|
Albums
|
translation by Astrid Nolde-Gallasch "Road to Freedom" ended with "Lady in Red" Chris de Burgh solo was party atmosphere - 2300 fans experienced an almost rainfree concert - Inscription into the golden book of the city Mosbach. (lah) On Thursday night Chris de Burgh opened the series of "province tour concerts" that are for the first time integrated into the Mosbacher summer. Masses of fans came from the whole region - the number plates of the cars indicated Heidelberg to Schwäbisch Hall - into the big Elzpark. The Irish singer offered with his solo program "Road to Freedom" two and a half hours of new songs and "classics" from long ago days. For Stephan Mayer from Pforzheim the day in the big Elzpark started rather early. With his mobile "field kitchen" the catering cook was responsible for the food of the crew of 14 who built up the stage. For Mayer a rather small group of guests. Therefore the crew could chose between carrot orange soup, pork filet with fresh chanterelles, green haricot beans, fried potatoes or baked sheep's milk cheese with olives and tomatoes and of course "lots of salads". But when the crew arrived at half past eight, the management first didn't like Chris de Burgh's dressing room. Couldn't it quickly be painted, they asked. But it wasn't, and the Irish singer didn't spend much time in it anyway. As he preferred to stay overnight in Heidelberg, and even got caught up in a traffic jam, the soundcheck only started half an hour before the doors opened. A little later mayor Gerhard Lauth came with an inconspicious plastic bag into the backstage area. In it wasn't a present for the Irish singer or any CDs to sign, but the "golden book" of the city of Mosbach. Also MPDV-boss Dr. Jrgen Kletti as the sponsor got to enjoy a handshake of the famous singer. All in black, from the leather jacket to the cotton trousers, Chris came into the tent, smiled into the round and said optimistically: "The sun is coming". After the entry into the guestbook, two autographs and a couple of snapshots with those who were present, he disappeared in order to enter the stage ten minutes late. Chris de Burgh concerts always have the atmosphere of class reunions. Many fans know his songs from the 70s and 80s and come to hear these classics with which they grew up. Chris de Burgh knows that. Therefore about a third of the songs in his program were older "classics", the rest of new songs, for example from his current, self produced "Road to Freedom" CD. Everybody was happy that the rain remained mainly within the song lyrics. At the entrance, friendly security guards had given out kitchen towels to everybody so they could dry off their plastic chairs. Perfect organization. Chris de Burgh, now in a white shirt, the rest still in black - even with a black electrical guitar - opened the evening with "Road to Freedom". The partly still standing audience irritated him, after a few chords he stopped to play and said "It's ok, you can all sit down." Overall the Irish bard who accompanied himself either on the electrical guitar or the piano seemed to have to cheer up the audience with witty or suggestive comments especially during the first part of the concert. One of the funnier comments from time to time was when he pointed to a regional beer, even promised a round of free beer. During the announcement to "A rainy night in Paris" he went out about the "sexy french accent" and its consequences in bed. He even commented about singer colleague Britney Spears who can jump over the stage without singing. Chris de Burgh did exactly the opposite, he left the stage, sang a medley that started with "Living on the Island" and ended with "Crying and Laughing", and bathed in the happy crowd. The Irishman had apparently a lot of fun to flirt with the female fans and let them take pictures for their family albums in a good mood. Still it lasted until "Sailing Away", the 18th song of the night, until the audience really went along. Until then it remained just polite applause. It was also sad that de Burgh during "Borderline", his sentimental anti war song brought himself over a chance for a round full of lighters. That could have convinced more than a subcomment to president Bush at the beginning of the concert. But at the latest when three spotlights bathed the stage into scarlet red light and the first chords of "Lady In Red" came up, there was no stopping anymore. Quickly the room in front of the two meter high stage was filled with enthusiastically clapping fans. Lighters and sparklers were lit off. In the final round the "classics" from "Peaceful Waters" over "Ferryman" until the first encore "High on emotion" were played. This isn't a concert, but a party, Chris de Burgh said happily and played after the planned encores a couple of his favourite party songs: "A hard day's night" by the Beatles, "American Pie" and "Pretty Woman". That's when the sky started to cry again. |
File last modified on August 26, 2006