Kölner Stadtanzeiger - August 7, 2007 

translation by Astrid Nolde-Gallasch

by Ulla Jürgensonn


Danced in the park under stars


Erftstadt-Gymnich - At a quarter to ten nobody could remain on his seat: You needn't 
have to be a hard core fan of Irish singer Chris de Burgh in order to clap, sing and 
dance along enthusiastically. You'd rather be a real sourpuss if you remained stark and 
stiff. Around half past ten a concert came to an end at which nearly everything was 
absolutely perfect. A beautiful summer day had turned into a mild evening and finally a 
clear starlit night. A star in best humour had done everything for two and a half hours 
without a break in order to entertain the two and a half thousand visitors in the park 
of Schloss Gymnich in the true meaning of the word. 

You might blaspheme de Burgh as a smooch bard or cuddle rocker - and indeed the concert 
needed some time to get really going - but there is one thing that he is in any case: an 
entertainer who knows how to hit the right spots with his audience. And secondary he is 
also a thoroughbred musician who shows that even at the age of almost 60 years he has a 
lot of fun standing on stage and speeding up completely. 

The singer who, in his dark trousers, white shirt and leather jacket, came along like 
the proverbial nice neighbour, didn't remain on stage already after the fourth song. 
While he started singing his "Lady In Red", he mixed up with the audience. To find a 
"lady in red" to dance along on the meadow of the castle park wasn't difficult - 
obviously red dresses were the order of the day. Finally he even climbed a chair with 
his guitar (carefully protected by two stately security guards, of which one held the 
chair while the other made sure that the star wouldn't fall), and continued to sing and 
play along from there.

Always again he communicated with the audience, discussed how to pronounce the difficult 
word "Gymnich" correctly, chatted relaxed, full of humour and self irony. Obviously his 
fans thanked him with devotion: Even the songs of his new CD many could sing along by 
heart. Flowers, stuffed animals and the one or other bottle of wine had been taken to 
stage from the audience. The stage was soon beleaguered closely, especially after de 
Burgh had allowed the children to occupy the stairs to the stage which was otherwise 
rigorously secured. 

Skilfully the singer mixed his new songs with old hits. "The Storyman" is the title of 
his new CD and his current programme, and really he tells musical stories which make it 
easy to listen to, which abduct you to strange countries and times long passed.

But it shouldn't become too contemplative: He and his extraordinary band continuously 
let the basses buzz decently - at the latest during "Don't Pay The Ferryman" or "High On 
Emotion". One would have loved to see and hear more of his duet partner Kristyna Myles - 
he had discovered her as a busker: a pretty woman with a great voice.

As said, it was an evening at which nearly everything was absolutely perfect. Not only 
artistically but also organizationally. The bus shuttle transfer worked out smoothly, 
the parking place, clearly laid out in lines, was illuminated. So the good mood remained 
on the way back home.