George Michael kicks off tour bashing Bush
PUSSS...@aol.com
GEORGE Michael made a belting return to live music this weekend with a
barnstorming sell-out gig - his first in 15 years - and a healthy whiff
of controversy.
In a show that celebrated his solo work and Wham! years, it was his
pointed rendition of Shoot The Dog - the anti Bush and Blair track that
effectively destroyed his career in the US - that drew the loudest
cheers of the night.
As a 50ft blow-up doll of a cigar-chomping US president appeared on
stage, George unzipped the leader of the free world's fly to reveal a
Union flag waist coated British bulldog nuzzling Bush's groin, wagging
its tail.
Before walking out to the cheers of 18,000 fans in Barcelona's Palau
Sant Jordi stadium on Saturday night, George had revealed: "It will be
magical to stand in front of my own audience again.
"It will feel very intense to have thousands of people who've all paid
to see me. "I've forgotten what that feels like and I'm really
excited."
Strolling on stage to the strains of Waiting with a spectacular
backdrop of 3D stars falling from an immense curved screen, the
43-year-old kept his recent promise about his 25 Live tour that marks a
quarter of a century in the music industry.
He vowed: "As much as I'm going to disappoint those people who want to
see more of my bottom, I'm going to be less of a showman and more of a
singer."
With no backing singers or musicians sharing the stage, all eyes were
on George. And if he was nervous he was not showing it. To rapturous
applause, he launched into Flawless, interrupting the song to tell
fans: "You're beautiful... thanks for coming."
Next the crowd joined in with the better known Fast Love as a huge
virtual glitter ball hovered over George's coiffed head. Among
highlights of the night a disciplined George tore through Faith and
switched between anthems and ballads to mesmerising effect.
If there were any fears that his voice had been damaged by his love of
dope ("I'm still a tenor. Some of the falsetto may have gone, but my
voice in general sounds pretty much the same as ever", he says) they
were put to rest by the stunning Father Figure, and his voice was
pitch-perfect throughout the two-and-a-half-hour set.
The inclusion of Wham! classics Everything She Wants, I'm Your Man and
Careless Whisper, as well as the haunting Jesus To A Child, cheeky
Outside and crowd-pleaser Freedom showed talent and versatility the
likes of Robbie Williams would kill for.
Before the first of two encores, he walked on stage, beaming from ear
to ear and declaring: "I've been waiting for this moment." You and us
both, George.
George's Live 25 tour hits UK shores on November 17. Visit
georgemichael.com for details.
George's set list....
Waiting (reprise); Flawless; Fast Love; Father Figure; Star People; The
First Time Ever; Praying For Time; Too Funky; You Have Been Loved;
Everything She Wants; My Mother Had A Brother; Shoot The Dog; Faith;
Spinning The Wheel; Jesus To A Child; Easier Affair; A Different
Corner; Amazing; I'm Your Man; Outside; Encore: Careless Whisper;
Freedom '90
Mark Stringer
> In a show that celebrated his solo work and Wham! years, it was his
> pointed rendition of Shoot The Dog - the anti Bush and Blair track
> that effectively destroyed his career in the US. . .
Could writing sh*tty tunes have anything to do with his career taking
a turn for the worst? Naaaaa, it must be Bush.
SyVyN11
"Mark Stringer" <ui...@victoria.tc.ca> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.58.06...@vtn1.victoria.tc.ca...
Bush put George in that mens room in LA.
Bush put George in that liplock with that other guy.
Let's face it, this is George Michaels' last chance, and it won't work.
deb...@comcast.net
>
> Bush put George in that liplock with that other guy.
>
> Let's face it, this is George Michaels' last chance, and it won't work.
Let's face it, George Michael never liked Bush! (that's a double
entendre, for the slower folks out there)
AKA
<deb...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1159200671.4...@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
If they don't know what the term "double entendre" means they still don't
understand.
alamon...@aol.com
Will he be propositioning anyone while on tour? I mean old men, little
boys, whatever! What a freak of nature. He should get his own life
straightened out(no pun intended) before he criticizes another. After
all anonymous sex with a 60 year old is a tad odd to me.
avery
"Mark Stringer" <ui...@victoria.tc.ca> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.58.06...@vtn1.victoria.tc.ca...
Shhhh.... He's trying for a Dixie Chick shtick. (George Michael and the
Stickie Dix?)
avery
<PUSSS...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1159193127....@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Before walking out to the cheers of 18,000 fans in Barcelona's Palau
> Sant Jordi stadium on Saturday night, George had revealed: "It will be
> magical to stand in front of my own audience again.
It would be magical indeed, since he's from Greece, not Barcelona.
Agent Smith
@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
> George Michael kicks off tour bashing Bush
Cancel his Visa.
SyVyN11
"Agent Smith" <agent...@two-blocks-on-your-left.com> wrote in message
news:Xns984A562696219ag...@207.115.17.102...
But he'll still have his american express and mastercard.
Agent Smith
SyVyN11
You know me, always go for the cheap laugh!
Agent Smith
news:efcepk$9r3$1...@news.albasani.net:
And the expensive dates! Ba-da-boomp 2.
Jack Thompson
SyVyN11 wrote:
>
> Let's face it, this is George Michaels' last chance, and it won't work.
He's still a major star in Europe, where this tour sold out in record
time and his albums still go to #1.
He gave up on America a long time ago. I don't think he even releases
anything there anymore.
So it's not a "last chance" at all. Nothing will change.
Agent Smith
news:dsdlh291s61ahgok4...@4ax.com:
>>>>>>> George Michael kicks off tour bashing Bush
>
> Well, good for Mr. Michael!
Not that I'm a particular Bush fan, but where do foreigners get off coming
in here and telling us how to run our country? Since when do American
rights accrue to foreigners? Although he'd like to be, this asshole's not
John Lennon, fer Chrissakes. He's a middle aged fruitball who blows ugly
strangers in parks. We don't need nutjobs like this telling our citizens
how to vote. He's asking to have his head pushed underwater in a toilet.
alex_t
> Not that I'm a particular Bush fan, but where do foreigners get off coming
> in here and telling us how to run our country? Since when do American
> rights accrue to foreigners? Although he'd like to be, this asshole's not
> John Lennon, fer Chrissakes. He's a middle aged fruitball who blows ugly
> strangers in parks. We don't need nutjobs like this telling our citizens
> how to vote. He's asking to have his head pushed underwater in a toilet.
Most foreigners (like me) do not care about internal matters of your
country, but care about external ones. Wars, anti-terrorism, economy...
Agent Smith
news:1159448327.5...@d34g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:
I see that you're username is Russian. Have you ever heard the names
Yulpatov or Nusinovitch? How about Sagdeev or Arnol'd?
alex_t
> I see that you're username is Russian. Have you ever heard the names
> Yulpatov or Nusinovitch? How about Sagdeev or Arnol'd?
No, not really. Why?
Agent Smith
news:1159466705....@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:
>
>> I see that you're username is Russian. Have you ever heard the names
>> Yulpatov or Nusinovitch? How about Sagdeev or Arnol'd?
>
> No, not really. Why?
I wanted to know if we moved in the same circles.
alex_t
> I wanted to know if we moved in the same circles.
Ah, I see. Well, apparently not.
Agent Smith
news:1159521964....@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>
>> I wanted to know if we moved in the same circles.
>
> Ah, I see. Well, apparently not.
Are you, in fact, Russian?
alex_t
> Are you, in fact, Russian?
Yes, I am. I live in the UK though.