John Foreman presents Burt Bacharach ...

I seem strangely attracted to nights with Burt Bacharach (*smile). My first encounter was a few years ago. I was hijacked by a dear friend for a ‘mystery outing’ with only the briefing to look pretty. It was revealed to me on the way to the venue that a night of Mr Bacharach was in store. I actually accused my companion of wreaking some sort of sick revenge at my expense for an unknown misdeed I’d committed against him. I just didn’t see how my dance party buddy from days gone by could seriously be taking me to a night of …Burt Bacharach covers?! Needless to say the night was great fun, and the week that followed was punctuated by spontaneous outbursts of ‘This Guy’s in Love with You’, ‘Walk On By’, ‘The Look of Love’ etc …

A similar unfolding of friendship and relationships got me to ‘John Foreman Presents Burt Bacharach plus special guests’ at the State Theatre last Thursday evening. This ‘special event’ was far more the real deal than my previous Burt encounter as Mr Bacharach was actually present on the night. Burt Bacharach gave glimpses of his life; his four marriages, the discovery of his personal talent, his magical partnership with the lyricist Hal David … and he performed ‘Alfie’; at one point halting his performance to interrupt the accompanying 30 piece orchestra with an impromptu master-class! Burt Bacharach, close to 80, has a voice that sounds as if it has been marinating in Cuban cigars and cocktails for a life time. His direction of the film crew and conducting of the orchestra for his recital number was done with such charm and lack of nonsense you could actually feel his consummately professional aura smiling as it worked the technicians, the performers and the room.

Michael Pope fronted the show – a truly funny man – and the event is being produced for future national broadcast on the Ten Network by Richard Macionis. Having never seen presenter John Foreman before – I’ve managed to miss the entire ‘Idol’ phenomenon – I thought he appeared very much like a charming version of Andrew Denton.

There was a line up of special guests who made me feel I’ve put many miles between myself and any knowledge of the coolest things in the Australian songster scene. Of the likes of Diesel, Katie Noonan (George), Dallas Crane and Leo Sayer I have a slight working knowledge, but some of the ‘Idols’ who were enthusiastically welcomed by the younger members of a wonderfully mixed audience left me completely nonplussed. Mind you, when I was familiar with who was cool in the Australian music scene – and we are going back to the era of The Angels, The Saints and Nick Cave – I can’t imagine any of the mentioned would have gone near a television talent competition. The world, it seems, has changed considerably which makes it all the more surprising the 80-year-old Burt Bacharach has been churning out hits for decades:
“Six decades into one of song writing’s most successful and honoured careers – marked by 48 Top 10 hits, nine #1 songs, more than 500 compositions and a landmark 49-year run on the charts, Burt Bacharach’s music continues to set industry records and creative standards…”  (words from the Sydney Opera House website promotion accompanying ‘An Evening with Burt Bacharach and the Sydney Symphony’)

The young ‘Idols’ at Thursday night’s State Theatre event must be mentioned. Though I felt their talents more suited to a Las Vegas or Gold Coast stage than to pop star glory this may have been because they were all looking very glamorous in deference to the evening and its star.  The young idol Paulini’s rendering of ‘Say a Little Prayer for You’ was the complete trick.

Some B.B. trivia:
• composed and arranged the soundtrack of the 1967 film Casino Royale.
• won the Best Song Oscar award with ‘Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head’ in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid  (1969)
• had cameo roles in all three Austin Powers  spy spoof movies
• Status Quo’s Heavy Traffic album features a track entitled ‘Diggin’ Burt Bacharach’
• Performed ‘This Guy’s In Love With You’ as a live duet with Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher

Should any of Henry’s readers be having second thoughts about attending the upcoming ‘An evening with Burt Bacharach and the Sydney Symphony’, I can assure you that it will be a ball.

An Evening with Burt Bacharach & the Sydney Symphony
Season: 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 July at 8pm
Presenter: Sydney Symphony
Venue: Concert Hall
Sydney Opera House
Ticketeck: 132 849
Sydney Symphony: +61 2 8215 4600
Sydney Opera House: +61 2 9250 7777