sun 08/12/2024

Johnny Hallyday, Royal Albert Hall | reviews, news & interviews

Johnny Hallyday, Royal Albert Hall

Johnny Hallyday, Royal Albert Hall

A full-bore, take-no-prisoners British headlining debut from French rock‘n’roll legend

The seemingly indestructible Johnny Hallyday contemplates les rosbifs

The Royal Albert Hall is pretty big. It's a prestige venue, but everything is relative. For the overwhelmingly French audience, the first British headlining show by Johnny Hallyday was the equivalent of seeing Paul McCartney, Tom Jones and Cliff Richard sharing a bill at the back room of the Dog & Duck.

Hallyday is a stadium-packer in France and the French-registered cars and coaches parked around Kensington Gore testified that this was an international draw. He sang mostly in French, spoke in French and was, well, French, even though his music is very firmly a blues, soul and rock'n’roll stew.

Hallyday is wired into the mains of his inspirations, like a preacher

For most Brits, Hallyday is either a mystery or a gently sniggersome figure. The French Elvis? Oh yes, ha ha! Last night was more than an explanation of his very particular magic. It was a baptism, communion and exorcism. There’s nothing remotely tongue-in-cheek about Hallyday. This man is wired into the mains of his inspirations, like a preacher. The back projections said it all: handcuffs, knives spinning through the air, dice rolling, the cross hairs of a gun sight, the bars of cell, a roulette wheel – the iconography of life on the edge, one lived outside conventional rules.

His cowboy boots, studded trousers and Matelot jacket were almost welded on. Which was just as well, as his face looked fixed too. Even so, when the hands of the faithful in the front rows reached out, he broke into a smile. They had never got this close before. After taking a couple of swigs from a water bottle, he tossed it into the audience and people swelled up to catch it. Again, he smiled.

But without the music and his voice, this could never work. Beginning a two-hour performance with a roaring “Allumer le feu”, Hallyday arrived like a bulldozer. Thrusting like Otis Redding and straddling his mike stand, his voice sounded tremendous, emanating from his upper chest. He held notes just long enough for them to surrender to an earthquake-level vibrato. Powerful is the least of it.

The set cherry-picked highlights from across his career. A band featuring guitars, backing singers, a brass section, harmonica and two keyboard players meant anything could be accommodated. A “Que je t'aime” in which the audience ended up hijacking the verse and choruses, was the magnificent highlight. “Oh Marie”, a letter-in-song from World War I, was simple and filled with emotion. A sit-down, unplugged segment devoted to his early rock‘n’roll-era hits was effective, but highlighted that this most masculine of mature performers can never again be the kid inspired by Elvis and James Dean that he once was.

Hallyday is 69. He released his first record in 1960. As 1961 ended, he was anointed France’s King of Rock. Ever hip to what was going on, as the decade progressed he recorded with James Brown’s JBs, Small Faces and a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. He was instrumental in providing a platform for Jimi Hendrix ("Hey Joe" was another high here). His guitarist since the mid-Nineties and current musical director is Robin Le Mesurier, son of John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques.

Yet Hallyday has never focused on les rosbifs, even if Melvyn Bragg dedicated a South Bank Show to him in 2004 after his well-reviewed appearance in the 2002 film L’Homme du train while Radio Two broadcast a documentary series on him in 2008. In France, he played what was advertised as his farewell tour in 2009, but that was curtailed when complications in surgery led to him being put into a medically induced coma. Now, here he was after playing Paris’ massive Stade de France and being hospitalised in August with heart problems. Seemingly, he is indestructible. He will see Cliff and Tom Jones off.

Hallyday has never embraced musical restraint. His current album, Jamais Seul, is a gale-force collection of guitar-centric songs that rock. Hard. Even the ballads. He could teach Jack White a thing or two. The album’s closer, “England”, declares “La musique is in England / You understand”. After this concert, it’s impossible not to.

President Chirac awarded Hallyday France’s highest honour, the Legion d’Honneur, in 1997. Fifteen years later, on the evidence of this performance, that’s not enough. Hallyday deserves a special one-off award. It could only be called Le Johnny.

Visit Kieron Tyler’s blog

Johnny Hallyday performs Jamais Seul’s Jimi Hendrix tribute “Guitar Hero”

Last night was more than an explanation of Hallyday's very particular magic. It was a baptism, communion and exorcism

rating

Editor Rating: 
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)

Share this article

Comments

I was there.....and loved every minute of Johnnie.

He was superb: there is simply no other word I can use. The variety of musical styles, the power, the tenderness, the sheer ballsiness all combined to make this one of th ebest gigs I have seen in 20 years. Bravo Johnny!

It was a great concert. However it was a shame that he did not mention the loyalty of the British fans present. It could have been aconcert anywhere in the francophone world.

it doesn't matther if Johnny doesn't mention his fans he know they are there and they know him. I'm one of his fan and saw him last Sunday in New York and there he knew where his fans were right there with him love you Johnny

I have been a fan since 1987 and saw his London performance. It was electrifying. I'll never forget it. A true superstar. He just stands there and you feel the power, Long live Johnny, I love you man.

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters