 "Blackbird Revue" opened on January 4, 1928 with Adelaide Hall singing "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" solo.Later on, Fields and McHugh wrote a second half for the revue and Leslie expanded the production.With extra songs and extra performers added (including the vocalist Aida Ward), Leslie renamed the revue Blackbirds of 1928 and took the full production for a tryout in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where it appeared at Nixon's Apollo Theatre.