Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Friday October 4, 2018 :
Thirty years, 27 international concert tours, countless sporting matches and more than 22 million people through the gates. After decades of entertainment from the likes of U2, Bon Jovi, the Fooies, Pearl Jam and the Chilli Peppers, on Friday night Sydney gathered so say goodbye to Allianz Stadium, with the 45,000-seat structure soon to be demolished and rebuilt as part of a multi billion-dollar revamp.
And on a night that was all about looking back and remembering the good times, who better to star than Mr Nostalgia, Mr Michael Bublé. This would be a special one-off performance and the Canadian crooner’s fourth since returning to the stage after his young son’s battle with cancer, a trauma that kept him away from the stage, and music, for two years.
But with family life now looking brighter for Bublé, the singer is back in the limelight and seemed delighted to be back in front of an Australian audience. Backed by an impressive 34-piece band of local and international musicians, Michael was at ease from the moment he stepped, suited up, onto the stage, and he let everyone know it, opening the night with the jazz standard, ‘Feelin’ Good’. From here he kept the mood light, following up with an original hit, the upbeat ‘I Just Haven’t Met You Yet’, before taking a break to banter with the crowd, cracking jokes about how it was probably date night for many couples, and fittingly, the poncho-clad punters (soaked from the night’s earlier downpours) looked like a sea of condoms. Playing into the date night vibe, we were then serenaded with yet another classic, the soulful ‘Try a Little Tenderness’, made famous by Otis Redding.
The night also gave us a few sneak peeks of songs from Bublé’s upcoming tenth record, Love, due for release next month. ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ and ‘Such a Night’ (first recorded by the Drifters and later Elvis) both featured, but it was Bublé’s rendition of an old 1930s show tune, ‘Where or When’, that was the clear standout of the newer material showcased on the night. The song’s lyrics speak to a sense of déjà vu and, for Bublé, specifically the kind you feel when looking at your child. Needless to say, with what’s been going on in his life for the past couple of years, this was an emotional performance and Michael smashed it right out of the park.
The rest of the set with packed with fan favourites – ‘Sway’, ‘Home’, ‘Everything’ – and the singer seemed to really hit his stride towards the end of the night with a rollicking rendition of ‘Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody’ with members of the Big Band joining in on backing vocals and plenty of well-earned brass solos. Then, it was everyone on their feet, twisting along to Chuck Berry’s ‘You Never Can Tell’ – best recognised as the tune John Travolta and Uma Thurman boogie down to in Pulp Fiction, a favourite flick of the Boobs – then singing along to Michael’s take on Marvin Gaye, ‘How Sweet it is (To be Loved by You)’. This was indeed a celebration!
The evening finished with a bang; huge ballads – ‘Cry Me a River’ and ‘Always on My Mind’ – the latter dedicated to the fans, who supported him on his rocky path back to music. Belting out those final notes, Bublé seemed to choke up. I reckon there were a few in the audience doing the same.
As fireworks burst overhead, we said goodbye to a well-seasoned performer, back on his A-game, and so too to Allianz Stadium. Until next time Boobs, and SFS, see you in 2022.
Reviewer : Amelia Parrott
Photographer : Mick Goddard
MICHAEL BUBLE
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GUY SEBASTIAN
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BUSBY MAROU
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