Utrecht-May 17th
So…Europe….quite different than the UK that’s for sure. Different languages, trains vs. driving etc but an adventure awaits me thinks. π It took a bit longer and one extra train transfer to get to Utrecht and sadly, when I arrived, the rainy weather followed me (I should say, the last 24 hours in Liverpool really shaped up to be lovely but then I had to leave to return to London so I could Eurostar it the next morning….rain. :sad:). The hotel was quite a bit out of the city center but when I got out of the taxi, I heard my name called and looked up to see Debbie and Anje on a balcony above me waving. They had decided a couple weeks ago they were going to do Holland and asked where I was staying so it allowed us to hang for the gig….and share the taxi costs LOL.
We all wanted to get to the venue early enough to nab front row so it was a quick freshen up, bus to main train center for Holland cuisine (aka Burger King π :wink:) and then a taxi to the venue where we found about a half dozen fans waiting. Luckily, the venue had a long corridor that was open at the end to the public so we were able to come in from the rain and wait. This was great except it also lent for people coming after us to ‘conveniently’ wander past us and further into the corridor to avoid the rain…and basically jump the line. Once we all figured out what was going on, a number of us said something and had to just move up and past them ourselves and when they finally opened the door I got squashed into Debbie and then off to the side a bit. OK, seriously people? π But we managed to get front and staked our spots, saving them while we alternately went to the toilet (and smoke for the Bull girls).
The venue was fairly small actually, definitely different than the UK gigs (I guess I’d put it around the size of Leeds but don’t hold me on that). Square floor and square balcony that I thought was all standing because people on the sides were up but later when I looked straight back, some people seemed to be sitting so… There was also no barrier between us and the chest height (for me) stage and the stage wasn’t too large because as I looked in front of me, Mr.H.s keys seemed awfully close. π― π
So tonight and the Brussels gig has an opening act called Metroland. It basically consisted of two guys on Mac Lap tops at a DJ/mixing like table but off to each of their sides were small screens that displayed graphics, often that went along with the songs theme. (favorites were the ones that featured the London Tube, especially their song “Mind the Gap”. Consisting of recorded messages from the Tube train station announcements, Debbie laughed and said “I’m from London, I don’t need to hear this HERE.” :lol:) They were fun and got us moving and occasionally one of the guys would speak in a robotic like voice. Think Kraftwerk meets OMD meets modern day techno if that makes sense. According to the concert ticket, they were to start at 20:15 due to doors at 19:30 but they came on early at 19:48 and played until around 20:30 so very similiar to the lay out of the UK gigs and JF’s set time. No complaints here, the less waiting around we have the better LOL. π
Off to my right was a woman who, well, I’ll just say was really enjoying herself and Debbie was on my left, Anje next to her. Though the place was full, it seemed we’d have room to dance a bit and when the lights went down, a cheer erupted. A few things I noticed that were different tonight from other nights was first off, no platforms but for Mr. H. #2. My guess is that the stage is smaller so maybe the ones for Mr. H. and Mr. C. would have extended too far out. There were also no flags and no black and white striped banners along the sides of the stage but instead, 4 of them made the backdrop to the band. Finally, the DJ was still playing his/her music when the lights went down and Merv escorted Mr. H.#2 and Mr. C. to their spots with his flashlight. I thought “um….Mr. DJ, I think that’s your cue” but it actually took another minute or two for the music to stop and PRS to begin…strange.
No worries about the unusual start though because as soon as Metroland started, so did the clapping…AND a lot of singing. It made me wonder how high charted the song got because it was the best singing to that song I’ve heard so far. π I could also see Mr. H.#2 really well because though he was on a platform, it wasn’t his normally high one (I’m guessing he was on one that belonged to Mr. H. or Mr. C.) so I paid more attention because I saw him playing on his left side. It didn’t look like ‘real’ drums where he was playing but I can’t say for sure what was there… electronic pads perhaps…but most of the song he played to his left, avoiding his main drum set…hmm….) When it was over, Mr. M. let out a greeting in the native language (my guess…good evening) and said it was good to be back in Utrecht. Messages got more dancing and cheering and I thought I heard a bit of the der der der da der da deeer, er, ‘sung’ as I sang along, nice! When Mr. M. came over by us to dance around with Old Faithful, I had to back up to get pictures because he was so close…HELLO! π By the time Dresden came and Mr. M. said if we didn’t know it, just bounce up and down, I found I had some bouncing partners in Debbie but also a woman a couple people away from me on my right and Ana who was a few people down on my left and it continued for HoM which was great. It was also the first chance fans had to try and get their hands slapped so up a lot went all around me…I found myself ducking since Mr. M. was right in front of me at the edge of the stage. π
Once done bouncing, Mr. M. said “Paul, I think the natives are friendly. It’s safe for you to come out now.” Mr. H. came out and people started cheering before he even got going so Mr. M. started his repeated bowing early. π During IYL, Mr. C. seemed so small standing and playing the sax due to not being on any platform but standing next to Mr. H.#2 who was on one…even when he sat back down, he just seemed so small….but very smiley. π It’s amazing how a little stage change can give different perspectives eh? I was talking to Debbie about something I’ve now forgotten so I missed part of Mr. M.s intro to Night Cafe but he said something about failing to become an artist and Mr. H. said “Martin’s the only one who didn’t fail to be an artist” and Mr. M. agreed saying he was a real artist. He then said he got to see one of his idols today (whose name I didn’t get proper and neither did Debbie…we were back to listening at that point too but, sorry) who was from Utrecht but then said “but this song isn’t about him, it’s about the paintings of Edward Hopper….terrible lead in there, just play the song” and they all laughed.
The sounds of Souvenir starting got the crowd cheering again and during MoO, I tried to get some shots of Mr. H.#2’s drumming since it’s so amazing and my position lent for a better view but sadly, my camera kept getting freaked out by the strobe light that was flashing madly behind him. But anyone who’s seen the song live knows what I mean. By the time it was over, there was a massive cheer that continued for quite awhile. This may have been a smaller venue and crowd but everyone was thoroughly enjoying the gig. No fans tonight for Our System but it was still lovely due to the lights, the nature of the song and Mr. M.s emotional delivery…I just love hearing that one! π TLaC found Mr. M. right by us, again, due to no barrier but our arms had a rest from the swaying back and forth LOL. KtM found Mr. M. over by me singing to the girl behind me (the one I said was very much enjoying herself). He looked at her intensely and sang, taking her hand and kissing it to the lyrics and she nearly died. π
When the dancing started again, Anje got sung the So In Love part and as Mr. M. was saying “you would do just ANYTHING” she joked and nodded as she mouthed “I would..yes, I would” in a casual, matter of fact mocking kind of way, too funny. π I had forgotten to tell them about the prayer stance until part way through the gig (told Debbie who said they’d follow me, then told Anje “we’re gonna follow Lori in SMS.”) but when the song started, our arms were up. Mr. M. chose a guy in the front row to be Jesus and as he held his hand on the fans head for awhile as he sung, he paused, then said “let him in” and laughed. He then said “but don’t believe me” and then tried to get back into the song as he laughed again and went to shake the guys hand. But he got thrown off so started and stopped and laughed again saying “I forgot the words.” Awww… π
The goofing around song was great as Mr. M. came behind Mr. H. (who had already grabbed his microphone stand to hold LOL) and stood there a minute…so Mr. H. turned to see him there, Mr. M. first patted him on the back, then started to rub the top of his head and then kind of put his head towards him as they both laughed, then he came around over Mr. H.s left shoulder as they laughed more. SotSS didn’t have the amazing sing along as before but as I was trying to get some pics of Mr. C., Debbie called my name and pointed behind me…I saw someone with a little boy on their shoulders who had come up to make contact with Mr. M. He saw and they had their moment…sweet! π Then Mr. M. came by my left and knelt down as he sang to the enjoying girl behind me. Β She had reached out to him a few times, grabbing his foot but with him there, Β she reached a bit too close for comfort to a certain body part (I’d seen her do it once before and thought “OMG, don’t do that! :shock:” while flashbacks of Anaheim a couple years ago raced through my mind) and Mr. M. saw so gave her the ‘no no, don’t do that’ finger motion and she just danced instead. Another bouncing moment with everyone for EG and then it was time for goodbyes but immediately after the song ended, before the guys could really say anything, “hey…hey…hey” started so the guys let it go for awhile before thanking us and introducing each other (no first names for Mr. M. and Mr. H. this time, back to normal on that one LOL).
WotMW had another youngin moment. A little one had managed to come up front way to my left and Mr. M. gave him a bass pic from his pocket then later let him have his own “hey hey”…sweet! π Electricity gave us our final bounce and then it was over but not without a few more “hey…hey” (I actually heard someone start the OMD…OMD chant while we waited for them to return and I jumped on it but it fizzled rather quickly. Ah well, “hey….hey…hey” works too. :lol:) After, I tried to get the poster I had seen up on the door prior to the gig as they said to ask for it after the gig but sadly, someone else took it so maybe next time. Ana and I exchanged emails, a hello to another friend who I hadn’t seen earlier and a bit at the venue before the three of us girls had the box office call us a cab and rode back to our hotel rooms.
So…highlight of the night. Well, I kind of have two…one for the joy of it all and one because it just struck me as really funny. First I’ll say hanging with the Bull girls as I’d never done a gig with them before and it was a lot of fun. It’s always great to share love of OMD’s music and they’ve been long time fans and weren’t afraid to bounce and dance around (and do the prayer stance LOL) so that’s always a plus. π π The other would be my close encounter with Mr. M.s shoe. NOT because he was so close to us and came close to kicking me, he’s got a clean record of not hitting anyone with his bass or kicking anyone with his dancing but due to the girl behind me. She kept reaching up and out to him so I’d get pushed a bit, often towards Debbie, and one time I was on a funny angle so I decided to try and straighten myself a little by turning ever so slightly. Well, since I was not only getting shoved to my left but also forward and was ducking from her arm/hand that had flown up, that turn put my face literally at Mr. M.s shoe :shock:. I let out a “oh good God!” and turned back again as I cracked up. I’ve never had that much of a close up before but I know more about his footwear now. π
Peter T
Hey Lori
Just watched your video of If You Leave from Utrecht…and my handshake with Andy is in it..but not the reaction from the guy in front !!. Great review π
mariska barnier aka djpamm or the mental omd geek
Great review.This time i was on the balcony.(again) the front rows were full and I’m not big….Anyway great gig.And it was worth to skip my diner for it,because my babysit was a bit late.