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RICHARD MARX/John Parr, Royal Albert Hall, London
''Oceans apart day after day and I slowly go insane, I hear your voice on the line, but it doesn't stop the pain'' so sang Richard Marx on his number 2 UK hit 'Right Here Waiting' back in 1989. A song that was 'Our Tune' for many couples myself included as I had a long distance relationship with a girl who stole my heart and we eventually moved in with each other. Our love was cemented 21 years ago at the Royal Albert Hall: 21 years ago at a Richard Marx gig the last time he played this grand venue. Oh yes, the years of 89 & 90 were full of endless summer nights of cupid bliss. I sported a mullet looking cool like many others, not wanting to be a short haired trendy nor did I want to look a beatnik hippie. Two guilty rock stars who proudly had the mullet were AOR sensations Richard Marx and tonight's supporting artist John Parr. Even the biggest football stars of the day had one, so it was no surprise to see ex-England internationals Glenn Hoddle and Gerry Francis in the audience tonight. One man who was in very comfortable surroundings tonight was GRTR!'s very own Andy Nathan, a man with no shame and no grunge albums in his record collection. To his friends he is just affectionately known as 'The Mullet' as he has proudly not changed his hairstyle over the years, but at least he has success with the ladies on his trips to Middle America. (At least he still has hair, Ed)
John Parr is a man who has dipped off the radar in recent years and that is a shame as the man is truly talented. Playing a short acoustic set Parr held a captive audience. When sung by Parr you realise what a great emotive song 'The Best A Man Can Get' popularized by the Gillette adverts. New song 'At The Cathedral' was a poignant number about young lives coming back home in a coffin from unwanted wars overseas. Another song which took on a whole new meaning was the smash hit St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion), nothing to do with the film, the clue is there in the brackets.
Accompanied by a video backscreen, Man In Motion tells the story of wheelchair athlete and activist Rick Hansen as he travels across North America. Enough to make the hairs on your back stand on end. Amazing what can be achieved with a positive mind. The sooner John Parr returns with a full electric band the better.
The hits may have dried up a little bit for Richard Marx these days but the man has many 'Stories To Tell'. Marx also started the gig acoustically transporting me back in time with 'Endless Summer Nights'. The stories came early. Introducing 'When You're Gone' he happily stated how relieved he was when he heard this song on American radio and that the next song the DJ played was by Nickleback and not The Carpenters.
You may
be wondering whatever happened to that young love of mine. Well she saw
the light and realised what a loser in life I was and disappeared to
find a happy life in Middle England with a successful marriage, 2.4 kids
and a pedigree dog. Myself? Well I got to keep my Richard Marx albums. Richard Marx is a likeable all round good American guy and he spends some time taking about his family. Firstly thanking his wife for 'Hazard' who insisted that he recorded that song, the rest as they say is history.
A neat touch for 'Save Me' where Marx plays along to a backing tape and video screen of his sons performing this new number (Nice to see one of his sons is an upcoming headbanger wearing a Trivium T-shirt). 'Through My Veins' was dedicated to his late father who was a composer of music himself. Unplugged was taken literally for 'Always On Your Mind' where Marx waltzed out into the stalls unaided with any mics. A brave idea which was great for those of us nearby but completely inaudible for those up in the tiers. By now Marx was joined by a full electric band and a smooth run through of 'Angelia' and 'Satisfied' were starting to rock the joint. Songs he wrote for others went down well: 'Better Life' (US hit for Keith Urban) and 'This I Promise You', thankfully the AOR version of the N-SYNC smash, (Incidentally 21 years ago at the Albert Marx performed 'Edge Of A Broken Heart' a song he gave to Vixen.) The hits kept coming and by now the Marxists were out of their seats rallying around their leader. 'Don't Mean Nothing' and 'Should've Known Better' ending the set on a high but of course it was the encore of 'Right Here Waiting' which got every couple here tonight in an embrace. You may be wondering whatever happened to that young love of mine. Well she saw the light and realised what a loser in life I was and disappeared to find a happy life in Middle England with a successful marriage, 2.4 kids and a pedigree dog. Myself? Well I got to keep my Richard Marx albums.
Review by Mark Taylor Photos by Leslie Linyard
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