Review: Diana Ross was fabulous and fun after a 56-year absence from Minnesota State Fair

Her outfits were fab-u-lous. Did you expect anything less? Her hair was fabulous, too. But the most absolutely fabulous thing about Diana Ross on Saturday was that it was 56 years — a record, no doubt — between her appearances at the Minnesota State Fair grandstand.

Wow! What a wait. What an enduring career. Sure, the Beach Boys were back at the grandstand this year with the Temptations, both celebrating 60 years with ever-changing lineups. In 1966, Ross was at the fair with the Supremes in their heyday. She's been solo since 1970, and Saturday's show reminded 8,180 fans what a fabulous career she's had — and that she's not done.

The Motown goddess, 78, brought her Thank You Tour to Minnesota to say thanks and to announce her first album of new material in 15 years, called "Thank You." She offered two new numbers — the neo-disco "If the World Just Danced" (she promised that dancing would make everyone happy) and the title track, a peppy, platitudinous pop ditty that closed the 90-minute show.

Ross seemed genuinely grateful for all the blessings in her life, as she recited a few sentences of gratitude and asked the fans to repeat each one after her. Then she sang "Thank You." Grateful, indeed. But, more importantly, Ross seemed genuinely happy on Saturday. Happy to be back in the States after a European tour, happy to engage with fans, happy to perform with a top-notch band and singers. She was vivacious — she is Diana Ross, after all — and playful, which isn't always the case.

Saturday's effort was certainly superior to her 2017 concert at Northrop and more satisfying than her too-short 2013 performance at the Orpheum Theatre. It was a fun time at the fair that was worth the wait.

Ms. Ross, as she is wont to be called, is not the first veteran diva to grace the grandstand stage. In 2014, Aretha Franklin was hit-and-miss and, the following year, Patti LaBelle totally ruled as the queen of grandstand soul.

Saturday did not feel like a diva turn even though Ross certainly had the requisite outfits (five, most with capes of tulle and feathers before a silver sequined pantsuit) and affectations (she frequently used hand fans and incessantly rearranged her Mufasa-like hair).

She made eye contact with concertgoers near the stage, imitated individual fans' dance moves and even danced a bit on her own. Maybe her only diva-ish move was having her eldest daughter, Rhonda Ross, do a brief opening set. The 51-year-old is not ready for primetime.

The Motown legend kicked things off with a message — a snippet of "I'm Coming Out" followed by the Spiral Starecase oldie "More Today Than Yesterday." Then she slipped into yesteryear with five Supremes songs, including "Stop! In the Name of Love," that had the fans singing along with giddy gusto.

After changing gowns, Ross focused on her solo career, with dance numbers like 1980's exhilarating "Upside Down" sandwiched around 1970's sentimental "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand."

The third section — after another outfit change — served notice that Ross is not merely a chirpy, cheery singer. Her heartfelt girlish purr on Billie Holiday's jazzy "Don't Explain" could have convinced a lover that she'll overlook his cheating.

Emotions soared on a medley of "The Theme from Mahogany" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," for which Ross let her backup singers take the stratospheric power notes. Then she made Gloria Gaynor's 1978 disco classic "I Will Survive" her own expansive anthem, dancing the night away with a mixture of triumph and determination after six decades in the spotlight.

Also opening the concert was Naturally 7, a New York a cappella vocal septet that did nifty impressions of musical instruments, especially on the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."