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Elly Roberts reviews
Polydor
- Released: October 2006
- Format: 2 CD set & DVD
- Rating: CD 8/10; 8/10
When you consider what Chris Rea has been through over the past few years, the title is very apt.
On doctors advice, hes been forced to drop any future plans to play liveon a grand scale, or maybe at all. This, the first, and last, live album fromthe seasoned Blues-orientated Geordie is a fitting swansong.
This farewell CD & DVD simultaneous release was filmed in Birmingham (theSymphony Hall I think) and recorded at several venues across Europe, markinghis premature retirement from touring. It captures Reas immensely popularlive concerts with some interesting re-workings from his immense backcatalogue.
Since his arrival on the music scene in the late ’70s with pop hits likeFool If You Think Its Over and On The Beach hes sustainedhis popularity with some top class singles and albums, being on chart fora combined 474 weeks. He also drawn in a new set of fans through his Bluesalbums.
On disc 1 we get his more authentic bluesy sojourns, opening with an R’n’Bbelter Jazzee Blue, with Reas left hand doing some deft and sparklingbottleneck workouts. Cooling it a tad, Thats Where The Way It Goesis a softer jaunt, but equally as effective with his gritty voice andharmonica adding sublime textures.
Across the collection hits Josephine, On The Beach, I Can hear YourHeartbeat and Fool are fabulously reworked introducing reggae andBrazilian flavours.
A raucous Stainsby Girls closes CD 1 on a romping high with Rea andband pulling out all their collective clout over eight minutes, again withRea giving a bottleneck masterclass.
CD 2 has only six tracks, lasting 45 minutes plus, but theyre much moreexpansive versions, with I Can Hear Your Heartbeat, Road To Hell goingwell over the 10 minute mark. Track 1, Highway 61 & 49, reverts backto his Blues love affair: a really slow rustic blast with some more exemplarybottleneck.
On the DVD, the ominous The Road To Hell sees the theatreand audience splashed in red, creating a devilish vista before it goes intohigh energy rocking mode. Crowd pleaser Lets Dance gets em on theirfeet before he teases the crowd with a magnificent Fool (If You ThinkIts Over).
Waving goodbye, he gets a standing ovation, which he thoroughly deserves.
We hope it isnt over Chris.
Weblink:chrisrea.com
The full list of tracks included are :
Disc 1:
1. Jazzee Blue
2. Thats The way It Goes
3. Where The Blues Come From
4. Josephine
5. Work Gang
6. Head Out On The Highway
7. Easy Rider
8. Till The Morning
9. Stony Road
10. KKK Blues
11. Julia
12. Stainsby Girls
Disc 2:
1. Somewhere Between Highway 61 & 49
2. I Can Hear Your Heartbeat
3. The Road To Hell
4. On The Beach
5. Lets Dance
6. Fool ( If You Think Its Over)
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.