I just saw Chuck Berry on German TV. He got the Golden Camera for his whole life thing. I´m such a big fan and I´m gonna see him in a few weeks in Amsterdam. But what I saw a few minutes ago made me feel really sceptical about this gig. First he thanked everybody for the Golden Camera and then he began to talk. You could´t understand him but just the German-translation. All I heard were some confusing things about his past and his plans for the future. But nothing of this made really sense. But the most scary thing was his performance of "Roll over Beethoven". They played the original track and he tried his playback but failed most of the time. Of course this man is 82 years old but right now I´m asking myself how he will manage to play live with a guitar in his hand when he hardly knows his texts? Of course it was a stupid idea to let him do a playback of one of his original versions, especially with the singer of the "Scorpions" on guitar. But as I said, I´m really sceptical that he is still able to perform a whole concert without dissapointing some or lots of people. Anybody saw him at one of his last concerts?

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MiCkJaGGeR
They played the original track and he tried his playback but failed most of the time. Of course it was a stupid idea to let him do a playback of one of his original versions, especially with the singer of the "Scorpions" on guitar. But as I said, I´m really sceptical that he is still able to perform a whole concert without dissapointing some or lots of people. Anybody saw him at one of his last concerts?

Well, it was a bad idea to mime to the original track. BTW, it was R. Schenker,
the Scorpions´guitarist. The singer held the speech for Chuck (which was
quite good).

Saw CB in June and November 2006, the first one was outstanding, the
second a bit rusty. He still can play guitar and sing. Good luck!

I agree. I d/l a recording of chuck in holland 07 and it was dreadful. Its such a shame and hurts to hear him have so much trouble. At least I hope its not intentional on his part from lack of interest,that would be even sadder! Enjoy your records and wish the man well in his twilight years but save your money on shows.

I have a friend, who saw him at Munich in November 2007...and he said it was PHANTASTIC!

What? Why on earth would they have him perform to his own recording? Who's idea was this? And how did anyone not see that no good could come out of that. An 82 year old singing to a 50 year old recording? Oh sure...that's gonna sound natural. No one will notice a thing...

I can't believe Chuck agreed to perform that way...

Dont wanna be picky, but..
Chuckster is only 81 still and for some other 8½ months.
As he was born on Oct 18, 1926.

I dont know what to think; sompe people say his shows are ok..
But on the other hand,
very few if anyone says its, like, mediocre.
Maybe his name makes us put up our expectations a little too high.
I doubt he never had an even output on his concert thing?

Is this from the show?

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&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="

&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>


EDIT

Nope it's not. Info below:

Chuck Berry AVO Session 2007
Basel (Switzerland)
13th of November 2007



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-02-09 02:59 by Justin.

I saw him this past September in New Jersey and he was pretty damn good for an octogenarian! It didn't hurt that he had his St. Louis band backing him up... believe me, there were plenty of bum notes & flubbed lyrics but Chuck seemed to be having fun with the whole thing and hey... I finally got to see the Godfather himself in the flesh and he didn't disappoint.

The video is finally posted. Wow...I've never seen Chuck hold back tears like this....

Still, the playback is a truely sad choice by the producers. Although, was it playedback AT the actual performance? It definitely seems that way on this video...but the musicians all seem to be actually playing live on stage.

Very strange....


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&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="

&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

>>..I've never seen Chuck hold back tears like this....<<

Haha - he fooled ya.
he was makin' fun.

"he'd been thinkin a long long while now, and he's gonna build his home someday, and
btw this not Rock'n Roll and it's not roll over Beethoven, but it's wondeful, from Iceland to Molokai over shelves and books ...and what not...I'd better stop now and play some music"

and what was that with the scruffy carpet and chinese princess and two little dogs? rotfl ><
I didn't realize Chuck was such a comedian.

didn't you notice the audience going WTF is he on about? real Dadaistic and funny that part.

Ok, the playback was a disgrace.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-02-14 02:20 by open-g.

"Ok, the playback was a disgrace."

And what about the guitar ....man !!! chuck without a guitar

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I've seen him live some months ago in Tilburg.....I enjoyed the show a lot, but it was my first Chuck Berry concert. Of course he is a bit out of shape, but the bloke is in his 80's. I read reviews where people said "he sounds like he is playing guitar with icehockey gloves. Some parts of the show he was surely off... wrong key, no lyrics....or the engineer just turned his volume down. But was it dissapointing?.....A DEFINATE NO!.....I will go and see him in the Bijlmer Bierhal 17-03 and I'm looking foreward to it. The man is a living legend and knows how to work a crowd. If you are a purist....lock yourself at home and put on an old record. If you just want a nice night out, see a great band and listen to Chuck doing some things well and some things wrong, go and see the concert! I've seen worse guitarplayers on stage. I don't think Chuck likes to be played of the stage, so I guess when Taylor and Wymann are playing he will put in some extra efford. I think he's like the colloseum in Rome.... A bit worn by time....but still worth to go and see. So if you have the chance....GO GO GO! (little queenie)


BTW. Popa Chubby is playing Holland soon.... Is anyone else going?

Hugo

Cool down...

This guy's a hero and he's old enough.

I saw him about a year ago, and of course i didn't expect any fast guitar solos or stuff like that. Chuck was really cool, played his own stuff in his own style.

I was really proud to have the chance to see someone of his range live. And he was phantastic, but in his own way. He was miles away of playing "perfect". Of course he missed some things, but that was okay for me.

I haven't seen him since the Hail Hail shows which even then I remember him hitting more bum notes than I would have expected (which were mixed real low for the film and soundtrack); having seen him do an excellent show just 5 years prior, I was a bit surprised.

Some of the clips I've seen on youtube lately are downright awful I'm sad to say.

But...there's no denying this man his legacy, he certainly could vie for the title of the father of R&R due to the overwhelming amount of good work for the first couple decades of his career!

Chuck Berry live has always been about Bum notes!

Never forget a festival gig in Frankfurt/Germany ca. 73.
Been backstage and playin were Faces(with Ronnie o.c. and Keith Moon!),Sly Stone and Ding-a-Ling Chuck.

Lots of bum notes but great night!!

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NICOS
"Ok, the playback was a disgrace."

And what about the guitar ....man !!! chuck without a guitar

Chuck without a guitar - That's true and sad.

according to one poster on YouTube, he was supposed to have a guitar, but Chuck refused to mime on a Gibson Les Paul.
The production company was not able to provide a Gibson ES 335/345 or 355.
So all the shame and disgrace goes to the production company.

Chuck seemed to have some fun though.