Michael Buble at the X Star Tribune photo by Marlin Levison Michael Buble showed that he had the voice to fill Xcel Energy Center. He had the staging (pyrotechnics, confetti, lights, big video screens) to make the hockey arena feel relatively intimate. And he had the personality and charm to keep the show consistently entertaining for 14,000 fans. However, the 34-year-old Canadian crooner didn't always make the right choices in material. He was mostly on the money on his standards, though his rendition of "Mack the Knife" seemed a little too Kevin Spacey (remember he played Bobby Darin in the biopic?). But Buble chose some wrong pop and rock classics this time. In the past, Buble has sparkled on "Billie Jean" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" because he added his personality. But his versions of Van Morrison's "Crazy Love," Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind" and James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is" aped the originals in an unsoulful way. By contrast, Buble connected on the encores of Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" (always a winner for him) and Leon Russell's "A Song for You." Buble was onstage for about 100 minutes, much of which was spent yakking. As I mentioned in my full review, he's an entertaining charmer but three shout-outs about how much he loves the Twin Cities was probably two too many. Opening was Naturally 7, a New York a cappella group that specializes in scatting instruments. The highlight: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Here is his set list: Cry Me a River/ All of Me/ At This Moment (Billy Vera & the Beaters)/ Mack the Knife/ Everything/ instrumental by his swinging band/ World on a String/ Best of Me/ Crazy Love (Van Morrison)/ Georgia On my Mind/ For Once in My Life/ Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) and Twist and Shout (Beatles)/ All I Do/ snippets of Free Bird, Every Rose Has Its Thorn and I'm Yours/ Home/ Save the Last Dance for Me/ How Sweet It Is/ Heartache Tonight (Eagles) Haven't Met You Yet ENCORE Feeling Good/ Me & Mrs. Jones/ A Song for You
