Chris de Burgh - vocals, guitar; Phil Palmer - drums; John Giblin - bass; Rupert Hine - keyboards, vocals; Michael Ross - guitar; David Caddick - piano; Stephen Taylor - saxophone, vocals
This short but effective set from UK-based singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh was cut for the King Biscuit Flower Hour two years before his multi-platinum love song, "Lady In Red," shot to the top of the charts around the world in 1986. Still, this is a good representation of how de Burgh had embraced his celebrity (especially in markets like Alberta and Montreal) and positioned himself early on as a dynamic music star.
On his previous tour, in 1983, DeBurgh was promoting The Getaway, a smart record of adult pop songs released on A&M Records. The Getaway was his breakthrough LP, mainly on the success of "Don't Pay The Ferry Man," a powerful and driving song about the living life too far on the edge. The Getaway got de Burgh noticed in the US and his native UK, but it made him a bona fide star in markets like Canada and Germany.
In this show, a partial set from what had been a full 75-minute performance, he performs "Man On The Line," "The Ecstasy Of Flight (I Love The Night)," "Ship to Shore," and "High On Emotion," which help build a solid example of why de Burgh has always been on top of his game. "Don't Pay The Ferry Man" seems anti-climatic at the end of this five-song set, but in reality it was likely played closer to the end of the performance.
Eventually, de Burgh would see worldwide success with his evergreen ballad, "Lady in Red," in 1986. He had a few minor hits and two Top 10 songs, but it was not until he became a major superstar in countries like Brazil, Germany, and Norway that music industry execs in America started to notice.
De Burgh had considerable success in the US in 1986 when "Lady In Red" was hot, but he faded in popularity after that. He does remain, however, a huge draw outside of the US, especially in South America and Germany.