George Michael @ The Garden 7/27/08
Approx 1 hour late due to the bad weather, apparently Mr. Michael travels separately from his crew.
Stage setup was particularly awesome for a big 80's popstar - A big "S" shapped stage that reached from Jumbotron area down to the base of stage - stage doubled as a huge led/video area and columns on the left and right complimented the main S's graphics and lights.
Huge backing band set up on 3 levels of scaffolding, but depending on the number performed, GM would bring down musicians to share the stage with him: assorted gospel-ish backing singers, guitarists ('Faith'), bongo players , keyboardists, etc.
Snippets of some of his '80's early 90's vids would occasionaly come on, but it was always re-constructed and integrated to real time video of events going onstage that night and not simply a rebroadcast of VH1 classic.
The blue-eyed soul on display here was full on and nuanced - Michael's voice was croony and velvety and the crowd (very not what I am used to seeing at usual shows I go to)loved him for it.
He acknowledged at one point that he knew it wasn't easy to admit to cop to a crowd of people being a George Michael fan, but that he aimed to help that statement being easier to say after attending this show. He was right on the money - damn all past events - I am a George Michael fan.
I feel over the years Michael has taken a bad rap as compared to maybe the 80's pop legacy of Madonna, Prince or Michael Jackson, but you cant deny (look below) that the dude has crafted A LOT of hit songs that are quickly cast aside in favor of crazy rest stop stories.
B+ / A-
Approx setlist:
"Waiting (Reprise)"
"Fastlove"
"I'm Your Man"
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
"Father Figure"
"Hard Day"
"Everything She Wants"
"One More Try"
"A Different Corner"
"An Easier Affair"
"Too Funky"
"Star People '97"
Break
"Faith"
"Feeling Good"
"Roxanne"
"Spinning the Wheel"
"Kissing a Fool"
"Amazing"
"Flawless (Go to the City)"
"Outside
Encore
"Careless Whisper"
"Freedom 90"