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UK Ahoi Tour Concert reviews

Birmingham and Cardiff- July 2005

Part one - Birmingham Review 15th July 2005

Okay the short version of the review is RAMMSTEIN FUCKING ROCK!

The long version is as follows:-P

We arrived about 2pm, and spent time meeting people and chatting.
At 5pm we were let into the 'forum' hall which is attached to the Arena. It was then the trouble started.
We had been listening to them sound checking since about 4pm. They were still checking when we went into the forum. There were no barriers outside or inside and it was a 100 meter sprint to the doors that led into the Arena. (Don't try that in New Rocks, boys and girls!)
We were in the first 100 people, but many people who had been queuing for hours weren't, and lots who had pushed in were. Extremely unfair on those who had taken the time to get there early?
We were then held there, all squashed together for 50 minutes, in 25 degree heat. Yummy.
Finally let through it was a fucking rugby scrum to the next set of doors where they repeated the process. After another 30 minutes we were let through into the actual arena. We sprinted as fast as allowed and found a spot under Paul's nose next to some really nice young lads.

We were all told to sit down (Thank you God - I have a bad foot) and we did so. Spent time talking to everyone around us and the steward who was near us. Turned out the reason we hadn't been let in was they sound check over ran. This I presume was because either a) of problems or b) the fact it was being filmed or they wanted everything exactly right.
There were two cameras on tracks in the pit. The pit had been moved back and it was a 3-4 meter gap to the stage, very big. There were cameras at the mixing desk way behind us, up in the rafters and at least two guys with hand held ones. So I think the chances of a Live DVD sometime soon are fairly likely!

7.30pm we were all allowed to stand up, got comfy on the barrier and they are relaxed at the NEC so we could put bags coats etc over the barrier and flag hanging over it!!

They came on at 8.30pm, very prompt and after the intro music had played for a good 10 minutes.

RR to start. God how that the first few bars of that song make me quiver, every damn time!
They did all the usual stuff but it was very well choreographed, they were all in exactly the right places that they should be, no room for improvisation. They all wore full costume; in fact poor Richard looked like he was sweating buckets in his coat. It came off after a couple of songs I think. It's hard to know not being over his side (we are going to try for his side at Cardiff)

I had never seen 'Asche' and the flaming Mic stands are very cool. Sadly they dropped 'Rein raus' for this, which I love. ::sulk:: but you can't have everything I suppose.

They played 'Los' at the front of the stage with Schneider seated to Richard's side. Flake smashed up his key board and chucked it out into the crowd and we got a rocking heavy version with both Paul and Richard playing electric. I really nope we get a version of that as a B side sometime.

'Benzin' followed 'DRSG', and damn it's good. 'Old fashioned' Rammstein? Yes, I think so. Reminds me of some songs off of Herzeleid. If the whole of the new album is of that quality we are in for a treat!

No pyros during it, but a beautiful yellow/red light show. Some of the crowd was singing along to this, as were we. They can't all have been to the Wuhlheide? So I think it shows the power of the net. One ripped song and 1000+ people know the lyrics or at least its title well enough to sing along.

The crowd sung very enthusiastically during many songs most notably 'Du hast', of course, 'Mein teil' and 'Ohne dich'. There was lots of clapping along which Schneider encouraged as much as possible.

But I digress.
'Amerika' saw us covered in confetti, there were much more than last time, and after last weeks events in London it seemed a hard song to sing. I actually had a lump in my throat during it, probably just me being daft.
(On a side note the guys who walk on stage with the torches and the baseball bats were wearing black shirts...I assume this was deliberate and a very nice touch I thought.)

Then came the first encore, with Till's flame throwers not working at all and he left the stage quickly and the guys filled the vacuum with some great playing of their signature song.
Next serious head banging during ‘Sonne’, them and me, and lots of shouting at Till for 'Ich Will'.

Second encore and we had 'Ohne dich'..:;sigh:: and then 'Stripped'. The flag that I was going to chuck on stage at the end, but it was too much of a gap. So I took my chance and tossed it at Olli in the boat. Sadly the bugger tossed it straight out again!! Damn!

Nevermind. I'll have to hope the gap is smaller at Cardiff.

Olli surfed for a good few minutes and then it was over :-(
They all came out together to bow and Schneider and Flake had big grins on their faces. In fact they all seem to have had a good time and certainly 'did their thing' for the cameras.

Personally it was interesting to watch them 'perform' seeing the little differences in poses and Till facial expressions that were all even more exaggerated than usual.

Thank you to those people I met, the bastard who tried to steal my flag when Olli tossed it out and Flake could you toss a key from your smashed keyboard my way at Cardiff please...I'll be the old chick hanging off the barrier with the orange shirt...lol.

Part two - Cardiff International Arena, 18th July 2005.

We arrived at the venue at about 2pm. There were already 50+ people sitting on the front steps of the venue, which had two entrances.

We sat and chatted with people until about 4pm when two security guys came out and abruptly told everyone to get off the steps and queue around the building. We did so but as more and more people arrived to queue it got very chaotic, with new arrivals standing closer to the doors than people who had been there since 8am.

At 6pm some of the long time queuer’s took it upon themselves to have a moan at the staff in the place, a sort of queue was formed but we still had the rather amusing sight of one security supervisor coming on to the steps and saying 'Shit' when she looked around at the size of the disorganized crowd all milling about and in no order. I think they were somewhat unprepared for us all!
They didn't search us at all going into bottles, food and cameras all got through when we finally got inside.

A quick march to the front and we found a spot that would be under Richard's nose. Then we had to stand for two hours, all crowded together with people and jostling to get into position. Lots of people from the back tried to get to the front, this caused quite a lot of animosity. At other Uk venues we had all been made to sit down at the front until show time.

No support band once more and R+ came on at 8.30pm which my aching feet were quite grateful for. The set list was the same as the previous gigs:

Reise Reise
Links 234
Feuer frei!
Asche zu asche
Morgernstern
Mein Teil
Stein um Stein
Los
Du Reichst so Gut
Du hast
Benzin
Sehnsucht
Amerika

Rammstein
Sonne
Ohne dich

Ich will
Stripped

During 'Links234' Flake played his accordi-keyboard with a spoon again - I'd love to ask him why.
Feuer Frei' was great and although the venue had a low ceiling they seem to be okay and not set fire to the rafters. One thing that did happen all night was silver confetti kept escaping from somewhere and little clouds of it appeared and fluttered down to the stage and floor.

'Asche' was okay although personally I prefer 'Rein Raus' which they played during the Winter gigs.

During 'Morgernstern' the little green phosphorescent trays at the front of the stage only lit up on one side, in front of Paul. For some reason Richard and Paul found this enormously amusing and began laughing.

'Stein um Stein' was fine and they set up Schneider's kit in the middle of the stage tonight instead of to one side.

‘Los’ was hilarious. Paul and Flake ended up 'dancing' with each other as Paul mirrored Flake's weird moves.

Then once Flake stated his little improvisational solo peice Paul went to stand with Till who was right at the back of the stage against the metal backdrop, and said something to him and Till was laughing his head off. He looks so great when he smiles and I wish he did it more. He looked like he was having trouble getting back to having a straight face.
Flake's trashed his keyboard and it split into two. Till threw one bit out into the crowd and Flake chucked the other bit out of the central door/vagina.

They all seem more at ease with that set design now and move freely about it. I think being familiar they now have a tendency to relax more, and when at the back against the 'wall' were chatting and sharing a joke on more than one occasion.

'Drsg' was good and the fun of 'Benzin' once more was great. No pyro's but good lights but not many people were familiar with it.

'Du hast' was the first time real strong singing was heard in the venue but even so it wasn’t that loud. The crowd surfers went nuts during this one...bastards. They were a complete pain in the arse all gig and just kept going round and round. Brixton had the right idea of shucking the little pricks out of the venue.

It was getting extremely hot. We'd been standing for three hours and I asked a steward for some water, he said no. I said 'We need water' he said 'We're not giving you any'.

I was bloody cross and very worried about my husband who was standing behind my friend and I keeping the crowd off our backs. He was sweating buckets and dehydrating. We'd taken in one bottle but drunk it between us.

This tainted the rest of the gig for me, sadly, and it wasn't really a remarkable evening. I know those of you who haven't seen them at all recently will say ' Don't be so ungrateful' but it's hard to have fun knowing someone is uncomfortable.

I had eye contact with Richard twice, smiled at him but both occasions he looked immediately away.

Till's voice was very good. Strong and no signs of stress or overwork.

Schneider was relaxed and happy too, although it's hard to say how much perched up in the gods you can't see him that well.

'Ohne dich' was lovely, as usual. That is one of my favorite songs now.

We were surprised that Olli surfed and my hat goes off to him. But he wasn't tipped out and did a quick tour of the hall. I supported the boat as he came back in...he's bloody heavy!!!

Then it was tears before bedtime and all done until next tour :-(

As soon as the lights went up the stewards started hassling us to move off the barrier. No set lists were given out, I tried with three guys. But just as we were about to move away Tom the tour manager gave a girl two people up from me the other half of Flake's keyboard. She stood with her mouth hanging open win shock, her surprise was quite visible!

She went 'wow' and let my friend and I take a key off it, it had 10 or so still attached. So thank you to her. After having had such a rough night with so many problems it was a nice reward.

I ended up having a row with a steward on the way out who wanted me to wait out in the foyer for my husband and friend to get their merchandise and all in all I was a thoroughly pissed off person when I left the venue swearing never to return.

The band however, were great.
Much more relaxed than in Birmingham, where I think having cameras shoved up their noses put them on edge and looked like they were really enjoying themselves at Cardiff. But as far as I am concerned the CIA sucks and I will never go back there again. Shit security and queuing, disorganized, bad stewardship and no water on a hot day in July. They could learn from Nottingham or Brixton.

© July 2005 - Minx