Review of the Michael Buble concert September 15, 2003

For the record, I'm still swooning. :)
And for another record, the Life! "feature" -- more like snippet actually -- on Buble yesterday was pathetic. Can't believe they asked Tommy Wee of all people to write the piece. Wee is better off drooling over Diana Krall and the like. Wasn't there anyone else they could ask? Like me? :D

Anyway, a little background on how I became acquainted with Buble. It was a few months ago at Great World City, on an early weekday morning when I was having a day off. I was withdrawing some money from the ATM in the basement, and facing That CD Shop, when I heard this incredible voice singing "The Way You Look Tonight". I thought it was Harry Connick, Jr, but found out from the store's staff that it was a new artiste. I bought the CD on the spot, and the rest is history. :) It remains one of my all-time favourites, and let me tell you, the concert was AWESOME!

Full-capacity crowd, ranging from teenagers to yuppies to older adults. Nice audience, very appreciative, with a few even carrying on short conversations with Buble by shouting out responses to his comments / questions. But I digress :)

From what I observed, Michael Buble is:
1) very tall
2) very good-looking
3) very, very friendly
4) very humble and funny
5) extremely talented
6) super-sexy :D

When he first stepped out on stage, his height really struck me. And all those photos you see of him on CD covers don't do him justice. He is Canadian, but of Italian descent. He's got dark, wavy hair, great skin, and a beautiful ( almost beatific ) smile. He started off the evening by shocking everyone ( but in a very good way ) -- when someone from the media crouched along the aisle to snap pictures of him, he jumped down from the stage, gave her a kiss and a hug, and posed with a female member of the audience ( who got a kiss and a hug too ). I was at 8th row centre, and even from where I was, I could see his baby blues, which are HUGE. Ahhhh.... :)

Here's a list of the songs he sang from the CD ( not corresponding to the order in the concert ):

Fever -- one of his "signature pieces", already done over by many a famous artiste in the past, but given a full-bodied flavour by Buble. A sensual rendition that got raucous cheers from the audience.

Moondance -- Not one of my favourites, but it helps that his 10-piece band absolutely rocks ( the pianist is a very young Chinese fellow with impressive skill ). Very tight harmonies, and Buble loves to move to the beat. Watching him was a pleasure for this one.


For Once In My Life -- I missed this out in the first draft of my review ( so sorry! ). It was the opening number, a catchy Broadway-style piece that helped set the mood for the rest of the evening. Nicely done. :)

Kissing A Fool -- Now this song I really adore. George Michael did a great original, but Buble gives it a jazzy, big band feel. His voice is also perfectly suited to crooning for the slower bits. I had goosebumps! And let's not forget what he did after he finished, ie. he sang bits from "Faith" and "Father Figure", impersonating George and adding some guitar riffs of his own. Had me in stitches!

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart -- He collaborated with the Bee Gees on this one, before one of the members passed away earlier this year. I liked the part where he stopped singing during the chorus and directed his microphone towards us. And guess what? The audience knew the words and sang along without any problem whatsoever! :)

Crazy Little Thing Called Love -- First done by Freddie Mercury from Queen, and given a a big band makeover that surprisingly works very well. Buble's vocals are smooth and sweet like honey, especially when he croons "there goes my baaaaaby". Be still my heart. :)

Sway -- aka Buble's favourite song on the album. It's got a fast tempo, and he danced around the stage for most of it. Lovely, lovely, lovely. :D

The Way You Look Tonight -- This started it all for my "Buble-appreciation", and he certainly makes it his own. One of the most beautiful romantic ballads I know of, and I can't imagine anyone doing a better job than he. Swooning again. :D

Come Fly With Me -- Another classic, which Buble greatly enjoyed singing. He bobbed his head to the beat, snapped his fingers, boogied with the band, and gave it a different sound altogether instead of just rehashing the version on the CD. Fantastic!

That's All -- One of the things I love best about music is how one person's voice, with just a single instrument as accompaniment, combined with a haunting melody and beautiful lyrics, can create pure magic. That's exactly what happened here. With just a guitar, Buble's voice still sounded heavenly. And throughout all the songs, the tone and control of his vocals was astounding. He can be soft and gentle, or powerful in a lung-bursting way, with zero pitch problems. The true mark of remarkable talent.

Other songs he sang:

You'll Never Know -- This came after a touching account of how his grandfather introduced him to jazz and is therefore responsible for his success today. At one point, he started to "tear up", and everyone must've thought his grandpa passed away or something, but he suddenly told us he was alive and well, giving us a cheeky grin to boot. Tsk, tsk! :D I can't really tell you where this song is from originally, but it's wonderful, and I heard it on Barbra Streisand's "Timeless" CD ( it's her swan song live concert performance from a few years back ), so you can sample that for a taste. This was the very first classic Buble learnt, so it holds great significance for him. Sharing this sentimental thought with us indeed added much to the overall rendition. My late grandma loved to hear me sing songs from "The Sound Of Music", and whenever I listen to "Edelweiss", it brings back memories of her. This was a very nostalgic moment for me. :)

All Of Me -- Another nice song I've heard somewhere before, but can't pinpoint, aargh! It's a happy song, and I loved it. :D

Mack The Knife -- I've heard versions from The Platters to Robbie Williams to Clay Aiken, but Michael Buble's cover is still unique and terrific. I earlier wrote that my mom preferred Buble's rendition to Clay's, but she gave me a big scolding today and told me I got it all wrong and that I had to change what I wrote, pronto. ( She's a Clay fan through and through :P ) In any case, Buble was very cool and dapper, while Clay's is a more powerhouse type of singing. Fabulous!

My Funny Valentine -- He sang 2 songs for the encore, and this was the final one. When he said, "We're going to leave you with this song." the audience went "Awwwwww", to which he replied, "Okay then, we'll leave you with the other song!" My Funny Valentine is a very broody piece, and you may remember it from "The Talented Mr. Ripley", where Matt Damon did a cover for the film and its soundtrack. But of course, Damon can't compare to Buble in terms of singing ability! It was a nice, quiet conclusion to a dynamite concert, and left us wanting more. But rest assured, he's told us he'll be coming back for sure. And this time, I'm going to get those front row seats no matter what!!!

Will just add a few bits on other things he did during the show:

The rap -- Yes, believe it! He blew us all away with his "original composition", which he claims was co-written with Snoop Dogg *wink, wink*. He beats Justin Timberlake hands down in the "vocal beatbox" department, and had all the expressions and mannerisms of a "street gangsta", even quipping that there were a lot of "fine b*****s in da house tonight". He apologized after that remark, of course, but we all forgave him. There's a rocker in him yet! :D

Stardust -- After singing "You'll Never Know", he told us if his grandfather were here, he'd say, "Now do Stardust!". On cue, a lady in the audience to my left shouted, "Now do Stardust!", and he complied! He sang the opening verse a cappella, and I grabbed my mom's arm as a reflex, 'cos I just LOVE this song. I strongly suggest he adds this to his next album. Sigh. :)

The last bit of My Funny Valentine -- I may be the only one who noticed this. At the very end, Buble, who'd been holding the mic in his hand the whole time, put it back on the stand, then stood about 2 or 3 feet back, belting out the last verse from that position. The effect was electrifying. His voice was unbelievably powerful, and it echoed through the entire auditorium. I've never seen or heard anything like it, and I hope this wasn't lost on other concert-goers. It was so wonderfully surreal. :)

So yes, I give this show a big thumbs up! Michael Buble is a consummate performer -- great voice, great look, great showmanship, great rapport with the audience, and does all the classics justice with his fantastic interpretations. Would've liked to hear him do "Summer Wind" and "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" -- my two favourites on his album, but maybe the musical arrangement didn't allow for it ( lots of strings on the latter ). I just want to kick myself for not bringing a pen with me, 'cos before he left the stage, he signed a few autographs for fans who ran up to him. I had my CD cover in my bag, for pete's sake!!?? This will not happen next time, I promise you! :D

Come back soon, Michael. And go to The Esplanade, 'cos SUNTEC acoustics suck. ;)