Concert Review: Edmonton

Allan & Randy said….

..it was f$#%# incredible...was it live or memorex..he sounded just like he does on cd small theater is the way to go..very personal..it was like he was in the living room with us..a lot of interaction with the crowd...hee hee he started off just like in the beautiful dreams video, then diverted due to requests after "moonlight and vodka" he went back and forth from guitar to piano.

Chris said to yell out what ever you wanted to hear...so from across the theater I heard the deep bellowing voice of a certain list member yelling .."Just Another Poor Boy"

Chris said I will play it if you sing it. a roadie jumped on stage grabbed a mic and started to the voice..

DO you remember when you all went off about what you would say to CDEB if you met him WELL.......enough with the speculation lets ask.. ALLAN, because it was his voice....and he was about to perform his first/last duet with cdeb.......i will let ALLAN describe the experience...

"At first I couldn't believe I was the one going up there....So, I wa......".

Just so it is told right we decided that I (randy ) should tell the story..

As the roadie walked up the aisle Allan was crawling over people to reach the aisle before anyone else could get the mic. he took about three steps in 11 rows, to reach the stage in record speed, passing the roadie on the way mugging him of the mic. he then told cdeb that he had come in from Tulsa, Oklahoma. it brought on a cheer from the crowd cdeb was impressed with the devotion. He then asked Allan to sing Poor Boy. Up till this point I don't think Allan really believed that he was going to sing. He then said..O.K. but I can't sing.. another cheer from the crowd.. I think that if Allan didn't have so many of those Canadian two dollar coins in his pocket he would have floated to the roof....

Allan took off his coat and laid it on the stage like a seasoned veteran, CDEB began to play, Allan began to do what ever it was he was doing....(singing) If it wasn't for that guy on stage with the guitar singing the wrong words Allan would have been o.k, but it's a good thing that the stage was there to hold him up..his knees looked weak. He nailed the chorus, mind you it was in the wrong key, or was that the guy on stage again...

The look of surprise on Allans face was amazing, not from the idea of singing with CDEB, but because he realized that he had forgotten the words to a song that on any other day he could sing backwards.

At the the end of the song Allan was giving the roadie back the mic, he turned back to the stage to see Chris standing in front of him..he lost three teeth when his jaw hit the stage.

CDEB then bent down to shake Allan's hand, or maybe it was to wipe the drool off his shoes. That's when Allan grabbed him.(kidding)

I think that Allan surprised him when he would not let go, but Allan had something to say .. he was not sure yet what that was, but it was something..

Allan siezed the opportunity to speak, he asked chris ....blah blah blah ..blah blah blah blah - not quite what he had rehearsed. No not really he actually did manage some words, but I will leave that for him..

Allan turned back to the crowed and started to stumble/stagger, in no particular direction, just forward/sidways/forward, he says all he could think of was ...WOW, i'm in a strange country, WOW, i just talked to CDEB,WOW, where is my seat, WOW, i just shook his hand,WOW, did I wet my pants, WOW, why did i not remember the words, WOW, WOW......as he walked up the aisle people on both sides were reaching out to touch the man that touched the man. at least four people high fived him before he found his seat…

back to the show..

CDEB then brought on the quartet played a few songs with them, and then went solo again. He came out for two encores, quite lengthy and finished with...hey jude. The last encore was more of a medley of his music, than one song.

After the show we went to a pub, across town I might add. and two of Allan fans were there, they recognized him from the show and they informed the pub singer that he was in the crowd, and he in return asked Allan to sing a few tunes………

Jean-Henri Duteau said…..

Hello all,

As a newbie, I always like to lurk for a bit before posting. But last night's concert requires me to break that rule. In a word: FANTASTIC!

Chris' first concert stop in Canada in seven years, it's been way too long since we last saw him. His acoustic concert was amazing and to hear his songs the way he originally wrote them was extremely interesting. I don't think he missed any of my favorites.

He played Spanish Train, Patricia (which he saved for his final song), Lonely Sky, Where Peaceful Green Shutters Flow, and Spaceman. He played some Beatles song (including Hey Jude as the last, final song), a Roy Orbison tune (In Dreams), and an Eagles (Desperado). The Hungarian String Quartet was quite impressive although he didn't sing a lot of songs with them.

I can't remember every song he played but he even did Just Another Poor Boy! Actually, he played while a member of audience got to sing with him! (See Above and also Calgary. Ed.)If my tickets hadn't been so far back, I'd have been up there to sing Satin Green Shutters or In a Country Churchyard with him (except for the fact that I don't know all the words!). I just hope it doesn't take another seven years to get him back in Canada. After the reception we gave him, it should show him that a trip every year is just about right. 8-) A standing ovation after he played The Simple Truth and Say Goodbye To It All (or was that Borderline? I always get them confused). A standing ovation at the end along with two curtain calls. Add to that the rush as he left for the final time to shake his hand and I'd bet my bippy that he'll be back again soon.

One bad thing that happened but it could be me. He sang Eleanor Rigby sitting on the stage and three women came up and gave him flowers, chocolates, and a note. They all seemed kind of staged, especially the third one who was tugging on his shoulder to kick the 2nd one out!

I don't think that would normally happen. Anyways, after this was over, someone about 3 rows up from me went up to get his autograph (which was stupid because he's right in the middle of a song!), but anyways, it appeared that he didn't sign it (I couldn't really see). It could be me but it just seemed a bit fake. And I don't understand why they would do that??

But it was still a most impressive performance! I bow down to the king of concerts, Chris DeBurgh!

Jean-Henri Duteau jeand@myrias.com (work) jeand@west-teq.net (home)