On January 19, 2024, I found myself in possession of some free tickets to see Rick Springfield and Richard Marx at Foxwoods. So, what’s a metal loving guy to do? I put on my Megadeth sweatshirt, called up my buddy Dan, and we went to the show!
I really didn’t know what to expect from the show. I didn’t want to research it and spoil the fun. Would one open for the other? Would there be full bands? Would it be the wussiest show full of ballads, ever? Nope! None of that!
Rick Springfield and “Dick” Marx as they said at one point, played the full show together as an acoustic duet. Throughout the night, they traded off playing each other’s songs, telling stories, and showing lots of pictures of the past. The set started off with Endless Summer Nights (Marx) followed by Affair of the Heart (Springfield).
After two songs, they started the bantering which continued throughout the night and was very entertaining. During this first break between songs, Richard Marx talked about how when he first got to LA (California), his first professional gig was as a backup singer for Lionel Richie on All Night Long. Later on in his career when cutting his first album, he asked Lionel to sing back for him! And he did, along with Luther Vandross.
They then went on to play The Way She Loves Me (Marx), Love is All Right Tonight (Springfield), and Satisfied (Marx). At this point, Springfield started to talk about how he’s getting older and Marx said, “You don’t fucking look it Rick!!” Marx left the stage at this point and Springfield started to tell a story about writing the next song with his friend Sammy Hagar. He said Sammy is only one year older at 75 years old. I really thought he was kidding and looked it up right then. I cannot believe Springfield is 75!! I thought he was 60 at the absolute oldest. Marx is 60 himself. Rock and Roll has been good to Springfield for sure!
“If you know it, sing along. If not, what the fuck are you doing here?” Springfield asked before going into I’ve Done Everything for You.
The show went on and they played Hazard (Marx), Don’t Talk to Strangers (Springfield), and then they did a quick chorus only version of Hold on to the Night (Marx) before doing the full version of Should’ve Known Better (Marx). The boring part of the show was when Springfield went solo again to do My Father’s Chair and then If Wishes Were Fishes. Marx came back out and did a solo with a prerecorded video and music featuring his sons to play When You Loved Me.
Marx said he wouldn’t be playing Now and Forever which probably bummed some people out, but that’s ok. When they went into You Better Love Somebody, Springfield talked about how he wrote it while on the set of a movie with Keith Richards’ girlfriend. During this song, he sounded a lot like Neil Diamond.
Don’t Mean Nothing (Marx), and Human Touch (Springfield) completed the main set before the encore which included Right Here Waiting (Marx), and of course Springfield’s Jessie’s Girl.
Musically, it was a really good show. It was also extremely entertaining. They told a lot of stories, , busted each other’s balls, talked to the audience a lot, lots of swearing when not singing, and seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves. It was practically a comedy show at some points, with legit songs and music in between bits. Really great show. If they haven’t yet played your town, consider getting tickets.
Leave a Reply