Review of the Hansonconcert in Cologne, Germany, june 13 1998.
It all started at may 4, when I called the venue to order tickets for the Hansonconcert in Cologne.
I was REALLY excited when I put the receiver on the hook.
I immediatly called my best friend Corrinna, to tell her I made it. We wanted to go together to this concert.
She was happy too, but she couldn't react with enthusiasm, 'cause I called her out of her bed. It was 9.30 am in the morning, hehehe... and she had a sleepy head.
Then I called my mom to tell her the awesome news. She too was still in bed.
I heard my dad grumble in the background. I feel a bit guilty now...
But anyways, I was too happy to think about the fact I woke some people up.
Today it's saturday june 13, 5.50 am.
I am gettin' up to get ready to go to Cologne.
I pack my things, take a shower, get my Hansonalbums and kiss my boyfriend goodbye. He wishes me all the fun in the world. Is he sweet or what!
At 6.45 am I get in the car, and drive to Corrinna's house.
It's 7.00 am at the time I get there, and around 7.15 am we are on the road!
Of course we insert 3 Car Garage in the CD player. Here we go baby!
We are planning on a four hour drive, we want to be at our hotel in Cologne at noon, 'cause then we can check in. It says so in the voucher.
There is almost no traffic on the highway, so I can drive a bit faster than I normally do... in other cases it takes three hours to get to the border The Netherlands-Germany, but I did it in one and a half hour.
Hehehe... I just cannot wait to get in Cologne!
So around 8.45 am we pass the border.
During our trip we listen only to Middle Of Nowhere and 3 Car Garage, so that makes me hurry up too! I'm very excited about hearing these songs live tonight!
9.30 am: we arrive in Cologne.
Now look for our hotel. Jeez, Cologne is BIG!
But we have a map with us! Man, where is that darn hotel!
Nothing is easy around here, it feels like we're in a labyrinth.
Finally, 45 minutes later, we arrive at the hotel.
We want to check in and fresh up before we go to the Sporthalle, the venue where the concert is going to be held.
So we get to the reception, and I tell the girl behind the counter in German we are a bit early ( 10. 15 am ) and if it's possible to get in our room sooner.
Then the girl says that the check-in time is at 3.00 pm, and not at noon.
Man, what shall we do now! That's too late for us to check in at 3.00 pm. We wanna get in line in time to make it in the front at the concert!
Okay, then just fresh up in the public ladies' room.
Fortunately we can leave our luggage at the reception.
So, we want to go to the subway, and go to the Sporthalle.
But first we wanna eat, 'cause we are VERY hungry after that drive.
So we look for a McDonald's and order a Big Mac Menu.
Then we go to the subway. We buy our tickets, and we are on our way to the Sporthalle.
We get out at the third stop, and walk towards the Sporthalle.
When we get there we see a queue of waiting people.
It is 2.00 pm when we arrive. We have to get in line. Now it's waiting time!
We hear from a German woman, who's the mother of a girl behind us, that the doors will be open at 5.30 pm and that the show will begin at 6.45 pm and lasts until 10.00 pm.
Wow man! THREE HOURS OF HANSON! KEWL!
When we are in line, suddenly a girl walks up to me, and asks me in English if I am Masja.
I confirm that, and she tells me she is Sonja from Belgium from the emails!
That is just awesome, I meet Sonja in real life, and I met her through internet! She saw my pic this morning, so she could recognize me!
Now, if this isn't a coincidence... She and her two friends talk with us for a while.
Then two Dutch girls approach us. They heard us speaking Dutch, so they just wanted to come over and hang out with us.
We become friends, they are really nice. They were just three places behind us in line. So they intend to get back to their place as soon as the row starts moving.
We start talking in Dutch, German and English... duh, this is rough... gotta switch real quick from one language to another.
I'm the translater for our group of girls.
One of the Dutch girls, Nadine, has a photo camera with her. I tell her it's not allowed to bring cameras in. But she wants to sneak it in anyways, she has hidden it in a box with cookies!
Hehehe... how inventive! So I ask her if I can get those pix too, and we exchange our addresses.
She is going to send me a tape with Boomerang and Mmmbop on it!
By the way, the other girl's name is Tamara.
While we were waiting outside some securitypeople gave everybody a postcard with on front a pic of Hanson, and on the backside an address where you can get info on the official Hansonfanclub.
Now directly behind us are four girls who belong together.
One of them is really irritating.
When people who just arrive see their friends in the row waiting, and they wanna join them, that girl starts screaming in German that they have to get in line, and if not, they can get a punch in the face.
Well, this is so childish! She even calls the securityman every time she thinks someone was trying to get in front.
Man! And she isn't even right all the time!
Later on, she starts screaming to all arriving people that they should get in line, even if they were already walking to the end of the row.
She tells Sonja and Nadine and Tamara to get back to their places. I'm really pissed about that!
I want to get back at her, so I start yelling to Nadine and Tamara, over the heads of those annoying girls.
Tamara and Nadine are two places behind those girls.
Now this girl has to see that this isn't fun either, when people have to yell to eachother when they wanna conversate.
Hehehe... you should have seen her face, she has a really dirty look in her eyes towards us. If looks could kill, I wouldn't have been able to type this all down!
Anyways... suddenly the row starts to move real quick towards the doors.
All of a sudden we are almost in front! KEWL!
At this time it is 5.00 pm. Some girls start to sing Mmmbop, others start screaming for Hanson.
I start to talk with two German girls who stand beside me.
One of them has coloured contacts, which is really cool.
The other girl has a photo camera with her. In the meantime a securityman tells everybody that pocketcameras are allowed, but no zoom, videocameras or radios.
So I ask that girl if I can order pix from her. I also get her address. Now I have two addresses for pix! Awesome!
And then, at approximately 5.15, a window opens above the waiting fans, and Ike, Tay and Zac hang out of the window.
All girls start screaming, I just stand there, with a HUGE smile on my face, not able to move... there he is, Ike!
Oh man, he looks real cute in person!!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!!! And he waves to me!!!
I'm shaking all over, but I'm NOT crying! I won't do that! I think that is so stupid!
Tay looks also very good. And Zac just puts his head around the corner of the window. I see him for a very short time.
Walker too hangs out of the window, to get the guys back inside.
Some bodyguard closes the window again.
Corrinna grabs my hand, and she says she's shaking a bit too.
The only thing I can say is: This is cool, this is cool, this is just so cool!!! But then in Dutch. ( In Dutch: Dit is gaaf, dit is gaaf, dit is zo gaaf! )
Nadine cries. She's madly in love with Tay. Tamara has to calm her down... affraid that Nadine will faint.
The two German girls are a bit in shock too.
I feel like I have to do something, after all, I'm the eldest of the six of us, and I'm a teacher.
So I tell them all to just keep on breathing normally, and I pet them on their shoulders.
I try to make them understand that Ike, Tay and Zac are only human too, like us, that they're just some boys and they happen to make great music.
I have to calm them down somehow. All they can say is: just some boys, just some boys... Masja, they are gorgious!!!
Then, when they finally calm down, the window opens again, and there they are again hanging out of the window!
This is too much!!!
Now I'm able to wave to the awesome trio!
Nadine and the two German girls start crying again...
It's 5.30 pm, the doors should open. But they don't.
Everybody starts to push, and I get very crushed.
I try to push back, but that's useless.
Then at 5.45 pm a securityman tells everybody not to push, and that everyone will get in, 'cause the concert is not sold out.
There is room for 6 to 7 thousand people, and only 2.500 tickets are sold. But everybody wants to get in the front row at the stage, so the pushing isn't over yet!
At 6.00 pm the doors are open, and you have to show your backpacks. Then you're allowed to get in.
Of course everybody runs inside, me too. I hold Corrinna's hand, in order not to loose her in the crowd.
All six of us want to stay together, but we can only find Nadine and Tamara back.
We run as fast as we can into the arena, we have to climb over railings to get down in front of the stage. I think that is a bit dangerous.
There is a door open that goes straight to the standing area, but that is a few doors further on. And most of the people run through the first doors they see!
Everybody who wants to stand in front of the stage has to climb over railings and chairs. Immagine everybody is in a hurry, trying to get in front, and they all have to climb over things.
Anyways, we make it fifth row, and we are so happy we are in front!
We're a bit on the right sight of the stage. That's the place where Tay always has his keyboard.
We have to sit down, so there is no pushing. The security tells us to.
About half an hour later, one of the securitymen gives a sign that we can stand up again.
Everybody gets on their feet real quick, except for me, and I panic.
I scream "Corrinna, I can't get up, help me!" Tamara and Corrinna grabb my hands, and pull me up. If they hadn't done that, I would have been trampled on by a couple of hundreds of fans. I don't think I would have survived that.
So, a bit shaky I'm standing fifth row. The lights go out.
Everybody, including me, starts to scream. Then a band called PEAL comes onstage. They are the opening band for the show. The band is from Berlin.
They sound really good. Now girls are fainting already, just 'cause they're crushed by the crowd, and can't breath anymore.
Securitymen have to run as fast as they can, in order to get all girls in safety. And I mean run really fast, because it just doesn't stop!
I feel a bit sorry for the opening band, 'cause after each song all people start to scream:"We want Hanson! We want Hanson!"
Well, they play about six or seven songs. Then they get off stage, and everybody starts screaming again.
A curtain falls down in front of the stage. It's a see-through curtain, and you can see people walking on the stage, making everything ready for Hanson's concert.
All of a sudden the lights go on again. BUMMER! Magic is gone... five minutes later they go out, and the screaming starts all over.
It still takes five minutes or so before we hear behind the curtain the tune of Gimme Some Lovin'.
Everybody goes bazurk, the concert finally begins...
The curtain falls down, and there they are, live on stage, HANSON!
Tay is really close to us. He is wearing a black shirt and a very tight pair of pants, like Tyler of Aerosmith. It is striped vertically. And yeah, Tay's got muscles!
My eyes sweep over to Ike, he is wearing a shirt with a blue blouse hanging open and a blue pair of trousers. It looks like jeans, but I think it isn't.
Unfortunately I can't see Zac very well, his drums are a bit too far in the background. That is my opinion. The only thing I can see is that he's wearing a shirt.
The set is really awesome. There are about six oil derricks on stage, and the lights are superb!
The song sounds really cool! It's from The Blues Brothers, and I liked that movie very much! I know all the words to Gimme some lovin' and Shake Your Talefeather. It's a medley of those two songs.
After the song Tay says hi to the crowd. He introduces the next song... Thinking Of You. Awesome, awesome, awesome!
Everybody sings along! What a mighty feelin', you are with a crowd, and yet you're one at the same time!
I am dancing like crazy! Then, when the song is over, Hanson starts playing Where's The Love. The ultra long version.
Now, the crowd starts jumping up and down. I have to jump along, else I can't see the stage anymore.
Next song is River. Kewl!
Ike is the leadsinger here! I love his voice! Ike just put his hair in a ponytail. I think he looks very sexy that way!
Man, can those dudes play or what! It all sounds just so good!
I'm clapping and waving my hands in the air and singing along! I'm having the time of my life!
After River Ike says they are going to play Weird. All fans wave their hands in the air, holding eachother's hands!
This is so great, now all fans are united!
After each song the crowd goes nutsos, screaming like crazy! Me too... I'm going: "Go Hanson, Go Hanson, Go Hanson!" A few girls yell that with me.
Then Ike introduces Sometimes.
I believe that doesn't quite go very well, Ike gets mixed up with the lyrics here. You can see Tay shaking his head. Ike sings the same piece twice.
But that doesn't matter at all, his voice sounds incredible!!! I don't think anybody noticed it.
After Sometimes Tay tells us to wait a second... the lights onstage turn off. You can see a new set is coming down.
The lights go on again, and you can see Zac and his drums in front now, in the middle is Ike with his acoustic guitar and behind the keyboard is Tay.
Ike changed his clothes. He is now wearing a white/beige pair of trousers and a shirt. A brown blouse is hanging open over the shirt.
They are all very close together now. Tay welcomes us in their livingroom. Really kewl! I wonder if the guys made that set themselves.
Tay says that they are going to play a song that they played long time ago. Ike starts playing Stories on his guitar, but the second accord is not the right one, so he starts over.
I don't know if anybody else noticed this, but I can see Ike shaking his head, and pressing his lips together.
Zac has his shakers and Tay swings the beatring.
Despite the little mistake, the song is terrific! No mistakes anymore! And of course everybody is singing along the lyrics to Stories. Yeah baby!
After Stories is done, Tay starts to play the opening tunes of With You In Your Dreams.
Everybody starts waving their hands in the air again. Holding eachother's hands... Tay puts all of his soul into this song.
The crowd is singing along the words, and I can see Zac look into the audience like he's impressed we all know the words.
He's pounding on a big drum. It's really cute to see him drumming on such a big thing!
When Tay ends the song with his beautiful voice, all fans start screaming his name.
Ike tells us their next song will be Soldier.
I think it's a pitty that Jessica and Avery are not here to do the introduction. I think it sounds so sweet on 3 Car Garage.
But anyways, the song sounds awesome, not as military as on the cd.
Ike leaves a part out, the one that goes:"At night the toys would come alive, or that's how the storie's told....... They were too shy to speak of love, to speak of love."
I dunno if this was planned or not, but it isn't disturbing or anything.
When this song is over, Tay and Zac wave to us, and leave the stage.
Ike takes his place behind Tay's keyboard. MAN, IKE IS DOING A SOLO ACT... TOTALLY AWESOME!!!
Ike plays the keyboard, like he never does anything else.
Then he starts to sing More Than Anything. Oh God, can he sing! What a beautiful voice!
This is definitaly the most beautiful sweet voice I've ever heard in my entire life! I have NEVER EVER heard such a voice... so full of emotions.
Ike's soul is in this song. Now you can see Ike's romantic side.
Everybody is breathless. Really, I am NOT kidding!
A few girls scream "ISAAC!" together.
Cold shivers go over my body. I'm so impressed with his voice.
You will be witness of this if you're going to their concert. And I'm sure you all will agree with me! Even if ya like Tay or Zac the most, you will say exactly the same thing as what I'm saying now.
Man, when I think back of that... sigh...
Anyways, when Ike sings his last words, I already start screaming.
Then Ike makes a bow, and also disappears backstage.
Lights are going off again.
The set is changing back into the first one. When the lights go on, you can see the oil derricks again.
Zac moved in the back with his drums. I think that is a shame, Tay's keyboard is right in front of Zac. I can't see Zac that well.
They are playing Speechless. It is VERY fast, much faster then on Middle Of Nowhere! I believe it's a bit too fast.
Next they play a cover song ( I think it is, it's a fast song ), while doing that they introduce their band members. Each member plays a little solo on his instrument.
Then it's waving hands in the air time, 'cause I Will Come To You is next.
I have the idea that Tay is very glad that the fans know the lyrics so well, 'cause I think he sometimes forgets the exact words or which line comes next. Then he waits for the fans to sing the first words, and he catches up immediatly.
I'm not sure about this, but that's what I see.
Following song is Minute Without You. Kewl song!
Ike introduces Zac:"Ladies and gentlemen, Zac Hanson!" All girls start screaming. Me too of course. Ya gotta go with the rest! It goes naturally, all by itself.
Girls in front of me are jumping, also jumping on my toes! They are Dutch too, and have a camera, so I ask them if I can order their pix too. I tell them we exchange addresses after the concert.
Then they start jumping again. They have long hair, and it's bouncing in my face all the time.
One of them notices that, and she makes a pony tail in her hair. I think that's very nice! So I thank her for that.
She offers me to stand in front of them, but I don't want that. Where I'm standing is place to breath.
Anyways, I love Minute Without You, it's one of my fav songs. And it sounds awesome!
Next song is a cover: Good Lovin'. I know that song, it's really good. So I sing along as loud as I can. And they play it fast too, really cool!
Then Tay walks over to his bongos. I know enough, MMMBop is coming our way. And yeah, I'm right!
Ya know, when Tay is playing the bongos, he looks straight my way!!! Oh jeez, very blue eyes... one time, he keeps on looking into my eyes.
And I just keep on singing along, and smiling of course. Then he smiles back!!! AAAAAHHHH!!!!! No kidding, he stares at me for about 10 or 15 seconds or so, which is very long. I think I'm going to die right now!
I dunno if Tay really can see me too, but I experience it this way. I hope he does...
Corrinna is constantly trying to lift girls up, so they can make a good pic. She wants to help those girls, and they really appreciate it.
After MMMBop, Tay tells us that their last song is a song from Middle Of Nowhere, from which they got the name for the tour: Albertane tour.
He asks us if we know what song that is.
Zac is waving with his drumsticks. Like he is saying: Hey dudes, it's the song I wrote!
Of course we do know it, it's Man From Milwaukee. It's not the acoustic version, but the version of the cd.
I think that's a bummer, 'cause when the part with the megaphone comes, Zac can't use one, 'cause he's got to play the drums. So he does that part in the microphone, without megaphone.
Okay, well, I guess that's life. But it sounds really good, the total song.
Between songs, Ike changes guitars a lot. A man at the side hands the guitars over to Ike. I believe Ike has four guitars with him or so...
And during the concert, Walker and Ashley are filming with their video cam... maybe I'm on it too!!! I hope so!
I just read here on internet that a tourvideo will come out on october 1! Guess who's gonna buy that one...
Okay, after Man From Milwaukee Hanson says goodbye, and goes off stage.
Corrinna and I start to scream "We want more" and soon the whole audience is screaming that with us.
After 3 minutes or so, Hanson returns on stage, and everybody is going completely nuts!
Immediatly Hanson starts playing Look At You. And again, really fast!
I try to keep up with them, while I'm singing along, and I manage! Yup, the whole song!
After that, Tay says their next song is an oldie, which they sang a lot when they were younger. It's Summertime Blues.
Awesome up-fun song, real rock 'n' roll! I'm clapping and swinging and singing my lungs out!
Then, somewhere in the middle of the song, Ike walks over to Tay, still playing his guitar. Ike takes over Tay's keyboard. Tay gets a mic and walks all over the stage.
That's so cool! Just AWESOME! He tells us to repeat after him: "Ain't no cure for the Summertime Blues." I sing as hard as I can.
Man, I almost have no voice left! Then Tay walks back to his keyboard, and takes over from Ike again. After they finish the song, all three of them come to the front of the stage.
I believe Zac is holding the mic, but I'm not sure. No, it's Tay holding the mic. They sing a little part of Weird a capella. It sounds so beautiful!!!
Then they wave goodbye again, and off they go.
We start yelling "We want more" again, but it's no use. They're not coming back.
You know what is very cool of these guys? They throw water in the audience during the concert a couple of times. It is steaming hot in here, so we appreciate it awful lot!
The lights go on again... it's really over now.
Securitymen come with cups of water to give to the girls in the front rows, I think that is very good!
We exchange our addresses with the Dutch girls who were jumping in front of us during the concert.
I have three addresses now where I can get concertpix. And trust me, they will be on here as soon as possible!
I wanna stay a little longer in the arena, maybe Hanson comes out again to talk to the fans.
But after 15 minutes they still aren't there, so we decide to get something to drink.
The moment we turn around, some security man throws four of Zac's drumsticks into the crowd that is still there. We are too far away to catch one.
Sigh... so we walk into the lounge where you can get something to eat, drink and Hansonmerchandise.
First we buy ourselves a coke, and sit on the counter of the cloakroom. Our feet are killing us!!!
As we sit there drinking our coke, the bandmembers of PEAL walk by. Some girls run up to them to get their autographs.
After finishing our cokes, we walk over to the merchandise stand. They sell stickers, posters, caps and T-shirts, but no pix. BUMMER!
So we go outside of the Sporthalle after 20 minutes, and still no sign of Hanson yet.
I am a bit down now, 'cause I wanted to talk to Hanson so badly. More than anything...
Outside are a lot of salesmen who are selling Hansonposters. We don't buy any posters.
There's still a little piece left of this story, so just go to part two of this review!
Go to part two of the Cologne review!
