My personal review for the 'Animal Experience'

I’ve been at quite some concerts of ‘Eric Burdon and the Animals’ during the last years. And also this year I had the chance to see them twice on their European tour. And here is my personal review.

Each of their performances on stage is more than just a show, it’s an experience! And they also proved this to be true for this year. From my point of view especially at the show in Karlsruhe. Everything just fit together! The show was sold out and the audience obviously was famished for Eric and his Animals again. It’s been over 5 years, since he had been there the last time, back then with a different line-up (except of keyboarder Red Young, who already then was part of the band). So right from the beginning the crowd was ready for partying!

But of course this incredible evening in the first place was the merit of the band – including Eric, of course. This line-up is just perfect! All those musicians (Red Young – keyboards, Billy Watts – guitar, Terry Wilson – bass, Brennan Temple – drums) play their instruments on an absolute high class level. And they know each other perfectly well (as they know each other for years – some even decades – and partly also play together in other bands on a regular basis), what gives them a solid fundament and the freedom to easily improvise without losing each other. So the performance of a concert always is highly dynamic and one show never is exactly similar to another one. Creativity and spontaneity are two of Eric’s outstanding qualities and he leads his band as well as his audience through a concert, which is decorated with unexpected deviations. All this turns the show into a vivid musical firework - you are always in full attention to not miss anything!

Of course there were the evergreens: ‘When I Was Young’, ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’, ‘Misunderstood’, ‘House Of The Rising Sun’… And then there were the songs that change from tour to tour or even during a tour – including quite some, that I love a lot: Ray Charles’s ‘I Believe To My Soul’, Bo Diddley’s ‘Before You Accuse Me’, ‘Trying To Get To You’, ‘Crawling King Snake’, ‘Why Can’t We Live Together/River Is Rising’… It was an evening filled up with fantastic high quality music – like you are used to it, when you go to see Eric perform.

Who would think that Eric is at the age of 70 already? He seems to get younger and healthier year by year, rocking each venue he’s at. His voice is incredible. It always was, I know. But it seems to still get better and better. Its depth, intensity, clarity and high energy on one side and then its softness, which causes you goose bubbles and sends shivers down your spine, on the other - it just carries you away!

It is so obvious, how much fun all those guys have on stage, kidding around and laughing while they are performing. This positive atmosphere is passed on to the audience – and from there mirrored back to the band again. This high spirits vertex led to another unexpected final encore this time: ‘When You’re Down And Out’ and ‘I’m Crying’ (dedicated to Amy Winehouse) were the extra goodies from Eric and the Animals for their enraptured fans.

It is an all over experience to see ‘Eric Burdon and the Animals’ live! And I can’t wait to see them again next year. Hopefully! :)

Tags: 2011, Karlsruhe, concert, review

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Comment by Iris Patricia on August 11, 2011 at 9:00am: I hopr so for you, too, uncle joe!

Comment by uncle_jo on August 9, 2011 at 2:13pm: How lucky you are Iris. Hope it will be my turn very soon in Paris

Comment by Iris Patricia on August 8, 2011 at 12:08pm: TThank you to all of you!, I just wrote down, how I feel.

And Karen - have fun in Warren! I'm sure you will enjoy it! :)

Comment by Dragon Lady on August 8, 2011 at 7:22am: Great review, when i read this i wish that i was there

Comment by Karen Booth on August 7, 2011 at 5:41pm: You sound like the consummate Eric Burdon fan with a fresh insight to his concert experience... What a wondeful review! I thought my engines were revved up already but this has made me even more eager to see him. My plans are officially Etched In Stone to catch his appearance at the Andiamo Celebrity Showroom in Warren, MI on 11/11. My only regret is that it took me so long to truly appreciate this man's music. I'm doing my best to make up for missing out on these 40+ years... Thank you again for sharing your thoughts in this review.