ShareMichael Bublé performing An Evening With Michael Bublé at The Resorts World Arena Birmingham on Tuesday 21st May 2019
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
It was over five years ago when Michael Bublé was last on a stage in Birmingham, and last night saw him perform the second night of his An Evening With Michael Bublé tour to a packed Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, and he did not disappoint.
Putting his career on hold whilst he and his wife dealt with a well publicised serious family health matter, things are now far better since their son’s cancer remission. And the four time Grammy Award winner hit the stage at the top of the stairs for opening song, Feeling Good. And as the sumptuous thirty four piece orchestra tore into the music, the singer emerged wearing his trademark tailored blue suit, and eternal five ‘o’ clock stubble, and the maestro of the Rat Pack era covers sounded as good as ever.
Following up with Haven’t Met You Yet from his 2009 album, Crazy Love, he prowled and preened all around the runways and stairs of the catwalk which extended from the glittering four tiered bandstand, and had the audience in the palm of his hands and laughing, cheering and clapping along with him.
Taking time out to thank the fans for their continued support and love since that dreadful announcement in 2016, his cheeky and sometimes more self deprecating humour raised more than the odd laugh. In fact at times it was as though this crowd had actually paid to see a stand up comic, such was the ease with which he told his stories.
Delivering a two hour show that motored from Rodgers And Hart, Jeri Southern and Chuck Berry, his winning formula lies in songs that pack nostalgic and feel good appeal, and which he delivers in honeyed, note perfect vocals that made the women in the audience scream as the slow and dramatic My Funny Valentine, the luscious When I Fall In Love and the lovely You Never Can Tell, saw Bublé doing what Bublé does best.
I Only Have Eyes For You saw huge screens come alive behind him and Dean Martin’s Sway lifted the tempo before he ‘borrowed’ an audience member’s mobile phone, placed it strategically on the piano so that the recipient of the call could see him singing (Up A) Lazy River, much to the delight of the audience.
Asking if there was any one in the audience who wanted to sing a song, Tom from Cornwall stepped up to the mark to deliver a delightful Me & Mrs Jones which beat the previous evening’s audience effort of the Shark song, before the mic was handed over to Bublé’s trumpet player who delivered a very acceptable You’re Nobody ‘Till Somebody Loves You.
In addition to some lovely covers, there were some tasteful originals such as his latest single from his 2018 album Love, Love You Anymore and Home, written for the service men and women who keep us safe. But it was the very moving Forever Now which stole the show as he sat on the stage with pictures of an empty child’s bedroom on the huge screens behind him, dedicating the words to his own family.
Bublé is an utter ace on stage; a relentless comic and high energy performer, delivering a show that is paced for both maximum excitement and emotion. Bringing the main set to a close with Nobody But Me and Cry Me A River which was undoubtedly a favourite moment, he showed off his incredible voice which had everyone on their feet as he left the stage.
Saving the best till last with a stunning rendition of Where Or When followed by a sensational performance of his hit track, Everything, he brought a fabulous evening to an end with Always On My Mind, a song that showed just why Bublé will continue to pack out the arenas.
