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Rick Springfield -The End Of The World tour, 02 Empire London June 4th.
Ricks main source of chart success and hit songs comes from the USA. Rick , who played Doctor Noah Drake in the US tv soap opera General Hospital has racked up 17 top 40 hits including a No one with 'Jessies Girl'. He has a loyal and devoted UK following hence tonight being a big turnout. Tonights show was not as insane as one might have anticipated , the females were behaving rather sensibly , no knicker throwing or jumping on stage. Mind you the females in the audience look old enough to know better but strange things can happen at any age , lust never dies.
On a more serious note , one thing that can be said of Rick is that through his lyrics he can express relationship problems , passion and pain in a unique manner. Deep longing , desire , unrequited love , jealousy , & bereavement the problems of all human beings and it seems he was often looking for solutions to such personal problems through lyric writing. This guy is probably an expert at offering advice , having suffered depression since a teen and battling to deal with it throughout his life , music and writing has been his helper , his therapy.
Tonight kicks off with 'Wide awake' from the new album, a good choice to get things revved up...
'I've done everything for you' from the 1981 album 'Working class dog' and written by Sammy Hagar from Van Halen , classic traditional rock with the lyric protesting about a relationship not being 50-50.
'Living In Oz' from the same titled platinum 1983 album , a very intense soul searching tune , and facing up to tough situations , it has a slightly angry edge.
'Celebrate youth' from the 1985 album 'Tao' reflects on youth and it's importance and that it must be embraced.
Now we get into what Rick is really all about, the classic 'Affair of the Heart' again from 'Living in Oz' showed his true brilliance at expressing intense emotion through lyrics , straight to the point , no mincing of words. A tune about being tormented by your feelings for someone and that you are making a very important point to them "have a little blind faith believe it's an affair of the heart " Rick is a great showman , his interaction with the crowd is respectful and enthusiastic , he really gives them every pennies worth. Having them sing along , pointing to people , holding the mic to some at the front , getting in amongst the crowd , running around the venue and up to the balcony to make a personal interaction. He is very warm and giving , not pompous or arrogant , a true rocker and performer.
'Jessies Girl' a tune of mystery , who was she ?. Well we know she was a girl that Rick loved in silence as a young lad , but his friend Jessie was going out with her which broke poor Ricks heart , a tune of unrequited love and envy.
His mini cover of The Shadows 'Apache' and Creams 'Crossroads' is impressive and shows his guitar playing skills.
A little girl gets invited on stage to sing along and this is heart warming , what a nice guy. A performer who did not have the same recognition here in the UK as in the US which seems rather unfair and he was definitely underrated. A classic rock legend who has made many many people happy with his friendly persona , positive energy , worldly wise music , and his good looks of course.
His album 'Songs For The End of The World' is out now
His memoir titled "Late, Late At Night " is out also