Eric Burdon Hometown show
Eric Burdon Hometown show
Posted: 09 Aug 2010
Eric Burdon Homecoming show, Newcastle O2 Academy
In an interview a couple of months ago Eric Burdon told me: “If my soul resides anywhere it is on the road from Newcastle to Lindisfarne.”
And so it came to pass, North East musical pilgrims came to pay homage to the Geordie king of the blues. The Walker-born singer was performing to a packed home crowd in the former picture house on the Westgate Road.
It’s eight years since Eric last played Tyneside – at the Journal Tyne Theatre back in 2002.
But the former Animals frontman stormed straight into When I Was Young and Don’t Bring me Down and had the crowd eating out of his hand from the off.
Now 69 he is still an immensely powerful singer and with a band of seasoned musicians behind him – Red Young on keyboards, Billy Watts on guitar, Terry Wilson on bass and Brannen Temple on drums – he barnstormed his way through the set.
It was almost like he was back in the legendary Club A Go Go on Newcastle’s Percy Street where the Animals’ raw, gritty sound was born and celebrated in hits like Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.
And judging by the hairline (and waistline) of lots of the crowd they were probably in there back at the very start.
The crew kept putting up the house lights so Eric could see his fans singing along with the popular hits. The original Animals only lasted a few years but they left an enduring legacy of anthemic hits.
After the Animals went their separate ways in the Sixties Eric decamped to California where he has lived ever since – pioneering the San Francisco psychedelic rock scene.
He included San Franciscan Nights in this set, and other blues favourites like Red Cross Store – featuring some blistering slide guitar – Boom Boom and It’s My Life.
He closed the hour-long show with House of the Rising Sun saying: “It’s great to back in my hometown.”
But he was soon back on stage for a half hour encore – as the fans clamoured for more – launching into an epic We Gotta Get Out of This Place, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out and Shame, Shame, Shame.
He bade farewell to the faithful Geordie brethren with a fond: “I’ll see you some old sunny day.”
Don’t worry bonny lad, I’m sure there’s a plot of hallowed land on Holy Island with your name already on it.
Michael Hamilton
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