I was lucky enough to meet him at the stage door when I took my friend, who was dying with cancer, to see it. He gave her a hug and it made her day. He was lovely.
he was busking on the streets of london and dared to go for the auditions in 1995/96? when the show was re-released in the west end of london, and apparently the rumour was that Lloyd webber was so impressed but amazed that he could hit such notes that he sent him away and asked him return a few days later to confirm it wasn't a one off fluke performance. consequently he was obviously selected. i saw his very last performance in the show, and he was AMAZING.!!
Ted Neeley or Steve Balsamo no contest, both great singers but steve balsamo gives me goosebumps everytime I hear this, saw him live doing this, he is awesome.Sorry Mr Neeley but Balsamo rocks.
I'm still baffled by people who prefer Ted Neeley in this role. After Gillian, Neeley's version seemed way too shrill. Steve Balsamo brings back the original power off this song and even takes it to another level.
Ted Neeley or Ian Gillian in my book. They both have a great vocal and hard range screams !!!! I realise Ian is kind of busy in a band hehe ...If Teds not to busy he can always join my band the offer stands ??? The world today is extremely short of great Rock singers that have lungs that can devour a Harbour ..........
Raoul Borans I used to swear by Balsamo but as time went on and I distanced myself from JCS being presented as just another broadway show and toward presenting it as the "rock opera" it was supposed to be I found myself liking Neeley more.
Raoul Borans ted is too aggressive to father gott. Steve is so soft!!! Realy Jesus!!!! And a lot of Passion inside. Gillion cries from beginning. It schould Not be immedietly powerful: it doesn't bringt Action.
I agree, this is a slow tempo. But I still feel that Steve BECOMES Jesus. I feel his anger, confusion, anguish etc. Steve is the ONLY one that convinces me he is JESUS when he sings this song. I also like Drew Sarich's interpretation, but it's a little too "angry Jesus"...
He have 4 specials ....voice range the feeling of this song..... a great vocal technic.....and its external appearance goes hand in hand with the roll......he have a romantic look and the play need this....
Fekkin heck! ... I've been studying a bunch of others (Sesto / Gillan / T. H) , but Steve's rendition (for me) definitely RISES levels above the others.. (purely my opinion, for my own taste...) .. Knowing this now what you say ... *Laudate Steve Balsamo: BRAVO*
Well, every great version is doing it the octave higher. Ian gillan improvised the scream in the original track; which Ted Neeley covered beautifully in the movie version. Steve is a phenomenal singer, but he isn't particularly doing anything special in his performances. Actually he is doing an easier version of the high note in his falsetto range, where as Gillan and Neeley do it in a high mix. Which is technically more difficult. Not to put down Steve's performance though. He's definitely a great replacement for Ted now that he's not capable.
This guy puts the new Jesus to shame. I don't know if anyone of you have seen the new show, , great voices, but absolutely no feeling to what their singing. This one gave me the chills. The frustration and the anger was there. And his voice is amazing.
Yes, probably one of the most emotional songs and singers that I've heard, especially when he's talking to God towards the end of the song (after 5' 24").... very spiritual- they seem like real tears.
Great performance by Steve Balsamo but I was just so pleased to that scene from the Palace Theatre London (for me 1973) with the yellow cube. Would love to see a revival of that production. The cloths are now so cool. Hipster jeans and cheese cloth shirts etc. The under lighted stage. A lot of the imagery has come back now, and beyond retro.
I actually quite like this version. It is different to the one done in the Netherlands in 1994 but what has to be remembered is that Steve's voice is 14 years older and is therefore far more mellow than when he was younger. He still hits those high notes though.
if you love this song ,and want another fix,i highly recommend John Farnham's - Gethsemane version ,NOT the live version,but the one with david hirshfelder's [he wrote the music to "shine"] magic touch.its a bit wilder.but oh ,worth a listen. Uploaded by FreeTheRocks
AM 4 times Right и я так думаю. Я сама певица и преподаю вокал. Во- первых, у него вокал совершённый. Он не кричит, ааа Гиллон сразу кричит. У Гиллона только крик с начала ариии до конца. Свен потрясающе развертывает форму- с очень кроткого начала до плтрясающеготдраматизма в кульминации. И все поёт- нигде не кричит. Потрясающий образ Иисуса- настоящий. Вот эта кротость вначале просто сражает сразу. И он не требует сразу от Отца, так как это делает Тед Нилл. Тогда просто нет развития образа в арии. Мастерски делает все. Что касается Гиллона, то в неоотриаогдс на было профессионального вокала- все пел всегда глоткой. Поэтому летне умеет петь тихо. Поэтому он сейчас не может петь. Люди с настоящим вокалом не теряют голоса до своих последних дней- хоть до 90 лет поют.
@@nathaliekorolev3017 Я понимаю, что 4 года спустя, но все-таки. Ну хоть кто-то написал про развитие образа) Согласна. Это первый и по моему единственный исполнитель, который передал смысл, логику Гефсимании. По мне, так это 5 стадий принятия неизбежного. Причем как по книге. И просто удивительно, что у человека, никогда специально не учившегося вокалу, совершенный вокал) Неужели такое бывает от природы? У меня был вопрос только к оркестру: почему так медленно?
@@yuliyamiura730 Так вот именно, что это редкость. С идеальным слухом много людей, с хорошим голосом тоже, а вот с прекрасной техникой без обучения - это чудо. А ее еще в 90х упоминали, когда, собственно постановка вышла. И эта партия, будто специально для него написана.)
And if you want to get really technical, Jesus Christ Superstar originally was performed without an intermission, so there WAS no "1st Act/2nd Act" nonsense hah. ;-)
@@Wubbledaddy totally understand that but in that clip the original west end Jesus Paul Nicholas is talking about the show he was in and the OG west end Production ended after Gethsemane. After blood money is the much better spot as you say it's the natural break as it's the end of the first disc on the album, it's where I had my interval when I directed the shotbut Nicholas is talking about the version he was in
To be honest, I did not like this version from the beginning, but now I love it. It is a very good version again from Steve. It is strange how he does it different every time..
We all agree that Ted Neely truly encapsulated the roll of JC. But he didn't sing this version. And for that the cheers do go to Balsamo... bigger singer, stronger instrument, steady control, mastery of his craft. He did very well on this song. KUDOS.
@arcuz92 i have my opinion, you have yours. thank you. no need to use any words that can start an acrimonious debate and wasted exchanges.life's too short for such travesty. have a pleasant day and keep on jammin' and singin'.
@F1KillerQueen :)) your words not mine..TNeeley's album/movie version is incomparable..Steve B is a very good singer (but he can't hit that highest note like Ted Neeley...few singers possess that range..Mariah Carey too)..stage presence, body, language and facial expressions..yes..it is..
Cj Mango YES! While Colm isn’t capable of hitting the high notes, he still gives the song his own wonderful interpretation. He is a phenomenal singer, he just wasn’t built for those scream/falsetto notes.
Outstanding! Just out of interest I wonder how Ramin Karimloo, Alfie Boe and Ewan McGregor would do in this song. They would be all very different: Ewan can hold very long notes e.g. 'Come What May' and has more of a rocky voice than Alfie. However Alfie has a huge round sound, and Ramin is just phenomenal so it would be very interesting to see the performances from these.
Balsamo does a good job but his conductor failed him here. The song is supposed to not suggest so much lament as it is supposed to suggest latent fear, agitation, and angry contemplation while at the same time acceptance of the inevitability of God's will. Yes I've heard this score many times and in short, the tempo of the song helps create the performance
This guy is good, but his voice doesn't blow me out of the water like Ted's does. Ted's is just so powerful and gut-wrenchingly intense. This guy is incredible too though, don't get me wrong.
@LadyNightthorn check this out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3-rre_BXxC0.html&feature=fvwrel Steve Balsamo - Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar - Ahoy, Holland - June 2004 Neely is very good, Carter is fine but you must watch the right version to get the idea. There is no other LIVE performance better than the 2004 version in Holland. Steve is the best!
Show some respect. Steve is good at what he does because he does it well and in a different way, that doesnt mean he's better it's just a matter of taste. You can definitely say that he beats sebastian bach but you can never say that he beats neely or drew sarich
Conductor does not hold first tempo. -1 for him. Steve Balsamo sang this song better than everybody else. Ted Neeley...really, he is not good singer, he is just an actor.
ThePurpleHarpoon Depends on the standpoint. Personally, I always thought Neely was very 'showy,' rather than genuine. He seems to have to illustrate everything he says with unnecessary gestures. His voice is perfect for sure, but I feel nothing, and the song loses the point. For me, Balsamo is the opposite. He makes you feel something without having to do too much. And his voice is nice and clean. Old school vs. new school. Just different technique.
This guy's just okay. I grew up hearing Ted Neely do this song and it was perfection with him climbing and reaching the peak just as the sun rose. Not once have I watched this scene without crying and having to take a break. This version doesn't touch me at all. Check out the 2000 film of the stage play with Glenn Carter. It's a struggle to get past "it's not Ted" but that movie is just as moving in it's own way, just as good. I have both copies and they both make me cry at this point.
@arcuz92 :))that's just my 2 cents so to speak..i think i know (modesty aside)something about pitch and range..check my cover of roy orbison's crying using just the voice recorder of my iphone and in one take..(modesty aside again)..
