Down and dirty: When star rocked Glasgow

Below is a review of Chuck Berry’s show at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall published in The Herald on February 19, 1994. NOTORIOUSLY hard to please, Chuck definitely enjoyed last night’s show. We did, too.

Chuck most enjoyed a squat bloke in a singlet vaulting the stage to do a running-on-the-spot dance which, when Chuck rather naughtily speeded up his guitar-playing in order to make the squat bloke look silly, evolved into a doing-press-ups dance before evolving ultimately into a highly impressive doing-press-upswith-one-arm dance.

Chuck so appreciated the one-arm press-ups dance that he wouldn’t let a posse of security men throw the squat bloke out. Must have struck a chord, you see. Chuck has, metaphorically speaking of course, been doing his stuff with one hand tied behind his back for the past 25 years.

So how else do I know Chuck enjoyed the show? Well, while Chuck still eased us with his slow stare, sly leer, and comic swagger, he didn’t taunt us by inserting too many free-jazz guitar solos into his greatest rock ’n’ roll hits. He played ramshackle and dirty, not contemptuous and atonal. His band seemed to be on more than nodding terms with one another, Chuck’s music, and Chuck.

Chuck did deft slow blues tunes. Chuck smiled a lot. Chuck was mellow and at ease with himself.

Chuck divined no slights upon his person. We perceived no flaw in his standing as rock ’n’ roll deity.

Conclusive proof Chuck enjoyed himself? He played four minutes over his regulation hour. Hail, hail. I raise both arms in salute.