September 29, 2017

AZ Central Reviews Engelbert Humperdinck’s Performance at Talking Stick Resort

International music legend Engelbert Humperdinck has been on tour for the majority of the past year. On Friday, September 22nd, Engelbert Humperdinck brought his 50th Anniversary Tour to Talking Stick Resort. AZ Central was in attendance and gave a rave review of the legendary singer’s performance. Check out some of the review below, and be sure to visit AZCentral.com for more!

Some guys just sing. But Engelbert Humperdinck? Now, that’s an entertainer. That’s not a knock on his vocal abilities. During his 50th Anniversary Tour, which played to a full house Friday night at Talking Stick Resort, he sounded amazing. But an Engelbert Humperdinck show isn’t merely about the voice. It’s also about how he creates a sense of intimacy with the audience, plus his ability to pace a show and inject it with humor, warmth and good spirits.

After all, you don’t reach a golden anniversary in show biz by being mediocre.

The show opened with an early ’70s video clip featuring Dean Martin in full comedic mode: “Engelbert Humperdinck also happens to be the call letters of a Czechoslovakian radio station” was one of the better quips. (Most people in the audience were old enough to recognize the Golddiggers as the women setting up Martin’s gags). Then entered Humperdinck, positively regal in a resplendent red shirt and black suit, crooning the Patsy Cline hit “Crazy.”

That’s a mellow song choice to open a show, but the mood was not laid-back. Most of the crowd was on its feet as soon as he walked on stage. There were cheers, whoops and cries of “I love you!” Did a man in the crowd just high-five Humperdinck? Yep, he did.

From there, the singer — born Arnold Gerald Dorsey 81 years ago — simply moved from strength to strength. “A Man Without Love,” a swooping 1968 hit, serves as his equivalent to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” In other words, it’s a sing-along that takes on a life of its own with an audience. He danced through “Quando, Quando, Quando” and crooned the lovely “The Last Waltz.” Those tunes, along with other Humperdinck favorites like “Spanish Eyes” and “Les Bicyclettes de Belsize,” serve as potent reminders of how sweetly melodic European pop could be in the ’60s.

Humperdink always has displayed an affinity for country music since he first hit the charts with “Release Me” five decades ago. From that side of his musical personality, audience members enjoyed a sincere “You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me” and Jim Reeves’ loping “Welcome to My World.” Humperdinck doesn’t adopt a twang for those tunes; he just makes the songs his own. And on “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” he got downright bluesy, with a roadhouse arrangement that showed off his versatile six-piece band.

It all tied together with the singer’s sincerity and gratitude. Raising a glass, he offered a simple toast early in the night: “Here’s to you, here’s to me, here’s to the friends we always shall be.” And before he closed after 90 minutes with “For the Good Times,” he said, “Applause is the food of the artist. Thank you for not starving me.”

For more from AZ Central, visit: http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/09/23/concert-review-engelbert-humperdinck-now-thats-entertainer/694997001/?hootPostID=53446cc7a05c8b3ff7499e0a946a5c7f

Engelbert Humperdinck’s “I Followed My Heart” is available now for digital purchase on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play. It is also available to stream on all major streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.

Engelbert Humperdinck’s duets album Engelbert Calling is available for purchase at music retailers nationwide and online from our webstore, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Bandcamp, and Spotify. Humperdinck’s limited edition vinyl, Duets EP, is available for purchase our web-store.

Find all upcoming Engelbert Humperdinck tour dates at: https://www.engelbert.com/tour