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by Patrik Mller Big emotions as leitmotif Schlossplatz open air: Chris de Burgh enchants 2200 fans on Saturday with his world hits and cover versions Emmendingen. Saturday night, at 8:35 pm on the Emmendinger Schlossplatz: A little man with a guitar draped around steps on a large stage. 2200 music fans are cheering and clapping, and the big city Emmendingen has been enriched by the contact with a world star. It was Chris de Burgh who enchanted his audience for two and a half hours as the opening of the Schlossplatz Open Air - with some new and many old songs, with dreamy ballads and solid rock songs. Chris de Burgh does without a band to accompany him, a drummer or a bassist: One man, one instrument. He alternates between piano and e-guitar and trusts completely the power of his voice. It almost seems a bit lost, how he stands on the 15 meter broad and about 10 meter high stage, all alone and lonely in the spotlight, but still the singer who was borin in Buenos Aires in 1948 and who is of Irish heritage, transmits an incredible presence. Quickly the spark jumps over to the audience, the fans sing along, clap along - and laugh along, when the record millionaire has to fight for a second during the first song "Road to Freedom" with the lyrics and repeats a line. There is a lot of laughing this night on the Schlossplatz. Chris de Burgh knits a central theme with a lot of humour, that connects his songs with each other. He greets those who listen from outside the venue. He flirts with his image: "Photographers, take photos of the sexiest man of the world", he asks - "and some of me, too." And he demonstrates political correctness, after all in times like these nobody can not criticize George W. Bush. But there is never the danger that it becomes too political with Chris de Burgh. The leitmotifs of his songs are established on an emotional level, they are about wishes, dreams, hopes and especially about love. During "Lady in Red" for example, a song, that has essentially helped to make Chris de Burgh what he is today. The song, published in 1982 [!], is still played on the radio worldwide - in Emmendingen the audience starts to wave with lighters and sparklers and sing along by heart, line after line. This is also the case with two other, rockier and faster world hits - "Don't Pay The Ferryman" and "High On Emotion". But also the songs from his current album "Road To Freedom" can convince musically, and right at the end, during the encore, when the floodgates were open long since, he presents under the applause of the audience some cover versions full of energy - from "Hey Jude" and "Pretty Woman" to Don McLean's "American Pie". By the way: Chris de Burgh is not all alone on stage. During two songs he is supported by his 16 year old son Hubie. The offspring plays e-guitar, very good by the way, the father stands next to him and sings; the right hand holds the micro, the left one swings loosely next to his body - at a casting for Pop Idol you'll get minus points for that. With Chris de Burgh it shows mainly one thing: He is an artist of the old school. He doesn't care for the show, but especially for the melodies and for his lyrics. Briefly: for the music. |
File last modified on August 26, 2006