At his Legacy Of Love World Tour concert last week, Engelbert Humperdinck proved that age is just a number, writes AUDREY VIJAINDREN
ONLY a few entertainers can spark memories of your worst, best and most treasured moments in life — in less than two hours. With soulful ballads that never fail to tug at the heartstrings, Engelbert Humperdinck is such an artiste.
The entertainer’s chart-topping albums are testament to his talent. But his charm, wit and zest for life are also why fans stay loyal.
Looking dashing in a black suit, white shirt and those timeless sideburns, the much younger than his 74 years Humperdinck was greeted at the Arena Of Stars in Genting Highlands with wild applause from fans, young and old, male and female.
Much to the delight of the audience, he started with Love Flow and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. Needless to say, the mood was set for a sentimental evening.
In the two-day concert jointly organised by Resorts World Genting, LiteFM, Be A Star Karaoke and Genting WorldCard, the audience comprised mainly female fans who grew up falling in love with the entertainer and his songs.
After struggling with a few Bahasa Melayu greetings, he joked that he was happy to be performing in Genting Highlands again because it got him “really high”.
“I know what you’re thinking, ‘43 years have gone by and he still looks so young’. I’m teasing, but it’s true. “I’ve recorded many albums, and you can find them in my dressing room,” he said with a laugh.
It didn’t take long for the audience to warm up to him, who made many feel like they were the only ones in the crowd.
After thundering applause to Let Me Into Your Life, Humperdinck delighted fans with Am I That Easy To Forget, with “wannabe” singers beating the entertainer to the first line. But it was Man Without Love that got most fans swaying and clapping along. Just before starting on his next song, he asked: “Do you remember me?” The answer was a unanimous “Yes”.
Although it had been three years since his last performance here, it was clear that his love affair with Malaysian fans was stronger than ever. After introducing his new 10-piece band, Humperdinck chose to “fun it up”. He unbuttoned his shirt, swayed his hips, spot turned and cha-cha-ed his coat off to My Wife The Dancer.
“I don’t drink as a rule, but as a habit. No alcohol has passed through these lips in 18 years,” he confessed, to the cheers of the audience.
And followed by laughter when he admitted: “I also lie. If I don’t have a little drink before the night, I die.” While he continued to candidly talk about greying hair and losing weight, he proposed a toast with a glass of red wine before cracking a few cheeky jokes that involved the male anatomy. Enough said. “Ballads are my forte, and I love this particular song,” he said, before singing I Wish You Love.
The smooth balladeer also treated fans to a new single due to be released in two weeks — Tell Me Where It Hurts — which had fans falling for him all over again.
Legacy Of Love, also the title of his new CD, revisits many of his beloved classics.
Determined to pay tribute to his early success, he serenaded fans with hits from A Taste Of Country such as Release Me, Am I That Easy To Forget and There Goes My Everything.
“Is there a lady in the audience who’s not shy?” he called out, before taking another sip of wine. Not a second later, one ran on stage.
While serenading this mother of three with You Don’t Know Me, he hopped onto her lap and started flirting. She played along, much to the amusement of the audience.
After wiping his sweaty chest with a handkerchief, he draped it around her neck and sent the blushing lady on her way. He turned his attention back to the audience with After The Lovin’.
“Country music is part of my love,” he said, as he put on a black cowboy hat. As he rendered I’m On Fire, it was impossible to ignore the whisperings of fans: “I didn’t know he sang country.” Although he’s no Kenny Rogers, Humperdinck did justice to the song.
Never known to stick to one genre, he attempted to capture the younger set with James Blunt’s Goodbye My Lover. The audience appreciated it, but not as much as when he sang Quando, Quando, Quando, Really Loved A Woman and Last Waltz. “In 1966, I was still a struggling young man, trying to make it on stage. And then in 1967, a magical song was ‘released’. It went on to No. 1 and I was able to travel the world and leave my footprints on many stages,” he shared, before closing with a medley of Release Me, Blue Spanish Eyes, There Goes My Only Possession and a few others. As fans chanted for an encore, Humperdinck reappeared, yelling: “I was coming back anyway.” “Here’s a song that really means something, because I really hope we’ll meet again,” he said, before singing We’ll Meet Again and My Way.
As he slipped on a comfy red bathrobe, the “King of Romance” threw orange handkerchiefs to ladies in the crowd. Uncannily resembling a line from a classic movie, Humperdinck left the arena hollering: “Look out, old Humphrey will be back in Genting!”
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