainer that, at the peak of their career, has sat down and played in Las Vegas. I thought that would be interesting. I think from a fashion perspective she is one of the most amazingly photographed women in the world. She has sold 40 million records and has a very interesting fan base. She has the R&B, the young fans, and the hip-hop culture loves her. Multimillionaire NBA players love her. It is an amazing opportunity. She wants to sit in Vegas for all the right reasons -- to be a mom. We have done a lot of things in the showroom, so, we think she will be an unbelievable success.

RL: The $1 million dollar diamond studded microphone is pretty outrageous.

DM: We are going to have a lot of fun with it. It is going to reside on show in Toni’s retail store. It’ll be locked up under guard, but people will be able to see it. It will be brought to the stage by security every night. At a million dollars, it’s the most expensive mike ever made. Liberace didn’t even have one.


LEFT: The micro mini Toni will where in 'Revealed.' RIGHT: The famous Million-Dollar-Microphone.

RL: Have you had a say in the show at all, since you are the industry's only true rock and roll honcho?

DM: No, in fact, I’ve been kicked out of the theater, because they have been doing rehearsals and I’ve gotten to know Toni and her husband Carey, the musical director, and their group and the only thing I said to them was "go look at every single show in Vegas." They did that, they did their homework. They looked at all the dancing going on in Vegas. Now, I’ve seen the dancing troupe and their routines in rehearsals and I can assure you it is different from anything you’ve seen on stage before. This is very hot, very sexy. It is certainly not a Cirque type of thing. This is very street, classical, Flamenco.

RL: Have you been put in a little bit of a torn loyalty since Celine Dion works for your same company? The two girls are basically 50-yards across from each other on the Strip. How do you think they deal with the competition?

DM: It is funny, Toni came and talked to Celine and asked if she was cool with it. I think the 'Unbreak My Heart' song, which was a multi-platinum selling record, Celine had actually turned down that song. It's actually funny that Toni’s biggest hit was turned down because Celine picked one about a sinking boat and passed on the other!! Not many women have pipes like these two women so I think they will compliment each other.





RL: So is she the first part of the re-branding of the Flamingo, and if so what is coming next?

DM: We have started to do a room renovation 700 rooms where we have ripped everything out and they are going to be the hippest rooms in the city. They will be complete with a great sound system, iPod docking station, auto-drape openers, great TV’s, unbelievable lighting, it is just going to be an off-the-hook room. So that, along with Toni, will really emphasize the changes. We are starting to make changes already. If you look around you can already see the changes. This place is going to swing a little bit younger and I think having Toni in here is a real bold statement and if you see the picture on the side of the building, which is the largest billboard in the history of the world, so we put this woman who is 5’1" and stretched her 100 ft. by 100 ft. It is a football field.

The premiere is tomorrow evening (THURSDAY) at 7.30PM at the Flamingo and afterwards, at 10PM, Magic Johnson will lead the gala list of VIP celebrities at the red-carpet party being thrown at PURE nightclub -- partly owned by Celine herself -- directly across the Strip at Caesars Palace.

Always happy to read other singers give Céline credibility as an artist
  

For those who would like to read the entire interview here is the link:
http://journals.aol....sive-photos/348

[celinesounds]

Thanks, I want a Duet

[Koolan]

Quote

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Braxton could have learned a lesson from Celine's Vegas debut

They listened to Celine, but they didn't learn from Celine.

It was Celine Dion who talked up a Las Vegas residency to Toni Braxton. But no one at the Flamingo Las Vegas remembered that Dion got a lukewarm response when her Caesars Palace show opened in March 2003 after only a handful of previews.

History repeated itself Aug. 3, when Braxton's new resident showcase invited celebrities and members of the media after only two ticketed performances. Reaction the next day came from various people but all reached the same conclusion: The debut was nothing short of a train wreck.

"Ouch! This is painful," one spouse text-messaged to the other outside the showroom.

"Everybody was looking at their watches a half-hour in," said another of the 90-minute show.

Other viewers complained the song lyrics were inaudible and the singer failed to project her likable personality onto the rigidly choreographed affair.

Some wondered if the singer had lost her vocal chops altogether during her four-year materinity leave. Or if she were lip-syncing, though one would think that would have resulted in perfect sound.

(Me? The day before the show, the Flamingo folk and I agreed I could see the show the next day, thus trading a high-demand seat on the night of the VIP party for one that better fit the domestic schedule at home. But the next day, the Flamingo folk called and asked if I might not be able to hold off a review to a time still to be determined.)

Braxton's manager, Aaron Walton, blamed technical issues with the sound system. "No one had to tell me, I heard it," he said earlier this week.

But he said many of the problems were resolved by the next night, if not by the end of the same show. Trouble came from two fronts, he said.

One was the difficulty in switching back and forth between Braxton's headset microphone and two handheld wireless mics, one of them a diamond-encrusted Shure model touted as a "million-dollar microphone."

Eventually, the singer and her technicians discovered "if you (touch) the antenna on the bottom, it will cut into the signal," Walton said.

The other issue was a reconfiguration of the showroom's seating. New seating areas were created, but new speakers aimed at these sections weren't installed by opening night, creating a dead acoustic space.

Walton denied any health problems for the singer who has a history of asthma and more recently battled a heart inflammation, pericarditis. "Her voice is really strong," he said.

But there are plans to add two new numbers that could perhaps add more depth and variety to the show: A cover of the Natalie Cole hit "This Will Be," and a segment in which Braxton plays piano to accompany video of her first audition for Arista Records.

The Flamingo has a lot staked on this, and I'm anxious to see if the technical fixes will put it on the right track or if a larger problem looms. There seems to be an inexplicable disconnection between the astonishing number of albums Braxton has sold -- more than 16 million for her first two titles combined -- and people's inability to remember more than three of her songs.

I had credited my own faulty memory to the fact that I was already in my 30s when Braxton hit big during the Clinton presidency. The songs didn't have the nostalgic impact of those tied to one's formative years. But getting the same vibe from people of various ages -- some younger, some not -- is starting to make me wonder if a hit song in the 1990s wasn't the same as a hit in the '70s or '80s, when radio's influence was starting to be diluted by the Internet and Gameboy.

If that's the case, this show will need more than a million-dollar microphone. ...

The Las Vegas Hilton is facing some empty showroom nights after Barry Manilow's announcement that he will undergo outpatient arthroscopic surgery on both of his hips, canceling Hilton shows between Aug. 19 and Nov. 8.

Manilow will make up those dates next year, but country and classic-rock acts such as fellow Hilton performers Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn are already booked on the state fair circuit during the fall season. "If something works, we'll do it," says hotel spokesman Ira Sternberg. "We're just looking around right now."

Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com

from Review Journal

Did we see this coming?      did they seiously think it'll be a success?

[Céline's Blues]

It's called FLOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[braxton]

im a fan of celine and toni both. they both have distinct voices and you cant compare them to each other. i saw toni's show and i have to say what an amazing performance it was. her vocals are as clear as they were on the cd. toni's show is more intimate hence her being able to come down and mingle with the audiance where as celine's is much larger and it isnt possible to do that as much. I dont think anyone shoud hate on Toni, i mean lets not mention celines last album, miracle. what hit came off that? or the cd before that, one heart? neither of those albums came out with a real hit. the fact is music changes with time- the 90's were def. both their years but during the early 2000's it was more hip hop influenced. even divas like whitney and mariah failed but i think the time is right for all their reuturns as the market as turned back. celine has a leg up on most artists as she is bi lingual and she can sing in french and appeal to that market. whitney, toni and mariah cant. so you cant add that into album sales. like i said its impossible to compare such amazingly talented women who all have something different to offer. ill also mention celine only recorded "because you loved me" because toni turned it down. so thank Toni for that hit that has established celine in the US. just as i give her thanks for turning down unbreak my heart so Toni could record it. i hope i didnt offend anyone that was not my purpose. im just giving my opinon. celine is my number two fav. artist after toni.

-braxt

[Erin]

^ agreed.

actually, last i heard toni's show did very well, and they extended her contract.

i don't think every show is a knock off of celine's. celine is not the first headliner in vegas. i mean, is celine copying elvis and wayne newton?? LOL, no. if anything, toni replaced gladys knight who was headlining at the flamingo before celine... so.... are they both copying gladys? seriously now.

I saw gladys' show once when celine cancelled on me, and it was awesome. and i can definitely say it wasn't a wannabe celine show... and i'm sure toni's isn't either.

edit: and NO ONE thinks of Pure as "Celine's club"  - EVERYONE goes there to host their birthday/album release/whatever parties because Pure has the money to throw at them. There was a bidding war for Lindsay Lohan's 21st coming up... and Pure got her and it has nothing to do with celine! LOL.

Edited by Erin, 14 May 2007 - 09:14 AM.

[Davey84]

I didn't see that much promotion for this show in Vegas... to bad actually! only the very very big poster all acros the flamingo hotel... I dunno I thought that casino/hotel was a bit sleezy....

[Love,]

Davey84, on May 14 2007, 08:56 AM, said:

I didn't see that much promotion for this show in Vegas... to bad actually! only the very very big poster all acros the flamingo hotel... I dunno I thought that casino/hotel was a bit sleezy....

me too!     

You never know... maybe tomorrow they might suspend a 400ft by 365ft poster of Celine's RDMH pose to drape the outer shell of the Augustus Tower.... TAKE THAT, TONI!     

Edited by Love,, 17 May 2007 - 02:56 AM.

[Erin]

^^ haha! i drive by there everyday... and i can only imagine the car accidents i would cause almost daily while i'm distracted by celine's beauty. it'd still be worth it, though!    

[celinesounds]

 tonibraxtonpulse.jpg   280.8K   14 downloads

PULSE is the new album by the singer Toni Baxton

The up comming album is release by Altantic Records  in 2009.

A new Toni Braxton song has now been leaked: Melt (Like An Iceberg)

 melt.jpg   199.65K   10 downloads


Download

[Ray]

I looooooooooooooooooove Toni Braxton.

Her first three albums are briliant!

Hope her new album is as good as those (and not as bad as More Than A Woman).

[Céline's Blues]

I love Toni. She's been putting out constantly good music. Libra was so nice.

[Black Kitten]

i love Toni Braxton too. she's not one of my all-time favorites, but i love her voice. i only have 2 of her albums (Toni Braxton and Secrets) and my favorites are Breathe Again, You Mean the World to Me, Another Sad Love Song, How Could an Angel Break My Heart and I Don't Want to. glad she's coming back.

[celinesounds]

Céline's Blues, on Nov 27 2008, 07:21 PM, said:

I love Toni. She's been putting out constantly good music. Libra was so nice.

Yes Libra was nice, but More Than A Woman

[fabio76]

celinesounds, on Nov 26 2008, 08:04 PM, said:

tonibraxtonpulse.jpg

PULSE is the new album by the singer Toni Baxton

The up comming album is release by Altantic Records  in 2009.

A new Toni Braxton song has now been leaked: Melt (Like An Iceberg)

melt.jpg


Download

WOW!        i love Toni Braxton!!! Thank you

[Ray]

Toni's albums:

Toni Braxton:
Great debut album. Top songs: Breathe again, Best friend, I belong to you, Another sad lovesong, You mean the world to me, Love shoulda brought you home

Secrets:
Top songs: Un-break my heart, Let it flow, You're makin' me high, Come on over here, There's no me without you, How could an angel break my heart, I don't want to.
The dance mixes of Un-break my heart and I don't want to were great too! As was the duet version of How could an angel break my heart (with Babyface). The non-album track That somebody was you is also a highlight!

The Heat:
Maybe not as strong as the first two albums, but still a gem.
Top songs: He wasn't man enough, Spanish guitar, Never just for a ring.
Great dance mixes of Spanish guitar on the cdsingle and a top dvd "From Toni with love" with all her video's!

Snowflakes:
I love Christmas albums, but this is awful. Just two great songs: The Christmas Song and Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

More than a woman:
Awful...

Libra:
Great album. Especially "Please" (maybe her best song ever).