On the 29th of January, Michael Bublé had the honour of being the first performer to ever grace the stage of Jakarta’s brand new convention center, the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE). After the show ended, it was clear that no one else deserved it more than him.
“I don’t put on concerts. Concerts are boring. I throw a party and you’re all invited,” Bublé said at the start of the night. He certainly stayed true to his words, as the show was explosive from start to finish. He opened the show with a rendition of the jazz classic, “Fever” – complete with pyrotechnics that made the performance both musically and visually dazzling. It soon turned into a dance party as Bublé sang his hit song, “Haven’t Met You Yet”, from his 2009 studio album Crazy Love.
The atmosphere in the concert hall had already skyrocketed into the stratosphere, and after the second song, Bublé took some time to welcome the audience to his show. It was his very first performance in Jakarta, and he made it clear to the audience how much he appreciated it when he got down on his hands and kissed the stage below him. It was safe to say that people were more than ecstatic when he did that.
Bublé then showcased his more gentle and romantic side by singing, “Try a Little Tenderness,” which displayed his stunning vocal ability and range. Of course, what would be a Michale Bublé concert without any Sinatra? “You Make Me Feel So Young” and “Come Dance With Me” were two up-tempo songs that definitely brought a shot of energy back to the crowd.
One of the highlights of the night was Bublé performance of “Feeling Good.” Watching him sing this particular song was a magical sensation – it felt almost like being brought to life one note at a time. It was then time for him to introduce his band, which was certainly just as dynamic of a performance as the rest of the show. In an NHL Draft style presentation, he introduced his band members one by one, and if there is one thing to pick up from his display that night, it’s the fact that Michael Bublé is a funny guy. No one in the audience could dispute the fact, we were all laughing too hard.
He then went back to business, singing his hit song, “Everything” – of course, the crowd was back on their feet by then, singing along to every single word. It’s always quite a spectacular thing to witness, being in an entire stadium full of people singing along to the same song and being a part of the same experience together. Even Bublé seemed to recognize that, as he delivered a touching message to the fans before singing the emotional “Home.”
It wasn’t long before the misty-eyed Bublé brought back to the party that he had promised, as he made his way through the crowd while singing Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” accompanied by his opening act, Naturally 7 – an electric a Cappella group from New York. They brought back Motown in a rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Who’s Loving You”, which was just as soulful as the original itself. He then topped it off by singing, “All You Need is Love” – complete with heart-shaped confetti raining down on the crowd, before returning to the main stage for the finale.
He brought the show to a close by singing “Burning Love” and “Beautiful Day” – the chart-topping hit from his latest album, To Be Loved. However, the real magic came when he returned for the encore, which was arguably, the best part of the show.
After a dramatic performance of “Cry Me a River” and the vibrant dance tune “Save the Last Dance for Me,” Bublé’s time in the ICE was about to come to an end. It was in his final performance, “A Song For You,” where he really stunned the audience by singing the last verse in a Cappella. It was vocally remarkable, his voice stretching out to the ends of the stadium. The impact it made was impossible to forget. Bublé’s tour will commence with another performance in Manila this Saturday, and to all of those planning to attend, it’s going to be a spectacular party that you wouldn’t want to miss.