‘George Michael Reborn’ comes to D.C.
Robert Bartko distinctly remembers the first time he listened to Wham! at his friend’s house during his freshman year of high school.
Bartko knocked on his friend’s door, and the friend opened the door, excitingly holding up the “Make It Big” record. Bartko looked exactly like George Michael.
They went up to his friend’s bedroom, where there was a state-of-the-art stereo system. And when the needle hit the record, Bartko was captivated. “It was a really magical moment for me,” Bartko said in an interview with the Washington Blade. “I instantly fell in love with his voice.” All these years later, Bartko has made a career out of his love for Michael as a tribute artist and impersonator.
And Bartko’s live show, “George Michael Reborn,” is coming to D.C. on Nov. 3 at Hook Hall. The live show formerly materialized in 2019, but Bartko has been paying tribute to Michael since his Wham!
