Westfaelische Nachrichten - July 22, 2005

by Nadine Jansen



Freezing Irishman turns it up all on his own


Chris de Burgh at the open air concert

Nordkirchen. Ringing bells in the Munsterland are well known. But the 
bells are rarely ringing for the start of a concert - like on Wednesday 
night in front of castle Nordkirchen. The strikes of the bell were not 
intentional, although a world star like Chris de Burgh would surely have 
deserved them. Half an hour late due to the bad weather and the ringing 
bells the Irishman finally stood on stage. There he was in front of 3600 
listeners who - wrapped inside colourful rain coats - froze patiently in 
order to hear new songs of the Irishman, but also world hits like "Lady 
In Red". Actually, de Burgh announced, it should have been a summer night 
concert, but now he felt like turning it really up: "We are going to have 
a hot night."

He turned it up on all his own for over two hours. Because the singer did 
without a band and played and sang without any further support. Sometimes 
on guitar, sometimes on the piano he presented mainly songs of his 17th 
studio album "Road To Freedom", among them "Here For You" that he had 
written for his daughter Rosanna and "Five Past Dreams" that is said to 
be a sequel of "Lady In Red". 

Many of the newer songs of the Irishman who was born in Argentina sound 
sad and melancholy. Yet they are still listenable. Just with his voice 
alone that made him sell over 45 million albums world wide, Chris de 
Burgh managed to attract all attention on himself. A big light show or 
show effects would not have been necessary anyway to impress the audience, 
for the first roses were already passed onto stage right at the beginning.

Although most songs were rather of quiet notes, the atmosphere in front 
of the picturesque backdrop of the castle was anything but quiet. There 
was a lot of tapping and clapping along - be it because the melodies go 
right into the blood or only in order to keep warm somehow. Albeit the 
songs of de Burgh were not just mood lifters - at least not the lyrics. 
With "Borderline" and "Say Goodbye To It All" he reminded of the horror 
of war and he also presented rather songs which regarded life from its 
critical side. "For me this is what a good song or a good poem or even a 
good painting can do: It touches you and connects you with your own 
humanity", he said.

But the concert wasn't all so philosophical. Chris de Burgh also made 
some jokes that were below the belt. As if he had thought of better, the 
Irishman finally returned to a generally compatible line and enthused 
with older songs like "Sailing Away" and of course the classic "Lady In 
Red", to which sparklers, lighters and even flash lights came into 
operation.

Such a song was necessary to bring the atmosphere to its highlight. The 
coldness had long been forgotten. The seat order was lifted as if by a 
ghost hand, and the audience pushed towards stage to really celebrate. 
Chris de Burgh mostly left the chorus to his audience, who sang along 
enthusiastically during "Don't Pay The Ferryman" and "High On Emotion" 
and let the world star leave stage only after several encores.