INXS’ Passion Combines With Crowd’s Affection at Mayan

It has been 18 years since Americans heard rumors that a sexy, rocking New Wave bar band from Australia was taking kids around Sydney by storm; since then, INXS has had a remarkable career.

Playing the Mayan Theatre on Thursday, the band didn’t seem to mind the fact that, since the crowd didn’t yet know the songs on its new “Elegantly Wasted” album, the night veered dangerously close to an exercise in oldies.

You didn’t really want the band to pack it in, embalm its slew of hits and start receiving its old-rockers’ pension, however, even when INXS began the show with the interesting choice of the 1988 hit “New Sensation.”

Despite obvious signs of aging, the group still has a lot of passion for making music, and the band members’ excitement was boosted by an effusive show of affection by the crowd. Singer Michael Hutchence made it clear that, after four nights in big U.S. cities, Los Angeles was providing, hands down, the band’s most enthusiastic reception.

Hutchence--a loose, slinky and lazily erotic live performer--thanked the crowd profusely (even crossing his heart to symbolically hug the audience at one moment) as he slithered on top of amps and waded into the audience.

Even though the band doesn’t change much, its blend of soul, funk, gospel, blues and rock doesn’t really scream of any particular era. But who at this show did not wax nostalgic at the first seven notes of “Don’t Change”? Well, no one, but it was a new song called “Everything I Do” that was the highlight of the evening, proof that INXS isn’t quite ready to retire yet.