Concert Review: Ludwigshafen, Germany - May 16, 2000

Tina Märkert:

surely most of you know much more about Chris' concerts than I do and are more qualified to write a review, but nevertheless I would like to give you my thoughts of last night's concert in Ludwigshafen (substitute for the cancelled Mannheim location). - And please keep in mind, it's based on my limited CdeB-concert experience (only 14 concerts since 1986).

It was fantastic!!! It was so great!!! It was just fabulous!!!!!! I'm still thrilled!

I had been very curious about this QR concert, after having seen the Cologne concert in November, which I didn't like very much I have to admit (even at the risk of being "killed" by you ;-) But for me, just a 'common fan' in the crowd, everything was too big in the huge newbuilt Koelnarena and with an all-over-all sound-system, you couldn't hear the people sing anymore, the sound from the stage was too overwhelming. Because that's what I like most about his concerts: his interaction with the audience.

But yesterday everything was different:

First surprise when we entered the small (!) hall: There were seats! (when I bought the ticket I was told there wouldn't be). We, with just "standing room tickets" were supposed to take a place at the upper gallery at the left and right (finally that turned to be lucky for us!) From your rewiews I knew that later in the concert there would be the chance to "storm" to the stage, so we stayed close to the stairs. While a celtic folk band played some warm-up-songs, suddenly a young, very blonde (-no, I don't mean 'bouncing ball' ;-) now I know whom you are talking about), well, suddenly a blonde man was standing right next to my niece and listening to the music as well. My 16-year old niece, who had been in Cologne to her first CdeB-concert, got very excited and couldn't let her eyes off him, because she believed to recognise the guitar player from Chris' band! Me, I couldn't tell, because I hadn't put much attention on his new band yet. But she was too shy to talk to him and after a while he disappeared to the backstage door (aha!)

From our place above we were able to watch the back entrance of the stage. So when the lights went dark around a quarter past 8, and the people started clapping and screaming, we saw Chris and his band coming from backstage, waiting a minute or so and listening to the people who couldn't see him yet, it seemed like "well, let's see how the audience will be tonight".

And that was when my niece realised she had missed the great chance to talk to the guy next to her, because in fact he was the guitar player Neil! (when entering from backstage, he even gave her a "second look" ;-)

Needless to say the concert was stunning! From the beginning I found it nearly a "private" concert, very personal. Because the hall was so small (compared to former of his concerts I had been) you could actually feel "near" to him. The people were "on" it, following everything Chris said or did! And Chris was just incredible!

I don't want to tell you about the songs, I guess the same songs he did in the concerts before, because he played a bit longer than 3 hours!!! And how he played! No sign of tiredness or sore throat! One could tell, he was having fun as well! I like to believe he liked this concert himself! Sometimes you could see him mouth 'super!' to his band and I believe he meant us!

There were some girls who had been in Aschaffenburg before, doing some jokes about Guiness and "CU at the Damentoilette". (Anyone from this mailing list?) They were dancing and shouting and he often looked there, sometimes unable to finish talking, because he and the band just started laughing.

I don't know how he is able to stand 3 hours concert like this, singing and dancing and running! And doing this several times a week!

I liked the second half of it in particular, when some got off their seats and started to the front. Aha! that was our moment to leave the stairs! Despite some security guard trying to stop us, we talked our way through ;-), and got to the stage, my niece in first row in front of the blonde guitar player, me 3rd row in the middle in front of the mic and Chris!

Such a sensational feeling when you are able to catch his eye for more than a second, smiling up to him and seeing him starting to smile back at you while singing! - okay, you all know that feeling, but for me it's still breathtaking!

Well, this were my thoughts about last night.