Michael Makes Up For Lost Time With Fans

Humbled by a cold, George Michael said the Saturday night's audience might not get the best of him but would get the best he could.

It seemed to be enough.

Michael, once a true king of pop but lately better known for legal troubles than hit singles, apologized for his absence from touring lo these many years. The show seemed designed to appease any fans who actually held a grudge. The spare set featured a huge screen that doubled as Michael's dance floor, with eye-popping graphics that ranged from abstract colors to Dita Von Teese's burlesque.

A half-dozen backing vocalists provided support and perhaps spelled Michael on any cold-related deficiencies.

All that was left for Michael was to dip into his quarter-century bag of hits and deliver them like he meant it.

This he did, going back to his days in Wham for "Everything She Wants," his mid-career commercial peak for "Fastlove" and "Father Figure" and on into more recent material, such as "Amazing," from 2004's "Patience."

His later material, including some new cuts from this year's "25" compilation, suggested that Michael hasn't lost his touch with R&B-pop, even if the most of the millions who bought 1987's "Faith" stopped listening.

This much was evident and undeniable from Saturday night's show, which drew a crowd of 11,523 to the St. Pete Times Forum: Michael is one of the finest creator's of pop music of the last few decades. He's as beat conscious as any of the dance and hip-hop producers yet his songs are never short on melody, hooks or motion.

The show's first half, preceded by what felt like pre-recorded medley of every orchestral movie theme ever written, moved more on Michael's star power - and the novelty of seeing him on-stage after so long - than on fire from the stage. Michael seemed to be pacing himself, aware of the limitations imposed by his cold and conscious of the long show ahead.

The second set saw a considerable increase in energy. Kicking off with "Faith," Michael seemed ever-so-slightly revitalized, cheerfully dedicating a song to his partner and leading the crowd on several sing-alongs, particularly on the ballad "Careless Whisper."

If this really is Michael's farewell tour - and where have we heard that before? - he covered all the bases.