Wise Guys - Tanzbrunnen
May 27th 2006 - Köln, Germany
Little question, before you start reading: I didn't make notes today, so can anybody tell me why I still can write such a long report?? Take your time for the reading, good luck ;)
Last year, when we visited the Wise Guys concert in Tanzbrunnen (report 2005), I already knew we would probably go there again one day. Experiencing an open air a cappella concert this big is just phenomenal. Really going there again this year is in some way unbelievable. Because I still feel the same way about Wise Guys music. Because I made such good friends through the Wise Guys and this is a chance for me to meet some of them again. Because my a cappella addiction has only increased. And most of all because I want to enjoy life fully and do just the things I love to do.
But we decreased expenses for today. No expensive train tickets. No hotel. We are going there by car. Cheaper, faster and easier. Though I wasn't sure about the last thing. Would it be easy? Getting to Köln wouldn't be hard, but driving in the city itself felt really exciting and a bit scary as well. And although map24 showed us an easy route, I was quite nervous about the trip. Not only driving in Köln made me nervous, our old 'Ferrari' is slowly falling apart and needs replacement soon..... But, we kept smiling and left with good spirits. Adventure here we come!
Wilma arrives just in time (thank you Dutch Railways), and we leave at ten. Unfortunately there is a big
traffic jam just before Köln which takes an hour. It's really annoying, standing there, and it even
makes us decide to leave the highway a little earlier, and drive through Köln instead. Bye bye fear of
driving in Köln!! It all goes very well and we find Tanzbrunnen right away. There are even signs,
telling us were to find the Wise Guys! We arrive at 13.30, and there are quite a lot of people already.
Now, we have to wait, wait and wait. The most annoying thing is, the fence was closed and we couldn't
visit the toilets!! *aaargh* But there are a lot of people I know, and time flies.
The weather forecast for today is very bad. Rain, rain and rain. While we are waiting it is still dry, but we are sheltered under one of the Tanzbrunnen shades anyway. Just after 15.30 we can enter Tanzbrunnen. On this point, everybody starts running towards the stage. It's one of the moments everybody is acting like teenagers who wants to have the best place, right in front of the stage, haha. We're running as well and gather quite good places, somewhere in sixth row (as far as you can speak of 'rows') right in front of the stage. It has started to rain, but we are dry.
More than 12.500 people !
On the huge screen, there are some videoclips. There are two new video clips, from Radio and Jetzt und hier. The videos are really cool. (A big thank you goes to Team Dewitz!) They also show the older video from Jetzt ist Sommer. "Jetzt ist Sommer, egal ob man schwitzt oder friert, Sommer ist was in deinem Kopf passiert"! A very suitable text for today. At 16.30 the supporting act is starting. It's funny, because I can see shadows on the screen on the back of the stage. I recognize Dän who is standing backstage behind the screen. I realize how stupid it is, to recognize somebody by his shadow, but it's mostly the way he is holding his microphone in his hand which is typical for Dän.
He walks on the stage, everybody
starts cheering and he quickly dissappears again as if being scared by the crowd. He appears again and takes
the applause with a big smile. He introduces the supporting act, the coverband A.N.N.A from Düsseldorf.
They play some songs for us, for about 45 minutes. The men are very enthusiastic and they are quite good.
But I mostly like the two Rock'n'roll songs they're playing. Unfortunately there's too little room to dance.
Last year we had more room, but it's understandable that many people try to gather a place under the shades
to keep dry. So we're packed. But at least it's cosy and warm ;)
I've forgotten how exhausting the waiting is. My feet and legs are hurting and the
Wise Guys are not even there! But, as soon as the concert starts, I forget about it and I don't care at all
whether my feet hurt or not. At six, the countdown starts on the huge screen. Counting down from 60 to 0 with
thousands of people... awesome! And there is Eddi, alone. Because that's how this Opener
works. The Wise Guys appear on stage one by one. Eddi sings "Ich wusste auch nicht was ich 3 Stunden lang
erzählen soll" and somebody in the audience calls "Jodeln!!!" and Eddi has to laugh about it so much.
Also funny is: "Und hier oben wär's so einsam, und die Tanzbrunnen so furchtbar voll". Together with Sari
he makes a great crazy face. Then there's Clemens, and Ferenc, and eventually Dän. The
Opener transforms to the up-tempo "Guten abend und hallo", which brings great vibes.
I love this song so much! It feels like it can't get any better tonight, but it's going to be better all along.
The five Wise Guys are all smiling and in a very good mood. After 3 weeks of permanent touring, they are back home
in Köln. With their new album Radio hitting the album charts on number 3 in the first
week of release, their enthusiasm and good spirits are obvious.
They continue with the song Denglisch. The audience is singing and clapping. In the Netherlands we would say "Het dak ging eraf" (The roof was blown off). But I'm glad the roof stayed were it was, else we would get soaked. Anyway, what I'm trying to say: The audience is going wild! And it's so cool to be part of it. The smoke machines are working very well, and Ferenc is standing in the middle of a big cloud. Suddenly he's invisible for a short while and waving his arms he comes out. A bit too much smoke... Somewhere here, there's the "Zuschauerbefragung" and Dän is asking for some lights ;) Because of the rain, the crowd is quite packed, so Dän shows us how to raise our hands without hitting our neighbours, and we all have to try it once, to see if it's working. After the familiar questions, they continue the show with Mädchen lach doch mal. The drums from Sari and Eddi are very loud, and there's so much energy everywhere. The Wise Guys are giving it all. Sie bricht mir das Herz is the first song which is a bit slower, and I'm glad we can take a break. It's not one of my favorite songs, but that may has to do with the fact I have to go to the dentist next week.... ;)
Another calm song, Romanze, in which Clemens tells us about a problem in relationships. It's not so hard to love somebody, but to be loved back can be difficult. It's a funny song, and the new light equipment projects the sunset, the moon and the stars. Then they sing 9Live, and the song is already halfway, when we discover there's a funny 9Live video with Eddi on the big screen! That's really mean, I don't know where to look. Should I look to the stage, or should I look to the right, where the big screen is? I go for the stage, but I can't help glimpsing to the screen every now and then as well. Let's just hope this video will be on a DVD in the future ;) We're jumping with the "na nanana na na na etc." and it's getting warmer in the crowd.
After this Dän tells us some people say Germany shouldn't win the World Championship, because they are the guest country. But besides that, aren't the German already world champion in many other things? Yes, Weltmeister is the next song. During this song there is also a little video on the big screen (in which the Wise Guys are playing soccer). But again, I discover it too late and I decide I want to watch the stage. Then, it's time for more party, and Jetzt und hier is the perfect song for that. And it is possible to dance, even when you're packed in the crowd. And after that, there's the cartoon without television Buddy Biber, which is always so much fun to watch. It's on the album as well, but without the choreo it's not as much fun. So I'm happy to see it again today. Actually you should have ten eyes during this song, because when you are looking at one Wise Guy, you are missing the expressions on the other four faces.
Wo der Pfeffer wächst is next. I love this song so much. Dän starts singing, but the audience is singing so loud, he stops and let us sing the strophe. It is so funny, he is listening to us and making the movements he always makes, but he lets us sing it. He sings the chorus and then we sing the strophes. What a great experience. Then, they sing two oldies. I'm so happy to hear these songs! Was für eine Nacht is what we will be saying at the end of today, only we will probably say "Was für ein Tag - das wars wert!!". And Sonnencremeküsse is such a beautiful song, all you can do during the song is dream it. Especially today, you have to imagine the sunny mood and holiday memories or wishes which come with the song.
The final song before the break is Schunkeln, and everybody joins in. It must be an awesome sight from the stage. Clemens is expressing his disgust and the other four schunkeln in the background, and when Clemens turns around they act as if they were doing something completely else. It's so much fun to watch.
Time for a little break. Suddenly we feel our legs and feet again *aaauch*. But it's worth it! The first part of this concert was so great, can it get any better? There's a lot more to come! I'm having so much fun today. I feel so very happy to be here and I can't stop smiling :) After the break the Wise Guys return in their black clothes, and they start with Mad World. I'm hoping everybody is going to be quiet but the audience starts to sing along very loud, of course... (silence during an open air is just not thinkable ;) But, after the first strophe, most people stop singing or are only singing along softly, and we can hear the beautiful sound of this song. It's so beautiful and the song is over so quickly, it could go on forever if you ask me. Goosebumps! But: MORE goosebumps during the next song, which is one of my favorites on the new album. It's the titelsong Radio. It's such a strong song, with a full sound, a magnificent melody and text. Dän is singing this song, and he looks so proud. It's so great to see him enjoying this song. The choreo is quite simple, but just perfect for this song. Secretly I'm a bit proud as well, because I'm here, because I can experience this song here today and because I feel so happy for the Wise Guys and their succesful new album.
Dän tells us a story about Clemens, and how he once sang "Ich trug nur für dich fettreduzierten Früchtequark" (in stead of "Ich aß nur für dich.."). There are more painful moments in their lives, and some of them are listed up in the song Einer von den Wise Guys. After that, they sing Aber sonst gesund. The audience gets wild, because this is a very popular song which is unfortunately not in the regular program. It's one of the few songs I don't know the songtext from ;) because it's full of medication names. Das bedeutet Krieg is great to see live. The choreo is very photogenic ;) and besides that I just love the song a lot.
Suddenly there's a guitar on stage, and a chair. What's going to happen? And then a thought crosses my mind, no that can't be true, is he going to sing that song? Yes he is! In Köln traditions are born very quickly and easily, and because the FC Köln has degradated again, Dän has to sing Es tut so weh. It's totally stupid, I don't know anything about soccer. I don't even like soccer at all. But this song is so beautiful.
The other four Wise Guys are having a little break backstage, and Dän sings this song and
he plays the guitar. And when he sings "Da hörte ich auf einmal hundert blonde Engel singen:", Sari, Eddi and
Clemens peek around the corner and sing "Unser Hätz schlät für der FC Kölle!", and then they dissappear again.
Even when you know they're coming, you still have to laugh about it.
Every Wise Guys fan has been waiting for the next song, because it's really special that we hear it live.
Das Fremde Wesen is a song where Sonja Wilts (from
LaLeLu) is singing with the Wise Guys.
She's here today to sing this song together. It's a duet about aliens on earth. Actually we are the aliens ourselves.
Men and women, and we're from two different stars in space. Sonja is welcomed enthusiastically and after the
song she also receives a huge applause from the audience.
After the song, Eddi brings Sonja backstage. Dän tells us the next song will be in 15 minutes ;) According to Ferenc five minutes should be enough... But Eddi quickly reappears on stage, with a funny look on his face and everybody has to laugh about him. Dän turns around and when he sees Eddi he has to laugh as well. To recover from everything they've sung about, they sing Achtung! Ich will tanzen. I'm not sure if you can recover with this song... But the five men are in really good shape, they don't even seem very tired afterwards. So they might even really use this song for recovery... who knows... ;) We all have to laugh when Eddi sings "Wir werden wach mit nassen Füßen" in stead of "Ihr werdet wach mit dicken Füßen", haha. Next is a song which I mostly love for the vocal percussion, Das Allerletzte. You need to hear it loud, very loud. And then, it's time for the audience to sing. Actually we've been doing that all along, but with Sing mal wieder it's officially our duty to sing along. Eddi makes us sing all kind of things. Today it isn't that hard, there are no "tz k tz k tz k" or things like that. But he does come up with some 'erotic'-sounding "oooooooh yeah" and "aaaaaaah baby". The audience obeys faithfully and repeats everything Eddi sings. The mood in the audience is so good and around us, everybody is singing loud. Eddi also makes us repeat every sentence from the last strophe of the song. Wow, to do this with thousands of people is terrific.
Dän tells us they are always arguing who is going to sing the lead vocals after Sing mal wieder. His looks in Ferenc direction makes the audience wild, and he can't finish what he is about to say. Ferenc, the bass, doesn't sing leads very often of course. But when he does, he always gets the biggest applause and cheering from the whole concert. His new song, Tiefgang, is a great success. When Ferenc sings about Sari, and Sari is giving us one of his beloved movements, the screaming girls are deafening. But after the song the audience gives Ferenc several waves and the screaming even increases. Ferenc has got a big grin on his face and clearly enjoys (t)his moment. The final song for today, for todays regular part I should say, is Zwischenbilanz, in which the Wise Guys thank many people. And to all the people that weren't/aren't that helpful they say "ha ha ha, wir sind immmer noch da". It's beautiful, and after the first sentence there is a big applause which causes goosebumps, because together with this song.... they deserve this success so much! Afterwards, the audience is yelling for "Zugabe", before the Wise Guys even have left the stage. But, we are not being disappointed. There are six (!!) Zugaben today. Ferenc sings another song, King of the Road, and again he's rewarded with a huge applause and cheering. After that it's time for Clemens' and his Nur für dich, and his hair is really soaking wet during the song. And Sari's famous Powerfrau can't be skipped here as well.
Those were actually three extra songs they usually don't sing anymore. Now it's time for the 'regular' extra songs. In between the songs, people are already singing the Ohrwurm.... But he's not here (yet). First they sing Jetzt ist Sommer. Everybody sings along and we can't get any crazier in the audience, I guess. Or can we? With Ruf doch mal an we even manage to jump, all together, WOW! This song is the best end of a concert. It's so energetic and we are going to be exhausted when it's over, but we don't care at all. Every time the Wise Guys disappear backstage, the audience starts the Ohrwurm, and eventually they get what they want. The Wise Guys return one more time to sing Ohrwurm. Personally, I've heard this song too often, and I know there are a lot of people that agree with me, probably including the Wise Guys themselves (?). But they sing it anyway. And it turns out to become one of the funniest Ohrwurms ever. Clemens doesn't remember his text, and needs help to sing along. He's really struggling with the words and you can see him thinking. But we don't mind. And I'm sure he'll get over it soon. I just hope the Ohrwurm will be really gone next time...
This is the end. Tanzbrunnen 2006 is over. Almost three hours of music, and we are totally euphoric and happy and crazy. We notice it's still raining, and when we leave our shelter, we also finally get wet. Suddenly a girl walks into us, and she askes Martin if he is Sari's brother. Eh... huh?? (That'll be something to discuss in my blog, later). We really have to laugh about this funny idea. We hang around for a while, buy some of the new Wise Guys Radio-merchandise and after we say goodbye to everybody we walk to our car and drive home. Getting to the highway is a bit hard, because it's pouring rain and we can't see the signs. But just like getting to Tanzbrunnen this morning/afternoon, our way back home is easy and without any wrong turns we find the highway and drive home. And a new fan in the Netherlands is born, because Wilma loved the concert. Shall we go there again next year? Maybe... but I want more Dutch people to join us then! Last Saturday of May 2007! Write it down!
I've probably forgotten to mention a dozen things. I will add them in the next few days. So if you come back again in a few days, you could search for tiny changes and additions. But you should only do that if you are really bored ;)
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