Richard Clapton condensed 50 years of his music history into one two-and-a-half-hour show in Melbourne this week like he was some sort of magician.
Richard Clapton was celebrating both the 50th anniversary of his debut album ‘Prussian Blue’ and his 74th birthday with a two-part show that was plugged out for the first set and plugged in for the second.
‘Ralph’ is very much entrenched in Australian music culture. ‘Girls On the Avenue’ from a half century ago is an Australian rock classic.
The Clapton legacy began to be written when Richard was in his early 20s. The 50th Anniversary show marked the origins of the career with two tracks from the 1973 ‘Prussian Blue’ album in the first set of acoustic songs.
The second half was the Rock Concert section of the show and rock he did. The Godfather of Australian Rock was responsible for early recordings of INXS and nurtured the origins of Cold Chisel. Both members of Chisel and INXS would later honour Richard by guesting on his recordings. What a treat it was to see it jump a generation at this show with Jimmy Barnes’ daughter Mahalia Barnes on backing vocals and especially as she performed the backing for ‘I Am An Island’ sung by her dad on the original recording.
With Danny Spencer on guitar, Richard has found the sound that links the past with his present. The late Red McKelvie was so important to Richard’s early records including that guitar work on ‘Girls On the Avenue’ that with Danny the songs can be reconstructed perfectly. That is complimented by Michael Hegarty on bass who dates back with Richard to those iconic albums on the late 70s early 80s including ‘Goodbye Tiger’ and ‘The Great Escape’.
This was a show for Richard to look back on his formative days for the fans. The most recent track was 30 years old, the title track of ‘Distant Thunder’.
When the celebrations subside and Richard reverts back to the 21st century playlist I’m sure the brilliant works he has delivered in recent years like ‘Harlequin Nights’ (2012) and ‘The House of Orange’ (2016) will be again represented.
As for now, happy 74th Richard and congrats on a very production 50 years on stages around the world.
Richard Clapton setlist 19 May 2023, Palais Theatre, St Kilda
Acoustic 1st half
Walk on Water (from The Great Escape, 1982)
Blue Bay Blues (from Girls On The Avenue, 1975)
Prussian Blue (from Prussian Blue, 1973)
Wintertime in Amsterdam (from Goodbye Tiger, 1977)
All the Prodigal Children (from Prussian Blue, 1973)
Electric 2nd half
Suit Yourself (from Main Street Jive, 1976)
Stepping Across the Line (from Past Hits and Previews, 1978)
Spellbound (from The Great Escape, 1982)
Capricorn Dancer (from Highway One soundtrack, 1977)
High Society (from Dark Spaces, 1980)
Get Back to the Shelter (from Dark Spaces, 1980)
Down in the Lucky Country (from Goodbye Tiger, 1977)
The Universal (from The Great Escape, 1982)
Glory Road (from Glory Road, 1987)
Deep Water (from Goodbye Tiger, 1977)
Distant Thunder (from Distant Thunder, 1993)
I Am an Island (from The Great Escape, 1982)
Encore:
The Best Years of Our Lives (from The Great Escape, 1982)
Girls on the Avenue (from Girls On The Avenue, 1975)
Goodbye Tiger (from Goodbye Tiger, 1977)
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