Fringe 2024 Dean Friedman The Fringe at Prestonfield The Stables 21st August Review
Dean Friedman was at The Fringe at Prestonfield – The Stables (Venue 105) for one night only on 21st August, with an evening of songs and stories.
As always, this was a relaxed evening with Dean telling the stories behind many of his most popular songs. With a recording career spanning nearly 50 years, he has hundreds of songs in his repertoire to choose from, and tonight’s selection covered titles ranging from his first album right through to his newest one, “American Lullaby”. When you listen carefully to the lyrics, many of these songs tell a story in their own right, a novella condensed down to a three or four minute song. There is a great deal of humour of some of the songs, but others are moving love stories, whether of love lost or found. With “McDonald’s Girl”, which was banned by the BBC because it appeared to be promoting a particular burger store, Dean is careful to explain that this was written as a song from a smitten teenage boy to a 15 year old girl working in McDonalds. Despite the ban, it was recorded by other artists, and became a number 1 hit in Norway, and some 30 years after it was first released, McDonald’s themselves used it in an advert.
Of course, any Dean Friedman concert wouldn’t be complete without his big hit songs - “Lydia”, “Ariel”, and “Woman of Mine” were all there. As we got to the end of the concert, Dean announced that this was the bit where he should leave the stage, then come back on to do “just one more song”, but we should just imagine that had happened. His final song needed audience participation as it was a duet, and was of course “Lucky Stars”. The audience all knew the words and the evening ended, all too soon, with Denise Marsa’s part in the song being sung by several hundred audience members.
Dean’s music and stories never grow old, and he himself retains a boyish charm and that very distinctive voice. Long may he continue writing, singing, and touring.
Review by Lisa Sibbald © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
As always, this was a relaxed evening with Dean telling the stories behind many of his most popular songs. With a recording career spanning nearly 50 years, he has hundreds of songs in his repertoire to choose from, and tonight’s selection covered titles ranging from his first album right through to his newest one, “American Lullaby”. When you listen carefully to the lyrics, many of these songs tell a story in their own right, a novella condensed down to a three or four minute song. There is a great deal of humour of some of the songs, but others are moving love stories, whether of love lost or found. With “McDonald’s Girl”, which was banned by the BBC because it appeared to be promoting a particular burger store, Dean is careful to explain that this was written as a song from a smitten teenage boy to a 15 year old girl working in McDonalds. Despite the ban, it was recorded by other artists, and became a number 1 hit in Norway, and some 30 years after it was first released, McDonald’s themselves used it in an advert.
Of course, any Dean Friedman concert wouldn’t be complete without his big hit songs - “Lydia”, “Ariel”, and “Woman of Mine” were all there. As we got to the end of the concert, Dean announced that this was the bit where he should leave the stage, then come back on to do “just one more song”, but we should just imagine that had happened. His final song needed audience participation as it was a duet, and was of course “Lucky Stars”. The audience all knew the words and the evening ended, all too soon, with Denise Marsa’s part in the song being sung by several hundred audience members.
Dean’s music and stories never grow old, and he himself retains a boyish charm and that very distinctive voice. Long may he continue writing, singing, and touring.
Review by Lisa Sibbald © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com