Morgenweb - August 12, 2008

translation by Sophia Trummer


Chris de Burgh in the Park: Enthusiastic and Enjoying the Music


A great evening with band and orchestra
"It is wonderful to be in Schwetzingen again", Chris de Burgh delighted in the 
"phantastic garden" which formed the backdrop for his concert with a lot of atmosphere. 
The Irish bard who will celebrate his 60th birthday in October joined the "Musik im Park" 
programme for the second time, and he remembered the castle well. In contrast to the 
other musicians who joined him on stage, because this time he had travelled here 
together with band and orchestra. 

Like during his first concert in the Schlossgarten, de Burgh opened solo, just with his 
guitar around his neck and the atmospheric songs he packed. Up to the emotional "Sailor" 
he enjoyed his bath in the crowd, seeking contact with the fans, writing autographs and 
receiving flowers. During "Borderline" the band members one by one joined him, attaching 
the right drive to the songs. David Levy, bass, Tony Kiley, drums, Al Vosper, guitar, 
and Nigel Hopkins, keyboard, are a synchronised team with Chris de Burgh, and quickly 
the place is jumping. The band not just enjoyed playing "Sailing Away" and "The Road to 
Freedom", the songs also gained momentum.

Fully orchestrated

As soon as the band had warmed up, there was a break already after 45 minutes. The 
reason for this was implied by the drum set, standing completely glass-sheltered on the 
stage: The musicians of the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt took their seats, tuned up their 
instruments, heralding the second part of the concert which was partly quite emotional. 
Conducted by Markus Neumeyer, the ensemble showed that they are not only familiar with 
classic, but also with contemporary music. In order not to disturb the orchestra?s play,
drummer Kiley had been prescribed the sound protection, inspiring Chris de Burgh to joke 
"Please do not feed". The atmosphere on the stage was so relaxed. The Irishman has been 
playing together with his band for years, and he also did so together with the Neue
Philharmonie several times. A perceptible continuity, orchestra and band played in 
perfect harmony and supported the singer with their instruments in an excellent way.

Accompanied by an orchestra gets kind of a tight-rope dance for Chris de Burgh here, 
between smashing volume, for example when playing "Don't pay the Ferryman" or "High on 
Emotion", songs with a catchy, dynamic structure, and a sound sweet like candy, close to 
kitsch. "In a Country Churchyard" is a beautiful, soft song from his third album "At the 
End of a Perfect Day", released 1977. Listening to it with orchestra, with the luscious 
sound of the violins, it is almost too much, rather sugar-sweet. The same applies to the 
Presley-song "Always on my Mind" or the Beatles-hit "The long and winding Road". 

Disregarding the question if perhaps less would have been more here, the audience was 
enthusiastic. The sold-out Schlossgarten contained mainly fans who knew the lyrics by 
heart: "You are singing like angels here in Schwetzingen" de Burgh complimented and 
enjoyed himself during his concert. His prophecy that it wouldn't rain during the 
evening, however, didn?t come true, but precipitate was only a slight drizzle, which 
didn't do the concert any harm. 

A storyteller
De Burgh took his latest album "Storyman" to Schwetzingen, For the fans he brought a 
compilation of known songs, the album containing 15 songs in chronological order from 
his studio albums. With the "Storyman", the name is programme, Chris de Burgh tells 
stories, miniatures, captures scenes and anecdotes. "Shadow of a Mountain" or "Leningrad" 
could be mentioned here. Songs accentuating the stage as well, with much light, during 
"Leningrad" with light columns shooting up in the sky, the atmosphere was enhanced, the 
stage was bathed in turns in red, blue, or flashy white light.

The all-time favourites such as "Lady in Red" or "Revolution" must not be missing here. 
Songs when Chris de Burgh visibly cranked up and enjoyed himself. "Lady in Red" he used 
for a jump into the crowd, let the fans celebrate and photograph him, probably he needed 
an extra truck just for the flowers at the end of the concert, and during "Revolution" 
he scampered across the stage like a Jack-of-the-lantern, enthusiastic and enjoying the
music. Since long he had asked the audience to the front, nobody was sitting in the 
garden any longer. Innumerable lighters and candles went up into the night sky.

With "Say Goodbye to it All", "Don't Pay the Ferryman" and "High on Emotion" the concert 
was reaching its spirited climax. A successful concert night was at its end, where 
especially the fast, rockier songs satisfied. The audience, however, was not satisfied 
yet, they called for encores rapturously and Chris de Burgh responded with "Patricia the 
Stripper" and "The Snows of New York" to his "fantastic audience".