Bolton kicked off his set with a distinct cover of “Stand by Me,” where he accompanied himself on his black acoustic guitar.
“New York, thank you so much,” Bolton said. “Thanks for coming to see me tonight. I get to sleep in my house in Connecticut. It’s a short drive with a lot of traffic.” He also told his fans to make all of the noise they want, and that there is only one rule: “Take all the photos you wish.”
Bolton continued with “To Love Somebody,” which he described as his first hit from his Timeless collection, where he even sang a few lines a cappella towards the end.
The acclaimed musician sat on a stool for the following song, accompanied with his guitar. He shared that “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” was his second major hit as an artist from 1986, and he paid homage to Otis Redding.
One of the highlight songs from the first half of the show was his powerhouse rendition of “Said I Loved You…but I Lied,” which featured stunning female backing vocals (from his band). “It’s not a classic quite yet,” he said. “It’s just a title. Just a play of words.”
Bolton went on to take his fans “back in time.” “Will you go back in time with us?” he asked, and the answer was a resounding “yes.” He immediately broke into “You Don’t Know Me” by Eddy Arnold, and he sang the Frank Sinatra classic “That’s Life,” where he displayed his trademark, wide vocal range.
Any Disney fans, especially of the feature film Hercules, were blown away by his rendition of “Go the Distance,” which was nostalgic and filled with raw emotions.
He brought out the ever-talented Sam Fly on stage with him to sing “Make You Feel My Love,” which was made popular by Adele, but Bolton noted that it was “composed by Bob Dylan.” Fly truly possessed the voice of an angel, and it complimented Bolton’s voice perfectly. Equally noteworthy was their duet of his Grammy-winning “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You.” Another stand-out moment in the show was when he serenaded fans to “When a Man Loves a Woman.”
The Verdict
Overall, Michael Bolton and his band were superb at The Paramount in Huntington, when they dusted off these classics songs, and re-introduced them to their Long Island audience. His live show garnered an A rating.
To learn more about singer-songwriter Michael Bolton and his music, check out his official website.
