Review | Diana Ross Is Still a Superstar in Santa Barbara

Amidstll of the pageantry and superstar polish that comes from decades in the spotlight, there’s a warmth and sincerity to Diana Ross that makes her concerts feel like an evening with an old friend — albeit a very well-dressed one! As her voiceover on the video introduction to her August 27 show at the Santa Barbara Bowl said, “My story has been referred to as classic rags to riches, but the Rosses were never raggedy.”

Whatever her modest background was once, Diana Ross is surely a queen now — and she took the stage like royalty in a gorgeous red gown that would have made Barbie envious. Backed up by a spiffy nine-member band dressed in all white, they jumped right in with “I’m Coming Out,” and her 1980 disco hit got the all-ages crowd off its feet and bopping along to this joyful declaration of self-acceptance, freedom, and pride. 

That song set the uplifting mood for the whole evening, a hot one to be sure, and Ross gleefully danced with a big red fan to a medley of her 1960s hits from her years with The Supremes: “More Today than Yesterday,” “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Come See About Me,” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” The crowd happily sang along as she launched into 1979’s “The Boss,” 1985’s “Chain Reaction,” and the 1970 classic “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand),” as she encouraged the audience to do just that. Most complied.

She ended that segment with a prayer of positivity, asking the audience to repeat her words: “I’m so grateful for all the blessings in my life. All is well. … Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Then added, “I want you to know how much I love looking out at the audience and seeing your faces.” Those reflective, quiet moments soon evolved into another dance party with “Upside Down,” as the 82-year-old Ross joked, “If I can move my body like this and I’m 47 … move it or lose it!”

She was then joined onstage by a plethora of dancing and singing grandchildren (and a talented bonus little dancer friend named Bertie) for a song from her most recent album Thank You (2021) called “In Your Heart,” featuring a beautiful flute solo by John Scarpulla. 

Then it was back down the road to favorite familiar territory with “Love Hangover / Take Me Higher,” and “Ease on Down the Road,” from The Wiz. Ross’s oldest daughter Rhonda (whose father is Motown Records founder Berry Gordy) then came on to sing “Count On Me” and give her mom a costume change break, while she sang a solo version of “Back to Love.”  

Soon Lady Diana was back on stage looking like a gorgeous gleaming Oscar statue in a show stopping gold gown singing “If the World Just Danced” before dramatically losing her cape and adding a matching gold fan to perform “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.” 

The iconic “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” was up next, followed by a crowd pleasing version of “I Will Survive” which allowed each band member to shine as they were introduced and strutted their stuff. 

After leaving the stage for a brief break and another costume change, Ross was back in a glimmering black ballgown and sunglasses  — she had cataract surgery, “that’s what happens when you’re 47,” Ross joked — to sing a new song for the finale. Written for a pride event, “Joy, Joy, Joy, Freedom” was indeed a gleeful way to sing us out into the night, feeling happy to have once again witnessed a performance by one of the true grand divas of our day.