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Heather:
Last night, my partner, Dave, my Dad and I went to see Chris de Burgh
(CdeB) live at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. I've loved CdeB's music
since Mum first introduced me to it as a little girl, so I always try to
see him live whenever he's in town. This time around, it's his "Road to
Freedom" tour.
The venue was packed out with people (no empty seats that I could see!),
and everyone seemed to be in high gear, ready for the evening. CdeB came on
stage around 7:45pm, against an instrumental piece ("When Winter Comes")
from his new album. It then merged into another new track, the title one,
"The Road to Freedom".
After introducing himself, welcoming the crowd and commenting on the fact
that it's a solo tour -- no backing band, apart from "you, the audience,
who bring me such energy and inspiration", his grand piano and his guitar
-- CdeB belted out a classic "oldie", .
CdeB usually has a few requests at his concerts, and last night was no
exception, including a nine-year-old girl requesting "The Same Sun" for her
late grandma, whose birthday present would have been this concert. And CdeB
certainly knows how to team songs together, for after this came another
classic, "Lonely Sky".
Indeed, one of CdeB's fortés is "linked songs", where he'll carry a story
over two, three or even four tracks. On his latest album is the sequel to
"The Lady in Red", "Five Past Dreams", where we encounter the same couple
but later in the evening. This was the next track at the gig, even as he
joked about men only noticing the important bits (boobs and legs) of their
date, and never what they're wearing.
Several veiled political statements were made during the evening, mainly
CdeB voicing his fears and feelings about wars and the people who start
them. Again, this was done mainly through a series of linked songs --
"Borderline" and "Say Goodbye To It All" played back-to-back and making one
story, and the addition of "Snow Is Falling", which links to "When Winter
Comes" and "The Road to Freedom" from earlier in the night. Last Night, a
popular song from earlier in CdeB's musical career, was also featured
during the evening.
CdeB then took the audience on a tour across the globe, taking in a
"Lebanese Night" and "A Rainy Night in Paris" before settling in Russia to
watch "Natasha Dance".
At this point, CdeB noticed that there were quite a lot of younger people
in his audience -- as in, twenties and below -- so he commented that "this
is how it used to be -- just a musician, a real musician with a voice and
an instrument or two, and no miming." ... *smirks* ... Then he admitted he
wanted to be like Britney Spears, not for the clothing, but for the posh
headset she wears whilst dancing. Cue one of the crew appearing on stage
with set headset. Once CdeB was equipped with the headset, he launched into
"Living on The Island".
Then CdeB came down off stage, and walked through the audience, talking and
hugging people, shaking hands, sharing kisses. He passed within three feet
of me ... *faints* LOL ... And pretty soon everyone was on their feet,
dancing and singing along, with CdeB in the middle of us all. The song
merged into a medley with "Tender Hands" and "Missing You" (at least!),
before CdeB went back on stage, reverted to his usual mic, and carried on
with "St Peter's Gate".
Shortly after this came "Songbird", the tribute to Eva Cassidy, and then
"The Lady In Red" (at which point I nipped out to the loo, 'cause we've all
heard this one before) ... :p
I came back into the auditorium and took my seat, and CdeB was making some
jokes on stage. Then he went all serious, and the lights dimmed, and he
began to sing again, "Restless hearts, it has been a long time..." And then
I was crying my eyes out, shaking in my seat, as he sang a soft acoustic
version of my favourite, "Where Peaceful Waters Flow". And then he followed
it with "The Journey", which is another track with tends to exercise my
tear ducts.
Then CdeB apologised to everyone who would be trapped in an elevator over
the festive period, or "locked in the supermarket, preferably in the drinks
section" because they'd have to hear "A Spaceman Came Travelling..." over
and over again. Not that anyone in the audience seemed to mind, as everyone
was clapping and singing along as he belted it out on stage. He followed it
up with "The Words "I Love You"".
Four words into his next number, "There's a Spanish train...", and the
audience started to scream as "Spanish Train" is an old, and very popular,
favourite. He had to pause and wait until everyone calmed down before
continuing the song. Everyone sang their hearts out again, and then CdeB
introduced the next track, another new one, and this time based on the life
of Elizabeth I, our "Rose of England".
CdeB was then wrapping up the night, and invited everyone up to the front
to dance and sing with him. And he belted out some really bouncy tracks
then, including "Living In The World", "Read My Name" and "Don't Pay The
Ferryman". And then he was gone.
He soon returned back on stage for an encore -- the classic "High on
Emotion", which had everyone singing and dancing again in excitement. By
this time, we were singing and dancing (well, Dave and Dad kind of swaying,
me dancing) as well.
And then there was the final track, which again reduced me to tears. I wept
buckets, and I'm not ashamed to say so. CdeB did a soft acoustic version of
my other favourite track, and as he began to sing I was the gripping the
back of the seat in front in order to stay standing.
"I can see you now by the light of the dawn, and the sun is rising slow. We
have talked all night, and I can't talk anymore, but I must stay and you
must go. You have always been such a good friend to me, through the thunder
and the rain, and when you're feeling lost in the snows of New York, lift
your heart and think of me..." Ah, "The Snows of New York", wonderful.
CdeB came back down into the audience for one last goodbye, hugging people
and shaking hands, kissing people and smiling, and nodding, and then he
really was gone, and the lights went up. I checked my watch. He had been on
stage, solo and non-stop, for over two-and-a-half hours.
Now that's entertainment. *smiles happily*
Blessings,
Heather
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File last modified on November 21th, 2004