Engelbert Humperdinck has wrapped up his The Last Waltz tour in Australia with eight shows in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and is now back at his home in Los Angeles.
This was a remarkable tour. For starters Engelbert is 88 years old. He is officially the oldest performer I have now ever seen in concert (edging out blues legend Buddy Guy who I saw in 2023 when he was 86).
This tour was billed “The Last Waltz Farewell Tour” so for Australia that is probably it (but never discount Engelbert coming back and maybe doing a one-off show). The energy this man still has puts men 30 years younger to shame. The Australian tour might be over but Engelbert still has 50 more shows booked this year for Europe, North America and South Africa.
Engelbert’s setlist is not just nostalgia, there are also some surprises. Journey’s ‘Faithfully’ will feature on his next album, something he described as a concept record. Toby Keith’s ‘Don’t Let The Old Man In’ references Clint Eastwood’s famous line about not getting old “because he doesn’t let the old man in” and is obviously a charter Engelbert lives by as well.
Clearly the opening song, a cover of Willie Nelson’s ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ was a reference to his 50+ years in the business and Don McLean’s ‘For The Good Times’ at the end of the show bookended the sentiment.
However, the most touching moment of the show was his performance of ‘Everywhere I Go’, a song for his late wife Patricia, who passed away in 2021. They were married for 57 years. Engelbert dedicated the song to Patricia and said he vowed to sing it at every show he does from now on.
This was Engelbert’s first time back in Australia since 2019 because of the pandemic. Prior to that he was a regular visitor touring almost every two years in the previous decade, which was basically a good excuse to see his Aussie family, son Scott Dorsey and his two Aussie grandchildren. And thanks to my friendship all these years, I have been gifted the opportunity to interview Engelbert often.
The stories in this show were wonderful. (The jokes not so wonderful but hey, Dad jokes and Grandad jokes get a few pass for this audience). His pisstake of Tom Jones was hilarious though. Can you believe two people who were managed by the same guy (as was Gilbert O’Sullivan) have never recorded together after all these years. An Engelbert, Tom collaboration should happen now while they are all still here.
For that matter, why hasn’t Engelbert ever been knighted. King Charles, I know you are on the Noise11 mailing list MAKE.IT.HAPPEN.
The achievements continue. When ‘A Man Without Love’ was used repeatedly in the 2022 series Moon Knight, Engelbert had the most played song on Spotify that week. That song resonated as much with under 30s as over 80s today.
Of course, all the hits were there. ‘After The Lovin’, ‘The Last Waltz’, ‘Release Me’ are iconic.
Engelbert has a couple of weeks off before resuming his The Last Waltz world tour in New Jersey on June 11. He has dates through until December 12, 2024.
Retirement then, you say? I say … unlikely.
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
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- Engelbert in Melbourne by Winston Robinson
Engelbert Humperdinck setlist Melbourne 2024
Funny How Time Slips Away (Willie Nelson cover)
Am I That Easy to Forget
Let Me Into Your Life
A Man Without Love
After the Lovin’
Ten Guitars
If You Don’t Know Me by Now (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes cover)
Faithfully (Journey cover)
Bésame mucho
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (Frankie Valli cover)
Quando, quando, quando
You’re the First, the Last, My Everything (Barry White cover)
Don’t Let the Old Man In (Toby Keith cover)
Old Time Rock and Roll (George Jackson cover) (Band Introduction)
Everywhere I Go
The Last Waltz
Medley: This Moment in Time / The Way It Used to Be / Les bicyclettes de Belsize / There Goes My Everything / Spanish Eyes
Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)
Encore:
How Do You Keep The Music Playing (James Ingram cover)
For the Good Times
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