Everybody wants to go to Chicago

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Oh, Napoleon / The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – FZW Club, Dotmund; July 7th 2011

Hearing Oh, Napoleon play ‘Chicago’ my favorite song on their debut album, made me very happy, especially because I had not even expected to be at this concert.
Actually I was supposed to see them a week earlier, but misinformation had lead to me missing their CD release gig. I emailed them about it and they invited me to this gig. They were not headlining, but I’m not complaining. I was very happy to be on the guestlist and I surely hadn’t expected that.

About 40 people showed up to see them – easy front row. They were just as good as I remembered from the Martin and James gigs in May. I loved the songs, especially the aforementioned ‘Chicago’ and the wonderful ‘27’ that I had almost forgotten about. They were playing as a quintet this time – different from the acoustic trio, but just as good. It gave the songs more power and a bit more drive. They work together well as a band, nobody trying to steal the spotlight from the others, everyone having space to play. I sure enjoyed the drums and bass being there – it fit.

I had a photopass and was only allowed to take pics through the first three songs – I shot so many I missed much of the music. I still managed to sing along a little bit though. 🙂 Katrin is very observant. She saw me right away and smiled at me. It was nice being recognized.

They don’t try to make their concerts a great big show, they just play and they do it well. The Maximilian and Maximilian are the creative core of the band, writing all the songs, but they don’t get much of the spotlight. Yet they are really a band, playing together, sharing the stage. They come across quiet and unobtrusive – very nice. The music is well arranged, everything fits. Katrins voice carries it all, but it’s with the music, not “on top of it”. I sure hope I’ll get to see them as headliners once. I don’t think I’ll follow them everywhere, but they make music I’d like to hear more of.

Setlist:
Save Me
Chicago
I Don’t Mind
Falling Away
27
To Have / To Lose
Good Times
901

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart were better than I had expected. My impressions from MySpace weren’t all that great so I had thought I might leave early. Yet I found them very listenable. Nice music and they were much into it too. I only saw the first three songs from the front, but listened to the rest from the back and found it enjoyable. Not a band I need to see again though.

Setlist:
This Love Is Fucking Right
Heart In Your Heartbreak
The Body
Heaven’s Gonna Happen Now
Stay Alive
My Terrible friend
Come Saturday
Young Adult Friction
Too Tough
Everything with you
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Encores
Contender
Say No To Love
Strange

Had a nice chat with Katrin afterwards  and had her tell me about the Krefeld gig – looks like I missed something there. She also said touring with Martin and James was their most enjoyable tour ever <3
They’ll play Berlin in September. Maybe I’ll go there.

Singing in the Rain

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Martin and James – Hockey Park, Mönchengladbach; June 17th 2011

I disliked the fact that Martin and James were supporting Bryan Adams very much, but I wanted to see them again and this was the only way. Mönchengladbach was the closest gig and conveniently on a Friday too.

Got there around 4.00 p.m. and the lines were surprisingly short. Met up with A., chatted, waited. Before they let us in the bad weather came and I was glad I had brought a poncho to save me from the rain. Ran in, got a spot in 2nd row right, then realized the mics were on the left, changed places and were 3rd row. I talked to people around me and nicely asked if they’d let me to the front for Martin and James. They did so and as soon as the guys took the stage, I had a front row spot and a great view.

They didn’t start until 7:45 p.m. and the rain was coming down hard, dripping on the stage and “bouncing” back up. They only played a 25 minute set, but I loved it very much. I sang my heart out along with them and slowly, other people got into it too. I had the feeling they had to work harder than usual to take over the audience, but they did get friendly applause and people seemed to enjoy it. It was over in a heartbeat. To the disbelief of those around us A. and I left the front as soon as Martin and James were off the stage. A few of those who I had talked to before the gig looked at me all happy, told me “They were amazing”  and nodded apreciatively. Yeah, I know! 🙂

Setlist:

Turn it up
Crashing into Love
Live Wires
I have to fall
All over the news
Wrong Directions
Little bits of Light

We got food and drinks and hung out through all of Bryan Adam’s gig, hoping to see “our” guys after. They had not said anything about coming out, but they had done so in Belin a few days earlier.  Unfortunately, our hopes were not rewarded.

Bryan Adams was boring. I actually liked a few songs and he didn’t come across as arrogant as 15 years earlier, but not as fun or interesting either.

After the show there was no bus, so I walked with two other people until we managed to catch a taxi, wishing I had left after Martin and James were done playing. So it was  much time spent for little music I wanted to hear but I’d still do it again. They are definetely worth it!