Dave Edmunds
Album: Live at Rockpalast - Loreley 1983
Label: Repertoire
Tracks: 17
Website: https://www.facebook.com/DaveEdmundsRPM

I think this is the first time that I have reviewed an album that is now 31 years old, albeit a 2014 remastered version.

This DVD/CD combination features a real rock icon of the 70's and 80's, Welsh born Dave Edmunds. I am not sure why it has been released now, perhaps to celebrate Dave's 70th birthday? Whatever the reason, it is a bit of history and a great chance to see a true rock legend in action. It is a shame that the DVD and CD have identical tracks on and that you have to buy both. Out of choice I would go for the DVD which is so much more atmospheric than the CD.

The album comes from the Live at Rockpalast Open Air Festival in Loreley, Germany. The open air amphitheatre sits on the banks of the Rhine which is where my wife and I have just returned from a cruise. Another reason to watch the DVD as there are some nice shots of the Rhine!

Dave is one of life's true rockers and this album shows what a terrific performer he was even if a very nervous one by his own admission. The line-up for the concert in 1983 can best be described as AWESOME. Steve Miller headlined, with support from Joe Cocker, The Stray Cats, U2 and of course Dave Edmunds.

Anyone who liked music in the 70's and 80'2 will know Dave from his many hits as well as his career with Love Sculpture and Rockpile. Featured here are hits like "I hear you knocking" "Girls Talk" "I knew the bride" and my particular favourite, "Queen of hearts." The last one being the only single that I bought in the 70's although bought is stretching it a bit. I purchased a kitchen appliance and was given a voucher for a single. I chose "Queen of Hearts."

The seventeen tacks on Dave's set all go at a cracking pace with no let up from start to finish. Dave does not sing all the tracks. Both Billy Bremner (not the Leeds Utd player) and Geraint Watkins both do a bit. Geraint even plays the accordion, an instrument not often heard on rock music. Shame that he is wearing a pair of the most awful shorts that I have seen in a long time!

The list of songwriters on the album reads like a who's who of popular music. Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Berry, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and Jeff Lynne. I had never heard the Chuck Berry track "Dear Dad" before but it is a real belter.

Personally I have never really liked live albums but being able to watch this one on DVD makes it a real winner for me. Dave plays with real dynamism as do the rest of the band. My one complaint about Dave would be his "Thank you" shouted out after each track. I realise that with a German audience he is not likely to get into much of a conversation with them but the repeated two words do grate a bit after a while. The advantage of a DVD is of course that you can just skip that bit. You will also notice that some of the subtitles are wrong. However the booklet that goes with the set more than compensates for this with the amount of information it contains.

Whilst watching the show, I kept thinking that Dave is now 70 years old and that most of the audience will be in their 50's and 60's. But then of course so am I. How time flies!

So, if you fancy a 57 minute foot tapping session of real rock music, go for this. It is GREAT!!! It is available on Amazon but make sure you buy the remastered version.

Rory Stanbridge