Bielefeld-May 22nd

Before I start, incase anyone is wondering. the pics, with the exception of VE’s, are in B&W because I thought it was time for something completely different. 😉 OH, and internet issues so really behind on vid uploads…sorry! 🙁

Right, so Paula and I had an easier train travel today. There was still a close/short spaced transfer but it was to the correct platform this time (we didn’t believe tickets and just checked the Departure board LOL) and while walking to a spot on the platform of the first train, a woman, Melanie, I’d met back in Hannover for the HoM tour came up to say ‘hi’…we were on the same train so we ran together. 😆 We weren’t able to sit together though but met up again before the gig.

Our hotel was very near the station and when we walked into our room, we found it had a really lovely and spacious bathroom…that was down a little hallway that was off from the room (but inside, not the main hotel hallway). There was a door just past it so I went to open it up as we were curious…another smaller bedroom. 😯 Paula asked if we had a shared bathroom and I told her no, I made sure we had our own so we tried to lock the room but the key didn’t fit so I went down to check with reception. Turns out “it’s the writing room. It’s yours.” I was like “huh? Um…but we don’t need two rooms, I just booked one.” and he said “but it’s part of your room….incase you’d like to use it, it’s the writing room.” Well, I thanked him, came back up to tell Paula and joked I’d take it as I was going to try finishing a blog anyways…”he said WRITING room so…” 😆 😉 We were also mixed in between a ton of shops so Paula power shopped while I blogged, then we got ready and headed out as we wanted to get in line early enough to try for front row today.

It was dreary and threatening rain with a cold wind but lucky for us, the venue had a overhang that we all waited under and after that, there was a small tent set up for some others who came late. We ran into Melanie and also Wolfgang once we were walking up to the venue so we all joined the queue that had Sony and Lola and a couple other guys there already. As we waited, it got quite cold and I had a dress on so I joked with Paula by putting my other lighter jacket wrapped around my legs but Wolfgang saw and bless his heart, said he had a blanket we could use so next thing ya know, Paula and I were wrapped up like mummies, though our hands and feet were still totally ice when we finally got in but it was a good laugh standing wrapped up like that and very sweet to have it. 😆 After awhile, a woman (Sylvia) came up and asked if I was Lori and asked if I remembered her from Hannover last time. I felt bad because I couldn’t and had to ask her name but once we started talking I remembered we had met after the gig while Antje and I were waiting to say ‘hi’ (or in my case, goodbye as it was my last gig) to the guys.

When we were let in, I found a big, round floor that had kind of an old, converted warehouse or something feel. One of the guys in line said it had been an old train station in the past. It was quite dark in decor and even lighting so it cast an old fashioned atmosphere. A few tables and stools were in the back by the bar but for the most part, it was a standing floor.

OK, so I promised more on Vile Electrodes. I could actually see the guy more this time. It’s Anais Neon and Martin Swan.  They did a variety of songs from their debut EP plus their new  EP Re-Emerge and there’s a new album to come very soon.  Often Anais would announce the titles, then laugh and say “we’re selling that one in the back”, then “we’re selling THAT one in the back too” LOL. They’re kind of a blend of New Order, (especially during one of their later songs I didn’t catch the name of…in the middle interlude, their beat and sounds were a lot like Blue Monday!) Ladytron, (though Anais sings in a higher octave at times) and maybe even Mirrors or earlier DM. There’s a few stand out tracks to me, “Play with Fire”, “The Last Time”, plus one other I’m going to try getting recorded and ask the title before the end of the tour. Sylvia hadn’t really gotten too much into Mirrors from the HoM tour but I told her she’d probably like VE as it’s a little more dancable and with a female vocalist so something different and as it turned out, she did like them. The crowd seemed to enjoy them and Anais seemed a bit more relaxed, joking about how she’d tried to speak some German last night but it wasn’t very good so…better than mine hun. 😆

The stage was big enough to warrant the flags and fans tonight and when the lights went down, everyone cheered and clapped to the beat of Metroland. Shortly after, something came flying over our heads but just missed landing on the stage. Paula and I felt bad so we asked one of the camera men if he’d get it, he gave it back (no idea what was in it but it was wrapped in seran wrap with ribbon bow and a piece of paper said “we love you” but not sure what the item inside was…sweet :D) and I turned around to see if I could figure out who had thrown it so they could try again….to no avail…so we decided just to put it on the piled box that was right in front of Paula so Mr. M. could see it when he came over later.

I heard some people yelling the “no, no, NO” to TG and Dresden had us girls bouncing along with a few other heads moving back and forth but then it was HoM and Mr. M. instructed us to join in with his dancing and did a mini windmill arm twist on one hand “like this..” and the other “and like THIS”. Well, not sure if anyone tried to windmill but there were more heads and bodies moving, though again, I didn’t see much bouncing. A couple more things got tossed (they looked similar so maybe from the same person) and though the second one also fell short, the third made it and Mr. M. took it…and later the one on the box…and put them by Mr. H.s keyboard. After, he called Mr. H. to “come down please” and called him the “star” of the show. Mr. H. laughed as he stepped down and center to do FLaD and when he was done, he said “Dankeschon” a couple times and walked back to his keyboard. Mr. M. laughed and said “your German is getting better….look at you, Dankeschon” and they both laughed.

IYL found Mr. M. stepping down onto the boxes that were in front of us and he saw a little boy who had been in line near us earlier so he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his bass pics and handed it to him, the little boy excitedly taking it. 😀 As he was standing there and singing, Paula started to run her nails down his leg so he looked down, grinned, wiped his face and finger flicked, splashing her with his sweat. She let out a scream and we all started laughing. 😆

Well, the A&M trio went down well, Mr. M. giving Mr. H. his bow downs after Souvenir and my camera holding up for JoA/MoO. The crowd definitely came to life for a huge applause and a few “hey….hey…” in approval. Mr. M. stood and looked around, laughing and thanking everyone. Due to where I was standing and the height of the stage, I ended up watching Mr. H.#2 a lot for Our System when it took off near the end as I could see his hands flipping over each other as he hard hit the beats….cool! 😀 TLaC was more swaying and I was happy to see a lot joining in. Mr. M. said we’d do a summer festival…”all we need now is rain and bad toilets.”

Lots of cheering when Mr. M. introduced Pandora’s Box as “this is about Louise Brooks” and since they had flags tonight, I could see they had images of her like the music video. I am loving hearing this song! 😀 A small congregation tonight for SMS but still great to bounce and Mr. H.#2 was Jesus again…maybe it’s due to him sitting up so high, he’s on a ‘thrown’. 😆 There was extra goofing in the goofing around song because not only did Mr. M. go and grab Mr. H.s microphone stand to move it aside as Mr. H. grabbed it back but a bit later, he went over to Mr. C. and started singing to him. 😯 He then grabbed the towel that was sitting on Mr. C.s keyboard and started to lightly dab his forehead…Mr. C. laughed, then took one finger and pushed him away. 😆 😆

SotSS and EG came and went quite quickly and before we knew it, the band were saying goodbyes. I noticed Mr. H.#2 giving out extra thumbs up to people and as they walked off, “zugabe” began. I also noticed a woman who had come up behind me with a piece of paper and pen, obviously wanting something signed. I let her in front of me and when the guys came back out and WotMW began Mr. M. got down on each side box and when he was on ours, the girl motioned for him to sign a couple times. Mr. M. gave her a motion of “I’m singing so the mic is in my one hand” but bless his heart, when he would normally say “Mr. Cooooper” he instead reached out, took her paper and pen, wrote something and gave it back to her as she ecstatically took it and turned around. Awww! 😀 One final chance to bounce for Electricity and then it was over. Final goodbyes and a few people making the mad dash to the stage to get a set list (Merv has been really sweet in giving out as many as he can to those asking, bless his heart :D), then the guards literally started to undo the barriers and pushed them right towards us 😯 ….OK, guess we’re leaving then. 😆

So, highlight of the night…well, I think I will say the look of joy on Sylvias face. She had been waiting since 2010 for them to come back and she was so excited before the gig, she was nervous. Every time I’d look, she had an enormous smile and I was so happy she was front and right by the box. She was also able to finally get her picture with Mr. M. (she said last time when she was waiting with the rest of us, she only got an autograph). It’s always so much fun to see people meet the guys and/or get pics for the first time, it’s precious! 😀  And she’s since decided to do Leipzig so we’ll get to hang one more time, yay. 😀