George Michael
concert features fellated Bush

A mature and modest George Michael took the stage this weekend in his first solo concert in 15 years, singing his greatest hits to 18,000 fans packed into Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi arena.

Michael kicked off his "25 Live" European tour, which will travel to 28 cities before December 15, with a concert Saturday night. His performance included favorites such as "Faith," "Father Figure," and "Too Funky."

Fans clapped, cheered, swayed, and sang their way through the 2-1/2 concert of ballads, covers, and dance tunes.

"It's coming back, it's coming right back," Michael, 43, called out to the crowd just before launching into the unexpected second sing-through of "Too Funky," a technical glitch Michael handled with ease. "We'll just go along with this," Michael said as both he and the audience began to sing the familiar lyrics for the second time in a night.

The only envelope-pushing moment came at the end of the first set, when Michael sang his 2002 controversial anti-Bush song, "Shoot the Dog." During the song, an enormous balloon depicting a cartoonish President Bush rose out of center stage, drawing whoops and yells from the crowd. But the real surprise came when Michael leaned down to unzip the balloon's trousers, and out popped a British bulldog draped with the U.K. flag. The dog was stuck to the balloon's inflated crotch, wagging its tail.

Michael skyrocketed to fame in the 1980s as the creative half of the duo Wham! before staking out a solo career.

In 1998 Michael was arrested for lewd conduct in a public toilet in Beverly Hills, Calif., after being spotted by an undercover police officer. Soon after, he said publicly for the first time that he's gay.

He later released a single and video "Outside" that poked fun at his arrest. (Sarah Andrews, AP)