It`s been three years since the last Symphonica`s
concert just before George Michael`s struggle with disease got him from stage
for a long time.
First-account report from George Michael`s Symphonica 2011 Zagreb show.
Will remember you
Red velvet curtains. Shining black Armani suit. Dita waving from her champagne glass. Johnny Matis, Nina Simone, Rufus Wainwright, Elton John, Amy Winehouse… They were all there along with the 41 members of finely tuned symphonic orchestra. They were all there along with 12.000 people who came to the sold out treat of the man with the silky voice, unforgettable smile and with pair of sunglasses.
»Good evening, Zagreb! I `m here for the first time and I like it very much,« was only the grand opening of the show, which was overall very emotional. George Michael visited Arena Zagreb on 20th September 2011 to present another aspect of his music soul to his supporters and fans. In his over-two-hour show soon after the first tones the artist of Greek-Cypriot origin proved he is still using all of his well-shaped vocal range and his energy on stage. The performance looked and sounded mostly like a well prepaired theatre show where the main protagonist is showing the story of his life and is accompained by some of the finest musicians and backvocalists.
Tears, energy and cabaret
George, who is very well known for sharing his feelings with fans, sang some of his greatest hits, among Cowboys and Angels, Kissing a fool, Understand and also Where I hope you are. The last one was dedicated to his long term partner Kenny Goss, with whom he separated recently. Michael stayed on the large stage in complete darkness and said it with such feeling as he said »This is for my mother« before singing You have been loved. One could feel he is standing next to him and like he is talking to you, telling his story and waiting for you to say how you feel about it. It appeared to be more like private club cabaret and especially not like huge sold out performance. Even the visuals appeared to be so, the stage was covered in red, white or blue tones, once in the background the moon and the stars were shining and in the next moment, there was a picture of Dita doing her champagne glass show. Just the way the whole event was more like theatre show, sometimes sad and sometimes powerful and energetic, the visuals reflected this temper of the gig.The first half of a concert was more pop-filled. Michael kept the audience filled with energy while he sang not only his greatest hits, but also the songs of the people he adored. This was wonderful news for the visitors, while they could enjoy themselves listening sounds of the incredible different-styled vocalists joined under the great sound of Michael. Some of the fans might be expecting more popular hits, but the others surrendered themselves to cover songs. Each and every ont of them was special and deliberately put in the great shape filled with his own style and emotions. Not only he knows how to make jazzy My baby just cares for me sound great and funny (especially for his And even Ricky Martin customed verse), his clear vocals sound amazing in different registers and his vibrato is so sensuous that John and Elvis are dead almost made everybody cry and it was not only for they met their doom, but Michael spread his sound deep in fan`s hearts so they could only imagine how the sound would be if the three would join on stage together. »I `ll be right back!« said Michael to break the applause and on the stage appeared the clock that was counting down 15 minutes when the artist would be back.
I`m your man!
After the pause, George introduced his covers of the evergreen classics including Wild is the wind and Roxanne, which sounded even more pure and profound from Michael`s lips than Sting `s. To put some older pieces aside, George showed his moves in different version of Rihanna `s Russian Roulette, which was a real surprise for the visitors. He also dedicated a part of his show to Amy Winehouse, who tragically passed away only few months before the show. Her Love is a losing game was accompained by huge images of her in the background. Finally, what what should not be missing, was the grand closing of more than spectacular show. Praying for time was continued with Feeling good, where the musical accompainment with the brass section and percussion dictated the rhytm and couldn `t leave the visitors indifferent. George, who said, he liked the Symphonica `s fans the most of all, thanked them with encore-mix of Amazing, Wham `s I `m your man and Freedom 90. 48-year old Brit danced himself all around the stage and it didn `t take long before everybody was dancing.Michael had a taste of life. Just the way his friend Elton John put it, he got to know much of the sorrow and pain. He fought battles with himself and with the public, but his extroverted persona and love for music dragged more and more fans together. His music is eternal, just in the way his vocal will always remain as one of the best vocalists and especially the most emotional. Some of the lines may be difficult, but some may be simple, but neither matters. The only thing it matters, you hear him. Once you do, you won `t forget it. Just the way he said, he won `t forget Symphonica. Gently, with the most calm and sensuous sound he said goodbye along with I remember you.
Ni komentarjev:
Objavite komentar