Post by Kari on Feb 9, 2006 13:46:59 GMT -5
Daily Southtown News
Fortune rocks during INXS show
Thursday, February 9, 2006
By Vickie Snow
Staff writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At his first concert after a case of bronchitis led INXS to postpone three shows, new lead singer J.D. Fortune not only had no difficulty singing but also proved to be a decent fit with the Australian rock band.
On Saturday night at the Chicago Theatre, Fortune was a picture of good health. Once again his voice resembled late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence while his tattooed, athletic body and boyish charm add a bit of youthfulness to INXS on its first major tour in a decade.
INXS, too, seemed rejuvenated. In true rock star fashion, a huge curtain dropped to reveal the band in position on stage, looking fit and ready in leather, sunglasses and fresh dye jobs.
From the first song, "Suicide Blond," to the encore of "Never Tear Us Apart" and "Don't Change," the band's trademark sensual, saxophone-laden pop rock sounded as current as ever.
The lyrics to "Don't Change" seemed especially fitting. "Things have been dark for too long," Fortune sang, and the words echoed the band's fall from grace, once one of the world's biggest rock bands and later one lost and invalid without its most-recognizable figure, Hutchence.
But thanks to months of exposure on CBS' "Rock Star: INXS," the band is back in the game. Tickets for the world tour, featuring Chicago's Marty Casey and the Lovehammers as the opening act, sold out in mere hours.
INXS' hour-and-a-half concert was jazzed up with a pulsating light show, an excellent sound system and two soulful backup singers.
Most of the hits were there — "What You Need," "Devil Inside," "Pretty Vegas" — but noticeably absent were "Listen Like Thieves," "Shine Like It Does" and "The One Thing." It wasn't totally surprising, given Fortune had screwed up the lyrics to the latter on "Rock Star."
Fortune, a former Elvis impersonator, is new to concert tours, and his lack of experience likely contributed to his bout of bronchitis just two weeks into the tour.
Nonetheless Fortune seemed like a seasoned artist.
He stroked the microphone stand during the new slow song "Afterglow," and put emotion into every lyric, particularly "By My Side," "Original Sin" and "Need You Tonight."
Fortune effortlessly melted into the vibe of each song, putting the focus on the music and atmosphere rather than him, which he was fond of doing on "Rock Star."
Rather than hog the spotlight, Fortune blended in with the band.
And perhaps that's exactly why INXS didn't ask "Rock Star" runner-up Casey to join the band.
[glow=red,2,300]Casey, a South Side native, is a big standout talent and one of the most engaging singers around. Slinking onstage wearing dark sunglasses, Casey worked the stage and the crowd, climbing atop amplifiers during "Eyes Can't See" and over seats to get up close and personal during the rockin' "Tunnel."
"He's very stealthy like that," Joe's Bar spokeswoman Phyllis Murphy said about the Lovehammers' performance at the Chicago nightclub Thursday. "He scaled the rafters and was basically climbing around the ceiling."
The Lovehammers — Casey with guitarist Billy Sawilchik, bass player Dino Kourelis and drummer Bobby Kourelis — played a 45-minute set at the Chicago Theatre. It flew by because there is never a dull moment, even when they play slower songs like "The Riddle."
The Lovehammers, who've sold 25,000 albums on their own, played mostly cuts from their new eponymous release, including "Straight As An Arrow," "Hold On" and "Call of Distress."
Closing the set shirtless in low-slung black pants, Casey led the band on a revved-up version of "Trees," the love song popularized on "Rock Star," and a wild, stellar cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."[/glow]
