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John Aizlewood's rating
Bryan bewitches with a little help from Dylan
By
John Aizlewood
15 Mar 2007
For one who seems to spend much of his life merely perfecting his slope-shouldered elegance, Bryan Ferry has been rather busy of late.
Not content with supporting the pro-hunting lobby with a fanaticism which suggested he might actually sacrifice a fox on stage, the 61-year-old has recently become the face of Marks & Spencer's Autograph clothes range - post-Ferry, sales rose six per cent - and has involved himself with a campaign to stop his local council turning Sloane Square into a crossroads.
More shocking still, not only is there a Roxy Music album in whatever "the works" are, but his new solo album composed entirely of Dylan covers (a new album of Ferry songs, might, you suspect, be a creative act too far) has given him his first top 10 showing since 1993's Taxi and, despite his longstanding reluctance to tread the boards, last night was the climax of an extensive tour.
Little wonder, then, that he seemed so galvanised, despite needing a lectern in case he forgot the words.
Before an audience who had collectively spurned the opportunity to purchase a Ferry bandana for £10 from the merchandise stall, and with those unmistakable, lonesome vocals reassuringly high in the mix, he and his 10-piece band set about both matching and confounding expectations.
The Dylan album might be a sloppy idea, but (aside from repeated, uncalled-for harmonica interjections) he made a fine fist of Simple Twist Of Fate, delivered The Times They Are A-Changin' with the troubled air of one who very much hoped they were a-stayin' the same and imbued Positively 4th Street with a hushed anger Dylan would surely approve of. When the time came for sincerity on Make You Feel My Love, Ferry was bewitching.
Early on, Ferry had promised "a mixed bag". How right he was and how brave his selections were. Predictably, he wheeled out the occasional solo and Roxy Music hit. Just four people started dancing to Don't Stop The Dance, but the solitary encore, Love Is The Drug, was as punchy as Ricky Hatton.
More intriguing were the exhumed oddities, which delighted diehards while confusing those mistakenly expecting Jealous Guy - a heroic, lavishly arranged Love Me Madly Again and a gorgeous When She Walks In The Room.
By the end, four dancers had become the whole hall and Ferry, the lazy chameleon, had both reinvented and re-invigorated himself. There's life in those old bones yet.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (4)
I imagine Robert Fripp is relaxing after the US King Crimson tour which finished a week or so ago (Aug 2008). Just the 2 updated arrangements of KC songs from the 1970s - otherwise KC songs from the 1980s/1990s/2000s.
- Ron Lewitt, York, UK, 09/09/2008 00:27
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VIVA Bryan Ferry.
Another album reaching another boundary, remember 1972 the first Ferry/Roxy contribution, the doubters said it would not last now 35 years later still producing the goods, where is R Fripp of King Crimson now who turned Ferry down? truly A simple Twist of fate.
Once again ''VIVA'' Bryan Ferry long may he entertain us.
- John Mc Donagh, Dubai UAE, 10/04/2007 14:29
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Although I have never been a particularly keen fan of Bryan Ferry, I looked forward to seeing one of our biggest names live. The content of this concert was for the most part pretty good, Bryan Ferry having made a great choice in selecting the brilliant songs of Dylan to turn into an album which is a must buy for us people of a certain vintage. There were one or two more obscure numbers that I for one would have swapped for a couple more Dylan songs or, for example, Jealous Guy which didn't get an airing on this occassion.
It's true that there were only a couple of women dancing in front of the stage for the most part, but looking around it seemed that the age group of the audience was such that they were more outraged that these flabby-rumped women were obscuring the view for people behind who had "paid good hard earned money" to see the stage show, not their 80's revival gyrations. I certainly heard a few comments near me.
Overall I enjoyed the show but was really disappointed in the Royal Albert Hall acoustics. The instruments sounded great, but the vocal quality of both the main and the two warm-up acts was severly impaired. I will not go to another concert there because of it.
- Leonard, London E4, 15/03/2007 21:35
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Ferry has always been ahead of his time and an enduring song stylists.
Please come to America and spread the joy.
- Elizabeth Alexander, Princess Anne, Somerset, Maryland USA, 15/03/2007 18:32
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