Anyone who has spent perhaps half an hour with me is probably aware of my love for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and would thus be privy to the knowledge that I admire greatly the songwriting talents of Bob Gaudio (whose name I find nearly impossible not to say in an Italian-American accent). As well as this, they would probably have also been an audience to my expressed love for the film/musical Jersey Boys.
So, bearing all of that in mind, as my first outing as a free woman, having shed the shackles of my final A Level exams, off I toddled with my mother to the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square to attend the London concert debut of Erich Bergen. VIP seating really meant VIP seating, as our table was practically touching the stage, spitting distance from the enticingly shiny Yamaha grand piano. After a short wait, on walked the band, the pianist and long-term friend introducing the man himself. 6″3, Thunderbirds-esque hair in a blue sequin jacket, Erich Bergen’s stage presence is unbelievable. My poor mother was on the receiving end of a small flap of fangirling before I finally calmed down, shut up and listened. I experienced his dry sarcasm and contagious laughter, personally apologising for Donald Trump on behalf of the American Embassy, before inviting a collective groan from the room upon the mention of “Bregsit”. Obviously, there was music; a New York-inspired medley, followed by another medley, this time one of Billy Joel numbers; I have to say, one of the songs which stuck out most for me was a beautiful cover of Walking in Memphis – Erich is also a wonderful pianist, but he left the piano to return to center stage to perform various Four Seasons hits. I was especially elated to find that the final song was Cry For Me, my favourite song from the Jersey Boys film.
Erich is a born performer, and when I thought about the show a couple of days later on the train to London, the song I was listening to worded what I was thinking about perfectly. The song Making Love Out of Nothin At All by Air Supply – yes I know, but they’re a good band – contains one of my favourite song lyrics – “every star in the sky is taking aim at your eye like a spotlight” – and I suddenly realised that that line fitted part of the Hippodrome show to a T. Erich’s passion and love for what he does comes through so purely in his performance, and at one point, this passion was reflected directly in his eyes; they were literally sparkling under the spotlight. Obviously it was the angle of the lights combined with my seating position, but you get the gist. Call me a romantic.
People often talk of a moment in their lives which changed them, inspired them to do what they do, or remember it just as a specific moment in their lives. I’ve had the privilege to see many bands and artists, many of whom have songs I’d like to be able to play, but I do feel like Erich Bergen’s show was this for me. Not that I aspire to be a theatre performer or an actor, but I would like to be a songwriter, but most of all, I aspire to be as happy with my life as Erich Bergen appears to be with his. I had the opportunity to meet him after the show, and found that the same person who came across as confident yet so normal (re an amusing anecdote regarding a celebrity bowling tournament) onstage was unchanged off of it. In fact, perhaps more normal than celebrity, for he became humbled upon hearing people’s compliments of him, and there were fewer smart remarks regarding the American political situation. Nevertheless, the confidence was there, and the ease with which he spoke to everyone – to use a very British phrase, he was truly lovely.
Whenever something – usually a song – brings me some form of happiness or comfort during the turmoils of teenage life, I develop a somewhat irritating urge to attach myself emotionally to it, completely and utterly. I long to tell the creator of said song how much said song means to me. The reason for the Hippodrome show was also to promote Erich Bergen’s new album, Never Give Up (of which I now have a signed copy, thank you very much). The first track, Crazy Tonight (which was also performed at the Hippodrome), is one of those songs. Apart from anything else, it’s such a feelgood, catchy song that’s rich in Four Seasons inspiration, but with that New York pizzazz which radiates from it’s writer. I adore the song, and the rest of the album, but I didn’t wish to say all of this only because of the song, but just because of Erich Bergen himself. For that short moment of inspiration and realisation I experienced during the show, the admiration of his happiness and outlook on life, and the feeling that throughout the evening, certain moments felt rather more personal than I thought they would. So thank you, Erich Bergen, for a wonderful show, and for being such a beautiful person in many ways, perhaps more than you often realise. Thank you for providing someone with a sense of comfort and reassurance in a loud, shouting world.
Plus, he spelt my name correctly. And he gave me a kiss. Any of you lot been kissed by Erich Bergen? Didn’t think so.
