Babs Road Rumors

Barbra Streisand is reportedly on the verge of another farewell tour, a 20-show affair that will reportedly be promoted by Michael Cohl and net the singer $2 million per performance. And, like many rumors, this one has its share of controversy.

The tour is supposedly set for fall and Streisand will perform in the round, according to a New York Post Page Six anonymous source.

“The promoter is Michael Cohl, who does the Rolling Stones,” the source said. “The industry is freaked out about her ticket prices as the greediest ever. Her manager, Marty Erlichman, has screwed CAA out of their involvement, so there’s a lotta bad blood out there about this one.”

Representatives for Erlichman and CAA did not return calls to Pollstar at press time, and Cohl was in Japan with the Stones.

It is uncertain why the industry would consider the alleged high-end ticket price of $1,500 greedy. Babs had a higher top-end ticket of $2,500 on many stops of her last tour in 2000, where she grossed an average of $14 million a night. She sold out two nights each at Los Angeles’ Staples Center and NYC’s Madison Square Garden.

As for Bab’s $2 million per show, that’s on the conservative side. Streisand’s average gross in her 1994 performances was $2.7 million, with a ticket range of $50 to $350, along with some VIP ducats at $1,000.

Rod Stewart, Neil Diamond and Andrea Bocelli were allegedly approached as possible opening acts, according to the “insider.” Now, Il Divo is supposedly being courted.

“The big worry is, ‘Can Barbra lose the extra 50 pounds she’s put on?'” the source sniped. “She feels that confirming the dates is the only thing that will make her lose the weight.”

There was no official word about the tour at press time.