Concert review of George Michael’s Faith Tour performance at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 15, 1988. The review was written by Barbara Jaeger for The Record, a Hackensack, New Jersey newspaper and published on August 16, 1988.
A Peerless Concert by George Michael
George Michael understated his promise.
Early in his concert Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, the British pop singer vowed he would give his fans a good time. By the end of the almost two-hour show, Michael had delivered a great time.
In a year that has already included first-rate performances by Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, and Sting, Michael’s sold-out show the first of three at the Garden was by far the most enthralling.
Whereas Springsteen and Sting rely on their songs and Jackson on staging, Michael blends music and moves into a delicious, dizzying mix.
On the opening song, a down-and-dirty rendition of “I Want Your Sex,” the former Wham! member established such a frenetic pace racing from one side of the stage to the other, bumping and grinding that one suspected he would wilt before the evening was over. But Michael’s energy just seemed to increase, as the show sped to its conclusion, a reprise of “I Want Your Sex” performed with even more vigor.
Michael — who closes his Madison Square Garden engagement tonight but will return to the area for a Sunday show at the Brendan Byrne Arena –proved himself a powerful, interpretive vocalist who captured the essence of each song, whether a funky, dance-inspired tune (“Hard Day” and “Monkey”) or a moving ballad (“One More Try” and “Careless Whisper”).
The 24-year-old singer-songwriter, who is on his first solo tour, drew most of his concert material from his multi-platinum solo album, “Faith.” But he also included several Wham! nuggets, as well as a few I including a high-spirited romp through Wild Cherry’s “Play , Funky Music” and a sexy, steamy rendition of La Belle’s “Lady Marmalade.
The imaginatively designed stage on which Michael performed proved the perfect workplace. Resembling a giant cage, the bars in the front and at the sides side swung out to create a wide-open expanse. Tiny lights, positioned on the bars, created soft moody effects for the slow-paced songs, and bright dramatic effects for the uptempo ones.
Michael strapped on an acoustic guitar for the rockabilly-tinged tune “Faith.” His joyous rendition of the song received added acoustic guitar power from two of his six backing musicians, who stepped forward to join Michael center stage and inspired a robust audience sing-along.
Concert Program
The breathy voice, not to mention the slinky moves, that Michael employed for “Hand to Mouth” enhanced the song’s sultry, sensuous beat. A similar approach was taken on “Father Figure.”
Keyboards, sounding very much like a snake charmer’s flute, kicked off the song, but quickly gave way to Michael’s slow, almost hypnotic vocals. But soon his voice, as well as that of his female backing vocalist, were ripping through “Father Figure” with gospel-like fervor. ‘
It was on the ballads, however, that Michael truly shined.
He sung a powerful and inspired rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Love”s In Need of Love Today” that would have made the song’s composer proud. His delicate, emotional handling of “One More Try” solidified his standing as a singer with soul; so did his plaintive delivery of “Careless Whisper.”
Augmenting the music was Michael’s marvelous dancing. While the show was obviously carefully choreographed, his moves many of which would make Jackson jealous never seemed calculated. They just seemed to flow from the sensuous beat, a beat that one wished wouldn’t stop. –
Similar Posts:
- George Michael Interview with Capital FM Radio with Dr. Fox (Dec 1998)
- George Michael: The Lone Star State Interview on Q Magazine (June 1988)
- ‘Souled Out: George Michael’ Published in Interview Magazine (1988)
- George Michael: One Night in New York (Q Magazine, 1992)
- An Audience with George Michael: Interview with Chris Evans (1996)
A wonderful article, which i never forget