Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Words like “icon” and “legend” get thrown around so much nowadays, they’ve lost much of their meaning, but there’s still one Supreme superstar in the form of peerless performer Diana Ross.

Not only has the double Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee blazed the trail for each subsequent generation of divas, but she hasn’t slowed down a shred since the 1960s, even at 79-years-old, recording the new album, “Thank You,” during the pandemic and presenting it alongside a multitude of classics throughout “The Music Legacy” Tour, backed by six musicians, two background singers and a giant video wall.

The expansive and Las Vegas-like Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana was host to one such sold out occasion that found Ross grandly entering to the empowering “I’m Coming Out,” dressed in flashy green dress and full body boa, which was a fashion trend she regularly rotated in various colors across nearly 90 minutes.

The headliner’s tenure in The Supremes was a significant part of the front half thanks to “Baby Love,” “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Love Child,” all signaling this was going to be nothing but a lovefest.

The audience heaped their affections right back at the vocally and visually beautiful artist for both the ballad “Touch Me In The Morning” and the bounce of “Upside Down,” in spite of a gracefully handled wardrobe malfunction involving sequins and wires.

Ross further rewarded faithful via “Ease On Down The Road” from “The Wiz,” plus the immortal likes of “Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” accompanied by triumphant footage of her record-breaking and history-making Central Park concert.

Inside the holy grail of the Hard Rock, stocked with many pieces of Motown-era memorabilia, there was truly no elevation this A-list entertainer couldn’t effortlessly scale, right up to an exuberant take on the disco anthem “I Will Survive.”

Though the house lights rose to indicate the end, the cheers were so loud and unceasing that a casually dressed Ross and the band came back for impromptu editions of “Tomorrow” and “Thank You,” either of which could’ve capped off an unprecedented career had she not had so much life and love left to give.

For additional information on Diana Ross, visit DianaRoss.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana include The Killers (May 11); Wayne Newton and Tony Orlando (May 13); Billy Currington (May 19); Andrew Schulz (May 20); Incognito (Jun. 3); Kevin Hart (Jun. 10); Kevin James (Jun. 18); Halsey (Jun. 30); Cypress Hill (Jul. 2); Dream Theater (Jul. 7); Jimmie Allen (Jul. 8); Weezer (Jul. 9); Shinedown (Jul. 21); Deon Cole (Jul. 29); Volbeat (Jul. 30); Extreme (Aug. 17); W.A.S.P. (Aug. 20); Daryl Hall (Aug. 22); Gipsy Kings (Sept. 29); Styx (Oct. 13); Tom Segura (Oct. 14); Aaron Lewis (Oct. 27-28) and Grand Funk Railroad (Nov. 2). For additional details, visit HardRockCasinoNorthernIndiana.com.

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