Posted byMichaelFrankfurt/GermanyApril 21, 2006
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A lovely theater in a nice old town in gorgeous spring weather.
In a big room were tables lined up with rows of chairs on each side
(all with side-views to the stage).
There was also a balcony around one floor higher with more tables with chairs.
The seats filled quickly as I walked in shortly after 6 p.m. that evening
(the concert was scheduled to start at 8 p.m.).
Of course I was able to squeeze myself in and capture one of the front row seats next to the loudspeakers
(which I only realised after a while but then it was too late to change...)
But when the concert started at 8.16 exactly I found out that it was no problem
because it was not really very loud and I even enjoyed the closeness.
The place was packed when the show started.
550 Erfurterians found their way to witness an unforgettable evening.
As usual she started with
- Autumn Lady
Then she looked into the room and said
"This looks like a wedding banquet - who's getting married?"
And she was right - on the tables were bottles of beer and wine and glasses and carafes,
some empty plates of people who had their dinner there.
The next song they did was - Rock'n'Roll Heart
followed by one of Melanie's favourites, as she mentioned: - They Can Find You In Your Dreams.
She was in top-form and only 2 or 3 times she took a sip from her cough-medicine
which was still on the little table next to her.
She started to ask for requests and people yelled out the "usual suspects" such as
"Brand New Key", "Look, Ma", "Peace Will Come" etc.
She didn't want to do one of those right now so she picked - Johnny Boy
which was very fine with me.
I enjoyed hearing this "obscure" song from her early days.
The next request she sang was - Alexander Beetle.
The audience was not too brave to shout out for requests.
I hesitated to shout out mine because I thought the others should get their chance.
Anyways, "Alexander Beetle" made the audience clap along for the first time
- the ice seemed to be broken... - I Don't Eat Animals
was the next song (also upon request)
and then she gave in to sing one of her "big hits"
and that was - Nickel Song.
Beau's monitor did not work for a while
and they had a technician look after it during the last 2-3 songs.
Nothing could be done so Beau said "just turn it off completely" -
he could not hear himself but it in no way affected his playing skills.
He was just perfect as always.
Then they did a song that I would have wished for (but it was not necessary): - People In The Front Row.
I feel so addressed when I am sitting in the front row... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Then she taught us how to sing along to - Jammin' Alone
doin' the "oooh-ooh oooh-ooh"-chant and waving our arms.
Then she said that she can imagine that after the concert we all leave the theater
into the streets of Erfurt waving our arms high in the air and chanting "ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh...".
At the end of Jamming Alone we had done our part well
and so she gave us the next chance to show our singing skills in the song - Smile.
She told the story of how they wrote it after 9/11
being impressed by the humanitarian feeling that shows after such a catastrophe.
We sang our verse in the low and the high voices
(I did it so often now I can even sing both versions).
Then she left the stage for a break to let Beau do his solo-part.
He started with a composition dedicated to Leilah and Jeordie: - Two Sisters,
followed by his fantastic piece - Bravo Dude
and then finally his masterpiece - Fantasia on Malaguena.
My feeling is that he should bring out a cd soon with these pieces.
People are asking for it at the cd-table!
After his well-deserved thunderous applause Melanie came back on stage
and they opened part 2 of their set with - Ruby Tuesday
as their duet-version.
The audience went wild already and also received the next song, - Old Bitch Warrior
very well.
Melanie calmed us all down with a beautiful version of - Crazy Love
and then told the story of her PR-lady
who thought that she is too old to be promoted properly
and how she had to do these awful "good-morning-shows" in the middle of nowhere.
"Who can watch TV at 4 a.m.?" she asked herself.
And found the answer: farmers who have to get up to milk the cows
(which made her play a short intermezzo of "Someday I'll Be A Farmer).
The story led of course to - I Tried To Die Young
and I saw big smiles on the faces around me.
The show was heading towards the climax with - Look, Ma
and a verse sung in German.
The applause roared and the cheering would not end
as Melanie put her guitar down, bowed and left the stage.
Not for very long though -
to more cheering and clapping they returned to perform - Peace Will Come
and - Beautiful People
as their first encores.
That's what people wanted to hear,
that's why the came to the show
and that's what transported everybody to Melanie-heaven.
Again they put their guitars down, bowed
and received little gifts from fans, flowers...
and left the stage.
But the audience was not willing to let them go.
Not yet, not now.
Rhythmic clapping and cheering did bring them back one more time
to do the final song and absolute highlight: - Lay Down.
Dia, Hans and Wouter entered the stage to do background vocals.
But as a matter of fact the whole audience was one giant backgroundchoir.
So after the first verse Melanie said
"We need more people up here.
Please come up and sing with us."
There were small stairs at the side of the stage
so in 3 seconds I was up and with me a dozen others who took
the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be on the same stage with Melanie and Beau.
We all sang our hearts out
and it looked great from on stage to see the audience
going really wild, clapping and singing along.
I got goosebumps all over and it all ended way too soon.
Despite the neverending applause and the screams for more
the lights were turned on and that was it.
People didn't rush out right away
but most kept sitting down to finish their drinks
and were talking about the show.
Quotes I heard were
"I think that was the best concert I've ever seen"
and
"I would never have believed it would be SO good"
and
"I thought that I would be disappointed to see her after such a long time but I think she was FANTASTIC"
and
"Oh and did you realise how good her son is?"
"Uh, he is sooo cute - AND so talented"
and
"Wasn't this just the best evening we've had in a very long time?"
You could tell there was really some enthusiasm there.
Flocks of people were around the cd-table afterwards.
I helped selling the cds before the show and then Hans & Wouter took over.
Some cds were sold out immediately and the people demanded more, more, more...
I am in an Internet-cafe now so I can't scan and post my concert reviews
from the German papers (with pictures) here.
But I will do so when I am home next Sunday.[/color]
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Michael, this was fantastic -- thanks so much again
for being such a great reporter!
Ian <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
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