Concert Review: Volendam, Netherlands - June 15, 2001

Annelies van den Berg:

I'm not home too long after my trip to Volendam, where Chris did a charity concert for the victims of the horrible fire that took place in a pub in Volendam on New Year's night. Thirteen people were killed, almost 300 were wounded, quite a few of them got very badly injured, probably for the rest of their lifetime. They were all somewhere between 16 and 25 years young. Chris was asked to do a charity concert and he immediately said yes and this memorable concert took place last night in a crowded church.

After a long trip by train with a lot of delays thanks to the Dutch railroad company, I finally arrived at Cora's place, where I was welcomed by Cora and her husband Teun. After a while we went by car to Annie's & Judith's place where Teun parked his car. The 5 of us then had a 30 minute walk to the church. It was only 6:15 pm when we arrived there; the concert was supposed to start at 8:00 pm, but there already was quite a queue waiting in front of the church. We checked for familiar faces, but since we didn't see any, we decided to just wait until we were allowed inside, which was round 6:30. We were allowed to go upstairs, to sit in the choir. (I don't know if this is a common phrase, but it's the place in the church where the choir usually sings, something like the balcony in a theatre.) We had a pretty good view from there and also rather comfortable seats. From our seats we could see the people entering the church and finding their places. All the time we were looking for familiar faces, but we just didn't see any. But suddenly we saw Astrid rise and apparantly there were quite a few listmembers sitting on the second row. Astrid and Tina came upstairs for a while to say hi and we agreed to meet outside after the concert.

In the meantime I was also told that Chris had spend the afternoon in Volendam, doing some interviews for local radio and television stations and that he also had had a meeting with some of the victims. I wasn't there of course, but apparantly he has showed a lot of real interest and consideration with the Volendam people and this of course is just great. Once again this shows that he has his heart on the right place.

Finally, round 8:20 pm, Chris showed up, late as usual. He was welcomed by a Volendam citizen and then started doing his concert. CdeB unplugged - Just himself, his voice, guitar and piano.

I have to admit that beforehand I was curious to find out what the atmosphere would be like. After all this was a church we were in and the occasion of the concert wasn't exactly a celebration either. There were quite a few victims and family in the audience, too. And how would meeting the victims and getting all the background information he got effect Chris's performance? It seemed that I wasn't the only one having this kind of feelings, and obviously everyone was kind of waiting what was going to happen. And this shows the wonderful person and entertainer Chris is, for he sensed this crowd's common feeling perfectly. He started at the piano with Carry on/Here is your paradise. He said that he had no idea what he was going to do, but that he had written down a few song titles. In the beginning the audience was like an opera audience or so, just sitting and listening and clapping at the end of the songs. But as the concert continued, slowly but surely people would start clapping their hands and sing along. We never danced though, it just wouldn't have been appropriate this time.

Chris had a very special play list indeed (you'll find it listed at the end of my mail), he did songs that I have never heard him perform live before. His only purpose was to give the audience a good time; it never he felt the urge to promote himself, he never even sang 'Two sides to every story' for instance. He managed to create a somehow jolly atmosphere eventually. But most of all: he gave the very best of himself during this concert. The acoustics of the church were just awesome, his voice was better than ever, so strong, so powerful, so pure and no problem at all with the high notes. He just went on and on with them high notes where I couldn't sing along anymore. lol

What else? Oh yeah, there were booklets on every seat, explaining about the reason for the concert and also containing a small biography. According to the booklet Chris was born in 1952, but who cares? *g* (I took quite a pile of them booklets home with me, for the true collectors). The concert was recorded on video and I've been told a 2 hour video tape of the concert is going to be released and sold for the same charity.

Earlier that day a picture of Chris was taken in front of a typical Volendam background: sailing boats. At the end of the concerts these pictures were being sold and the money goes to the same goed cause: the victims of the New Year's fire.

After 2 hours of singing and playing the concert was really over. There were thank you's and Chris said literally: "I promise I'll be back". Obviously he was really impressed with everything, but it also showed he really enjoyed performing in a church.

Jan Cas Sombroek (the guy who somehow is responsible for Chris's popularity in Holland and also the guy who invited Chris to do this concert) came on stage to thank Chris. He handed him a book of Volendam, some CD's from local Volendam musicians and last but not least he gave Chris a golden microphone with diamond inlays, made by the local jeweller, as a thank you and a reminder of this memorable concert. Chris was impressed indeed.

Then we all left the church and met with Astrid, Tina, Mareicke & Nico, Simon & Astrid. We made some group pics, bought the special made CdeB pics and agreed to go to a local pub for a drink. Alas Annie & Judith decided to go home, but the rest of us walked through Volendam, when all of a sudden Tina (I think) said: "Look, there's Chris Andrews!" and yep it was him indeed, making a van ready for leaving. We had a little talk and Chris A. said they unfortunately had to go. While we were babbling on like that, all of a sudden I saw Chris coming out of a small hotel. It was obvious they were all in a hurry. Still I had the chance to tell him the concert was just awesome and thanked him for another wonderful night. My reward was a smile and 3 kisses on the cheek (whoopie!!!). Mareicke was so lucky to get her picture taken with him, but just when I got my camera out of my bag, Chris was already in the van, the door was closed and off they drove. Oh well.... hehehe

We went into a pub and had some fun together. Then it was time for everyone to go to sleep, except for Simon, who had to start working at 2:00 am. Oh my!

Astrid and Tina drove us to Teun's car, which was still standing at Annie's house. It took us a while to find it, everything looks so different in the dark (*g*), but eventually we got there. Time to say goodbye again. It was a hour driving to the house of Cora and Teun, we were all kinda hungry and Cora made us a delicious cup of soup. Guess it was round 2:30 am before my head hit the pillow. Since there were troubles with the Dutch railroad company again, Cora & Teun drove me to the train station in Leiden and I managed to arrive home save and sound and without further delays round 12:00 this afternoon.

I hope I didn't forget anything major, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I did. Hehehe, I know I've said I wasn't planning to write a review, but since no-one has done it so far, I decided to write one after all. Just in case someone is interested knowing what happened last night. Sorry it became quite a long review, but I honestly can't see where I could've reduced some information. If you managed to stay with me this far, thanks for listening. ((-:

Annelies (-:

P.S. Here's last night's play list:

Carry on / Here is your paradise
Transmission ends
Sailing away
Always on my mind
The head and the heart
Danny Boy
Natasha dance
Let it be
In a country churchyard
Spanish train
A spaceman came travelling
Borderline
Lady in red
Carry me
Yesterday
Satin green shutters
American pie
Without you
Say goodbye to it all
Snows of New York
Missing you
Don't pay the ferryman
Ticket to ride
Pretty woman
Where peaceful waters flow
Hey Jude

Lore Müller:

Here is a story about a woman, great CdeB-fan, and her husband Peter, more a Rolling-Stones-fan than a CdeB-fan, who were very very lucky last Friday:

1. part: What happened before the concert

In Nov. 2000 we planned to spend a short holiday without children in Bavaria in June as we did the year before (meeting Angelika for the first time and seeing Chris in concert in Bayreuth). The day the Volendam-tickets were sold, we were not at home and Angelika tried very hard by phone and internet to book tickets for the two of us, hoping there would be a possibility to go to Volendam and not to Bavaria. She had no success. Some weeks ago Peter and I changed our mind and the Netherlands were our aim. I dared not say something about Volendam, cause we had no tickets. Peter suggested to show me the Ijsselmeer (Zuiderzee?) where he had been last year with our local adult school and to stay some days in Callantsoog where we had been about 25 years ago. I checked where Volendam is (it was right in our way!) and told him about the concert. I suggested to go to Volendam, have a look at the church, trying to hear Chris sing through the walls or perhaps open doors, to get in perhaps after half the show or to get a ticket or two by chance or or or.... only see the others from the list after the concert and listen to what they would have to tell. He agreed. I was very happy.

So we reached Volendam in the late morning. The first church we passed seemed to be not the right one, as there was just then a funeral taking place, people walking behind the black car and we creeping behind. We found a place like a market place we thought. I went into a travelagency at the corner to ask for ..."the Vinzenz-Church where the Chris de Burgh concert will take place..." and for a map of the town. The friendly lady answered: "Are you from Astrid?" (or s.th. like that). Isnīt that funny? It was Judith, who had arranged bed and breakfast for Astrid and Tina. We had a small talk, especially about not having tickets. She told me the way to the church. All around the church are very small red-stoned houses with lovely tiny gardens and flowers, the narrow streets paved with stone in red or yellow or orange. A wonderful place for a big church built from the same stone! A van standing besides the church and people carrying boxes for the things they need to produce good sound. We had a view into the church, a church with two middle ships and two side ships and a lot of light coming through the windows. Benches for sitting and kneeling. And of course the altar. A church that is used as a church. We had expected a church without altar and benches as we had seen them before very often when visiting Netherlands or Belgium churches with our adult school. These "halls" were often rented for exhibitions and no more used as church. But this one was a real church.

My husband then showed me a museum-park 40 km north of Volendam where we looked for a hotel later on. The hours passed by very slowly. Finally we went back to Volendam to the church, where a bar made it impossible to reach a small group of people in front of the main church entrance. I recognized Astrid and Tina and Astrid came up to us. She asked the guard to let me go with her to the door to listen to the soundcheck. Lucky to have Astrid! But as you already know, we could not enjoy the soundcheck. I only heard that Chris sang "Fatal hesitation". Astrid introduced me to Claudia Schreiber and we talked about not having tickets. I showed them my sign, telling that I was looking for tickets. One of the guards at the door saw the sign, too and said that there will be tickets for sale at 7.50 h, not earlier. My decision war clear, not Peters. I had to persuade him to let me buy two tickets later. Soon Chris finished the soundcheck and left the church. We let him pass, not seeing his eyes because of his sunglasses.

Then Peter and I went to eat something. At 7.00 h we were at the church again and saw all the people already in the church. The guard who had offered the tickets, recognize me at once and pointed to another man, who took the money and let us enter. I could not believe it. I saw Astrid and Tina in the second row in the left middle-ship and there were still free seats. Unbelievable! At the end of the row there was the cameraman, we could not enter from there, so we had to climb along others. Later I learned that it was Mareicke and husband and Simonīs Astrid. On my left side there was a couple, perhaps from Turkey, and I talked with them about why they were there. They were from Zwolle in Netherlands and great fans. I invited them to join the mailing-list. More and more people entered and then Beatrix came up to me from behind, as the third row was still unoccupied (reserved for recovering youngsters). I could only say hello to Maarten by waving my hand because I couldnīt leave my seat without climbing back along the others feet. Sorry Maarten, but next time! Later on, when Astrid and Tina were on the balcony I waved hands to Annelies, Judith and Cora (as Astrid told me later on).

I didnīt know that the soccer player Wim Jong was sitting behind me, but the man beside me told me, that Jan Sombroek was the man just behind him. The stage in black was built before the altar on a wide step. On the step just in front of me there was a sign that said s.th. like that: Be respectful in this place, donīt enter the altar-room. But there, with very much respect, the concert took place. A piano on the left and the micro for singing along with the guitar in the middle.

2. part: the concert

Chris, all in black, was wonderful, as you have already read. After Carry on and Here is your paradise Chris put off his leather jacket in the usual way.... He introduced Spanish train saying that it was one of his first story-telling songs, where God and the Devil played cards what they perhaps had done in Volendam, too. (These were not his words, but I hope, the sense.) He sang Borderline in the original version, wonderful! And all those who are tired of LIR should have listened to this live-piano-version, very emotional but not too sweet. I am sure the one or other would have changed his mind and find it worth listening to. Just as to Missing you and Sailing away and Carry me, those songs, he always does. He sang them all with a mighty power and put in all his emotions. Even if you spoke only chinese you would have listened to Chris. He sang Carry me as a request and -as you know- Satin Green Shutters as my request. I hope it will be on the video, too, even though he had problems with the lyrics. It was so great to hear the song with his voice from today, he should rerecord it on the next compilation album :-)) No joke, very good. When Chris looked at his list of possible songs, his arm was not long enough to hold the piece of paper in the right distance - just as me without glasses!! When Chris` two glasses (Why do the English have the same word for glass and glasses?) of mineral water were empty, he asked for some more, without gas. A man with a filled plastic mug and a bottle of mineral water arrived soon. But Chris wanted the water to be filled in his glass and gave the mug to an elderly lady sitting next to the stage. Oh yes, there were seats at each side of the stage, too.

I will not try to describe my feelings during the concert, because as Simon already said, it is very difficult to do so in a another language. What touched me most, were his words: ...life, long or short, needs to be celebrated!

3. part: after the concert

A dream was over. I swam out of the church with the others, gathering some of the booklets on my way. It was raining heavily outside, we put our jackets on, looked for familiar faces, found none, and went to the car. I would have liked to talk with others about the concert but I was very satisfied with what I got, how lucky I was and thankful that everything went according to some not planned plan.