With Richard Marx What You See Is What You Get #REVIEW

Richard Marx is in a good place at the moment. His new song “Last Thing I Wanted’ is being played on radio in the US next to Selena Gomez. Richard joked that it wasn’t that long ago his mentions on radio usually consisted of “that was Richard Marx and coming up next Bette Midler ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’.

Richard Marx is one of the understated stars of the music industry. You won’t ever find him in gossip mags, on TMZ or subsidising his income on some reality show. In fact it was amazing to be able to find a star of this calibre in a venue the size of Melbourne’s Palms At Crown (capacity 800).

The incredible thing about every vocal, every note and every song at a Richard Marx concert is that it is 100% real and 100% him. There were no mimed vocals, music effects, flashy backgrounds or fillers. Richard Marx delivers an all-hit organic performance for his fans.

There were no covers (well except for when he was clowning around with John Farnham’s ‘You’re The Voice’). Even the three songs recorded by NSYNC, Luther Vandross and Keith Urban (played in a cluster) were written by Richard.

He told a funny story about the recording of the NSYNC song which he also produced. Despite recording in a remote location dozen of female fans discovered the studio. The band were smuggled in the back door to avoid the fans. Richard marched right through the front door completely ignored by the young girls. Finally one night when he was recognised by a very young and gorgeous girl in the carpark she said to him “my mother loves you”.

And so you get the gist of a Richard Marx show. Sometimes its like a full on rock show (Don’t Mean Nothing impacted like a Joe Walsh performance), sometimes it is just like a mate popping over to tell a few yarns. Like the one about ‘Hazard’, a song about a murder, when he was once asked by a fan if it was autobiographical.

Fun Fact: Hazard was no 1 hit in Australia but only reached no 9 in the USA.

There is nothing precious about Richard Marx. He is what he is. What you see is what you get, the person not the perception.

You also get a crack all-Australian band featuring Jack Jones (guitar), Phil Turcio (keyboard), Peter Mollica (bass) and Gerry Pantazis (drums).

Richard Marx attracts the SuperFan to his concerts. This lot knew every word to every song.

They kinda know all the words at a @richardmarx show. pic.twitter.com/2np16elY6U

— Paul Cashmere (@paulcashmere) June 11, 2016

Richard Marx, Melbourne, June 10, 2016 setlist

Endless Summer Nights (from Richard Marx, 1987)
Satisfied (from Repeat Offender, 1989)
Angelia (from Repeat Offender, 1989)
The Way She Loves Me (from Paid Vacation, 1994)
Hazard (from Rush Street, 1991)
Last Thing I Wanted (single, 2016)
Keep Coming Back (from Rush Street, 1991)
Hold On To The Nights (from Richard Marx, 1987)/Now and Forever (from Paid Vacation, 1994)
This I Promise You (Richard song recorded by NSYNC)
Dance With My Father (Richard song recorded by Luther Vandross)
Long Hot Summer (Richard song recorded by Keith Urban)
Take This Heart (from Rush Street, 1991)
Don’t Mean Nothing (from Richard Marx, 1987)

Just Go (from Beautiful Goodbye, 2013)
Should’ve Known Better (from Richard Marx, 1987)
Right Here Waiting (from Repeat Offender, 1989)