Pop Music Reviews : Marx Plays Weak Set

Too bad for Richard Marx that he was never part of a supergroup, because a reunion tour would be the perfect place for him right now. A handful of his best songs and biggest hits would be fine in the context of a show propelled by nostalgia and other people’s talents. But as the star of a two-hour-plus show--as he was Sunday at the Greek Theatre--he seemed as inconsequential as solo Glenn Frey.

After four albums and an impressive list of Top 10 singles, Marx has yet to establish a real identity. The show Sunday featured nothing that could be called a Marx trademark, except maybe his crowd-pleasing, wholesome demeanor.

Musically, he and his six-man band merely slotted comfortably into a zone between the Eagles’ milder rockers and Bryan Adams’ overreaching movie ballads. The nadir came when he brought the Tubes’ Fee Waybill and former Little River Band singer John Farnham on stage for a desiccation of two Beatles songs.

After a slowed and stiffened “Got to Get You Into My Life,” Farnham took the lead on “Help,” mercilessly turning John Lennon’s spirited plea into a histrionic power ballad--a criminal offense in the minds of true Beatles fans. Marx, though, called Farnham his favorite singer, which is all you need to know about his taste.