"Capitol" Schwerin April 27 2007
I wondered how I should
start this review....
Now I found the right line:
SCHWERIN
RULES!!!!!
Melanie-concerts in the eastern parts of Germany are always so
special. These people that lived in the former communist German Democratic
Republic are so thankful for what they get - and so hungry for something good,
honest, authentic that the atmosphere there is always electrified with this
special energy that one almost can touch.
The "Capitol", a former
movie-theatre is renovated and now still a movie-theatre but also a
concert-hall.
Unfortunately there was no time to do sightseeing in the
beautiful centre of Schwerin. We were late in the hotel and during Beaus
soundcheck the audience was already allowed to enter the hall.
Thew show
started at 8:30 with Beaus own compositions for 30 minutes as usual. Before the
show and during the intermission after Beaus performance people could buy
CDs.
This time I met many fellow Melanites that I know from previous
concerts. Ute & Falk from Leipzig, Sigi & Manni from Berlin, Sigrid
& Karl-Heinz from Rostock, Brian from England (hi everybody, it was nice to
see you all again). I feel sorry for Claudia from Freiberg and Michael S. from
Berlin - they couldn't make it (so big hugs from here!)
Before Melanie came
on stage at 9:30, an expensive mountain-bike was given to the winner of a raffle
from a local electronic-market. God knows why they chose a Melanie-concert for
this....
Anyways -
Melanie opened her set with
*Rock'n'Roll
heart
being very confused by something on the stage that she called a "weird
little box". It bothered her a great deal but the professional that she is, she
managed to ignore it.
Her next song was
*Close to it all
which has a
special meaning for the people in East Germany because the can identify so much
with the line "to tear down the wall, because I wanna be close to it all...".
For decades they were practically locked behind the deadly iron curtain.
She
started to take requests after that and Karl-Heinz (from Rostock) shouted
*Old Bitch
Warrior
Shen liked the idea and did it. Good choice, Karl-Heinz - it was
fantastic. Then someone elsed asked for
*Save me
Wow! Excellent
audience with exquisite taste. There are so many fantastic songs to chose from
and I am always delighted to hear "Save me" live.
Then she announced "Make it
work for me" but changed her mind and did
*Carolina in my mind
first.
(Another request from the crowd)
*Make it work for me
was then the next
song, followed by
*Jammin' alone
and a lesson how we should participate
in the hand-waving "ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh" part.
Another chance was given with
*Smile
and we did our best to sing the "I love people who smile"
part.
*Crazy love
was next and I never get tired of hearing it.
Then
she had a SURPRISE for us!
A brandnew song!!
Again!!!
*Live one
is
the "working title" and it is (of course)a beautiful song.
*Look,
Ma...
was the official end of her performance at 10:40
The applause was so
tremendous that she didn't even bother to leave the stage but stayed to do her
first encore right away
During several songs a young woman was dancing in
front of the stage (between row 1 and the stage was a good 10 feet room). She
seemed to know the music and danced a bit like an indian temple-dancer (with
these elegant slow moves of the arms).
*Ruby Tuesday
was the first encore
and the audience went wild.
Melanie and Beau left the stage but we were all
on our feet forcing them out again to do
*Beautiful people
of course the
thundering applause did not end. I expected something like "Peace will come" or
"Extraordinary" so during "Beautiful people" I sneaked out to help Marianne at
the cd-table. To my surprise the next encore was actually
*Lay down
Again
she asked people up on stage to sing with her and many did.
Not me this time
- I thought that this would be the definitive final song and that I would not be
able to be back at the cd-table as the crowd streams out of the hall at the
end.
The minutes after the show are always the busiest at the cd-table. But
"Lay down" was finished and nobody came out.
She did ANOTHER
encore
*Extraordinary
The audience must have given her that "extra-kick" -
the show was not finished yet.
The very last song was
*Nickel song
and
at 11:15 the doors were opened, the lights were turned on and soon the cd-table
was stormed. Some CDs were sold but most people waited for the
signing-session.
It was the biggest crowd of autograph-hunters so far but of
course each and every wish was fulfilled.
Too soon it was time to say
"goodbye" (although it was way after midnight). So "bye-bye" Dia, "goodbye"
Howard (incredible soundman) and a final "hope-to-see-you-soon-again"-hug from
Melanie and Beau. Germany loves you!!!!!!!!!
_________________________
your's in Melanie-Music Michael,
Frankfurt/Germany
_________________________
your's in Melanie-Music
Michael, Frankfurt/Germany