PART 5 : THE NEW INXS - JUST FOR KICKS TOUR - June 2002

I didn't want to go thinking it would be too sad. Had no intention of going, so many emotions, however I was curious to see how the band, would handle themselves on stage without Michael. How would I feel watching someone else standing in front of the band singing Michael's lyrics. This would be the first time I had been to an INXS concert since July, 1997 when Michael and the band performed at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles four months before he took his life.
 

Erin and I drove out to the venue to meet Brent who had instigated this reunion just hours before. The band did not know we were in the audience, I did not want them to feel any pressure due to our presence.


The lights signalled the band's impending arrival on stage and I moved closer clasping hands with my adult children who had naturally grown up with INXS. An INXS remix intro began, Andrew Farriss walked out to sit at his keys and softly, resolutely, began singing/speaking the opening lyrics of 'By My Side'. It was unusual for Andrew to be singing, especially alone on stage, but not at all out of place after all he has been creating the INXS sound since its' inception. It is Andrew who has been the backbone of INXS, composing the bulk of the music with Michael writing the majority of the lyrics. He delivered a heartfelt rendition of the song, which had been played at Michael's funeral. Knowing Andrew as I do I was aware of how difficult those few minutes alone on stage must have been, my heart went out to him. A lump appeared from nowhere and lodged in my throat - it was to stay there for the next 90 minutes.

An associate of INXS came by and recognized me, warned me of a four minute rendition of 'Never Tear Us Apart' which featured videos of Michael on a large screen, a tribute to Michael. He invited us back after the show. He said the band would be glad to see us.

I found myself dancing to 'New Sensation' and 'Listen Like Thieves'. Halfway through the set, when the lights went down and the tribute to Michael came on screen, I quietly sang all the words to 'Never Tear Us Apart'. I also wept the whole way through knowing that this was a very special song which Michael had taken pride in delivering flawlessly at every concert. He would run off stage during the sax solo, Jon sitting at the drums sending out two, three, four intros, forcing the audience to a fever pitch (the band's nerves would also become raw at times) anticipating Michael's return to finish the song. He always made it thrilling and nobody could be sure when or from where he would appear back on stage. The band has been quoted as saying the best live song has always been Michael's delivery on 'Never Tear Us Apart'.

The audience was now in tears collectively, and it was necessary to bring them up again which they did with a new version of 'Time'.

Jon Stevens has good showmanship. He sort of looks like Michael on stage and I wasn't ready for that. He has grown his hair and although it is not the curly locks that Michael was famous for, he flips the hair back and runs his hands through in that familiar Michael move. His phrasing is very similar, as he cups the microphone and looks into the audience in that familiar intense gaze and dances back and forth to the drums and across the stage using movements that I have associated with Michael for so many years. It is eerie because for some reason I never expected a replacement to look and sound like Michael.

After the show Andrew first came over, he just stood in front of me. We hugged for a very long time. After talking for a while there were tears in his eyes and he apologized saying that it was the first time he had been close to Michael in almost 5 years. I began to respond when a girl with very large breasts appeared with a pen asking for him to autograph the left one. Typically of Andrew he said "Oh you don't really want me to do that do you? I mean I hope you don't breast-feed with those!" 

Some things never change.

- Tina Hutchence