In
May of 2004 Michael made his concert debut in America. Salt
Lake City was host to Michael, as well as to many fans from the USA and
all over the world who traveled to see Michael perform at the beautiful Abravanel Hall. May 14th was declared 'Michael Ball Day' and
Michael was presented with the key to the city during a Ballfest
luncheon. For many fans, this was the first time for them to see
Michael perform in person. For others who had never heard of
Michael Ball, it was a chance to discover his extraordinary talent.
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Michael Ball, Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City Utah May 15, 2004 Review by Linda Doffek
We took our seats in the front row of the beautiful Abravanel Hall with three golden seating tiers and crystal chandeliers above us. The promoter, William Skokos, opened the concert by saying "Last night, Michael Ball rocked Abravanel Hall like it's never been rocked before!" smiled broadly and left the stage, leaving us in eager anticipation of what was about to happen.
The band, heavy on the
brass section, strikes up the introduction to I Was Born To Love You
while the backup singers entered and took their places...Erica Hansen
and Douglas Irey, both from Salt Lake City, and Annie "I was born to love you...with every single beat of my heart...Yes, I was born to take care of you, every single dayyyyyyy..."
To fervent applause from a
standing house comes Michael Ball, strutting confidently down the stairs
giving us a thousand watt smile, wearing a lustrous black suit over
a
matte black shirt, with crisply creased flared trousers and black
boots. His eyes are twinkling and those trademark dimples are well in
evidence. Singing "I can hardly believe this is happening to me, an
amazing feeling coming through!" there are cheers and you can't help
but smile at the wondrous expression on his face. He directs "Yes, I was
born to LOVE YOU!" to the tiers at the left side of stage, Michael then launches into friend Brian Kennedy's Get On With Your Short Life, done at a quicker tempo than the original also, and the audience is still standing and loving it. Especially the "right lips, killer hips" that he demonstrates! Whew!
The band starts the
introduction to Don't Rain on My Parade with Michael showing he is a fan
of American Idol as he references Latoya London who had performed this
song. Atop the stairs he cheekily replaces "hey everybody, here I am"
with "Salt Lake City...Here I AM!" to the delight of the
audience. It's clear that this place is really warming up and the
support and love are palpable in this hall. A beautiful rendition of
Can You Feel The Love Tonight follows, Michael asks us to excuse him for "slurping on this water" but we're in a desert...and "it's kinda dry in here, isn't it?" He relates that he's nervous (to awwwwwws!) and that last night he did his first concert in America. With a saucy twinkle in his eye, he offers, "It went okay." Big cheer from the audience, many of whom saw him perform brilliantly the previous night. With a delightful chuckle he tells us he's "on a roll", that he has had a whole day named after him. "It was Michael Ball Day in Salt Lake City!!!" and does a little dance, shuffling foot to foot, grinning.
Michael tells us he had
wondered what to do in the show, to communicate with
Then, Sondheim's Not While
I'm Around and then the Marc Cohn hit Walking in Memphis. He takes
another drink, assures us "it's only water" and confesses he loves
country; new country, not the doe doe doe dee doe (sounding twangy) and
does a little "hee haw" dance that generates a lot of laughs. He takes
a seat and says the next song means a lot to him. He was away from home
in 1990
for Broadway's Aspects of Love and was missing the people he loved.
This song was a big
hit at the time and he promised himself he would record it one
A sparkling and very enjoyable Any Dream Will Do was offered up and then the lullaby Hushaby Mountain from his most recent West End show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which he had been in, "happily", for sixteen months. He has the crowd engaged when he tells how he was obsessed with the story as a boy and terrified of the Childcatcher! His mum used to tell him "he'll have you!" to keep him in line.
The Salt Lake City Chorus
(he jokes they are now formally known as The Ballettes!) join Michael
onstage for the spirited
Prepare Ye and Vaults of Heaven bringing the
first half of the concert to a close. Their enthusiasm and joy more
than made up for the lack of rhythm by a couple male members of the
swaying choir. I did find myself feeling a bit sorry for Michael's
musical director, Callum McLeod, as he had one eye on the band and
another on the choir...and also glancing at backup singers opposite...he
had his hands full. After the interval, they play Don't Cry for Me, Argentina followed by Requiem for Evita. Through a cloud of smoke, Michael returns to the stage to approving oohs and aahs in a handsome black suit, crisp white shirt, and black tie with a sprinkling of tiny "diamonds" on it delivering Oh! What a Circus with great flare. He follows with one of his most requested songs, and the title of this "tour", This Is The Moment. He has not recorded this song but really delivers on it! You wonder how someone can hold notes so long, and so strong... A small fumble here, singing the wrong verse, but Michael handles it professionally and it doesn't faze him. The people don't hold it against him either as they jump to their feet, en masse, to give him a long and loud ovation.
After the musicians play a
chorus of Red and Black, Michael says he bets we can recognize that
piece and that Les Misérables, of which he is in the original cast, will
be twenty years old next year. He then expertly transports himself into
the appropriate characters and keeps the audience in his spell with his
moving Empty Chairs, Empty Tables and I Dreamed A Dream from that show.
Then, the strong beat of Something Inside So Strong, a basically
forgettable pop number. I found myself wondering why it remains in, or
has returned to, his repertoire.
Time for a little audience participation! Michael chats a bit about rugby and about the World Cup, we nod and pretend we understand, and he waves us off laughing like "get out of here!". He does invite us (America) to "join in" as Wales could do with someone that they could beat! He explains he did the Welsh anthem with a South African Zulu a cappella group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He wants to perform the song for us but "we don't have Ladysmith Black Mambazo!" and looks in mock disappointment at his three backup singers and confides they might need a little help, looks out at us and shouts, "We've got you!". Michael demonstrates what he needs us to do, singing "I am a mbo, I am a mbo, I am a mbo, Oosa Oosa!" illustrating it with some gentle, um, pelvic movement. Mischievously, he says, "You don't actually have to do that bit but it's really quite nice if you do....if you want to...". There is mad laughter and we practice singing with him leading us. He proclaims us "much better than last night's crowd!" and we join "The Ballettes" in accompanying him in the rousing Bread of Heaven. Great fun!
He is so active and animated through most of the concert that the thought crosses my mind he would be very interesting performing with a head mic rather than a hand held. But not if it makes him look like Justin Timberlake! He uses his arms (and other parts!) so much to illustrate his lyrics. He tells more stories with those hands than a Polynesian dancer...
Michael thanked everyone
for making his last few days so special. He told us that people asked
why he chose Salt Lake City for his debut. He puts his arms out
expansively, taking us all in, and happily declares "THIS IS WHY!" and
is answered
He takes some deep bows
front of the stage and collects bunches of flowers from fans. He takes
them and does a bit of a mad "happy dance" on his way back to deposit
them by his glass. He grabs his microphone on the stand and it creates
some kind of crashing feedback. Startled, he jumps and dances around
with flowers in hand, then giggles, "And it was going so well!!!", he
declares with a laugh. I marvel at how much we've laughed along with
Michael, he's been a delight.
He acknowledges all the
people from all over the United States, Canada, and Europe who have
travelled to see him make his U.S. debut. He begs forgiveness from the
other fans, but dedicates this last song to
the Americans...You Made Me
Love You. He gestures, clearly pleased, at a banner made by fans which
is hanging over a balcony rail proclaiming "You Made Us Love You" (Love
depicted by a heart shaped American flag) and gazes out over the
audience looking very touched and proud. Another ovation ensues and the
backup singers leave the stage. Michael waves to all areas of the hall,
blows a couple kisses,
and steps forward to shake hands with a few fans in the front row. He
makes as if to leave but hesitates... the longer he hesitates the more
the crowd screams hoping to bring him back to the microphone. He runs
his hand through his curls doubtfully, looks at the
He asks the musicians if
they can manage it, and laughs, telling us the backup singers are
probably already getting changed. The band begins The Wonder of You and
the singers come out, looking a bit surprised, but
they no longer have microphones!
They take their places singing unamplified until someone brings them
microphones. It was rather amusing. Michael was walking along the
stage and touching some people's hands as he sang and was heading to my
end. He got to "You touch my hand and I'm a king..." and next thing you
know he takes my hand and looks into my eyes for
The concert wasn't
technically perfect, some lyrical and musical slips were made, the local
backup singers seemed unsure of the material and moves, their mics (when
After the concert, we
exited out a door leading to an alley where the artist's entrance was.
There was quite a crowd forming behind police tape all the way up this
road. Before long, I could
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Skates, one of
Michael's regular backup singers. Then, a gorgeous voice coming from a
man not yet visible to the audience... 
pointing to a
banner high above. He belts out the up
not normally a favo
this new audience
what it is that he does. He explains that the next song describes an
actor trying to communicate with his audience, as simply as
possible.
The song is Sunset Boulevard's With One Look, written for the Norma
Desmond character. However, Michael has a unique knack for reclaiming
songs originally written for female vocalists and making them work. And
work well.
day. He
did. He says with some wonder, "Never thought I'd be doing it in
America, so the pressure is ON!" He thanks Garth Brooks, if he's
listening, then delivers a lovely If Tomorrow Never Comes. He followed
this with a hand-penned composition of love and gratitude to his
partner, Cathy, titled Just When, with Annie singing harmony tonight
rather than Doug.
Then we hear the distin
A soprano, Catherine Hyde-Stambaugh,
from nearby Lehi, Utah joins Michael on the stage for a dramatic Phantom
of the Opera, and solos on Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. Her
performance is powerful and breathtaking; the audience is in awe.
Michael rejoins the lovely Catherine on stage once more for the romantic
and tender All I Ask of You. Their chemistry seems just right and we are
enthralled. As they share a kiss you can hear a collective wistful
sigh. Ahhhh!
Michael has been
overloaded with adrenalin all evening and has been hopping about and
breaking into little spontaneous dances between songs, and laughing
delightfully, between "slurping" water. Time for a little rock and
roll to burn off some steam! Let the Rivers Run, then at the
promoter's request, the Blues Brothers Medley, including Shake
with deafening applause. He retrieves his glass of water
and exclaims with a wide eyed look, "I have to sing with the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir in the morning!". He sips but then touches the side of
his throat, grimacing mildly, and exchanging glances with Annie Skates.
He does his popular hit Love Changes Everything with all the backup
singers, Catherine Hyde-Stambaugh, and promoter William Skokos singing
with him lined up on stage. He steps forward to do the last phrase of
the song...and the money note. His colleagues just gaze at him in awe
and pride as he delivers an incredible finale. 
audience, grins, and
consults Callum, his musical director. He comes back to the microphone,
nearly doubled over laughing, they can do one more! 
the next line "Your
kiss to me is worth a fortune" and bends down and deposits a soft kiss
on my lips. Now what could be better than THAT? Swoon!!! When he
finished the song, on a note that nearly took the roof off, there were
waves of love, applause, and appreciation washing over
Michael. He looked genuinely touched and held his hand over his heart
and beamed. We were not wanting to let him go but the concert had to
end. 
they had them) didn't always seem to be functioning, the lighting and
effects were uninspiring, and a number of other minor quirks. But
Michael's incredible vocal ability, teamed with his warm stage presence,
humo
hear a cheer from the crowd and saw Michael
standing with his upper body out the sunroof of the black Navigator he
was riding in. It was dark in
the alley but he was backlit from a parking garage and I could see him
waving with both arms at his fans and shaking hands with people as they
very slowly rolled along. Dozens of people clasped hands with Michael
and many just stood and cheered, congratulated, or applauded him. As he
rolled past where I was standing some people behind me broke out in
Michael's "One Step Out of Time" to which he grinned and gave them a
thumbs up. It was quite a sight and I laughed and called it a "Michael
parade", It continued for another block rounding the corner and going
up the street. From where I was standing, Michael Ball appeared to be
"king of Salt Lake City" that night and I believe he earned it.