LIVE: RICHARD MARX – June 21, 2018

Venue: Sound Board inside MotorCity Casino

City: Detroit, MI

Date: June 21, 2018

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

Richard Marx has brought along an acoustic guitar the last couple times he visited the Motor City, but this year, he brought his band with him and cranked up the energy and volume.  I couldn’t wait for the man to hit the stage and deliver all of the hits we have come to know and love over the last 30+ years.  Kicking the show off with “You Never Let Me Down,” Richard set the bar high for the rest of the evening… and he delivered on every level.  Ripping next into “Endless Summer Nights” the venue felt like one big sing-a-long.  It seemed everybody in the capacity crowd knew the song.  After a cool rendition of “Take This Heart,” Marx and band tore into the one-two punch of “Satisfied” and “Angelia” from his sophomore disc Repeat Offender and the tracks sounded as fresh and powerful tonight as they did the first time they pumped through my cassette deck stereo in 1989.  Following that was “The Way She Loves Me” before slowing the pace a bit with the huge hit “Hazard.”  The banter Richard shares with the crowd in fun and adds to the enjoyment of the evening – he gets it… if we wanted to just hear the songs, we could put our CD’s on and chill at home, but getting out to a Richard Marx concert is much more than just music.  It is getting to hear stories about his starting in the business, friendships he has made along the way, and even background on some tracks.  A highlight tonight was the prerecorded backing tracks from Marx’s sons who accompanied him via video on “When You Loved Me.”  Richard blasted through a couple songs he has written for or with other artists, when he sandwiched “Dance With My Father,” “This I Promise You,” and “Long Hot Summer” before playing the second of two tracks off his latest release Beautiful Goodbye, “Just Go.”  While “Should’ve Known Better” closed out the show (prior to the encore), I couldn’t wait to hear my favorite balled of his – “Hold On To The Nights” which he turned into a mashup with “Now & Forever.”  My hands down favorite track and first memory of Richard, “Don’t Mean Nothing” was a rocking rendition that delivered a massive high point for me while set closer “Right Here Waiting” brought down the house and helped everybody leave the venue and drift off into the night humming along for some time after the final note was played.

Setlist: You Never Let Me Down – Endless Summer Nights – Take This Heart – Satisfied – Angelia – Way She Loves Me – Hazard – Keep Coming Back – I’m Not Running – When You Loved Me – Turn Off The Night – Dance With My Father – This I Promise You – Long Hot Summer – Just Go – Should’ve Known Better – Hold On To The Nights – Now & Forever – Don’t Mean Nothing – Right Here Waiting

Complete set of RICHARD MARX show photos HERE

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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries