Maturing Humperdinck at home on Route 66

Friday, April 18, 2003 | 8:51 a.m.

Who: Engelbert Humperdinck.

When: 7:30 p.m. through April 27, dark Mondays.

Where: Las Vegas Hilton Theater.

Tickets: $35.50, $45.50.

Information: (702) 732-5111.

Rating (out of 5 stars): *** 1/2

I don't care if he has gotten a little thick around the middle and could use some WD-40 to lubricate his joints, Engelbert Humperdinck is still an international sex symbol.

Albeit, an aging one.

At 66 and eligible for Social Security benefits, it's somewhat strange to hear him sing what he professes to be one of his favorite love songs -- "Too Young." It's similarly odd to watch him cavort onstage at the Las Vegas Hilton Theater with two sexy, talented female backup singers who are probably old enough to be his granddaughters.

But the still-handsome icon of the '60s and '70s is a consummate entertainer who is fun to watch as he jokes, dances, moonwalks, does an impression of Elvis and takes a stab at rap.

And, of course, sing.

Although his voice might not be what it was when he was young, it is still more than adequate, for the most part, as he brings back memories for the fans with a smattering of songs that made him rich and famous over the past four decades, including such hits as "Man Without Love," "Am I That Easy to Forget" and "The Last Waltz" -- almost 20 songs in all from various periods of his stellar career.

But "Lesbian Seagull" was not among the repertoire.

Humperdinck sang "Seagull" for the 1996 film, "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America." It went double platinum and introduced him to a younger generation, which doesn't seem to mind that he no longer is as light on his feet as he used to be or can't consistently hit the high notes.

The Humper is aging gracefully and with humor.

He often makes light of the ravages of time during his performance, and then shows his fans he still has some moves left in him, as when he dances and sings "Quando, Quando, Quando."

During an interview with the Sun a few years ago, Humperdinck noted that years of performing in front of a live band had affected his hearing slightly. He said his hearing was a little strained "on the low end," but it was nothing serious, and he didn't wear a hearing aid.

Probably he should have worn one at a recent performance; then he would have known that his seven-piece backup band was overpowering his vocals, at least during the first few numbers in the show.

But the audience didn't seem to mind.

They enjoyed the songs, the humor, the repartee and the fact that they were seeing one of the world's most notable personalities at a bargain-basement price.

How can you go wrong paying a measly $35 to see the man who introduced mutton-chop sideburns to America and to Elvis? Or to hear him sing such diverse numbers as Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" and Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire"?

One of the best responses of the evening came when he told the audience he wished for a quick end to the war and for world peace, and then sang Elvis' version of "Glory, Glory Hallelujah." Fans rose in unison as the song was sung.

"Please Release Me," of course, was on the program.

The 1967 release kept The Beatles' "Penny Lane" from charting No. 1 in Britain that year and launched Humperdinck's illustrious career, which so far has included the sale of more than 140 million records.

"Release Me" sold 2.5 million copies in a little more than two weeks and made Humperdinck an international superstar, right up there with The Beatles, Tom Jones and the Monkees.

It is the song he ends his show with at the Hilton, singing it after a couple of false encores.

"I was coming back anyway," he told the satisfied audience, who by then were standing and applauding. "Usually, I run off, then run back on, then run back off and run back on. But I'm too damn tired."

Perhaps being tired after a 75-minute performance in which he rarely left the stage was why he hit a couple of sour notes in "Release Me."

"Applause is the food of an artist," Humperdinck said as he took his final bows. "Thank you for not starving me."

The Humper hasn't gone hungry in a long time.com