Bette Midler scores hit at Mosque
North Hills News Record - February 21, 1976
John O'Brien

To be sure, she will not be confused with Julie Nixon Eisenhower. Bette Midler sent three audiences home happy from performances in Syria Mosque last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Bette was a "production of parody," mimicry, sarcasm, wit, pun, glibness, bawdiness and singing. All in motion, running, dancing, jumping, laying on the stage. The energy she expended Thursday night could have lit Pine Township for a week. 

She paid homage to the local area after climbing out of a hospital bed in which she sang from under the sheet (fully clad) during the opening number. 

"Pittsburgh! Ah yes Burgh of the pits. Actually, I came to Pittsburgh because I wanted to ride the Duquesne Incline once more before I die " 

She lay down on the stage and slowly said.

"And I did. And now I can expire "

Of course, the words are only half. You had to see how she said them. 

A short, curly red-headed, thirtyish woman, she wore a probably original costume something like a woman's gym suit of about 1920 vintage, punctuated by high button shoes, for the first half of her program. The sell-out crowd was spellbound for nearly three hours. She sings anywhere from poignantly soft to raucously boisterous. 

A multipiece rock band backed her and three female singing companions who backed her vocals

She sang some of her hits, including 1940s music like "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."