My review of the G-Bolton Concert at The Coliseu Do Porto. Porto, Portugal, on July 12th, 2011

I had the chance and honor to attend Michael Bolton and Kenny G concert at The Coliseu Do Porto, in Porto, Portugal, on July 12, 2011.

My review:

The show was simply magic, amazing. With a sound sooo good, perfect performances by both artists and they were close to the audience and very kind. The venue, Coliseu Do Porto, offered a perfect sound. It was completely full of people and it was perfectly air-conditioned. The doors opened at 8 pm, one hour before the beginning of the show. Everything was perfect and they allowed everyone to take as many photos as they wanted.

There was a merchandise stand for Michael Bolton with the cd "Gems" autographed, a tour book for 2010-2011, another book about the making of "Gems", different types of t-shirts (one of them with concert dates from last year) and bags. Kenny had another table with his two types of live cds, but it was empty at the end of the show.

Kenny performed from 9 pm -completely punctual- to 10 pm:

- Sade (in the middle of the audience)

- Silhouette

- Forever In Love

- Theme from Dying Young

- Innocence (for a girl and his grandmother. They won the saxophone Kenny gave away)

- Havana

- My Heart Will Go On

- Saxo Loco

- Rhythm and Romance

- Georgia on My Mind (with Michael Bolton)

- There was a fantastic moment with Kenny's band performing alone, being the main "character" Ron Powell, his percussionist, who made the audience laugh a lot and earn their hearts quickly. Everybody was on their feet when he finished his fantastic performance.

Kenny was so gracious and fun. He spoke many words in Portuguese, thinking like a baby boy before saying each phrase. He said it was a pleasure for them to be in Portugal, he thanked the audience for coming, he hoped the show would like them... And after a while he asked if he could speak English again!. He also talked to us about the saxophones line he has created. He plays the same one since he was a kid, but he has created these ones and he was happy to give away one to the winner of the poll. He would play with that saxophone and after that the owner could take it from his mouth and take it home. He even said that people who had no tickets to participate in the contest could go to the hall and get them "just to not getting too bored while Michael played" :)

He was very elegant dressed, with a black suit which fitted as a glove, and a white shirt with black shoes. He is very thin and  however his presence fills the stage completely. He would appear onstage at the end of the show with a pair of dark jeans and the same jacket, to perform with Bolton "Georgia On My Mind".

He had appeared in the hall of the venue before the show. Everyone who would buy a cd (special cds recorded live, not the common ones) would get it autographed by Kenny and could shake his hand. I did it and it was magical!!!.

In Kenny's performance I have to complain because for being the keyboards placed on the piano, I couldn't see Robert Damper during almost the whole show. He is a very relevant figure for Kenny, personally and professionally, and I think he should be sitting in a different way.

While the staff changed everything onstage, we waited for almost 45 minutes for Michael Bolton's performance to begin. Kenny had been playing from 9 pm until 10 pm. Michael began at 11:50 pm. He began with "Love Is Everything" (after the "Go The Distance" introduction). Then he sang:

- To Love Somebody

- (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay

- Summertime

- Somewhere Over The Rainbow (with Portuguese singer Rita Guerra)

- To Make You Feel My Love (with Rita Guerra)

- How Am I Supposed To Live Without You (with Rita Guerra)

- When A Man Loves A Woman

- How Can We Be Lovers

- Summertime

- Steel Bars

- Nessun Dorma

- Said I Loved You... But I Lied

- Sweet Home Chicago

- Georgia On My Mind (with Kenny G)

- Pride (In The Name Of Love)

- Outro (Go The Distance)

- They Can't Take That Away From Me (band solo)

After performing "When A Man Loves A Woman" in the middle of the audience, I was lucky enough because Michael went back to the stage walking in front of me and he shook my hand!!!!!!!!!.

Michael appeared wearing a suit jacket with his shining pin, a black shirt and jeans. Then he changed the jeans for a pair of suit trousers to perform several songs, "Nessun Dorma" among them.

Later, after the moment of Michael Lington (his saxophonist) performance of his own music, Michael came back with his jeans again and a blue t-shirt for the end of the show. There was a door between the audience and the stage, but, although we could not get on our feet close to the stage, everybody was standing while Michael  performed his final song "Pride".

Michael thanked everyone for being there. He, like Kenny G, spoke about the fantastic sound of the venue, and he also encouraged everybody to make as much noise as they could. He also said, at the end of the show, that performing again with Kenny around the world was unbelievable, because he was the maximum. He said he was ashamed of saying it, but that they had performed together for 24 years. He also spoke positively about Kenny's band members, saying that they are amazing and very talented musicians. It was a nice detail that, when Michael and his band greeted the audience, Michael asked Kenny to stay with them and be a part of the line. Michael and his band also got all the audience to stand up and applaud strongly.

Michael's voice was perfect, as always. I have to say that I don't like at all the way they are arranging his hair lately; that I would have chosen another color for the t-shirt; that I don't understand why this saxophonist receives so much "publicity" in the shows (his cds where onsale at the merchandise stand), -while other sax player who was in the band before and also had cds didn't receive the same- and that we had to wait too much between both shows. It was 00.30 when it finished, since 9 pm. Not too bad!!!.

The rest was PERFECT!!!.