Leipzig-May 25th

This gig had a very unusual start for Sally, Steve and I. I can’t even think of how to explain it all…it’s going to be one of those ‘you’d have to be there’ moments but I’ll try anyways. 😆  So I took a train out to Leipzig and Steve and Sally had decided last minute to do the gig also so they rented a car and drove from Berlin out, picking me up on the way to the venue.  None of us had been to this city before so it was all new to us, however, they had a GPS system in the rental so it wasn’t long before we were in the area it was saying we should be at….except it was a campground. 😯  We’re driving through wooded areas with trailers and such thinking “this can’t be right”.  Coming around a corner, we see what appeared to be a marching band and laughed that they were the opening act. 😉  The GPS was showing it was actually going to be on the other side of the main road so we got back out and sure enough, found it. PHEW!

But then it was a case of finding somewhere to eat as none of us had really eaten much all day and it was around 16:00.  We went back to the start of the camping area and parked in the free parking lot, then started to walk towards the main road again as Steve was sure the campground would have a restaurant and as we got there, Sally read a sign saying there was a pub like place down a bit. Off we went following the signs….except it just led us back into the campground and seemed to be backtracking us.  We joked that the little cabins we were passing would be a perfect place for the guys to stay since it was literally just across the road set back in woods.

So we’re wandering around still following signs and Sally suddenly says ” there’s the band.” I immediately was like “WHAT? 😯 ” thinking “OMG, they’re really staying here? HA, too funny, let’s go camping in a cabin in the woods.” but she says “no, the band we saw earlier”. OH. 😳 😆  Well, they were standing outside the building we finally came to that was the restaurant….except when we looked inside, we could tell there was some kind of special occasion going on. By this time, we were all starving and literally out in the middle of no where so there was another sign with an arrow around so we followed and found a flight of stairs that lead to another level where a couple were drinking and eating a piece of cake. Sally asked and it turned out we could go in and order food. Oh thank goodness! But here’s where it gets so funny….so we sit down and start looking at the menu when we hear a bit of commotion down below. And then….bang, boom…ummpa pa.  We nearly flew out of our seats…the band was playing right below us! 😯    We just looked at each other and burst out laughing.  The song was over quite quickly and we all settled down (it truly was loud)…until without notice, BAM, they started up again. I jumped and grabbed Sally’s arm because I had thought they were done but as the waitress came and we  tried to shout over the music, she informed us there was a Golden Anniversary going on below…the stairwell was open so it was carrying up like crazy, OMG.  We couldn’t help but laugh though as it was just so surreal.  But to make it even worse, Sally gets done translating things for us from the menu, we go to order and get told we can’t order from the main menu until 17:00, just the small menu….and I do mean small…3 items and 2 for kids. We look, decide we’d like some orders of chicken fingers even though it’s for kids and try to order but get told no, we’re not children so can’t have them. All the while, the band is going on, off, on, off.  The songs were getting longer and longer though a few were fun because they seemed more, er, modern so Steve and I started dancing to them (Sally got some hilarious video…I’m so tempted to post it here but this is an OMD site so I won’t…but trust me, it’s hilarious. 😆 :wink:) I can honestly say John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Road” will never be the same again. 😆 😉 Their instruments were strange too….more like plumbing pipes than anything. We watched briefly from above and gotta say, aside from one elderly man that was dancing pretty good, everyone else just sat there with not so amused looks on their faces while the band played, encircling the table. The only time I saw the wife of it all smile was when they finished a song but we were loving it. It was just one of those “what the HECK?” moments and the fact we were in God knows where, listening to God knows what and trying to get something, ANYTHING to eat….well, like I said, you’d have to be there but as Steve said “it’s never dull.”  OH, and as we walked back (because we finally DID find something we could order…functional food vs. pleasure food but at that point, we could have eaten left over scraps from the Anniversary party’s table :lol:)we heard MoO coming from a car parked at one of the cabins so Steve and I did our windmill and got a thumbs up from the guy. 😀

So once that was all done, we arrived at the venue where we met up with Sylvia and also saw Melanie, Wolfgang, Lola,Sony, Darren and his wife, and Rebecca and Jean Pierre.  It was the usual 20:00pm start time but lucky for us, the doors were at 18:30 as it started raining (what else is new? 🙄 This rain has followed me around for over 2 weeks now :sad:) so we were happy to be able to wait more inside than out.  When it was finally time to go in, just like last night, there was trouble with the scanner so as we stood there waiting, the other line moved and moved so eventually Sylvia and Melanie ushered me to go to the other line and I got in before the rest and rushed to the front to try and save a spot.  Rebecca and Jean Pierre had their jackets down on their side and I asked if they were saving and they said yes, for Steve and Sally so I said “oh good, then I’ll do Sylvia and I HERE” and nabbed a spot next to the jackets in front of Mr. H.  Yay, front again. 😀  The place had some cool looking balconies though I didn’t really notice people in them but cool all the same due to their wooden design.   We could also see on the side of the stage curtain that blocked OMD’s area that it was an old theatre due to the beautifully designed plaster like walls.

Well, it was obvious that this was going to be a great crowd when, before Anais even started to sing, people got a clapping rhythm going…NICE! 😀  Where I thought last nights gig had a good view of Martin, tonight was even better so I took the opportunity to get the final song I wanted recorded. I’m happy to say the guards have been very carefree about letting us record so it’s been great!

This atmosphere continued as we waited for OMD because each time we’d see a flashlight behind the curtain or hear a sound of crew warming up the equipment the crowd would cheer. When it was finally time and the guys came on, they were greeted with a great reception. When it was over, Mr. M. spoke German but there was a happily sly “aaaahhhh” in there so it was obvious he knew they were in for a treat.  Messages found a lot of dancing and singing the musical melody at times too.  When TG was done and the crowd got loud and started a ‘hey, hey, hey…’ Mr. H. laughed and thanked us and Mr. M. said “yes, it’s going to be a great night tonight!”

Since there were six of us tonight, it became a night of ‘dance moves’. I had just randomly started dancing a certain way for Dresden because it’s quickly become a mini bouncer and I started moving my arms in alternate waves….tonight the rest of the gang joined in which cracked me up! Then, for HoM, I think it was Steve’s idea but since Mr. M. now introduces it by showing us how he wants us to join in on the dancing by doing a mini windmill on one side, then the other, the part I normally do E’s finger key part I found myself doing alternating windmills….again, 6 people all lined up front throwing an arm out, then another was pretty funny. 😆

Well, the crowd totally ate up FLaD also because when it was over and Mr. H. went to say thank you, everyone was cheering and kept going to the point that Mr. H. was grinning from ear to ear and didn’t know what to make of it. 😀  As he and Mr. M. swapped places again, Mr. M. stuck around the keys long enough to grab Mr. H.s towel and dab him lightly on the forehead, much to Mr. H.s surprise and amusement as he laughingly swiped him away. 😆  IYL brought Mr. M. down on the outer stage boxes he often has been going out to and lots of hand slaps before it was time to get Old Faithful again but even the start of Night Cafe, despite being new, had everyone cheering.  Mr. H.#2 kept laughing as did Mr. C….it was just going great!

During Souvenir I noticed that there were 3 Mr. H.s LOL. Earlier the lights caused a reflection of him on one of the fans but this time he was not only on the flag off to his left but also behind himself…Mr. H. surround sound/view. 😉  When he was done, he again got a massive response that kept going and he was so taken back he stepped back, putting his hand on his hip then getting back and smiling as if to say “ok, hold on now, are you for real? Well, thank you then, thank you so much.” I thought to myself “holy cow, if they are like this for Souvenir, what are they going to be like for MoO?” Well….even louder and stronger. Continued cheers and “hey, hey, hey” and Mr. M. just laughed and shook his head as did the rest of the band.  When we all finally settled down, Mr. M. looked out and simply said thank you…again. What more can you say really? 😀

Our System seemed extra emotionally beautiful today, I think the crowd was charging everyone on and TLaC had everyone swaying before Mr. M. came over by us with his towel. He’s been giving them out to kids in the crowd up front the past few nights but this time, not only was he giving it as a type of souvenir, but in this childs case, it was a pillow.  When he pointed and then tossed it out, he made a “sleepy time, nap” motion with his hands palmed together on one side and tipping his head and that’s exactly what the little one did. NO idea how they fell asleep but by the end of the song, yup, towel was a pillow and sleepy time it was.  Awww, good call there Mr. M.! 😀  He then went off and continued to dance during the middle part before realizing the singing was to start again so he bolted over to the mic and grabbed it just in time…didn’t miss a beat! 😆

During KtM, he changed the words a bit to go with Rebecca and Jean Pierre which was funny and then it was time for the dancing again.  Everyone seemed thrilled with Pandora’s Box as a lot of dancing occured.  The hand shake that Mr. M. and Mr. H. give each other during SMS found Mr. M. holding on and pulling at Mr. H. a bit to tease AND…guess who was Jesus tonight…MR. C.!  Mr. M. turned to him, dropped to his knees and bowed, then said “it’s HIM!” as Mr. C. shook his head and laughed. 😆  YAY, now they’ve all been christened. :D.   He was definitely on a roll, the whole band was. The crowd was loving it and letting them know!  For the first time in Germany, I heard a great sing-a-long for SotSS, Mr. M. taking his ear piece off to hear and giving us his “fantastic” approval. I had mentioned that he had walked over to the side stage at last nights gig…this time, he walked all the way off the stage and I saw him stepping down steps on the side. I thought “is he coming out to the audience?” He then disappeared (because there was a black curtain tacked up so we couldn’t see  the actual backstage area) and I thought “wouldn’t it be funny if he suddenly just popped up out of no where over that curtain or in the audience or something?” He didn’t, he just came back and whooshed back on stage to the front all “HELLO 😀 :D” like with a huge smile in time for singing again. 😆

When it was time for EG, as soon as the beat started, everyone knew what was about to happen and started cheering and the guys stood there with huge smiles.  This was also another opportunity for the German fans to try and get Secret played so tonight they first put a large banner that they hung from the rail that said “We love you, it’s no secret” but EG was also their cue to hold up sheets of paper that said “Seeee  Creet!” It was funny to see Mr. H.s reaction as there were a lot particularly on his side (so behind and around us) He kept laughing and mouthing “ok…OK…” When it was over, the guys just stood and soaked up the applause, cheers, whistles etc before finally saying their introductions and goodnights.  A lot of noise made while waiting for them to return and I knew they were going to do Secret when I saw Merv walk across the stage fiddling with Old Faithful.

When they came back on, the “hey hey hey” chant started and LOL, Mr. M. started hopping up and down to the time of it. 😆   He then took one of the sheets of paper from one of the fans and said that they’re changing their set list tonight due to so many fans wanting to hear the next song.  “If you don’t know it…blame them.” 😆 Mr. H. laughed and said “yeah, we don’t normally take requests but this time we’re making an exception.”  It was great to hear and a few of the fans then held up “Thank you Paul” signs. 😀  Electricity was one final chance to let it all out and when it was over, every one of them looked so pleased and thrilled. It was a fantastic gig, such energy and appreciation from the fans and the band really seemed to get fueled by it.

So, highlight of the night.  Well, aside from the crazy start of the day, I would say probably just the night in general. This was a really great crowd, a fantastic gig, the guys were on such top form and having so much fun (NOT that they aren’t on form other nights but I mean the feedback from the crowd seemed to get them in a playful and excited mood…if that makes sense) and I love seeing that. Can’t beat smiles from them or fans and that’s all I saw all night so… 😀