The excitement builds as the audience eagerly awaits him. The band plays louder and louder as they psyche the crowd with each chord. Everyone cranes their neck to get the first glimpse of him. Finally, Harry Connick, Jr. emerges amid a roar of cheering and moves to his keyboard. Clad in an untucked black t-shirt, loose black leather pants, and black ankle-high boots, he looks relaxed and ready for an entertaining evening.

Though he confessed to the audience that he and his band hadn't practiced together recently, Harry Connick, Jr. and his funk band sounded hot as they let loose their New Orleans sound on October 10, at the Madison Civic Center. Playing mainly songs from his new CD, Star Turtle, he also performed a few older favorites. Connick and his band created a relaxed, party-like atmosphere as good-natured joking and stories flowed throughout the evening. With the jam-fest onstage, the audience couldn't help but dance during the entire concert. At certain points of the performance, Connick took time to talk to the audience, telling them about his love of football and his admiration of Green Bay Packer Brett Favre. "If I could be anything I wanted for one day, I'd choose to be a professional football player," he confessed. He also thanked the audience for supporting him over the years as he moved from recordings of big band music to New Orleans jazz and funk.

At one point in the performance, Connick played solo as he accompanied himself on the piano. One highlight of the evening was when he started to keep ryhthm with his feet as he played piano; this eventually evolved into him abandoning the piano to perform a tap dance routine. Later in the performance, he jumped into the audience as he played his guitar. He moved through the crowd on the main floor as fans rushed forward to touch the singer as he passed by. At the end of the show, Connick and his band were cheered back onstage for one last number.

After the show, excited fans waited behind the Civic Center for him to leave the building. Finally, the crowd was rewarded as he came out and signed numerous autographs, though one could tell that he was exhausted after the draining performance.

It was one of the most exciting and extertaining evenings that one has ever experienced at a concert. Harry Connick, Jr. and his band wanted everyone to enjoy their music and have a good time -- they definitely succeeded!