Review: Eric Burdon at Maryport Blues Festival
by Neil McKay, The Journal
Eric Burdon at Maryport Blues Festival.
ERIC Burdon played to an audience in the North of England for the first time in seven years, and proved within minutes of walking on stage that he had lost none of his magic.
His hair is greyer/whiter, his stage movement perhaps a little less nimble, but the trademark shades remained and - far more importantly - the voice has the same gravelly magic which rode the Transatlantic airwaves 45 years ago when House of the Rising Sun topped both the British and US charts.
He and his excellent backing band brought more than a touch of warmth to a marquee beneath the grey West Cumbrian skies on Sunday night as they embarked on a blistering set of mainly old classics.
At 68 the Walker-born Eric may now look like a favourite uncle, and it seemed appropriate for him to open the set with When I Was Young.
He followed with an Animals classic, Don't Bring Me Down, before going into San Francisco Nights, his homage to the ‘67 summer of love.
While it was hard to think of Maryport in 2009 as having much resemblance to the San Francisco of four decades earlier, Burdon's rendition was faithful to the original.
What is maybe not so well known is that he is still making music, and he sang one number from his more recent repertoire, The Devil Slide, from the album My Secret Life.
But it was the old favourites such as Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, It's My Life (and I'll do what I want), Boom Boom, We've Gotta Get Out of this Place and his version of the Stones’ Paint it Black which nearly brought the (canvas) house down.
Eric lined up with his latest version of The Animals comprising Billy Watts on guitar, Red Young on keyboards, bassist Terry Wilson and Brannen Temple on drums.
It is also seven years since Burdon played onTynesideat The Journal Tyne Theatre. Here's hoping he doesn't leave it so long before his next visit.
