Air Supply’s Graham Russell (guitarist/singer) & Russell Hitchcock (lead singer) have a longstanding reputation for making hearts swoon all over the world through the power of song.  On Friday night, a sold-out crowd at New York City’s B.B. King Blues Club witnessed an unforgettable performance of what Hitchcock inarguably called “some of the greatest love songs ever written”.  Anyone who has ever heard the Australian duo’s captivating ballads would definitely plead no contest to Hitchcock’s claim.

The deities of soft rock incited a veritable uproar as they opened with “Even the Nights Are Better” (from Now and Forever, 1982).  Air Supply worked their magic with the unfailing charm that has served them so well for almost four decades.  The multigenerational crowd blissfully sang along, & bodies swayed to the romance that filled the room as the band went on to play “Just As I Am” (from Air Supply, 1985), “Every Woman In the World” (from Lost in Love, 1980), & “Here I Am” (from The One That You Love, 1981).

Audience members unabashedly wore their hearts on their sleeves, & were pleasantly surprised when the Australian duo graciously traversed the crowd during “The One That You Love” (from The One That You Love, 1981).  Russell & Hitchcock serenaded the intimate sea of adoring fans while strolling through the aisles of the Blues Club, providing die-hard fans opportunities to be photographed side-by-side with their rock icons.  This unexpected interaction only intensified an already palpable ebullience throughout the venue.  It concluded with Air Supply back on stage, prompting the audience to sing the chorus, which the crowd did – in utterly perfect unison.  There was something so sweet & pure about the underlying meaning of the exchange – it began with Russell & Hitchcock wooing the crowd face-to-face, singing, “Here I am, the one that you love, asking for another day” & ended with the crowd reciprocating their affection, singing to their rock icons, “Understand, the one that you love, loves you in so many ways”.

After a dance-filled performance of “Dance With Me” (from Mumbo Jumbo, 2010) & “Making Love Out of Nothing At All” (from Making Love… The Very Best of Air Supply, 1983), Air Supply was joined by Constantine Maroulis (from American Idol) for an electrifying encore.  “If we leave you with one song, it must be this,” said Russell, “There can be no other.”  The band went on to play the cult classic “All Out of Love” (from Lost in Love, 1980).

Rock legends Air Supply delivered a stunning performance that will surely remain etched in fans’ memories forever.  At one point, Hitchcock playfully referenced the formula for Air Supply’s successful musical partnership, stating, “He [Russell] writes the songs, I [himself] just sit around & drink wine.”  With such lighthearted humor between the two, it’s no wonder Russell claimed in numerous interviews that he & Hitchcock had never had an argument throughout Air Supply's longtime career.  True to the lyrics of “Making Love Out of Nothing At All”, the duo proved on Friday night that they can still “make all the stadiums rock”!

Setlist:

1. Even the Nights Are Better

2. Just As I Am

3. Every Woman In the World

4. Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)

5. Sanctuary

6. The One That You Love

7. Lost in Love

8. Dance With Me

9. Making Love Out of Nothing At All

Encore

10. All Out of Love