THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 1, 1994 TAG: 9409300060
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
ON THIS TOUR, Bruce Cockburn will get personal and, of course, passionate.
The Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist, who will perform for the first time in Hampton Roads Tuesday at Norfolk's Boathouse, is on the second leg of his ``Dart to the Heart Tour'' showcasing songs from his most recent album of the same name.
His career has spanned a quarter of a century and 22 albums, including such critically lauded long players as ``Big Circumstance,'' ``Stealing Fire,'' ``Nothing But a Burning Light'' and the seasonal ``Christmas'' that produced such songs as ``If A Tree Falls'' and ``If I Had a Rocket Launcher.''
Cockburn (pronounced Coe-burn) has won countless recording and performing awards in his native Canada as well as accolades around the world. Critics and musicians alike have generally placed him in the same passionate artist niche along with such performers as Richard Thompson, U2, Midnight Oil and T Bone Burnette, who produced Cockburn's last two albums.
``I've been blessed with a restless, questioning nature,'' Cockburn said over the phone while driving his truck through the streets of Toronto. ``I don't like to sit around. There's so much to discover.''
``Dart to the Heart'' presents a departure from his usual song subjects.
Generally the eloquent and poetic Cockburn has written passionately about faith, evil, the brotherhood of man and effective stewardship of the planet, its resources, people and creatures.
His newest presents songs about love, which he depicts as ``universal force, like light or gravity,'' how it can both heal and harm, burn or illuminate.
``My songwriting has always been a reaction to situations I've encountered,'' he said. ``For this record, the subject matter deals with issues of the heart. This time there's no Third World locales or overt violence as in previous recordings. Some have said, `He's lost his edge, lost his anger; he's writing romantic mush.' But it all comes down to people's preferences and if people bother to pay attention to what I do. It's all about how people interact with each other.''
Throughout his career, Cockburn's strong Christian faith has affected his songs. But he's no performer in the Sandy Patti/Amy Grant Christian rock vein.
``At various points in my career, my faith has been a direct inspiration to me,'' he said. ``It gives me a sense of perspective on things. It keeps turning up in my songs.''
Cockburn's musical rage has usually been set in simple folk settings or more complex Third World or jazz arrangements. But on ``Dart to the Heart,'' and at the show he will bring to the Boathouse stage, the music will be more direct and rocking thanks to Burnett's influence.
``He had a lot to do with the overall sound,'' Cockburn said. ``Both of us agreed we wanted to keep the record fast and tough sounding. We wanted a tough, raw album reminiscent of something like the Rolling Stones' `Beggars' Banquet.' And he's the best there is in taking a traditional sensibility and apporach into account.''
Cockburn said his current tour - with John Dymond on bass, Colin Linden on guitar, Ken Pearson on keyboard and Miche Pouliot on drums - will feature the same instrumentation as on the ``Dart to the Heart'' album. The concert will also feature quite a bit of Cockburn's own lauded, intense electric and acoustic guitar work.
``This is a rootsy sort of band,'' he said. ``The band rocks, but it also has the capacity to do the more reflective material. And I'll take on more of a duet approach with the other guitar player, depending on the song.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DANA TYNAN
Bruce Cockburn recently released ``Dart to the Heart.''
CONCERT FACTS
Who: Bruce Cockburn.
When: Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Where: The Boathouse in Norfolk
Tickets: $13.50 advance, $15 at the door
Call: 622-6395
by CNB