"THE LAST EXIT" 

- HAMBURG CONCERT REVIEW -  HAMBURG, GERMANY, FEBRUARY 24, 2006
"Downtown Blues Club" - BAD FOR FANS: 

Round trip around 600KM - traffic on a Friday afternoon was at a standstill on the autobahn. We left at 4:30 in the afternoon, after work, when usually we would have been to the concert venue long before then. We arrived there at 8:30, we met our friend Axel and our new friend Anita. Axel just ordered his dinner and while Brigitte and I were hungry we were still hyper from driving in heavy traffic and all the delays we encountered, so consequently we decided to order our dinner later in the evening. This proved to be our first mistake, because at 9:00 the waitress came around and collected all the money owed her by the patrons, and dinner was over - kitchen closed. In most places you could order dinner until midnight, but not here. So now we're hyper, agitated and hungry. Axel offers to buy us ice-cream as that's what he'd like for desert - we choose from the menu that's sitting right in front of us, and the waitress says "there's no ice cream" and then proceeds to snatch the menu away, and she leaves in a huff. Axle then says, that Chick went back to the hotel to sleep, Ric took a short nap as well, Joe was at the hotel, and Leo was sitting right behind us having his dinner. I wanted to have a little chat with him about the new TYA dvd that he's working on, but he's talking with someone, so I have to wait my turn. I see the opportunity to approach and take a step inside of the dining pavilion, where I'm immediately confronted by a waitress who's inquiring about my intention and then told that I'm restricted from entering the area. Another fifteen minutes and Leo comes out and talks with us, but he's on the way to the bathroom. We need to talk with Tom because our names weren't on the guest list and the man at the front desk can't be bothered to ask the band for further information. Tom comes out, he talks with the man, places our names on the guest list - and Tom wants to know why our names aren't on there as he (Tom himself) made sure that they were on there this afternoon, but now they're missing! Something's wrong in Hamburg and I smell a rat already. We've only been here about forty minutes and already the problems are mounting and the tensions increasing by the score. Also attending this concert is Torsten, his son and his friends Jens and Michael. Along with our good friend Tony Tilotta. It won't be until much later when we all sit down and compare notes, that we all realize just how bad this afternoon and evening has really been for all of us.

THIS IS THE WORST VENUE WE HAVE EVER BEEN IN-BAR NONE! We all agree that we have no interest to return there for any reason, not even to see Ten Years After. THE END OF PHASE ONE of TEN YEARS AFTER RETURN: "HAMBURG THE LAST EXIT" As the band heads for the shores of America for the second time around in thirty eight years, this also brings an end of phase one of our extensive coverage. 2002-2006. Four years later for us, and about ten thousand road miles of stories and adventures have been shared with you. We've not only done our job, but we've become reporters and eye witnesses to backstage areas, concert halls - historical events and associations with other fans, friends, music industry stars and related personnel. For Brigitte and I it's been a real pleasure to be a little part of the overall picture. We are volunteers, we took it upon ourselves to show our support and to help out as much as possible. The band members appreciate our work and we respect them as always. For us personally, in Hamburg, we intended it to be a joyous send off to America for Ten Years After. We had bottles of champagne and other assorted beverages. We wanted to be close to them and wish them all the best of everything in their future. Our friends were there and we figured we'd all join together for this happy send off, but it didn't happen that way. The band was busy, many fans were locked out, dinner wasn't being served, cocktails are only available during "Disco Nights" (as our friend Larry Rust requested that we order a drink in his name, and that he invented called "The Iron Butterfly") but that no-one ever heard of . The backstage area that we've become accustomed to was now off limits, (at least here) the front row of the stage was now unavailable, and we have been swept up into the new "Ten Years After "NOW" maelstrom" that now exist. We see it, the band feels it, and their fans know it. Our position at the present time, is to remain as intermediaries between the members of TYA, their fan base, the venues where we frequent, and alas, where needed or requested. As of February 25, 2006 we're officially off the road. As Henry's Blues Garage was a happy and beautiful beginning, the Down Town Blues Club was a bitter and disappointing ending to phase one. The Downtown Blues Club may treat the musicians like royalty but they were delinquent and downright rude in their treatment of us personally. As advocates for the music and the in the interest of the fans we whole heartedly recommend that you avoid this venue like the Black Plague.

Downtown Blues Club - NIE WIEDER!!!

by Dave and Brigitte