Concert Review: Rotterdam, Netherlands - November 5, 1999
Annelies van den Berg:
I just got home from the Rotterdam concert. I'm ever so tired, but I just cannot sleep. The adrenaline's still running through my vains I guess. Wow! What a night it has been. We've seen Chris at his best!
It was great to see the concert in the good company of Cora and her husband Teun, Judith and her mother and sister. It was good to see you again. ((-: Also I met Mareicke. I regret it that I never saw Jan-Tom (I'd loved to meet you again after Bonn) and Marten. Guess we were just sitting too far apart. Chris is getting better all the time. Wow! What an energy, what a condition, what an enthusiasm!!! He was very witty tonight and that was great fun. The band is getting better and better, too. It's obvious that they are a real team now and they were having a good time, too. It really showed. The Dutch audience is kind of a hard audience for an artist, imo.
We were sitting front row and during the first two songs we stayed on our seats, but during the third one we just had to stand up. The people sitting behind us didn't appreciate that very much, but what the heck! A CdeB concert is supposed to be a celebration! And boy! did we have a party tonight!!!!
The playlist was similar to the former German concerts, I think. Although, Chris did 'Spanish Train' tonight, but he left 'Patricia' out.
There is one thing that impressed me very much and I like to share that with you. After the part where Chris and the band were seated in the middle of the stage, doing their acoustic versions of 'My lover is' and 'The Snows of New York', the band left the stage and it was just Chris and his guitar. Someone in the audience yelled for 'Carry me' and Chris asked if he was the guy who wrote him a letter earlier this year. And well, then Chris told us that there was this couple who had written him a letter, telling him they had lost their two-year-old baby and had asked him to sing 'Carry Me' tonight. So he sang this song and it was so beautiful, because Chris got really emotional. When the song was almost finished, the couple had made it to the front and the woman was crying her heart out while she handed Chris some flowers. Chris came as close to the audience as he possibly could, to shake hands with these people. They just kept saying "Thank you, thank you". And well, when he was back on stage again he said that this couple had lost their two-year-old kid and when it was burried, they played 'Carry Me'. Also he said that it isn't easy to sing with a lump in the throat, but he really wanted to do it for these people. This was a moment of honest emotion, which impressed me very much.
I noticed Chris being emotional earlier, while singing 'The same sun'. He said it is a prayer for a beloved one and while singing it was obvious that it was coming from the heart. This wasn't entertaining, these were real emorions.
As the show continued the crowd got more enthusiastic. Chris really knew how to 'defrost' them and at a certain time everyone was dancing and clapping and singing along, which was very good for the atmosphere of course. All in all we've had a wonderful night. Awesome, stunning. Chris is a real professional. And like I said before, getting better all the time.
Jan-Tom Bellos:
I was there in Ahoy with my family and I was also able to see you (and Judith, her mother and sister) at the first row. We were sitting in the ring and I tried to come to you before the concert begun but there was no entrance to the ground floor :( I've also asked the security but they didn't allow me :( So the next time (Chris said he'll be back in Holland) I'll be little bit earlier buying the tickets.. Although I've to say that we had a very good view(from the ring) to the show.
Yes Chris was really full of energy! My father (same age as Chris) couldn't believe his eyes seeing Chris jumping and dancing on the stage :)
Here I've the list of the songs he did:
1. When I think of you
2. Living in the world
saying welcome in Dutch " Hoe gaat het?!"
3. Love of the hert devine
4. Sailing away
5. Love's got a hold on me
6. Oh my braves heart
7. Same sun
8. Saint Peter's gate
9. Womens heart
10. Hotel Calofornia
Chris introduced his Band
11. Missing you
12. Lady in Red
13. Revolution
14. My lover is
15. The Snows of New York
16. Carry me
17. A Spaceman came travelling..
18. Boarderline
19. Spanish train
20. Quiet Revolution
21. Natasha dance (He did it really fantastic)
22. Nothing ever happens round here
23. I want it, and I want it now!
24. Don't pay the ferryman
25. Say goodbye to it all
26. High on Emotion
27. Where peaceful water flow
28. Hey Jude..