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Heike Stelljes: Hello all. I want to tell you something about my time in Hamburg yesterday. Gabi (Breyer) and I had to go 140 km from the village where I live to Hamburg. Nice to drive only one and a half hour to got to a concert instead of three or more hours, only 140 km to drive instead of 450 (one way of course). Anyway, we arrived in Hamburg at 14:00 and found a parking place right near the *Musikhalle*. We had something to eat and drink and than we had a walk through the city. Hamburg is a nice interesting city, and of course a big one. We went to the *Binnenalster* and *Gänsemarkt* to window-shopping, and only for window-shopping. Those of you who know Hamburg understand what I mean, for the others I tell you, there you can buy jackets or blazer for €600 and gripsacks for €400 (and note: these are give away prices). We went along the *Altstadt* and the *Reeperbahn* and after two and a half hours we were back at the *Musikhalle* with hot feet and sweating. We went in the restaurant, Thomas proposed to meet, changed our t-shirts and had several cold drinks. There we met Gabi (Liddell) and her husband Lawrence, Thomas and Martina, and finally Stephan. (Stephan, where have you been after the concert?) We talked about the former and following concerts and about artists, who never try to get in contact with their fans. We all are delighted about the planned fan meeting with Chris in Dortmund. Finally we made the short distance to the venue. Gabi B. and I had a short talk with the boys from the CD-sale and one of them (I missed to ask him what his name is, but certainly not *Chris*, like the Chris on the stage tells us, I think that's only a joke) gave me a new blinky eye because he hasn't batteries for my old one. I had to pay nothing, for good fans he said, nice gesture. The concert was sold out, the *Musikhalle* a old building for classic concerts generally with red velvet seats. Gabi B and I and Gabi L. and Lawrence had seats in the same, the first row, with a very good view at the stage. The atmosphere was wonderful from the first moment on. The audience received Chris clapping and to my astonishment with standing ovations. The set list was just the same like in the other concerts, Chris was in fantastic mood, talking and joking. I saw him on this tour six times before and for me this was the best concert. He played *Carry Me* and with the first tones of *Sailing away* we jumped in front of the stage and the both Gabis, Lawrence and I had a lot of fun. During *Rose of England* he stopped singing and said to some women who wanted to sit down again, because the most of the audience sat down again, it's okay, please stay here. And at the end of the concert Chris said: This was no concert, it was a party. He enjoyed it was we did. Perhaps some of you know Rufus, the great white stuffed animal, a dog with black ears, which escorts Chris concerts since Düsseldorf. He is (we in Germany say *Maskottchen*) a mascot. Sometimes Rufus (Chris gave him his name in Bielefeld, Jutta am I right?) stays with Jutta and Ela, sometimes with me, without fail he enjoys most of the concerts, on the lap of some one of us or on the stage. In the beginning I had Rufus on my lap, a blinky eye at his long black ear and Chris noticed him with a smile, after the medley Rufus sat on the edge of the stage with a blinking ear for the rest of the show. After *Last Night* he took my present, a book about the history of my hometown, written in English - I hope he will enjoy. Later on Chris told that his family was with him and at the end of the first encore we had at short look at his boys. He played a second encore, Thomas mentioned the titles, and than the concert was over, unfortunately to early, like ever. On our way to my car Gabi B. and I saw Chris and his familiy leaving the venue. I had Rufus under my left arm, Chris gave us a smile, said *hi* to me and than *he disappeared*. It was a fantastic evening and I only can repeat what Stephan said before: Chris got his audience from the first moment he appears on stage, never lost it, he performs with heart and soul. Greetings Heike - looking forward to Bamberg |
File last modified on November 20th, 2004