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 GERMANY REPORT
Cologne, E-Werk, 9 March 1998
Open Road Tour
Report By Ingrid Narres
The day started a bit chaotic
because Sabine had a lot of packing to do. This lucky girl had a
flight next day to London and 8 tickets for Gary's tour across England.
To be honest - I'm really jealous. But well, there was just one
gig here in Germany before Gary, the band and Sabine headed over
to England.
At 1 pm everything was packed
into the different luggages and bags and stored in Sabine's car
so we could start our way up to Cologne with a lunch from McDonalds
on our knees. A 4 hours ride on the motorway was lying in front
of us so we spent the time by listening to Gary's brilliant music
(the 90 minute show in the evening is still not enough for us).
Surprisingly a few kilometers
before Cologne we found the tour-bus and so we followed the band
in a safety distance to the E-Werk. It was just 5 pm when the bus
stopped next to the arena and 5 minutes later the band and Gary
were on stage to do the sound check. Until the entrance was announced
to start we had still a bit of time so we took a walk on the search
for a little snack. We didn't find something we liked so we bought
some sweets and went back to the arena.
Because I hadn't no ticket
I was looking for someone who would sell his one (the concert was
again sold out) and was lucky enough to get one for a good price.
And again we had a big fan meeting in front of the E-Werk and also
in the arena. It was so full that Sabine and I lost us very soon
in the masses. As I was yesterday in Ludwigsburg very close to the
stage I decided to look today for a place next to the technical
area.
The support-act Kinane started
again half an hour earlier as it was announced but she don't surprise
me in that way anymore. The audience was very mixed and I was curious
how they would react. Very soon I had found out that a lot of fans
from Mark Owen and Robbie Williams were in there and I wasn't sure
if they would except Gary with his show (I knew from some debates
that a lot of them were very suspicious).
 When
the show started with the video the first argues started around
me. I hoped it would change when Gary would come on stage. But it
didn't change - well not where I was standing.
Most of them carried on arguing
or laughing and I really didn't understand why.
But well, thanks good it seemed that only in the background of the
arena were such an audience because more in front of me girls were
screaming, hands were in the air, clapping in the rhythm of the
music, teddy bears and flowers were flying onto the stage and I
could hear that alot of them were singing together with Gary the
songs (it only seemed that I was the only one doing that in the
background of the room).
Everything was ok with the
show. I was surprised about the brilliant sound because I know that
a lot of bands have problems in the E-Werk (it used to have really
bad acoustic). Gary was running all over the stage and as bad my
position was depending to the people who were standing around me
the better was it to have a good look to Gary and the band on stage.
The musicians were working
hard on stage. And finally, when Gary started with "Back for good"
also the people around me began to sing along and were clapping
their hands. And they also enjoyed the Take That medley but then
they fell back into the musicians as they had before. Some of them
left the room before Gary started with the encore.
Well, I enjoyed the show on
my fullest because I knew it would be the last for me for a long
time (for exactly 4 weeks) and the fans closer to the stage did
as well. Very nice and funny bit was when Gary introduced his band.
When the row came to Chris Dagley (drums) Gary told the audience
again his every-night- gag: "Well, I'm feeling so old now. Even
the drummer is younger than me. Chris Dagley was recognized in the
front row of one of our concerts (on the screens on both sides of
the stage a picture of this situation is to see - Chris Dagley with
a banner in his hand saying: "Gary I can play your drums"). To all
the girls in the audience - he is single. And it's his birthday
today." Chris was sitting behind his drums and started to laugh.
In that moment the front rows began to sing "Happy birthday to you"
and a surprised looking Gary stopped them with the words: "Thanks,
we sang him that one already for lunch."
After 90 minutes, for my opinion
brilliant, show Gary left the stage and said good bye with the words:
"This is my first time here in Cologne as a solo artist and I hope
it's not my last." Well Gary, when not everyone in the audience
will see you again but one is for sure the most of them are looking
forward to see you again. And I look forward to see you in April
in Nurenberg and Munich. Good luck till then guys.
End of report
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