George Michael keeps the 'Faith'

It's been 17 years since George Michael has been on tour in North America. But with his "25 LIVE" tour, Michael shows he's not so much about comeback as he is about continuity.

Michael is just as good now as he's ever been. Maybe better, because he's who he wants to be, and it shows.

At KeyArena on Wednesday night, the pop singer who first came out as Wham!'s pretty boy revealed a man who at 45 can still move and groove, whose voice is a gift that keeps on giving, who is comfortable enough with his maturity to show videos of his Wham! and supermodel days while engaging an audience that appreciates his love of performing.

He gave a performance that satisfied fans looking for the Michael of Wham! days, pleasing them with "I'm Your Man," "Everything She Wants" and "Careless Whispers," which drew the entire arena into a mass karaoke session.

"Just think how much less hair there is now than in 1984," he said. "Some of it is the passage of time, some of it just common sense."

His solo career after Wham! yielded a body of work that was just as infectious, if not more so. And he knew how to keep fans on their feet with songs like "Faith," "Fastlove," "Too Funky" and the final encore, "Freedom '90." With the latter songs, videos that featured supermodels Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista moved the eye toward the screen, reminding fans of a time when videos weren't on demand via YouTube.

What was surprising is how much of Michael's new music seems current and easy to dance to; "Amazing" and "Flawless" lived up to their titles. He also interspersed ballads into the set, which sealed the impression that he's at the top of his game. "One More Try" and "Kissing a Fool" felt like going to church -- in a good way -- while covers of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," "Feeling Good" and a down-tempo and jazzed-up "Roxanne" showcased his range as a singer. His sense of humor is quite intact, as well: Michael made tongue-in-cheek references to trouble with the law while donning a cop's outfit for "Outside."

The openly gay singer infused rainbow colors all over his video set, and much of his newer music reflected comfort with his sexual orientation.

But the older "Freedom" was the overwhelming crowd favorite, perhaps because of its anthemic qualities: "I think there's something you should know/ I think it's time I told you so/ There's something deep inside of me/ There's someone else I've got to be."

Michael is finally that someone else, true to himself. He likes it, and so do his fans.