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The
Magic Remains The Same:
Ten
Years After, Live In Hannover, Germany –
Friday July 23, 2010
At
the Musikzentrum – this concert was rescheduled from April 16, 2010
that was cancelled due to the volcanic disruption that forced the
grounding of all flights at Heathrow airport.
Our
friend Reinhard, Brigitte and myself are ready to attend this concert. A
Friday evening, an hour and a half trip up the A-2 autobahn and we’re
there. We’ve been to this venue twice before, so we know the layout of
the place very well, including the location of the back stage area.
We
arrive about a half hour before show time, 8:00 and catch up with the
band backstage. I stay with them while Brigitte and Reinhard return to
the front door with their tickets in hand.
Sander
and his mother Jannie are also here, although his sister remained home
this time.
It’s
a full house / sold out crowd and there’s an atmosphere of high energy
in the air tonight.
Showtime
and I follow the band to the backdoor of the venue, where the audience
is already chanting for the band to come onstage. Within minutes, the
band enters to roaring applause and a standing ovation from everyone in
the room. The band plugs in and within seconds, they’re off and
running once again.
It
doesn’t take very long before you realize that this isn’t just any
concert, that the audience isn’t just any audience, and that this is a
very special event. After years of seeing concerts in this area, I can
tell you unequivocally, that the people in Hannover and the surrounding
areas are the best people to rock and roll with bar none! We’ve always
had a great time here, and tonight is no exception.
The
band finishes their first song and there is a ear shattering roar from
the audience, that lasted well beyond the average length of an
appreciative response. The band itself is caught slightly off guard by
this overwhelming attention,
which caused an unexpected two minute delay in starting their next song.
From that moment forward, the band kicked their performance level up a
full notch. Thus making sure that their admiration for the audience was
received and reciprocated in earnest.
Brigitte
is front row, right in front of Leo, Reinhard is back row, checking out
the sound, and I’m side stage by the sound board man, then moved to
the staircase within five feet of Ric Lee as he was performing his
“Hobbit” drum solo. Ric was on fire - a breath-taking performance by
Ric: Amazing, Outstanding, Overwhelming, Unbelievable, Unforgettable!
Excellent drumming, that causes your head to start spinning!
I am at a loss of words here … Please,
Ric, do it again!!!!
Sweating profusely all over his drum kit, so much so that after
the cymbal solo part of the act, when he went back to the drums, water
from his sweat was now flying off of the drum head – it would have
made a great photo.
The
Audience:
From
my vantage point I can see the entire first row, right to the back wall
of the venue, and all the people sitting up there in the balcony area. I
see people playing air guitar, one man using both hands to imitate
Chick’s keyboard playing, there’s one man to my right head-banging,
with everyone else focused towards the stage. Focused, some towards Leo,
others towards Chick, some watching Ric and the rest of the eyes glued
on Joe’s finger work.
This
brings us to “I Can’t Keep From Cryin´ Sometimes”….and this
audience was not only ready for it, but really got into the heart of the
song. They really liked the jam section, where anything can and does
happen. The band changes it up each time they perform it. It lasted,
what seemed like fifteen minutes, which then went right into Good
Morning Little School Girl. The band also played I’m Coming On, Slip
Slide Away, Angry Words, I’m Going
Home and Choo – Choo – Mama…….
The
Aftermath:
During
the concert, I watched the audience with intense fascination. The
passion and power that a large crowd can generate on a good night. I
watched people in the front row singing right along with every song the
band played. There was one little girl, about 9-11 years old, singing
“one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat
go” to her father who was standing on her right hand side, as the band
rocked in the middle of I’m Going Home. I watched her and her father
on and off throughout the evening. I decided that after the band left
the stage I’d hand her the set-list sheet and one of Joe’s guitar
picks from off the stage floor. Well, the road crew put the set list
sheets away before I could acquire (steal) one for her, but I did walk
across the stage pick up the guitar pick that Joe was using, and bent
down to head it to the girl, who was in shock as what to do – accept
it or fear a stranger with good intent! Finally, she held out her hand
and I placed it in her palm….while twenty other hands were pleading
for the same treatment. I did manage to pick up three more and hand them
out to the audience, making a few of them very happy indeed.
Backstage:
I
sat with Sanders mother and Leo. Fifteen minutes later Brigitte,
Reinhard and Hans-Jörg Freier entered the room. Before the concert we
asked Leo (first by email) and then in person if the band would be
willing to donate some items for a Kindergarten Project that Hans-Jörg
was doing at his own expense and time. So it was arranged and Hans-Jörg
was given Tee Shirts and CD’s from the band, and we contributed one of
Ric’s drum heads that was autographed by everyone in the band. We hope
he has great success with his project. Our sincere thanks to Leo Lyons
in particular, and all the members of Ten Years After for their support
in helping our friend reach his goal to help others.
In
Conclusion:
The
band never sounded better.
The
audience were like a happy family.
The
venue was sold out, and even the people in the balcony area were
standing in respect for
Ten
Years After’s solid gold – stellar performance this evening.
Ten
Years After at their most powerful best!!!
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