Review: Chris Rea

Mar 14 2008 by Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo

St David’s Hall, Cardiff

CHRIS Rea must have felt it ironic that the United Kingdom leg of his tour opened in Cardiff last night.

For Rea is a season ticket holder at his home-town football club, Middlesbrough, and we all know what happened to them against Cardiff City on Sunday!

On stage, though, Rea was perfectly at ease.

He lived up to the promise of ‘flying as many Hofner guitars above the stage as possible’. They were hanging everywhere – and Rea himself changed instruments time and again as he brought back his own memories of a ‘time when one had to make sound effects as opposed to buying them off the shelves’.

Rea, the singer/songwriter with that distinctive raspy voice, is back with two bands – The Delmonts, an instrumental group dedicated to the 1950s, and 1960s blues band the Hofner Blue Notes.

Clearly, he loves those Hofner guitars and he slowly brought the show alive with some fantastic sounds last night.

St David’s Hall was almost full for Rea and The Delmonts warmed up the audience for what was to come. Then Rea really set the evening rocking with old favourites like On the Beach and The Road to Hell.

Suddenly, almost from nowhere, there was powerful interaction with the fans.

The next stop for Rea is in Plymouth tonight – and he’s at Colston Hall, Bristol, on Sunday.

3 out of 5

You said:

“Chris Rea can bring those Hofner guitars alive. He is such a fabulous artist. The instrumental work from the Delmonts was top notch, while the Hofner Blue Notes really got things going. I really enjoyed the show. I wish it could have gone on longer – and we were all hoping for a second encore. It would have been great to see him back out there for one last number.”
John Davies, Caerphilly

“It seemed to take a while to get going, but once Chris Rea connected with the audience the evening really took off. St David’s Hall is a terrific venue for that sort of show. Rea really loves his music and he is a natural on stage. He looks so at ease and has such passion.”
Roger Williams, Cardiff