Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung - July 27, 2005


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by Peter Wiest


It's called Schwetzingburgh from now on

Chris de Burgh in the Schlossgarten

Schwetzingen. Nobody should say, he hasn't tried. No, Chris de Burgh 
really gave his best during the fourth and last concert of this year's 
open air season in the Schwetzinger Schlossgarten. The bard was in best 
spirits, he offered a solo program for more than two hours with 
(unfortunately) many new and (unfortunately) only few old songs; 
furthermore he offered excellent entertainment with funny jokes 
specifically targeted on his audience ("I know it is called Schwetzingen, 
not Schwetzingburgh"). Chris de Burgh in the Schlossgarten: that was a 
show as the audience had expected it. And that was good: for after all 
there were over 3000 who came to the concert, so that the organizer could 
finally be happy about a sold out house for the final of the open air 
season.

Felicity everywhere with most of the fans who didn't get tired to bring 
flower bouquets, bottles of wine and other presents to the stage after 
every single song. But somehow something was missing that night: an 
initial ignition maybe, a spark like it had been with Al Jarreau's 
concert a week before from the first song on. Maybe that was because of 
de Burgh's new songs from the "Road To Freedom" album: all wonderful 
ballads, every single one neatly knitted, great vocal passages (apart 
from the falsettos that de Burgh should better do without), catchy 
melodies: but somehow everything a bit too flat, too streamlined, too 
much dabbling along.

Who wonders that the real enthusiasm only came up towards the end, when 
there was not only the expected cuddle song "Lady In Red", but finally 
also the up beat tracks "Don't Pay The Ferryman", and "High on Emotion". 
So the master bard sent the true fans back home in absolute high feelings. 
And the others had at least experienced another of these uniquely 
beautiful evenings as only an open air concert in the Schlossgarten is 
offering.




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File last modified on August 26, 2006