Gotha, Germany - July 27, 2007


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Carina Angeli:

Dear CdeB-fans living all over the world!!!

For those who unfortunately could not be part of the recently 
European Summer Tour and in particular of the concert in Gotha at 
Schloss Friedenstein (27th July) here is a belated but detailed 
report of the show from my point of view (fortunately row four, 
quite in the middle in front of the stage!!!):

The parking was very easy. In all streets around the venue it was 
allowed to park the car without any payment in case you have had a 
ticket for the show. At 7 pm the audience was allowed to enter the 
venue. It was the courtyard of the castle Schloss Friedenstein which 
was built in the 17th century right in the middle of Gotha (a small 
town with about 48000 inhabitants nearly in the middle of the German 
federal state Thuringia, quite in the middle of whole of Germany) up 
on a small elevation. At the entrance all people had to open their 
handbags and to hand over there bottles (whether glass or plastic) 
and meals to the security. Some of the people (especially the elder 
ones) complained about it which already was mentioned earlier on 
this website. 
The weather was fine. There were only a few clouds and the sun was 
shining a little bit and a full moon was in the sky. So there was no 
rain. This is quite important for an open-air concert I think. 
Unfortunately later on the evening you needed a jacket to get no 
cold. 
Around the 3040 seats there were some stalls where you could buy 
small meals (e.g. ice-cream) or some drinks. There was also a stall 
where you could buy some records of CdeB. Or autographs or some 
shirts, gloves (you know: Snow Is Falling - When Winter Comes ;-) ) 
and all that merchandise stuff. 
Some words about the audience: I guess that the show was (nearly) 
sold out. The average age was about 35-40 years I suppose. Of course 
there were also some real exceptions (a dozen of children and a few 
elder people who came with their children or even their 
grandchildren). 
The relation men/women was nearly half to half. Some women wore red 
clothes (or shrill red hair) hoping CdeB will call them "the lady in 
red"!! There were many couples - I suppose lots of men have had to 
come along with their wife/girl-friend. Next to me there sat a man 
who said to me with a smile "So, tonight there will be a rock- concert!". 
My answer: "Oh, I feel sorry for you but I suppose your 
wife have told you something wrong!". And also during the show he 
gave quite a lot of funny statements especially when female persons 
went to stage to give CdeB presents (mostly flowers). 

To see all those couples around me it was a clear fact for me that 
unfortunately there will be not many of those "real" fans of CdeB at 
this concert – fans who nearly know all lines and all songs and how 
they usually are performed in concert. At that point I hoped that 
the great atmosphere of a live-concert would come up anyhow. To me 
it seemed that their only cause to come to the concert was "Oh, CdeB 
will come in our town (or just near to where I live) – why not go 
there, I know some of his songs and they are quite nice love songs 
and he seems to be a nice guy?!" Maybe there are also "real" fans 
that live in Gotha and surroundings but the majority of the audience 
only knew those popular songs, e.g. "Lady in red", "Don't pay the 
ferryman", "High on emotions" and "Sailing away". 
On the stage there were a big drum, a big keyboard, a small black 
piano and some stands for the microphones. At the back of the stage 
there was a very big screen, hidden behind a black transparent 
curtain. On both sides of the stage there was each a board for many 
guitars. On stage there were also some men (only men!!! not even one 
woman!!!) at work belonging to the crew. One man polished the piano 
(with real passion!!! so that no fingerprints were left any 
longer!!!) and all guitars. Another man glued papers with the order 
of the songs on the ground for Chris and his guitar player Al and 
also for the base player while another one putted some glasses 
filled with water and a blue cup filled with a mysterious liquid 
(maybe it was just warm tea ;-) ) on different places all over the 
stage. And there were also some men on stage that tested the 
microphones and the guitars. On the right side (from the view of the 
audience) there was a table were some men of the crew have stood 
during the show and where all presents given to CdeB were putted on. 
It was quiet nice to watch this scene. Some people of the audience 
came in front of the stage to take photos of that scene or 
themselves in front of the stage. While these things happened on 
stage (quite until the concert started!!!) music was played from a 
recorder. I don't know who sang – but I know it was not CdeB!!! It 
was the voice of a man and later on also of a woman. I guess the 
female voice was the one of Kristyna Myles. I have heard three of 
her own songs recently on radio (a small concert given for the 
German radio station HR 1 in Frankfurt in March this year with CdeB) 
and so I would guess it was her voice.

Some minutes past 8 pm the sound of THE STORYMAN THEME was sounded 
and synthetic smoke was on the stage. 
Suddenly the whole audience was quiet. CdeB waited on the right side 
of the stage to come up the stairs that leaded behind the stage. At 
the last seconds of that song he came up onto the stage dressed in 
black trousers, black shoes (polished!!!), a light blue and white 
striped shirt (lengthwise stripes make thinner ;-) ) and also a 
black leathern jacket (one of his countless black leathern jackets ;-
) ). He came right to the edge of the stage, said no word but waved 
both hands, took a black electric six string guitar and started to 
sing THE STORYMAN. Then he slipped into a few lines of THE LADY IN 
RED I think.

In the front of the stage there were three or four photographs 
(local newspapers??) with their telephoto lenses (I suppose they 
were each about 40 centimetres long or even longer). They tried to 
take photos of CdeB from all sides and in every position. CdeB was 
really patient because he looked into their camera smiling while he 
went on singing. Later on he just ignored them. Fortunately later on 
these men were sent away by the security men that stood near the 
stage because they were always walking in front of the stage and you 
could not really enjoy the scene on the stage because you always saw 
those photographs catching the best photo ever.

After a nip of water CdeB sung FOREVERMORE. Already after that song 
the first two women came to the stage to hand over their presents to 
CdeB. Three red roses and a bottle of wine with a small red envelop 
fixed on it (you remember: I've got the roses, I've got the wine, 
…  ;-) ). 

CdeB greeted the audience and tried to say some sentences in German: 
GOOD NIGHT TO EVERYBODY. ES IST SEHR SCHÖN, ES IST WUNDERBAR THIS 
EVENING IN GOTHA ZU SEIN. For that sentence he became a big 
applause. IT IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SCHLOSS, JUST LIKE MY HOME. The 
audience laughed. You see, they didn't know that CdeB had told the 
truth. I ALSO HAVE CALLED GOD YESTERDAY AND I HAVE SAID "GOD, I WILL 
BE IN GOTHA, TOMORROW PLEASE NO RAIN!". Again there were laughter 
and applause. HEUTE NACHT WIR HABEN SONGS VON MEINEM ALBUM „THE 
STORYMAN". After the applause he continued YOU CAN ALSO BUY A COPY 
WITH ON SOME OLD STUFF. I ALSO DO LOTS OF OLD SONGS. SO I HOPE YOU 
ENJOY THIS ABEND, FIRST OF ALL IT IS JUST ME. AND WHEN THE BAND WILL 
JOIN US A LOTS OF DANCINGS IN FRONT OF US.

The next song was THE SAME SUN, also performed with the guitar. 
After these lines CdeB got flowers again and also a bottle of wine. 
The audience laughed because CdeB thanked for these presents and 
read out the label on the bottle. FROM BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG, GOOD, A 
SPÄTLESE, MHH! 

He continued with the next song SAILING AWAY, once again with the 
guitar. The crowd should sing the refrain with him but unfortunately 
it was not as powerful and loud as on the record "Live in Dortmund". 
I like the Dortmund-version very much and what a pity that the 
audience in Gotha was so weak and low.  

Once more CdeB got some presents. And suddenly he felt hot and 
putted out his jacket – in a very amusing and entertaining way. He 
also started to open his belt and wanted to put out his trousers but 
he stopped anyhow (ohhhhhhhhh ;-) ) - this scenery reminded me of a 
girl. Her name is Patricia … 

He went to the piano (you know: polished just like his shoes!!!) and 
sung the first song to the sound of the keys. 
It is a song that is played in every concert I suppose: BORDERLINE. 
CdeB was very concentrated while he played the first notes on the 
piano. For me it seemed that it is very important for him to come 
into the right mood to sing that song! And the line "one of us will 
lose" was sung by him in a new way - very emotional and with the 
stress on the word "one" so that the meaning was really clear: 
either the young man or the left woman will loose. War causes 
losers! It gave me the creep! I mean, really hair on the back of my 
arms!

After the song there was a silence for some seconds, then CdeB got 
once more presents. NA WUNDERBAR AND THANK YOU FOR THE WINE. AND 
NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COME WITH ME ON A JOURNEY TO A BEAUTIFUL 
PLACE. I STILL LIKE GOTHA. WHERE IT IS YOU NEVER KNOW. IMAGE - YOU 
SPEAK SEHR GUT ENGLISH HERE IN GOTHA I THINK, MY AIM IS IF I SAY MY 
DEUTSCH IS NOT SO GOOD, „HERR OBER, NOCH EIN BIER!" AND „HERR OBER, 
WO IST DIE DAMENTOILETTE?", I THING YOU NEED TO KNOW IN GERMAN. IT´S 
HOT AND FAR AWAY YOU HEAR THE SONG OF A YOUNG MAN SINGING A SONG OF 
LOVE AT HIS BIRTHPLACE. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH AHHHHJAJAJAJAJAAAA 
AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH. CdeB shouted like a muezzin on the minaret of a 
mosque. The crowd was very irritated (me too!!!) but then laughed 
and applauded. DOES IT SOUND LIKE A LOVE SONG? JOIN ME ON A HOT 
LEBANESE NIGHT. So everyone knows by now the next song was LEBANESE 
NIGHT. The whole song (as I expected) was very powerful above all 
the end - "in the Lebanonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn". The applause after 
that song was very strong! Once again some flowers for CdeB! 
The next song was an elder one: CARRY ME (LIKE A FIRE IN YOUR 
HEART). Once again the crowd sang the last few lines and applauded 
with the beats while CdeB sung "OHHHHHHHHOHHHHH OHHHHH, …". As a 
reward CdeB said at the end of the song YOU SING SEHR GUT HERE IN 
GOTHA. I think the audience could have done much better!!! 

THE JOURNEY was the next song and without any break CdeB continued 
with WHERE PEACEFUL WATERS FLOW. I guess you all know the live 
version from CDs or even other concerts. And CdeB sung it also that 
way: … WHERE PEACEFUL WATERS FLOW; LALALALALALA, LALALALALALA, SING 
WITH ME, LALALALALALA, LALALALALALA, LALALALALALA, LALALALALALA, 
TONIGHT HERE IN GOTHA YOU SING LIKE THE ANGELS, OH YES YOU DO, SING 
A LITTLE BIT LOUDER, SING A LITTLE BIT STRONGER, ´COSE I KNOW YOU 
CAN, … WHERE PEACEFUL WATERS FLOOOOOOOOOW! 
And the great and strong beat from the guitar gave the rhythm of the 
audiences hand waves. The beginning of the last verse CdeB sung 
without any instrument. Fantastic! 

At the end of that song a young woman tried to enter the stage (by 
using the stairs) to hand over her present to CdeB but a security 
man held her back. So she had to hand over the present how all 
others did. The audience was amused and said very 
loudly "Oooooooooooooooooooooooooh".

After that CdeB told us a secret that I will share with you, too: 
AND NOW, MEINE DAMEN UND HERREN, I SHARE A LITTLE SECRET OF THE 
STORYMAN. I DIDN´T LIE! I WANTED TO BE LIKE A BRITNEY SPEARS! The 
crowd started to laugh. WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING? IT`S NOT MUCH 
DIFFENTENT BETWEEN ME AND BRITNEY! He pointed at his chest. SMALL 
DIFFENTENTS, VERY SMALL ONES. BUT NOW I HAVE A NEW HERO IN MY LIFE. 
SHE COULD ALSO BE A ROLE MODEL TO ALL OF US - PARIS HILTON! The 
crowd laughed again. DRINKING AND DRIVING! BUT YOU SEE BRITNEY, WHEN 
SHE WAS ON STAGE, SHE HAD SOMETHING FANTASTIC. SHE HAD THIS MICROFON 
(a small head set) THAT SHE WORE THAT I LIKE MUCH, ONE LIKE THIS. 
AND I HAVE HERE ONE TONIGHT, HERE IN GOTHA. A crew member appeared 
on the stage. THIS IS CHRIS. HE IS FROM AUGSBURG. The crowd gave him 
a warm applause. I SAID MOST OF THE PEOPLE WORKING ON THIS TOUR ARE 
CALLED CHRIS! THAT MAKES THINGS MUCH EASIER. EXCEPT THE JASON WHO IS 
SELLING MY NEW ALBUM "THE STORYMAN" OVER THERE. HE IS VERY LONELY. 
GIVE HIM A HUG. CdeB putted on the head set. JA, THIS IS VERY 
DANGEROUS. DON`T TRY TO DO THIS HOME. VERY BAD FOR THE HAIR. YOU 
SPENT ALL DAY DOING THE HAIR, AND THEN, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD! 
Finally CdeB tried to put the transmitter into his trouser pocket. 
AND THIS MUST GO IN THE HOSEN, NOT LIKE I SAID BEFOR THIS "IN THE 
HODEN", IT`S A HOSEN. While doing this CdeB groaned AHHHH, OHHHHH, 
AHHH. BRILLANT! A GOOD BOY. READY? He took a guitar and came 
downstairs to walk through the crowd while singing his most 
successful song: THE LADY IN RED. A bodyguard stayed some footsteps 
behind him inconspicuously. CdeB went about until row 16/17, walked 
across the block and went back slowly in direction of the stage. 
Sometimes he stopped for dancing with a woman or for shaking hands 
or even for stroking a child. He also has stolen a small hut and 
putted it on his own head (and gave it back to the owner of 
course!!!). Some people used that possibility to take a photo of 
CdeB and the wife/child. To see all these things that happened 
behind me I had to stand up even on my seat because all other people 
also stand up but fortunately only a few people stood on their 
chair!!! So I could see everything that happened. 
When CdeB came back to the front of the stage I saw that he 
is "very" small. I have seen him before only in a concert in Coburg 
(north of Bavarian) in the summer of 2003 where he did not left the 
stage and also on television where you can not really estimate 
people's height. CdeB had sung some words without the accompaniment 
of his guitar and finished the song on stage. VIELEN DANK, THANK 
YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH was his answer for the huge applause. 
Then he gave the head set back to Chris from Augsburg and putted his 
hair in order. The introduction for the next song followed soon: NOW 
I SING A NEW SONG OF MY ALBUM. He told us about St. Petersburg in 
the year 1941 and 1969 and about the next song that plays IN THE 
CITY OF LENINGRAD. The song he performed at the piano. Only he and 
the sound of the piano. It was very emotional, very sad. The whole 
audience was quiet. It was obviously LENINGRAD – a very beautiful 
song with an interesting story. And I like the melody very much – 
especially the very first part: first of all the sound of a piano 
and then some strings are added. Terrific! In my mind I always see a 
young ballerina dancing with a grace of a dancer. 
At the end CdeB said DANKESCHÖN. VIELEN DANK. MY NEXT SONG LEADS US 
TO ENGLAND IN THE YEAR SEVENTYHUNDRET AND FORTYTHREE. THE NEXT SONG 
IS VERY STRONG AND IS VERY CLOSES. THE NEXT IS CALLED "THE GRACE OF 
A DANCER". So THE GRACE OF A DANCER was also performed at the piano, 
the other instruments (again strings which I love soooooo much) were 
played by a recorder. And I really enjoyed that powerful end of the 
music of the big orchestra before the last line that is "Only love. 
She had the grace of a dancer, and the father of her son. " .

Immediately CdeB went ahead with WHERE WE WILL BE GOING and again 
without any break he continued the concert with the song ONE WORLD. 
This was the very first time when the big screen at the back of the 
stage was used. Pictures from all over the world were shown. 
Different people (at least also CdeB) at different places (e.g. at 
river Ganges) carried a big sign with the words „ONE WORLD" painted 
on it. After the song CdeB said DANKESCHÖN. VIELEN DANK. AND NOW, 
I´M HAPPY TO INVITE ONTO THE STAGE A YOUNG LADY I HAVE SEEN IN 
ENGLAND ON THE STRASSE. He told us about the competition she had won 
in England. SHE IS SINGING THIS DUET AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY HER 
FANTASTIC VOICE. SO I`M VERY PROUD WHEN SHE SINGS ON MY NEW 
ALBUM "THE STORYMAN". GIVE HER JUST A WARM WELCOME APPLAUSE. HERE IS 
KRISTYNA MYLES. Applause came rapidly. Kristyna Myles has been 
standing already behind the table since a few songs and enjoyed the 
concert next to some crew members. Then she came to the middle of 
the stage and sat down on one of two chairs that were putted onto 
the stage. She got a warm applause maybe also for her dress (golden 
high heels (so that she was taller than CdeB!!! – maybe they sat 
during the song because of that fact! ;-) ), very short black 
trousers and a beautiful black shirt with golden and silver prints 
on it) and CdeB made a joke about her dress: he would be also VERY, 
VERY SEXY – not only Kristyna!!! THE TRACK OF RAGING STORM. So the 
duet RAGING STORM with Kristyna Myles began. I think that the voice 
of Kristyna was a little bit different as on the album "The 
Storyman" . I really loved that different one! Her voice was a 
little bit clearer and you could also hear that Kristyna Myles sang 
with real passion and a lot of fun. The big screen was used again - 
a blue and a red feather drifting along in a soft wind. During the 
song CdeB and Kristyna Myles sometimes looked at each other and 
smiled. After the song the applause took longer then before - that 
was perfectly right to do so!!! 
Kristyna Myles left the stage and CdeB started the next song without 
any hint. On the screen you could see how a camera went over rails 
very fast and far away a whistle blew. So it was very clear that the 
next song could only be the very old and fantastic song THE SPANISH 
TRAIN. Unfortunately the majority of the audience didn't recognize 
it because they didn't know that song at all. CdeB sang the first 
lines without that well-known break he often needs live when the 
crowd recognizes the song after singing "There's a Spanish train" 
and he tries to continue with "that runs between…". What a pity!!! I 
really have missed it! But it is not the fault of CdeB – it's the 
crowd's one!!!! It didn't scream and applaud after the first five 
words!!! During the song you could see some cards that mentioned in 
the song (jokers, aces) at the big screen and also the hands of two 
persons. Further on a chess game. That song was taking in by the 
audience very well! They felt very entertained! Me too!!! The 
applause was accordingly large. At that point I thought that this 
song could be the highlight of this concert – but soon I was shown 
the opposite! Be patient, I will tell you when the time is right!!! 

The next song was SPIRIT. The introducing by CdeB: AND NOW IF YOU 
HAVE A LOOK. YOU ARE ALSO LOOKING AT THE STARS THAT ARE OUT AT THE 
NIGHTSKY. And he told us something about the stars we could really 
see at the night sky and started the song. The line "Do not cry for 
me" was very powerful and the choir you know right from the album 
came from a recorder – fortunately because without that choir the 
song would only be half as wonderful as possible!!! The screen was 
used once again. You saw beautiful pictures from the Serengeti - 
lions, giraffes, big trees and a big dessert in the sunset. At the 
end once again a big applause for the performance.

And now my personally highlight of the concert came! Right after the 
applause (nearly half a minute long!!) a new song was started. First 
you could hear a roaring wind. And then a synthesizer playing five 
notes of a kind of pipe. Then these five notes were repeated. I 
already recognized the song and was totally thrilled because I 
thought you never can play that song (and the other two songs 
belonging to it) in a live concert! But as I said before I was shown 
the opposite!!! Maybe some of you already know which song was begun! 
It was THE LEADER!!! CdeB went to the right side of the stage so 
that everyone could see the big screen and during the whole song 
(and also the next two ones) he stood at this point and the beam on 
him on purpose was not very powerful. On the screen you saw pictures 
and small movies that added very well to the atmosphere and the 
lines of the song. First of all you saw people gathered at a circle 
of stones – maybe it was at Stonehenge! And you could see an old man 
with a big beard and a cape. They danced and seemed to wait for 
something. 
Then CdeB slipped into the next song - THE VISION. You saw pictures 
that made you really very sad. All in black and white. All those 
were pictures of war: a battlefield (the final sound of battle had 
disappeared!), soldiers walking through a heap of death people lying 
in the trench, you saw aeroplanes used in war and also bombs and a 
nuclear attack and the effect of it. It was the very first time in 
the concert when pictures were shown that were not taken because of 
this concert (e.g. the pictures of the Serengeti and the rails). 
They all were authentic and used on television in news programme! 
Unfortunately!!! 
And then also WHAT ABOUT ME was performed. CdeB really screamed into 
his microphone "WHAT ABOUT MEEEEEEEEE AND YOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU, …"  
so that it gave me really the creeps!!! I could hardly breathe 
because CdeB was so concentrated and you could see his rage and 
anger that I never saw before on his face!!! Between the several 
lines he was very thoughtful, looked at the screen too or lowered 
his head. At the end he claimed "WELL, WHAT ABOUT USSSSSS?!"  That 
line reminds me again and again of Michael Jackson's "Earth song" 
which also ends with that line! 
After those three songs CdeB and his band (some words about the band 
at the end of that report) got real much applause and people 
screamed because they enjoyed that song. I don't know how many 
percent of the audience knew those songs but everyone really enjoyed 
it!!! Me too!!! Even if the theme is so sad but I love those songs 
and would really miss them if he never would sing them again and now 
I know that you can also perform such songs in a live concert and 
that CdeB has got these three songs still in mind although he 
recorded the songs many years ago!!! 
My only criticism on that song is about the light show on stage! At 
the end of the song "The vision" there are the lines "Fire – I saw 
fire – and I saw paradise – fire - I saw fire"!!! Why were the 
flashing lights on stage so weak and not really in beat time??? And 
also when CdeB screamed the words that were repeated, e.g. sky, 
battlefield and victory!? At least to the word "fire"!?? The person 
who was responsible for the light could have done much better and 
could have taken advantage of the flashing lights!!! But I also have 
to say that the other time in the concert the light show was 
brilliant!!!!
After the huge applause CdeB tried to do something which I really 
admire! He tried to start the party with dancing in front of the 
stage quite after those songs!!! AND NOW COME TO ME TO THE STAGE, 
FOR DANCING AND HAVING A PARTY. CdeB started with THE WORDS "I LOVE 
YOU" while many people (me too!!!) went to the stage. Soon the 
square between stage and row one was filled. People danced, waved 
there hands in beat time. Some people also sung the lines they knew –  or just the refrain.  
Without a break CdeB had begun with BAL MASQUE. That song was very 
powerful in the live version! CeB and also the crowd lifted up one 
or two fingers when we sung "One touch..." and "two hearts…". I 
liked it.
And you could see the glint in CdeBs eyes showing that he enjoys 
that part of the concert as much as his fans do! You also could see 
the small boy inside of him!!! He joked with his band members. Only 
one example: during a guitar solo he stuck his guitar between the 
legs of one of his guitar players while he continued his own guitar 
play! 
After the song he invited small people to sit near the stage: THANK 
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WHEN I TOURED AROUND – THANKY YOU VERY 
MUCH - I SAW SOME CHILDREN, LITTLE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO CAN NOT SEE. 
I KNOW ´COSE I´M LITTLE, AND I CAN´T SEE REALLY NOW RIGHT. JUST IF 
THERE ARE ANY KINDER, ANY CHILDREN THEY CAN COME UP AND SIT 
SOMEWHERE OVER HERE. He got applause for that invitation and soon a 
few children sat at the edge of the stage. FROM "THE STORYMAN" THIS 
IS MY FATHER´S EYES. Suddenly also Kristyna Myles was on stage 
again – changed her clothes. She wore once again high heels, black 
tights, a very short jeans (she has really the figure to wear such 
clothes!!!), a black and pink coloured corsage with holders for 
stockings, a tie made of synthetic diamonds and big ear-rings which 
are very popular at the moment in Germany. And she wore also a black 
hut. Again she looked very sexy! She danced the whole time on stage 
and played the tambourine. There was a big party one stage going on 
and all people (whether on stage or just in front of it) really 
enjoyed it!!! 
The next song was MY FATHER´S EYES. Without any break CdeB continued 
with the song LIVING IN THE WORLD. 
The crowd clapped their hands in beat time and the song seemed to be 
ended but CdeB started up once again (you already know it from the 
live albums, e.g. "Live in Dortmund") and the guitar player Al had 
one more guitar solo that he did well! 
And once again without any comment the song SAY GOOD BYE TO IT ALL 
was started. For me it is a mystery how high CdeB can actual sing. 
It was higher than the "high C" (sorry, I don't know the right 
translation of the German "hohes C"!!)! And there was time for 
another solo for the guitar player Al. 
After that song all people on stage left the stage and the crowd 
started to scream "Zugabe" (encore) until CdeB and his band came 
back onto the stage. They performed DON`T PAY THE FERRYMAN and on 
the screen you could see dancing bones on the water. 
After that song CdeB took all his presents and left the stage 
together with his band again. The crowd clapped their hands and 
screamed as loud as they could so that CdeB had to come on stage 
once again. He asked I`M HIGH ON EMOTION, ARE YOU ALSO? Of course, 
we were!!! So he started with HIGH ON EMOTION. And he had a great 
fun to perform this song! We are moving from a spark to a flame. A 
crew member took a camera and filmed us in front of the stage and 
this movie was shown on the big screen at the same time. About the 
end of the song CdeB has taken off his guitar and stole a drum stick 
and conducted us as if we were a big orchestra. At the end he throw 
the sticks behind himself and came to the edge of the stage to shake 
many hands (my hand also!!! with his left hand - which comes right 
>from the heart ;-) ). Then he ran to one of his two guitar players
and plucked the strings, then he ran to the keyboards and pressed 
some keys head over, then on the run (as fast as possible!!!) to the 
other guitar player he tickled Kristyna Myles on her ribs and the 
guitar player was shaken by him and CdeB plucked also the strings of 
that guitar. Suddenly CdeB held once again a drum stick in his hand 
and tried to play the drums. After the song was finished the four 
band members (a guitar player, a base player, a drummer and a man 
who played on the keyboards) came in front of the stage and made a 
line with Kristyna Myles and CdeB. They bowed again and again and 
finally they all with exception of CdeB left the stage. He pointed 
at his watch (which did not really exist!!) and waved his arms to 
say goodbye. Then he gave us a clear sign that he is already tired 
and wants to go to bed for sleeping. But for the very last time he 
took his black guitar and played the last song with his band in 
Gotha. And I suppose you know which one! But before I tell you if 
you are right or not I will tell you what CdeB told us before the 
very last song was started: THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HOPE 
YOU ENJOYED THE WHOLE CONCERT TONIGHT AS MUCH AS I DID. HERE IN 
GOTHA YOU ARE FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. The crowd screamed. AND IT IS 
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE I THINK. AND IF YOU TURN AROUND HERE YOU CAN 
SEE WHAT I HAVE SEEN: THAT THERE A FULL MOON IS. AND THIS IS VERY, 
VERY FANTASTIC. He started to play some chords at his guitar, said 
the very last sentence for this concert – a very emotional moment 
for me. SONG TO SAY GOOD NIGHT HERE, TRAVEL SAFELY HOME. I can see 
you now by the light of the dawn ... obviously THE SNOWS OF NEW YORK 
was started. It is a very sad song but it also offers hope. It gives 
you the certainty that there is one person left who cares for you. … 
and when there was just one set of prints in the sand, that was when 
you carried me … The live version was more powerful and not 
performed "slowly" and "softly" as on a studio album. It was a very 
good ending although I missed some of the Beatles songs… 

It was a strange feeling inside of me because I knew that this would 
be the very last song and the next concert where I will buy a ticket 
is not planed already. But CdeB gave a very last present to some 
people – to those people that stood very close to the stairs that 
leaded from the stage to the square in front of the stage! While the 
band played the last chords ahead, CdeB came up from the stage for 
the every last time to shake some hands and so I had the opportunity 
to stand very near to him – I can tell you he is as tall as I am!!! 
After that he and his band disappeared for ever behind the stage!!! 
By my clock it was about 20 minutes past 10 pm.

Suddenly there was such an emptiness and a silence except the people 
who stood in front of the stage and talked about what they shall do 
next (let's go in town and have some drinks, let's drive home, …). 
Very soon the men from the beginning came back onto the stage and 
break down all equipment. Some men didn't understand German but 
there was one man who did and he was very politely! He gave me the 
paper of the song list that glued near the microphone stand of the 
guitar player Al!!! The paper for CdeB got another woman that I met 
at the exit by accident. In front of the stage a young woman stood 
next to me and asked a men on stage for a special souvenir of that 
evening! She wanted to have the blue cup I mentioned at the 
beginning (probably filled with a mysterious liquid! ;-) ). But she 
didn't get it! And I don't know if she even got an alternative! 

Soon the courtyard of Schloss Friedenstein got more and more empty. 
Carried by the sound of "dadadadada, dadadadada, dadadadada, 
dadadadada, when you're feeling lost in the snows of New York, lift 
your heart and think of me, lift your heart and think of me" I left 
the venue with the majority and went to my car to travel home!!! And 
when you´re feeling lost in the snows of New York, lift your heart 
and think of me, dadadadada, dadadadada, dadadadada, dadadadada, and 
when you´re feeling lost in the snows of New York, lift your heart 
and think of meeeeeeeeeeee, lift your heeeart and thiiiiiiiiink of 
meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! 
Out of town there was a small traffic jam but mainly it was because 
of the traffic lights around the venue. On the road home my CD 
player had to play songs of the Storyman I was around for nearly two 
and half hours. After about 90 minutes I arrived home – safely - and 
fell into my bed dog-tired.    



In retrospect (exactly five weeks are gone by) I can give you also a 
small review which is now not led by the emotions that I had right 
after the concert. 
Still I think that it was a fantastic concert and it was worth to 
buy a ticket for that concert and to drive to Gotha! Also it was 
worth to buy a more expensive ticket to sit close by the stage so 
that I could see the facial expressions of CdeB and the band 
members. 

First of all I want to tell you some positive comments about the 
concert:
- Because of the unstable weather this summer here in Germany it was 
very good that there was no break after the half concert! I don't 
really like breaks in concert because it is hard not only for the 
artist but also for the audience at the beginning of the second half 
to let come up the atmosphere as strong as it was before the break. 
Moreover without a break you can lay in bed a little bit earlier ;-
) ! 

- The other thing I have to mention as a very good idea is the use 
of a screen on stage to show pictures and movies that add to the 
atmosphere and the statements that are within the songs. Some songs 
don't need movies to strengthen the theme but especially for a song 
like "The leader" or even for "Spanish train" it is very good to 
have such a screen! And I have to mention that the choice of the 
pictures and movies was well done!!! 

- Always it is such a great gift to the audience that CdeB tries to 
say some words or even whole sentences in German again and again! I 
think it is also a kind of respect that CdeB shows. He really cares 
if the audience can understand him. In case of talking English he 
also demonstrates with his hands what he is saying so that nearly 
everyone can understand him well. For me it is not difficult to 
understand English (although my English is not really perfect) but 
for the elder people especially for those who have grown up in the 
new federal states of Germany (former GDR) it was very important 
because mostly they have learned Russian at school and not English 
like nowadays!! 

- And I also thank God that a person have told him the right 
pronunciation of "Gotha". Before the concert I really felt pity on 
CdeB because I realized that maybe the name of the town will make 
problems to him. I hoped that he will get to know in time that the 
two letters "T" and "H" are no "th" like in "brother" and that he 
must pronounce those two letters in this case as if there would only 
be a "T"! But I can tell you he did his job very well!!! And also 
the person who taught him did well. 

- It was quiet a pity that Kristyna Myles sang only the duet with 
CdeB. But I welcomed very much that she came up on stage again for 
dancing and playing the tambourine! So she was not sitting behind 
the stage lonely and could have a lot of fun on stage, too.

- I really enjoyed seeing that CdeB looked for the audience's 
nearness. Twice he came up from the stage, walked through the crowd 
and shook soooooooo many hands this evening. And he accepted every 
single present and said a personal comment! And he looked into your 
face while he shook your hand so that it seemed to be very personal 
although of so many shakings! 

- I have to say that CdeB did a lot of his old songs. And he found a 
very good mixture of old and new songs. I missed "The mirror of the 
soul" very much but we could listen to the trilogy I mentioned ahead 
and the "Spanish train" instead!!! Unforgettable!!! So the choice 
was well done!!!


But I have also some negative comments:
- At the beginning of the concert CdeB told us that first of all he 
will sing alone and later on the band will come onto stage to 
perform with him. I can't tell you that there was a real cut between 
both parts! Suddenly the guitar player Al came on stage to perform 
the song "Borderline" with him. Later on the three other guys also 
come on stage gradually. But some songs in the second part CdeB 
performed nearly alone. So I think he had not to mention the 
division of the concert. But the list on the paper with the song 
order for Al begins with the song "Where we will be going", so I 
think this song was the official beginning of the second part of the 
concert!

- And I also must complain to CdeB that he didn't introduce his band 
member to the audience! The name of Al Vosper I read by now here on 
this website in context with a link to his own page! The names of 
the other ones I do know not yet! Unfortunately I don't know where 
they are from and what they do when they are not on tour with CdeB. 
Do they have their own projects or do they tour with other artists? 
I don't know… But I can tell you about their job on stage! They all 
did very well! The solo parts of the guitar and base players were 
terrific! I really loved to see them playing. And the drummer was 
good as well! And the keyboarders play at "THE LEADER" I will never 
forget. 

- On another website I found the song list of the concert in 
Halle/Saale (the very first concert of that tour!!!). I had to read 
that there the song "Mirror of the soul" was played! Grrrrrrr!!! Why 
was this fantastic song not played also in Gotha??? And what 
about "Perfect day"??? I can't understand who was so foolish to 
shorten the concert by throwing those songs out of the play list!!! 
Very sad!!! :-( 

- Some words about the audience: I think it was a real pity that the 
audience was so subdued. Seldom they sung with CdeB with full power 
or waved their hands in beat time, jumped up and down and so on. I 
can't really estimate the character of the people in Gotha – either 
they were just really stiff or they just didn't know the lyrics of 
the songs. But this fact was not CdeB´s fault. He handled it really 
well. He tried to encourage the crowd and gave signs how the 
audience should clap the hands and so on. But I have also to say 
that the party at the end of the concert in front of the stage was 
really fantastic. There all people jumped up and down, waved their 
hands and sung the majority of the lines!!! 

- The last thing I want to comment is the duration of the concert. 
In the concert on HR1 (I mentioned already) CdeB said that this 
concert in Frankfurt is a very short one and the audience shall come 
to the next tour to hear more songs and I can remember very well 
that he said "usually at least three hours"!!! So I was a little bit 
sad when CdeB left the stage at about 20 minutes past 10 pm. I 
thought the concert will go on about until 11 pm. The weather was 
fine so what was the reason???


So, I hope you could feel a little bit of the atmosphere and the 
mood that were in that concert in Gotha. I also hope these lines 
give you a compensation of not being on this tour. The next will 
come soon. Already in November CdeB is back on stage in the UK. 



Many greetings from the North of Hessen from
Carina.


Where ever you live - take care and carpe diem!!!



Questions or comments?

File last modified on January 3rdth, 2008