TORONTO -- Michael Hutchence was feeling restless.

 What else could explain the slick and sexy singer's romper-room-like scrambling at the Warehouse on Thursday night as Australian dance-rock vets INXS blasted the venue with an entertaining hour-and-a-half of music during the first of two sold-out shows.

 From the moment Hutchence and his five-man band took the stage to the strains of the funky show-opener Elegantly Wasted, the title track and first hit off their latest album, it was clear he was in no mood to stand still.

 "We're here to entertain you," pronounced Hutchence, "Is that okay?"

 In a word, yes.

 Dressed in a black suit, vest, shirt and tie and wraparound sunglasses, Hutchence wasted little time -- six songs to be exact -- in stripping down to just a blue tank top, black pants and bare feet.

 All the easier to bend, leap, kick and stage-dive.

 Not to mention climb the scaffolding and speakers, where Hutchence crouched like a panther. Then he made his way over to the side bar to order a shot of tequila and get on top of the bar to sing Kick and Devil Inside.

 It was classic excess for the lead singer of INXS, who described our city as "fabulous, glamorous Toronto," and said he wanted to take the crowd "out to the other areas" of the Warehouse -- that would be the Drink upstairs and the Guvernment next store -- but was told "it would take too long."

 Instead, Hutchence travelled solo and we got to watch.

 The band, rounded out by guitarist-saxophonist Kirk Pengilly, guitarist Tim Farriss, keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss and bassist Garry Gary Beers -- seemed unfazed by Hutchence's continual movement.

 I guess after 18 years, they're used to it.

 Meanwhile, their set list was nicely comprised of '80s and '90s hits like New Sensation, Heaven Sent, Never Tear Us Apart, What You Need, Bitter Tears, Disappear and Suicide Blonde, with new life breathed into Need You Tonight

 Of the new songs, Searching and Don't Lose Your Head translated well, while I'm Just A Man, one of the best songs on the album, suffered in its live presentation.

 It didn't help that Hutchence decided to sit on a stool for a smoke break during that one. Maybe he was just resting up for his endless activity later on.

JAM! Rating: 4 out of 5