Review: Chris de Burgh Moonfleet Tour at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

As far as settings go, The Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool is tough to beat. For Chris de Burgh’s latest album, Moonfleet & Other Stories, based on the classic John Meade Falkner children’s novel of piracy on the high seas off the Dorset coast, the stage bedecked with all thinks nautical, and all seems set for a fair wind and smooth crossings... and so it transpires.

If there is one thing Chris de Burgh does well, it is engage with his audience and straight from the off with the rhythmic Have A Care he has them in his grasp, strumming and singing his tales with pitch-perfect gusto.

That much of the first half is made up of less familiar de Burgh material seems not to matter a jot such is the skill of those on stage, particularly Al Vosper and David Levy on Bass, so that when hits such as Ship To Shore and Spanish Train make an appearance, the near sell out audience go positively wild.

What may be a little surprising, however, is that with such an extensive back catalogue of formidable numbers of his own, the Irishman decided to include covers in his set from his forthcoming covers album, Footsteps II. Abba’s SOS may have tenuously kept the nautical theme going and was, it has to be said, superbly executed, as was the rendition of Toto’s Africa, but nevertheless Chris de Burgh concerts should surely showcase, well, Chris de Burgh songs such as that which closes the first half of the show, The Leader Trilogy, from Into The Light, which is arguably de Burgh’s finest album and of which this is its finest inclusion.

Backed by an eerily graphic film created by Steve Bennett which is played out across a giant screen, the power of the story of apocalypse remains so mesmeric the audience are hushed into silence until its conclusion, then spontaneously on it s feet and cheering to the rafters.

The Road to Freedom opens the second half, quickly followed by The Words I Love You and the classic Borderline, a song which again is received with rapturous applause. This is clearly what the audience wants and following a Beatles medley that includes In My Life, Strawberry Fields and Let It Be, de Burgh’s own Lonely Sky and Discovery are greeted just as warmly. With A Spaceman Came Travelling and the beautiful Where Peaceful Waters Flow concluding this solo spot, the familiar strains of Lady In Red fill the auditorium and sees the singer strolling amongst the audience, posing for photographs and being almost hugged to death by the many ladies who have come so suitably attired.

Don’t Pay The Ferryman, The Getaway and High On Emotion give the concert proper a fantastic Rock ending before Patricia The Stripper makes a much heralded appearance as an encore, along with the simply sublime Snows of New York and Go Where Your Heart Believes.

It’s been a long time since Chris de Burgh recorded anything that can be regarded as a rock-based album such as Into The Light, for example. Yet the power of his lyrics, the mastery of his performance and the sheer energy of his enthusiasm ensure that this and any other gig of his is guaranteed to have people who see it going away with smiles on their faces and warm hearts beating just that little bit faster.

8/10

Producer: Kenny Thomson Promotions
Band: Chris de Burgh, Al Vosper, David Levy, Tony Kiley, Nigel Hopkins
Running Time: 2 hrs 50 mins

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