Last night Michael Bublé performed in Sydney as part of his Call Me Irresponsible tour. I never imagined how appropriate that name would be. But before I get into that nasty business, it’d be remiss of me not to talk about Michael’s brilliant support act, Naturally 7. I’d never heard of this seven-piece vocal act from New York, but they made such a massive impression on us all.
There were the angelic harmonies we’re accustomed to from bands of this ilk, but what set them apart was what they termed “vocal play.” Rather than simply using their voices to sing, the members of the band also mimicked instruments. Think beatboxing taken to a whole new level. They mimed along to the drums, violins, electric and bass guitars, and brass section they created, and it was utterly mesmerising.
Naturally 7 performed a set rich with originals and some brilliant songs inspired by “Broken Wings” and “In the Air Tonight.” I have never seen a support act get a standing ovation before, but theirs was well deserved.
Then we had Michael Bublé. Let me start by telling you that I love Michael Bublé. I’ve seen him perform on every Australian tour he’s embarked upon. I’ve bought every album. And I’m not a wowser by any means. But when he stumbled onto the stage at the Sydney Entertainment Centre blind drunk, I lost a lot of respect for him.
The show started with his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man,” yet we could barely listen to the song because we were gossiping about his condition. He was unsteady on his feet, slurring his words, and looking the worse for wear with his unshaven face and bleary eyes.
The next song, “It Had Better Be Tonight,” was if anything, worse. In his drunken state, he simply couldn’t match the energy of the album version. It required him to move around the stage, which only highlighted just how hammered he was.
He owned up after that song, confirming what most of us already knew. But rather than seem sheepish and apologetic, he appeared boastful. He sang a little of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” and joked around, but it seemed most of us weren’t laughing.
The first half of the show was terrible. He slurred. He fell off notes and couldn’t sustain others. He encouraged us to sing the lyrics, an act that seemed more about filling in for him than encouraging participation. He staggered and stumbled. He made smutty tasteless jokes, a far cry from the clever sexy banter I’ve seen at previous shows. He butchered song after song after song. Had I not been with my family, I would have left.
To be fair, he managed to pull it together in the second half. His simple performance of “Always on My Mind” was a turning point. From there things seemed to go relatively smoothly. He began to sing well again and win us over. The Sydney images on the big screens during “Home” didn’t hurt either.
By the end of the night, we were all on our feet dancing to upbeat covers of “Save the Last Dance for Me,” “How Sweet It Is,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” We were then all touched by his parting gift, a raw and emotional performance of Donnie Hathaway’s “Song for You.”
Yet despite all his best measures at the end, I still left the venue with a bad taste in my mouth. As I say, I love a drink as much as the next guy. But if you’re drinking to levels that affect how you do your job, then there’s a problem. To get up on stage in such an obnoxiously inebriated state that your performance suffers is simply disrespectful to your fans. Calling Michael Bublé irresponsible after last night’s efforts is an understatement.
The opinions expressed in this article are of Lauren Katulka and based on her experiences alone.
