“A concert is like a date. I get to know you, you get to know me, and if things go well at the end of the night we will be having dirty sex in the back of my car.”
Bublé's quip early in the evening of his June 24th concert probably made a few heartbeats quicken, except for the two young girls he noticed near the stage immediately after saying it. After shaking his head in embarrassment he clarified “we'll have my dirty dog Rex in the car with us.”
Moments like this are part of why Michael Bublé is one of Canada's top performers internationally and at home. The first of two sold out shows at the Saddledome was filled with fans of all ages who Bublé easily charmed with his wit, voice and boyishly handsome looks. Regardless of gender or orientation there is something about him that makes you wish you could be in that car with him.
The sexy nature of the 2 hour show was evident in the opener, _Fever_. Strutting in front of a curtain and seemingly making a point of trying to look the entire few front rows in the eyes, Buble set the tone for a night of standards and comedy that flew by. Although there was less banter than his last visit in 2010, Bublé still had his moments that had the audience howling with laughter, such as when he introduced his “all stars” band complete with sportscentre-style graphics. “He went to the Virgin Islands, and now they just call them the islands,” he quipped about one of his talented band members. “This guy must work at Subway because he just turned my six inch into a foot-long,” he said of another.
Michael Bublé is easily sold on his charm. He could likely sell out arenas as a comic, and on top of that is extremely humble. There were a few times that evening where he just seemed overwhelmed, thanking the audience for being the reason why he performed. That combination is part of what makes him so appealing and gives an edge over others in the “standards” genre.
I've talked about his sense of humour and his personality, but this is a concert review, so perhaps we should focus on that now. Whether it was Sinatra (You Make Me Feel So Young), The Bee gees (To Love Somebody) or The Beatles (All You Need Is Love), Bublé was in fine form as a performer. He added a twist to the classics by including Daft Punk's Get Lucky as he headed through the audience to a smaller stage at the back of the arena to join openers Naturally 7 for some Motown covers. There was even a bit of Journey, as he broke script to belt out a little Don't Stop Believing. Fans danced, sang along (incorrectly in the case of Everything when they sang “Love love love” instead of “La La La.” “It's the thought that counts,” he joked.)
Whether chatting or singing, Michael Bublé proved once again why he sees such success. Lack of ego, a fantastic stage show, and a great catalog whether covers or written by him - all combined to make a perfect evening of entertainment.
Openers Naturally 7, an A Capella group that has opened for Bublé in Calgary on previous tours, showed why Bublé remains a fan and brings them with him. Adding to the cover theme with songs like While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the audience enjoyed their short set. They do seem like a perfect appetizer to the Bublé entree.