(Amway Center, Orlando FL) Grammy Award-winning performer, Michael Buble, delighted a packed Amway Center, Wednesday August 10 2022.
The Canadian-born super-crooner charmed thousands in attendance as part of his 'Higher Tour', scheduled to stop at 27 US cities, featuring 2 other Florida stops in Sunrise and Tampa over the next couple of days.
Early on in the show, Michael observed a fan's sign requesting that the superstar perform a duet with the audience member. Buble handed over his microphone and did his version of interpretive dancing whilst on the runway stage while he kept focus on the singing audience member via direct eye contact and hand gestures. Buble even signed the fan's handmade sign! Throughout tonight's show, Buble did keep a little more physical distance from the audience than he normally would given the global health situation we're in, but for some lucky fans he still managed to squeeze in several selfie photos with audience members from both sides of the catwalk-like runway along which he strutted up and down throughout the evening.
Even in the midst of his international celebrity, the self-deprecating balladeer did not take himself too seriously which only super-boosted his likability rating with the crowd. With his legs dangling while he sat on the edge of the stage wall, he told the audience he looked like Kermit, gesturing toward his legs (the band playfully begins playing Rainbow Connection in the background). A song intermission later, he states that when he was 15 years old he had dreams of becoming a pro hockey player, but that with 'these legs' the dream wouldn't become a reality. He says that he instead wrote song lyrics and then 10 years later he re-wrote the arrangement and 'it sounded like this' (cue his familiar hit "Home.")
He introduces the next song with 'I liked the next song so much I named an album after it... (named) a tour after it." He then performs the tour's namesake "Higher". For me, this was probably the best part of the night as Higher opens up another dimension of Michael not fully apparent in his other songs. This one had this cool James Bond feel to it, drawing on prevalent string instruments and timpani drums as the main background accompaniment (simultanesly, this one also featured James Bond-looking backdrop videos featuring his backup singers as the focus, silhouetted in only red / black / white colors).
The playful Buble continues engaging the crowd: "Ok, I'm on the edge now of being dangerous. Some people think there's a population problem, but this is a baby-making concert. You don't know what to feel inside... this is baby-making music.' The crowd is laughing at this point as this is the 'fun' Michael with whom many of them are familiar. He does a Bee Gees cover of "To Love Somebody" which prompted pretty much every couple in the audience to either hold hands or put their arms around one another.
For 'Hold On', Michael introduces this one with a thank you to 'whiskey and sadness' for helping him to write that one.
Michael then makes a quick introduction. "I want to introduce everyone to Roy on piano. he's new to join us. This wasn't part of the show, but it's such a beautiful song... (it's about) getting through hard times. Finding a way to survive, thriving. That old stuff is timeless. The lyrics mean just as much as now as back then. I hope we live by it." He goes into a wonderfully slow-paced, and emotion-evoking cover of Charlie Chaplin's 'Smile', and it was warmly sobering and endearing.
"I simply want to say after 20 years, thank you America for turning this next song into a hit." He begins playing the sexy "Fever".
"I think it's pretty obvious that I stand on the shoulders of heroes... I loved Elvis Presley... I was thrilled when Priscilla Presley asked me to sing a duet posthumously." He then begins a 3-song tribute to The King featuring "One Night With You", "All Shook Up", and "Can't Help Falling in Love." For this portion of the show... Michael favored the fans toward the back of the arena as he walked all the way forward on the catwalk-runway where an acoustic guitar awaited being played by him, and members of his 30-piece orchestra lined up along said runway to back their lead vocalist who was now positioned on the opposite side of the arena floor from the stage.
The concert highlighted each member of Michael's orchestra and the 3 backup vocalists in a beautiful split-screen which featured a still image of the musician and their name, while the other side of the screen was a live-feed video of them up on stage.
This was now the 3rd time I had seen Michael Buble perform live, and each time has been delightful and inviting. Somehow amongst 20,000 screaming fans, Michael has the ability to make it seem like he is singing directly to you. If you ever had that popular kid in school who could charm all of the teachers into getting you all out of a test, or that super best friend that your parents would let you go anywhere with and do anything with: if you rolled them up into 1 person, it would be Michael Buble. His likable charm, and quick comedic wit, makes for an exceptionally entertaining evening, and even though we were in a massive arena, somehow he'll make this feel like a very intimate performance with you and your closest friends only.
Be sure to check this tour out if you should have a chance!! The Higher Tour definitely lives up to its name, and won't let you down!
--Bailey Guinigundo
The Canadian-born super-crooner charmed thousands in attendance as part of his 'Higher Tour', scheduled to stop at 27 US cities, featuring 2 other Florida stops in Sunrise and Tampa over the next couple of days.
Early on in the show, Michael observed a fan's sign requesting that the superstar perform a duet with the audience member. Buble handed over his microphone and did his version of interpretive dancing whilst on the runway stage while he kept focus on the singing audience member via direct eye contact and hand gestures. Buble even signed the fan's handmade sign! Throughout tonight's show, Buble did keep a little more physical distance from the audience than he normally would given the global health situation we're in, but for some lucky fans he still managed to squeeze in several selfie photos with audience members from both sides of the catwalk-like runway along which he strutted up and down throughout the evening.
Even in the midst of his international celebrity, the self-deprecating balladeer did not take himself too seriously which only super-boosted his likability rating with the crowd. With his legs dangling while he sat on the edge of the stage wall, he told the audience he looked like Kermit, gesturing toward his legs (the band playfully begins playing Rainbow Connection in the background). A song intermission later, he states that when he was 15 years old he had dreams of becoming a pro hockey player, but that with 'these legs' the dream wouldn't become a reality. He says that he instead wrote song lyrics and then 10 years later he re-wrote the arrangement and 'it sounded like this' (cue his familiar hit "Home.")
He introduces the next song with 'I liked the next song so much I named an album after it... (named) a tour after it." He then performs the tour's namesake "Higher". For me, this was probably the best part of the night as Higher opens up another dimension of Michael not fully apparent in his other songs. This one had this cool James Bond feel to it, drawing on prevalent string instruments and timpani drums as the main background accompaniment (simultanesly, this one also featured James Bond-looking backdrop videos featuring his backup singers as the focus, silhouetted in only red / black / white colors).
The playful Buble continues engaging the crowd: "Ok, I'm on the edge now of being dangerous. Some people think there's a population problem, but this is a baby-making concert. You don't know what to feel inside... this is baby-making music.' The crowd is laughing at this point as this is the 'fun' Michael with whom many of them are familiar. He does a Bee Gees cover of "To Love Somebody" which prompted pretty much every couple in the audience to either hold hands or put their arms around one another.
For 'Hold On', Michael introduces this one with a thank you to 'whiskey and sadness' for helping him to write that one.
Michael then makes a quick introduction. "I want to introduce everyone to Roy on piano. he's new to join us. This wasn't part of the show, but it's such a beautiful song... (it's about) getting through hard times. Finding a way to survive, thriving. That old stuff is timeless. The lyrics mean just as much as now as back then. I hope we live by it." He goes into a wonderfully slow-paced, and emotion-evoking cover of Charlie Chaplin's 'Smile', and it was warmly sobering and endearing.
"I simply want to say after 20 years, thank you America for turning this next song into a hit." He begins playing the sexy "Fever".
"I think it's pretty obvious that I stand on the shoulders of heroes... I loved Elvis Presley... I was thrilled when Priscilla Presley asked me to sing a duet posthumously." He then begins a 3-song tribute to The King featuring "One Night With You", "All Shook Up", and "Can't Help Falling in Love." For this portion of the show... Michael favored the fans toward the back of the arena as he walked all the way forward on the catwalk-runway where an acoustic guitar awaited being played by him, and members of his 30-piece orchestra lined up along said runway to back their lead vocalist who was now positioned on the opposite side of the arena floor from the stage.
The concert highlighted each member of Michael's orchestra and the 3 backup vocalists in a beautiful split-screen which featured a still image of the musician and their name, while the other side of the screen was a live-feed video of them up on stage.
This was now the 3rd time I had seen Michael Buble perform live, and each time has been delightful and inviting. Somehow amongst 20,000 screaming fans, Michael has the ability to make it seem like he is singing directly to you. If you ever had that popular kid in school who could charm all of the teachers into getting you all out of a test, or that super best friend that your parents would let you go anywhere with and do anything with: if you rolled them up into 1 person, it would be Michael Buble. His likable charm, and quick comedic wit, makes for an exceptionally entertaining evening, and even though we were in a massive arena, somehow he'll make this feel like a very intimate performance with you and your closest friends only.
Be sure to check this tour out if you should have a chance!! The Higher Tour definitely lives up to its name, and won't let you down!
--Bailey Guinigundo