By Lakendra Scott
Words can barely describe the sultry sensation that is a performance by Michael Buble. My journey began with a trek up the stairs to the third floor where ticket prices dropped from exorbitantly expensive to just moderately unreasonable, and I situated myself for a night to remember.
My anticipation started to soar as the lights dimmed and the opening act was announced. While I had not previously heard of Naturally 7, never have I been more satisfied with an opener than I was with these seven men hailing from New York City.
The group practiced vocal play, a technique where singers imitate instruments with their voices. Their songs were impressive and met with an accepting audience who was more than willing to hear the group's renditions of both classic gospel songs and a Simon and Garfunkel medley.
While Naturally 7 was impressive, they were just the beginning to a truly amazing night well worth the ticket price. After the opening act completed their set, I waited on the edge of my seat for the man I had paid to see. The moment Michael Buble graced the stage, women of all ages started to swoon and the excitement level reached a new high.
Dressed in his signature black suit, the Grammy-winning artist slid onto the stage and started singing with a voice that was both smooth and sexual. He made the songs of Frank Sinatra come back to life and gave a new spin to songs like Peggy Lee's hit song "Fever." While his voice was amazing, as I had anticipated, it was his personality that really made the show. From jumping into the audience to hug an eight-year-old boy, to fabricating a story about his trumpet player's career in pornography, it was his showmanship that made him riveting.
He mixed his set list with both crowd favorites like "Feeling Good" and "Everything" and humorous covers of songs such as "Try A Little Tenderness" and "YMCA." The relationship that Buble had with his band also made the evening powerful. The smooth jazz that the band produced worked in complete harmony with Buble's vocal variations, and each band member's personality was experienced in this show that valued character as much as the music itself.
After ending the show with "That's Life" by Old Blue Eyes, Buble returned to stage for an encore that cemented his place in the hearts of the audience. After singing "A Funny Little Thing Called Love," he ended the encore with an original song that he sang a cappella and unmiked to the crowd of 10,000 people. It was in that moment that the power of Buble's voice was truly felt and his talent was made known.
