THEY CALL themselves Manilovers and they follow their man up and down the country from concert to concert in a Barry Bus, armed with signs, torches and an array of glittery jackets, writes CAROLINE SEPHTON.

For them, American smoothy Barry Manilow can do no wrong.

There is nothing they wouldn't do and nothing they wouldn't spend on the man who lights their emotional fire.

More than 16 months after his last appearance on stage in this country, the hardcore posse of his dedicated fans were ready to party.

And not all are the stereotyped middle-aged women. Barry's appeal draws in female fans, young and old, and men of all ages. Even Take That and Erasure's Andy Bell have been spotted in the audience.

The Manilovers have been counting down the days for these new concerts, which started at Wembley Arena on Good Friday and end on April 21. They were promised as something entirely different - Barry in the round - and the fans never doubted that it would live up to their expectations. Since his last appearance in this country, they have suffered a roller coaster of rising and shattered hopes. They waited for him to appear at the stage doors of his musical Copacabana, they thought he would turn up for the Lawrence Olivier awards, but all ended in disappointment.

The lucky ones were guaranteed a sighting when they travelled on the fan club trip to California to catch his New Year's Eve concert and the even luckier ones are reeling from the costs of a round of Florida concerts. Some even have separate Barry bank accounts to fund such expeditions.

But then the UK tour is announced, the fanclub hotline is a-buzz, their lives become confused with hotel details and they prepare to follow their "friend" around the country in a bus covered in posters.

The Barry brigade will tell you that they follow him because he is extremely fan-friendly and also because he comes across as just a downright nice guy, a reluctant hero who has had to work hard to perfect the art of being famous. When I caught up with the show at Manchester Nynex Arena he was up to scratch. I can't pretend to understand why Manilovers swoon at his appearance but I admit I'm very much in awe of his talent.

Versatility is Barry's middle name and his show moves through many musical styles, from his favourite big bands to a humorous William Tell adaptation, from the typical slash-your-wrists Barry ballads with him at the piano to extremely fast-moving, almost verging on techno dance numbers which have the fans rocking in the aisles. The Can't Smile Without You slot, when a member of the audience is invited onto the stage, always proves popular with fans, who plan the signs they will make and glittery jackets they will wear to catch his eye months in advance. And, of course, the oldies known by even the non-fans are still popular - his fluffy Copacabana, Let's Hang On, Mandy and a revamped Could It Be Magic, now a dancefloor mover. I was not alone in thoroughly enjoying my first concert of this tour and the good news is that I still have four to go.

But even when the hullabaloo dies down and the Manilovers start saving for the next concerts, there are still Barry conventions, visits to other fan friends and videos to swap to keep them happy.

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