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Ten Years After
– Live in Dortmund, Germany
December 9, 2012
The weather was
typical for December, bringing in a cold, snow, sleet rain mixture. All in
all, the travelling wasn’t so bad, just slow in some spots. We met Anita at
the hotel, the same place where the band was staying. We walked in and sat
down to talk with Michael, the roadie, when Leo came down heading to the
venue for the sound check. We had a short chat and off he went. After a while
we decided to have an early dinner before the concert. We got in a taxi and
went into the heart of town, to a restaurant about a block away from the
venue. A venue that looked like any other building in this town, but must
have a good reputation for putting on good shows, because it’s a Sunday night
concert and the Ten Years After gig is “Sold Out”.
We enter the
venue at 7:00 when things are just starting to get busy. Our first stop was
at the merchandise area to say hello to our friend Udo. I walk inside the
main stage area, and the first thing I see is three handicapped people in
wheelchairs, waiting patiently – very patiently as the show is a long way
off. I pulled up a chair and introduced myself to a woman named Heike. She,
her male friend and I got to know each other in the next hour, very nice
people.
The room was
filling up quickly, people of every age and looking very eager and thirsty.
It didn’t take
long before the main floor was packed full, everyone was friendly and happy
for a Sunday evening. I sat over by the end of the stage, where all the
equipment containers were stashed. I was out of the way and had a perfect
view.
The band came on
at exactly at the right time, prime time and the audience was now primed too.
“I’m Coming On” opened the show, one of my favourites, followed by “King of
the Blues”… They played: “I’d Love To Change The World” – “Big Black 45” –
“Bad Blood”
“I Can’t Keep
From Crying Sometimes” – “Angry Voices” – “Love Like A Man”
“50,000 Miles
Beneath my Brain” – “I’m Going Home”, Brigitte’s favourite “Time To Kill” and
Joe called for two encores.
The band and the
audience were as one happy unit. Ric got off his drum stool and took his drum
sticks with him, tapping on inanimate objects as he went, and on one fans
hands and head (an old fan of the band)…all in good fun. Ric explained later
that Buddy Rich used to do this as part of his stage act. It was a wonderful
change – up. Leo did a brilliant bass solo during “Good Morning Little
Schoolgirl” – and Chick was right on the money all the way through the show.
He was working hard, giving it his all. He was in a good mood and happy and
rested. As for Joe, he laid it all out in lavender. Smooth or fast – mellow
or rocking he covered it all. He was impressive and energetic. The entire
band was in a hyper groove – a happy mode and really put on one hell of a
show to close out their 2012 tour schedule.
It was one of
the best TYA concerts, if not THE BEST we’ve ever seen! Joe, Leo, Chick and
Ric blew the audience away. The crowd was dancing, clapping their hands,
stomping their feet, happily screaming, begging for more encores.
The bar business
was steady throughout. The fans were buying drinks for each other.
Dancing was
still going on all over the room and everyone was certainly satisfied in
every way. As I said, it was a Sunday evening, but I didn’t notice anyone
leaving early or looking at their watches. That says a lot for the band and
the audience. I listened to people talking, and it was all positive. I of
course expected nothing less, and it made me proud. I left smiling!
We hung around,
then Leo and Ric invited us upstairs where the backstage area was located.
Brigitte, Anita
and I climbed the steep stairs to join them. We spent about 45 minutes there
and then we all headed back to the hotel. Leo, Joe and I just settled into
the bar area, with a long table and ordered our drinks at 23:45….only to
learn that the bar closes at 24:00.
But we did
manage to con the bar-maid into giving everyone another round of drinks, our
thanks to them. Ric, Wolfie, Brigitte and Anita joined us for an hour of
great conversation.
Our thanks to
the band, for another great concert and quality time spent together.
About 2012 in
music. There’s Ten Years After – Hundred Seventy Split and Ric Lee’s Natural
Born Swingers. Three outfits that keep the fans happy, going from show to
show.
One supports the
other, the fans support all of them and everyone wins. There are cd’s,
concerts, dvd’s and websites to help keep everyone in the loop. What really
makes me happy is meeting the most loyal music fans in Germany, meeting the
bands who pass through our region and most of all, seeing the youth of our
age getting into the Classic Rock Music.
The music that I
was raised on…passed on to the new music fans, who will follow in our
footsteps, it’s a beautiful thing to watch. The transfer, the love of the
music to our youth.
The look in
their eyes, the red glow in their faces, and the smiles full of joy.
Heading Back
Home:
Rain, wind and
the cold continues. The highway has a few inches of hard rain on the
pavement. Puddles in places like little ponds, causing hydroplaning if you’re
not careful.
We’re always
careful, no need to rush. It’s so much better going home in the middle of the
night, only us and the truckers heading in the same direction. At one point
the road started to freeze up, with a slick ice film, only for a short
distance thank goodness. Our GPS told us that we would make it home by 3:00 –
it was 2:59 when we rolled into the driveway.
Review by
Dave
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