On Monday 21st April 2008 SFR attended a very special evening with Eric Burdon and War. This was their first concert in 37 years, after the original band disbanded in 1971...

It was an odd crowd that duly assembled at the Royal Albert Hall - from teenagers to people in their 60's who presumably remembered Burdon from his Animal's days. It being central London and the RAH, there was also a smattering of trendy types in expensive suits (who looked like they'd come expecting Beethoven) and one or two oddities including a woman in an Edwardian dress with a particularly splendid hat (more about her later).

War kicked off without Burdon with "The World is a Ghetto" and "Cisco Kid" with keyboard player & vocalist Lonnie Jordan taking the lead. Jordan looked immediately at home on this big RAH stage and was clearly enjoying himself. His keyboard playing was pure joy and, with Fernando Harkless, playing some incredible sax and flute, the band (and the crowd) were nicely warmed up by the time that Eric Burdon arrived on stage.

On arrival (about 30 minutes in to the set) a rather portly Burdon was very well received, as you'd expect, especially by a David Brent look-alike in the third row who had already been invited onto the stage once by Lonnie Jordan. Jordan seemingly saw the funny side of this buffoon's antics which is more than can be said for the RAH ushers, who needed little excuse to launch themselves into the crowd in an attempt to maintain RAH etiquette. Their constant intervention was extremely annoying and far more disruptive than the odd camera flash. Edwardian Hat Woman bore the brunt of this (quite unfairly I might add) and I almost felt sorry for her by the night's end.

Burdon was hardly recognisable as the enigmatic young man who fronted the Animals but then I suppose none of us look like we did 30+ years ago. The moment he sang, however, there was no mistaking it - this was indeed Eric Burdon.

Burdon's voice is still a tour de force. There were points when the voice broke - and at times he was just shouting - but these were few and between and overall Burdon more than coped with the Albert Hall's echoey accoustics.

"Spill The Wine" was followed by a marvelous "Spirit" and, of course, "Tobacco Road". War remained tight throughout and there were some wonderful performances including a marvelous drum solo from percussionist Salvador Rodriguez which ended with Rodriguez standing atop his drum kit spouting water like a fountain.

"Paint it Black" was grossly over-done and, at times, even the band appeared to lose their way. The crowd clearly couldn't quite work out whether the song had ended (or maybe they were just hoping that it had) because they cheered and clapped inappropiately at every break.

Inevtiably "House of the Rising Sun" had to follow - and it did, with Burdon's voice now showing signs of wear. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" was murdered as an encore - shame really but there we are. I suppose artists must get tired of singing the same song the same way for 40 years, but if you are Eric Burdon and you're going to sing "Misunderstood" there is really only one way to do it.

Towards the end of this two and a half hour set (yes TWO AND A HALF HOURS), the Brent-alike shouted, at the top of his not inconsderable voice, "Pinch yourself! You ARE here and this IS happening". Slightly sick-making (in best David Brent style), but the man had a point. This was a tight and at times exhilirating performance from one of Britain's greatest R&B's legends.

WAR!

Los Angeles-based War had a distinctive soul/blues/funk sound and their 1970 album Eric Burdon Declares WAR included two No. 1 worldwide hits - Spill the Wine, and Tobacco Road.

Although WAR's lyrics were sometimes political in nature (in keeping with their racially integrated line-up), their music almost always had a laid-back vibe emblematic of their Southern California roots. Shortly after the sudden death of Burdon's close friend Jimi Hendrix, Burdon left the group, and WAR went on to become a creative force and released many successful albums in their own right.

The London Royal Albert Hall reunion concert also dovetails a massive reissue campaign that will see Rhino Records releasing all of Eric Burdon and War's seminal albums. The two 1970's albums Eric Burdon Declares WAR and Black-Man's Burdon will be released in the UK on Monday 24th March, followed by the release of their 1976 compilation album Love Is All Around on Monday 31st March.

All of War's subsequent studio albums will follow through the month of April. The reissue campaign will end on 14th April with the release of The Best of Eric Burdon and WAR and The WAR Anthology.

(Our special thanks to Peter Noble PR Consultancy Ltd)