Review: Glen Campbell, Royal Concert Hall
The voice is still there, his guitar playing – maybe scruffy at times – is dazzling and as proven by the latest album Meet Glen Campbell he can make any song his own.
But he can't remember his own band members' names. Or song lyrics – a lot of the time he's reading off an autocue. Or that where he enters the stage is where he exits. Three times he headed for the back curtain and had to be led in the right direction by his daughter Debby.
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Glen Campbell at the Royal Concert Hall
Oh and that's another thing, has no one pointed out how inappropriate it is to sing a duet with your daughter that includes the line "each time we make love..." ?
And as I discovered a few days ago in an interview with Campbell, for a man who has played with Elvis, Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Phil Spector, he's a terrible storyteller. Not that he doesn't have a go but each anecdote ends without point.
Yes, he's 72 but the 73-year-old next to me was roaring at his bumbling.
But I'm getting bogged down here.
The half-capacity audience loved it. And rightly so. He led off with the early big hitters Gentle On My Mind, Galveston and By The Time I Get To Phoenix but it was the new songs that had the biggest response. Everyone cheered for his countryfied take on Travis' Sing (the pedal steel guitar was wonderful), Green Day's Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life), Tom Petty's Walls and The Replacements' Sadly Beautiful.
They're enhanced by twanging lead guitar and mandolin.
He fluffs U2's All I Want Is You and has to ask who it was by, then sings Angel Dream (Tom Petty again) with a sweet in his mouth. And the Everly Brothers duets with the daughter are self-indulgent.
But the passion is still there.
Further dips in to the past include True Grit, the theme song for the movie in which he starred alongside John Wayne ("the most natural actor ever"), his "favourite song" Wichita Lineman ("the most played song of the millennium"), a yodelling Lovesick Blues, The Highwayman – for which he really comes alive – and set closer Rhinestone Cowboy.
He's back to turn the Foo Fighters' Times Like These into a country-rocker before ending with the Velvet Undergound's sombre Jesus.
Much like Elvis, who he apes for Conway Twitty's It's Only Make Believe, Campbell's later period may find a less coherent a performer but the ability to deliver remains.
Here's hoping he can keep it together to make more albums like Meet Glen Campbell.
By Simon Wilson
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by gene, nashville
Thursday, October 01 2009, 6:53PM
“Those incestuous lyrics kill me too.
"Each time we make love.
I find complake love."
And if reading words off a teleprompter are signs of dementia, then our elected leaders are in worse shape than I thought.”
by Stephen Myers, Nottingham
Sunday, October 26 2008, 9:18AM
“I have been a fan of Glen's for years and this is the third time I have seen this great entertainer. The comments of Neil Shipley and Tim Emery echo my feelings about this review. Perhaps Mr. Wilson should have asked the 73 year old that sat next to him to sing and play guitar on stage in front of an audience for nearly two hours without making the odd slip up. I went with my wife and 77 year old mum in law who, by the way the way had never seen him live before but love his music. I was not sure what they would think but good for Glen he did not disappoint. My mum in law was amazed how well he performed. We all had a wonderful evening. If the chance to see him again comes around we will be there.”
by Neil Shipley, Woodhall Spa
Friday, October 24 2008, 4:53PM
“Obviously this reviewer is not a musician. I went with an open mind thinking I was the wrong generation for Glen Campbell - but I loved it 'warts and all'. The man is 72 for god sake - make allowances!! - and as he sang when he covered Jackson Brownes These Days - 'please do not mention my failings' . His guitar work was brilliant and I hope I can play just as well if I get to that age - he came across as an unassuming human with no pretences, doing his best and could rightfully say he entertained. I had a great time, and I am sure that everybody in the great venue that was 80% full also enjoyed it too. The only problem I have is how to tell my parents that I went to see Glen Campbell as I used to run out of the house when they played his LPs!!”
by Tim Emery, Thatcham, England
Wednesday, October 22 2008, 1:48PM
“I wasn't at this show but saw Glen Campbell live last night in Basingstoke. I'm not a fan of this review - it seems littered with cheap shots on an artist that is now in his vintage years and will be leaving behind an incredible legacy that most artists couldn't even lay claim to anything nearly as impressive. Glen Campbell's memory is obviously fading a little now but so what? Johhny Cash was releasing important career defining records at the end of his career and was in a similar state of poor health. The other shows seem to have been fuller capacity. He still has that voice, his guitar playing was great and the band is very solid. Memory loss in old age isn't a laughing matter and it's a shame that Simon Wilson can't conduct a review with a little professionalism - you've made your point, why keep labelling it?”
by MARK C15, NOTTINGHAM
Wednesday, October 22 2008, 9:54AM
“An excellant night, a true performer, same review again, do the Post have any other none biased ones?”