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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2008 > March > 24 > Entry
Will you give George Michael one more try?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
George Michael hasn’t been on tour in the United States for a whopping 17 years. But the British singer is planning a return this summer, stopping at Philips Arena July 31.
There are no specific prices or sales dates yet for the Philips Arena concert, though they will like go on sale the weekend of April 5, with some pre-sales available via an iTunes package. The only information as of this writing on ticketmaster is for a date in Minneapolis, where prices range from $50 to $175.
Michael, 44, compiled 15 solo hits in the U.S. between 1984 and 1995 (i.e. “Monkey” “Father Figure,” “Freedom ‘90”) but hasn’t had a major hit album stateside in more than a decade. His most recent release, a greatist hits compilation called “Twenty Five,” which came out in the U.K. in 2006, arrives here in April.
Over the years, the former Wham! singer has had his fair share of legal wranglings with record companies and the infamous 1998 incident when he was caught by cops “engaging in lewd act” in a public toilet in a park in Beverly Hills. He got rid of his home not far from that site and rarely appears in public in Los Angeles as a result but mocked himself in a fictional park scene during the finale of the Ricky Gervais series “Extras.” His partner of 12 years, art gallery owner Kenny Goss, is based in Dallas. Michael recently had cameos on the ABC show “Eli Stone,” where the lead character sees the singer when nobody else can.
According to USA Today,, he felt his earlier U.K. tour was too much of a party so he’s dropping his campiest songs “Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go” and “I Want Your Sex.” But he will sing “Careless Whisper” although “I don’t particular enjoy singing” it. He’s also retiring the leather, though he will wear sunglasses and a suit on occasion.
Why return now? Michael calls it a “rounding off” of his career’s first phase. “I don’t want to do anything on this scale again,” he says. “No more stadiums. I’d like to be the Tony Bennett for my generation.”
Comments
By Andrew R
March 25, 2008 3:53 AM | Link to this
He will put on a great show. Although I was hoping for a WHAM! reunion.
By Fred
March 25, 2008 7:37 AM | Link to this
Heck yea!
By Lara
March 25, 2008 8:07 AM | Link to this
Oh heck yeah! I went to see him when he played at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium back in the day and he put on a great show!
By kim
March 25, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this
i cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By kim
March 25, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this
i cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By kim
March 25, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this
i cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By susan
March 25, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
i also went to the concert at atl fulton co stadium, it was in the rain but it was awesome!!!!!
By jct
March 26, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
I can’t wait. I will be first in line for tickets.
By Rob
March 26, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
His pee pee smels like poo poo
By steven
March 26, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
That’s one funky white boy! Heck yeah! Careless Whispers still brings me to tears(almost!)!
By ss
March 27, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
Don’t wake me up, because I won’t go-go
By Mark G.
April 20, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
GM is yet another case where private life tries to supercede over artistic talent. Most of us have enjoyed his music from the WHAM days and forward, and I have always liked the fact that he moved so seamlessly between R&B, to pop, blues so well. Like him or not, he has left his mark on music in this generation. I am an old school nostalgia fan, and I personally regret when you see an artist that doesn’t perform the signature hits you love and remember them for, and I would love to see him do “Wake Me Up’, “Everything She Wants”, and “I Want Your Sex” as they were all musically germane to the GM lexicon, but artists tend to have a personal reason NOT to do certain songs, and we have to live with it and/or go pull out the old cassettes or CD’s I’m afraid; just think, Donna Summer doesn’t do “Love to Love You” anymore either. Let’s hope Mr. Michael changes his mind. George, don’t fret, we love your music all the same. See you at the concert.!