|
Albums
|
by Thorsten Winter
translation by Astrid Nolde-Gallasch
Music recommendation
Blockbusters instead of stories by the small Irishman
What do Bruce Springsteen and Chris de Burgh have in common these weeks?
Well, they perform solo for their audience and attract thousands of fans.
Although "The Boss" with the rock worker image is filling namely big
halls, while the small Irishman with the tender eyes does small time in
the province and gives concerts for example in Nordkirchen and
Schwetzingen.
But Chris de Burgh can still play the very big halls even 20 years after
his first live performance. He proved this lately last November. At that
time Chris de Burgh performed at the Dortmund Westfalenhalle as a final
of his "Road To Freedom" tour through Germany. On the same evening a
double CD has been recorded that has been released under the simple title
"Live in Dortmund" at the label SPV.
The record company praises the album as a "beautiful selection of his big
hits". Of course puff is part of the trade, but SPV are actually fibbing
a ltitle bit. "Live In Dortmund" doesn't contain all big hits of the
artist. Albeit "hit" doesn't always mean "enjoyable".
A lot of music for money
The double CD features a total of 34 tracks, among them a medley with
short versions of "Living On The Island" and "Missing You". Both records
are over two hours and 16 minutes long. So the buyer gets a lot of music
for his money. As usual with live records for a tour, tracks from the
youngest album ("Road To Freedom") take up a lot of space. So the solemn
"When Winter Comes" and "Road To Freedom" open the first CD, before the
first de Burgh hit resounds with "The Getaway", the title track of his
1982 vinyl album.
Half a dozen of other tracks on the double CD stem from this album, among
them "Borderline" and "The Revolution, two pieces which remind strongly
of the musical heritage of de Burgh, who once started as a
singer/songwriter. Songs from his early time are however sowed thinly:
"A Spaceman Came Travelling" from "Spanish Train" is an exception. And
that is a drawback. For even if the Irishman started to make real money
only with "The Getaway" and pop songs like "Ship To Shore", "Don't pay
The Ferryman" and later "The Lady In Red": His strong time was when he
was a singer/songwriter, in the first half of his career.
When de Burgh was still telling intriguing stories
In songs like "Spanish Train" where de Burgh sings about a poker and
chess duel between God and the devil so vividly that it gives you still
goosebumps today, "Patricia The Stripper" or "The Traveller" the man was
still telling intriguing stories. It's no coincidence that the LP
"Spanish Train" contains the subtitle "and other stories". Later he
performed mainly love songs with catchy melodies, but rather exchangeable
lyrics. So "Live in Dortmund" mirrors the rewarding, but little tingly
change from singer/songwriter to pop singer.
Still: The concert in the Dortmund Westfalenhalle has been declared by de
Burgh as the highlight of the tour and an acclaimed evening with a lot
to sing along to for the fans, as the recording shows. De Burgh proves to
have delight in playing and to be in good voice, even with the high
notes. And you have to grant him one thing: When he, as recently during
the Live 8 concert, performs the flat song "Lady In Red", the track is
gaining quality.
Below the line "Live in Dortmund" is probably the appropriate warm up
for the concerts of the artist that he performs these days. It's not
enough for an exhibition though.
|
File last modified on August 26, 2006