CityLife

We were really looking forward to this ( Yes we've been to well over 25 years of CdeB concerts including Alton Towers, Tatton Park, Cologne and the Asda Doncaster ) ...but when you are less interested in the song delivery and more in how the keyboard player's hair can possibly be that shaggy then something is wrong.<br /> <br /> The first half was OKish - the live version of "Turn Turn Turn" was not good but "American Pie" was not too bad ( better than Don Maclean when he was at the Bridgewater last - and infinitely better than the Madonna version ). There was a reasonable mix of old and new de Burgh songs covering 30years from Sailor through to Leningrad with Borderline being the standout of the first half.<br /> <br /> The second half had an orchestra of sorts and the songs started off slowly but the first wrong bit was when the drummer wrecked "In a Country Churchyard" and it went downhill from there fast..."Long and Winding Road" was especially interminable.<br /> <br /> It is a shame - he has a reasonable voice, a good line in self-putdowns, genuinely is a Liverpool FC fan and has a quick wit. He has produced some very good storytelling songs over the years ... this album and tour is more than a touch self-indulgent. I hope it is a glitch and he gets back to songwriting soon<br />

Let me start by saying I'm a long time fan having encountered the Spanish Train album in the late seventies. I jumped ship in the later eighties as the smaltz which followed Lady In Red all but destroyed the sublime singer/songwriter/storyteller in the man.<br /> <br /> I saw him two years ago at this same venue as I thought I'd see what the intervening two decades had done to his voice and songwriting sensibilities. I was surprised to find a man by and large back in touch with his storytelling style playing a load of the old classic pre Lady In Red songs and only nodding to the smaltzy. It was a superb gig.<br /> <br /> Last night I was really looking forward to the gig as to see him with an orchestra was bound to be interesting, or so I thought.<br /> <br /> The first half was weak with the hour split between solo and band. The aforementioned version of American Pie being one of the most awful things I have seen performed on a stage ever.<br /> <br /> I thought that at least the second half would be great.<br /> <br /> It followed in much the same vein as the first half. One great song followed by five less so. The orchestra were underused and certainly underamplified. Why bring a 31 piece orchestra with you if you are not going to make sure that they are heard above the amplified "rock".<br /> <br /> In A Country Churchyard and the epic Revolution aside, the second half was dull as dishwater. By the time Don't Pay The Ferryman and High on Emotion were wheeled out towards the end and people were on their feet I had long since lost interest.<br /> <br /> Sorry Chris, the audience mainly seemed to love you but they also appear not to have a quality control threshold anymore.<br /> <br /> If he was not such a nice personable guy I'd have heckled and asked where he thought his muse had disappeared to.<br /> <br /> Dave, Manchester<br />