George Michael keeps the faith in L.A.

By Darryl Morden

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The audience at Los Angeles' Forum gave George Michael a special present just before the second half of his two-hour performance Wednesday: a spontaneous arena-wide "happy birthday to you" for the English singer, who turned 45 on Wednesday.

There were more birthday rounds toward the end of the night, including one from his band, plus a cake from actress Bo Derek. But Michael already had given his fans the gift of a stylish, career-spanning show as part of his first North American tour in 17 years, returning to this venue after two decades.

Wearing all black and in glasses, Michael still looks a touch boyish, though he clearly is heading into middle age -- like a good part of his audience that included soccer moms and dads and other couples, gay and straight. Opening with "Waiting (Reprise)," he set the night's theme with lyrics such as "there's a way back for every man" and proved he's on top of his game on his own terms.

By halfway through the evening, Michael had the full house dancing and singing along without the need for a phalanx of dancers and production numbers with myriad costume changes (are you listening, Madonna?).

The staging certainly was impressive, full of dazzle, sparkle and rainbow hues of lighting coupled with vivid video images. A trio of screens included one rolling up from the stage floor onto the centre of the three-tier scaffolding where Michael's band played, while a wide catwalk led to another smaller stage at the centre of the arena.

Yet despite all the flash and glitz, the music always came first, the arrangements big but tasteful and even sometimes surprisingly understated for the more subtle songs.

He picked up the pace with pulsing "Fastlove" and the bouncy "I'm Your Man," dating back to his mid-'80s start in the bubblegum-poppy Wham! as black-and-white footage of those so-young days appeared on the screens. Those Wham! tunes received some of the biggest screams and cheers, including the funky strut of "Everything She Wants."

A gospel-styled "One More Try," accompanied only by piano, found him interacting in the round with his coed sextet of backing singers. He struck a musical equilibrium between the ballads and upbeat songs, though some of the Eurotrash dance club material came off a bit like filler.