Rick Springfield – I’ve Done Everything For You

Proficient singer-songwriter, Rick Springfield, held a performance at Rancho Mirage’s The Show, one of the region’s most distinguished live music venues. A time capsule of a man, his energy onstage surpasses many musicians even half his age.

Sun & The Saint, a duo based in Los Angeles, served as the opening band for Springfield. Together, Reed Thomas Lawrence, on guitar, and Paloma Estevez, on the drums, endeared early concert-goers with a few of their originals. Each song embodied authenticity. Both musicians expressed continuous gratitude, not only to Springfield and his crew, but to the crowd listening in. Their music was worth the investment.

Against a star-speckled sky, a phoenix soared, transforming into Springfield’s emblem. It led into a brief compilation. Assorted achievements, in both the worlds of music and film, highlighted on the projection screen. Concert goers were ecstatic, jumping onto their feet for the first song, “Happy.” Springfield, seen wearing a glittering black jacket, was remarkable. Rose petals scattered in the air at the strike of the final note. He was joined by George Nastos on lead guitar, Jorge Palacios on drums, Tim Gross on keyboards, and Sigve Sijursen on bass guitar. The presence, and talent, each of these men had was unquestionable. “Affair Of The Heart” was represented by visuals of a burning house, and a sweeping landscape of trees, each scorched by wild flames. Imagery meant to capture the song’s passion, love that burns from within.

“Any girls named Kristina in the audience? This one is for you,” Springfield said, before “Kristina.” He also revealed that over the summer, he will be performing with Sammy Hagar. Springfield’s reasoning for sharing this was because their next song was written by Hagar himself, “I’ve Done Everything For You.”

Afterwards, Springfield faced the audience. “Hello! Is everybody good? This is where we get together to communicate. So, my wife’s here tonight. I wrote this song about it. Just to know that it’s still going on. We’re been married for how long? Forty years? Thirty years? It feels like ten minutes–underwater.” He encouraged the audience’s involvement, repeating back a phrase they could shout before the song began.

This transformed into an entertaining encounter with guests close to the stage. “How about up here–the lazy ones. Were you guys singing or not? You obviously came in late, right? That’s why you’re way in the back. You got your arms crossed, that’s bad body position. Uncross your arms. Yes, I’m talking to you. Be in an open body position to accept the love we’re putting out off this stage. That’s the other reason we do it. I have enough money, I just want to give love,” he said, as the band set off into “Venus In Overdrive.”

“Okay, here’s one. When you’re fifteen, you thought it was a lovely love song. Then you’re like–’oh, that’s what he’s talking about!’” Springfield humored, before the start of “I Get Excited.” Following this song, his phone was retrieved from the dressing room. He asked if anyone within the room had sung on a record before. Though little had, he clarified that he was releasing a new album soon, with a song that he needed everyone to sing for. The phrase he asked folks to sing was “boom, boom, boom!” He guaranteed that they would all be on the next Rick Springfield record. “Cause we are not doing this anywhere else. I picked this place because it has nice acoustics, and I’m just buzzed enough to do it right now,” he said.

Once, when Springfield was touring with Rascal Flatts, they were seated on a bus driving them back to Nashville. The idea of getting drunk to write a song was suggested. What came out of that experience was a song titled “Down,” one of the best played that night, and a music video of them performing by the sea.

“This is a song about depression, but we’re not going to linger on it. We’re going to go straight into the song, because it’s meant to lift you up if you deal with it–like I do. Talk to somebody about it, because that’s how you’ll heal,” Springfield said, as the audience cheered in agreement. “Never thought I’d get applause for feeling depressed. I wrote this to pick myself up when I was feeling particularly down in 1987. It’s called ‘World Starts Turning,’ and when you learn the chorus, sing it. It’ll help lift you up.”

True to his word, it was the perfect combatant to a low head space. Springfield was an active, charismatic force onstage, moving and playing concurrently, against a series of images. Melancholy men in the face of hardship, contrasted with those who pushed against limitations to prosper. Men who spoke out on social issues, pursued intelligence, and celebrated their achievements in athleticism. It was a high point of the concert.

Next came a melody of Springfield’s greatest hits. “People are asking me, where are the hits? Right here. If you know the melodies, sing along. If you don’t, then what the f*ck are you doing here?” he shouted with vigor. Included in this string of songs was “Bop ‘Til You Drop,” “Souls,” “What Kind of Fool Am I?” and “Rock Of Life.” Another surprise inclusion was Eddie Money’s song, “Two Tickets to Paradise.”

“State of the Heart” was magical, the epitome of eighties bliss. “If you have a lighter or a phone, bring it out, because it’s a great light show for us,” Springfield said. One by one, phones were held up high, in a moment of suspension. A tranquil air settled over the space. “Wow, I feel like I’m stoned. Maybe I am.”

From his controversial album “The Snake King,” Springfield’s next song was titled “The Voodoo House.” He noted that, at the time, people thought he was turning into a satanist, because the album was about the devil’s questions to God. “That’s what this album is about. This one is just about sex, cause the devil had questions about sex. This is another sing-along.” With that clarified, he once again called out to someone.

“Sir in the purple shirt, you weren’t singing. That’s why they turn the lights up, so I can spot the ones who are too frightened, or too cool or too embarrassed to sing. Are you too cool to sing, or embarrassed? Then let me hear you sing. See, I learned early that girls like guys who can sing,” Springfield smiled, jesting.

People were already standing for “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” long before the first chorus. More visuals were projected behind the band. This time, they depicted extraterrestrial visitors, or strangers, arriving on Earth to dance like it was the end of the world. In the middle of it, Springfield held a singing competition. Anyone under fifty-one years of age was asked to sing back to him first, followed by those above fifty-one. Results were to be expected, but were no less humorous. “Fifty-one and over, sing!” Springfield said, “there it is! Sing it brothers and sisters! Okay, that wasn’t even close. That was hilarious, that was the most overwhelming win. Don’t worry fifty and under, you’ll be there eventually. But it all works best when we sing together!”

Springfield couldn’t do his next song without mentioning the film it came from, “Hard to Hold,” which was released in the eighties. “To show you how shitty that movie was, we’re going to show you on the big screen. Did anyone see the movie when it came out?” His words were returned with joyous uproar. “God bless you guys! We got a good song out of that crappy movie. It’s called ‘Love Somebody!’” he cheered.

While the end of the show approached, Springfield sang “Human Touch” among the people. Folks were flocking to meet him, pulling out their phones to record or snap pictures, and high-fiving him as he passed. The cream of the crop, the most anticipated song of the evening, had arrived to cap off the show. “Jessie’s Girl” was complemented by scenes where it was featured in film and television, purposefully extended to prolong the joy of hearing it in the flesh. There’s nothing stopping Springfield, and for the rest of the year, he’s singing at many more great venues like Agua Caliante. Learn more at https://rickspringfield.com/.