Michael Bolton
19th June 2018
The Civic, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Bridget Herlihy. Photography by Sarah Kidd.
Does Michael Bolton really need an introduction? He was without a doubt one of the most iconic, powerhouse voices of the 90s, with his distinctive vocals providing the soundtrack to a infinite number of romantic interludes and moments of melancholy and heartache. Yet don’t be mistaken, Michael Bolton is by no means a legacy or a retro act. He is as engaging and mesmerizing an artist now as he was when he was topping the charts. Playing a single New Zealand show at Auckland’s iconic Civic theatre with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra as part of his Australasian Symphony tour, Bolton showed all in attendance what he was made of – in more ways that one.
Anticipation was clearly running high in the lobby prior to the performance, with a number of fans waiting in line at the bar spontaneously bursting into song with their own renditions of some of Bolton’s biggest hits. New Zealanders can prove to be a tough crowd, yet Bolton had won the near-capacity crowd over as soon as he walked on stage to a heroes welcome. Resplendent in a white shirt, black suit jacket, classic blue jeans and a guitar strapped over his shoulder, he immediately set the tone for the evening’s performance with a rousing cover of Ben E. King’s Stand By Me that had the crowd cheering and singing along in equal measure.
Much of the set was a celebration of some of the greatest songs composed during the twentieth century; songs so powerful and enduring that they had outlived the composers who wrote them. Bolton delivered each of them with style, grace and gratitude, bringing the songs to life with his own distinct flavour. The performance was made even more special with the inclusion of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, gracefully conducted tonight by Jessica Gethin of the Perth Symphony Orchestra, who added an extra dimension to the timeless songs. The orchestra was the perfect accompaniment to Bolton’s soulful voice, and the result was nothing short of mesmerizing. A stunning rendition of Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay sent a collective shiver down the audience’s spines, and was sheer magic. Yet the greatest enthusiasm was shown for Bolton’s own tracks, with the likes of Said I Loved You But I Lied and How Can We Be Lovers sending some fans into a state of ecstasy.
Needless to say Bolton’s vocal prowess has not diminished over the years, and it was no mean feat to be heard over the very dedicated and enthusiastic crowd who faithfully sung along to every word. It was particularly endearing to see Bolton encourage the audience to sing along and take as many pictures as they wanted to, and they didn’t need to be told twice. The performance was punctuated with an amusing array of compliments and comments from a very vocal audience, which appeared to appeal to Bolton’s very dry sense of humor and kept the performance lighthearted and punctuated the evening beautifully.
Admitting that he had tried to sing duets by himself but discovered that “its lonely”, he brought Australian songstress Sylvie Paladino on stage for several songs, including To Make You Feel My Love, How Am I Supposed To Live Without You and Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. Another highlight of the show was an absolutely stunning performance of composer David Foster’s The Prayer.
This performance truly was a celebration of music and paying homage to timeless classics that have been adored by generations of music lovers, and will continue to be loved for generations to come. Michael Bolton masterfully brought these songs to life while adding his own unique flair and while there is little doubt that Bolton will remember the effervescent Kiwi crowd, should he ever tire of singing and songwriting he would make a great comedian.
Were you there at The Civic for this beautiful performance? Or have you seen Michael Bolton perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Stand By Me
- To Love Somebody
- (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
- Said I Loved You But I Lied
- You Don’t Know Me
- To Make You Feel My Love
- How Am I Supposed To Live Without You
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
- The Prayer
- Nessun Dorma
- Georgia On My Mind
- Hallelujah
- You Are So Beautiful
- When A Man Loves A Woman
- How Can We Be Lovers
- Steel Bars
- Time, Love And Tenderness
- Soul Provider [encore]
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