It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me and I’m feeling good…and so was Cardiff after a stellar performance by Michael Bublé. Known by many as Mr Christmas, Michael very quickly proved he was so much more than that, after just one line of his show on Thursday, May 4 at Cardiff International Arena.
The singer who is back on tour in the UK after four years kicked off the show with no support act but instead a countdown and a very dramatic lighting sequence. Emerging from the smoke came Mr Bublé and from the first note it was strikingly obvious how powerful his voice was.
Michael commanded the stage all night, quickly making himself at ease with the crowd making jokes from talking to the 11-month baby in the crowd, who he wanted to hold but said he wouldn't to resist the urge to re-create the iconic Lion King scene, to throwing a towel at a man named Richie to even taking the mickey out of his Christmas reputation, telling the crowd: “Santa Claus didn’t bring s**t in his sack tonight!”
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The singer-songwriter started with two of his biggest hits a cover of Feeling Good and Just Haven’t Met You Yet and was accompanied by a full and very talented orchestra. He was also joined on stage by three amazing backup singers and dancers who were simply so talented and really added to the show.
A jazz theme ran throughout the night as he performed Sway, a cover of L.O.V.E. and a cover of When You're Smiling which Michael worked very well as he danced, jigged and sang his way across the stage. You also could not keep him away from the crowd as he reached out for their hands multiple times and continued to make jokes like: “I wish you health and happy families and love and I wish this building would get some god damn air conditioning!” - it was rather warm in the CIA.
There was a slower moment where Michael performed Smile and then dedicated a section to Elvis, casually name-dropping that he was close friends with Priscilla Presley, before finishing on Can’t Help Falling in Love with a lot of yellow confetti which created a warm and picturesque atmosphere.
For the encore, Michael came back on singing Cry Me A River and It's a Beautiful Day before thanking the crowd for spending their hard-earned money in this “sh***ty economy” and saying he always wanted people to feel like they had good value for money. He finished by saying: “I’ll keep coming back as many times as you’ll have me” and performing Always On My Mind he mouthed “Thank you Cardiff, thank you Wales” before leaving the stage for the final time.
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