Concert Review: Hamburg, Germany - October 31, 1999
Thomas Gamradt:
We (i.e. Martina, me and two friends) arrived at the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle at about 18:15 and there where already quite a lot of people there. They opened the gates at 7:00 and fortunately most people chose the seats, so we had no problems to get places right in front of the stage.
The concert started at 20:05 and I think I can describe it in one sentence: The old Chris is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not that I didn't like Beautiful dreams, but I really missed the rockier parts (ok ok, there still where a few fast songs, but it was different, wasn't it?)
But what I saw on sunday was much more like the Into the light tour: A perfect mix of slow and fast songs.
He started with WITOY and Love of the heart divine. Third came Living in the world and that was when he had the audience on his side. Running and jumping around on the stage, guitar or microphone in his hand...............did I mention the Into the light tour yet?
All in all, he played 11 new songs and nearly all of the old favourites in nearly 3 hours (as he said, "in a time where some stars mime to full playback for one hour and then leave the stage with lots of money"). Brother John seems to have replaced Spanish train completely. Even the intro was similar (a journey to hell). The way he played the songs was exactly the same as last year (for the songs that he did play last year that is). I do have that BBC recording of last summer, and I was able to sing exactly the same variations to the studio versions that Chris sang on sunday. Nevertheless, it was a great party. Exactly the concert I was longing for.
The complete set was:
1 When I think of you
2 Love of the heart divine
3 Living in the world
4 Sailing away
5 Love's got a hold on me
6 Oh my brave hearts
7 The same sun
8 St Peter's Gate
9 A woman's heart
10 Brother John & House of the rising sun
11 Hotel California
12 Quiet revolution
13 Missing you
14 Lady in red
15 Revolution (all three parts)
16 Patricia the stripper (solo on the guitar)
17 A spaceman came travelling (solo on the guitar)
18 Here is your paradise (solo on the piano)
19 Borderline (solo on the piano)
20 My lover is
21 The snows of New York
22 Natasha Dance
23 Nothing ever happens round here
24 I want it and I want it now
25 Blonde hair blue jeans
26 Honkytonk woman
27 Don't pay the ferryman
1st encore:
28 Say goodbye to it all
29 High on emotion
2nd encore:
30 Where peaceful waters flow
31 Hey Jude
That's it. Bye for now and see you all in Cologne...