CHUCK BERRY

It seems strange that Chuck Berry is one of those people who is above criticism. I mean the man came into the Grande Ballroom for two nights and played two long sets comprising material that he’s been playing - on record and on stage for the past 20 odd years.

Now I don’t know where your head is at but I have heard so many people bitching about paying 4 or 5 bucks to hear an artist play his albums. Now Chuck Berry plays his albums very well - but then he should; he’s had a lot of practice. So these very same people went along happily and paid their bread to see Chuck Berry. And they saw him -they heard him play the same song in the same key at the same tempo for almost IVt hours; occasionally varying the lyrics to make it seem that they were different songs but they all sounded exactly alike.

And the audience loved it. They jumped up and down and screamed for more and generally had a good time. So, looking at it from the aspect of audience enjoyment, I suppose he was a roaring success. But the whole thing left a very stale taste in my ears.

First of all - he can’t have enjoyed it. I mean I do not think that any artist can still be playing the same songs' after 20 years (particularly such simple songs) and still enjoy playing them.

Secondly - If his sets had been performed by any other band (and they aren’t hard sets to copy) or if nobody had heard of Chuck Berry, would he not have been laughed off the stage and branded boring -pretentious and untalented?

f And thirdly - was Tie really worth if. I mean - was it really worth paying 4 dollars just to see a name. That’s all it was, a name - A big dusty name dragged out of the past and polished up - dressed in nice mod clothes and placed on a pedestal to do his thing.

Come on America -1 realise that you cling so desperately to anything over 15 years old but do you really need to bring relics back from the past. I mean you don’t keep using antique furniture that’s uncomfortable after someone has invented something more comfortable - and in the same way, you don’t keep listening to someone who can only play one song when their are people around who have progressed and learned another couple of chords: - or do you!

or....

It’s virtually impossible to review Chuck Berry. To find fault with his act would be irrelevant, but to praise it would be superfluous. He is Chuck Berry, the original, one and only, real and true blue Chuck Berry.

Bob Stark