Take That in Concert Progress Live Düsseldorf 2011/07/25
Part 2/3 This is for the REAL fans!
It's me again. The day is 25th of July 2011 and I went to the second live of TT in Germany yesterday. The location is ESPRIT Arena in Düsseldorf. You might know this location if you're from Europe. The last Eurovision Song Contest was held here.
I won't write another report like the one in Hamburg. Why? Because it was basically the same concert, of course. There were a few differences though - I probably don't even remember them all, but I'll try to write 'em down. Because I live near Cologne for me Düsseldorf is easy to reach, it is the only concert I could go to without having to stay overnight. I left home around 4 p.m. And that was still pretty early. From Düsseldorf Main Station to the arena you have to take the underground and that takes 25 minutes. Woah. At the ESPRIT arena while leaving the train there was a guy on the speakers making jokes and telling people where to go. It was really funny, after the concert he told people they wouldn't have to run because the next train wouldn't be the last one. Haha. When I arrived I first went to the Merchandise Stand because I finally decided on a T-Shirt and it was sold out! Nooo. I bought another T-Shirt, but that was disappointing. Then I went into the stadium. They didn't really check that much at the security check I saw people bringing food and real professional looking cameras inside. In Hamburg they were much stricter.
The whole day was sunny and warm but can you guess when it started to rain? Yes, in the evening when I arrived at the arena. The weather god doesn't like TT it seems. But fortunately it was warmer than in Hamburg. When I went in I was on the wrong side so I had to run round the whole stadium to the other side. Then I bought something to drink and the Tour Book. I read somewhere that people were disappointed in it, but I really, really like it. And I'm happy that I bought it. I don't know when they shot them but there are already live pictures, I assume from England, inside. Anyway, it's a great memory to have and TT look absolutely amazing and it feels kind of arty.
Went inside to my seat. It was a great seat - I'm really happy that I chose that seat. The view was much, much better compared to Hamburg. I could see details! Not exactly expressions on their faces but I didn't have to guess who is standing where anymore. YES. Of course, the frontal view in Hamburg was pretty cool too, probably better for an overall impression.
And yesterday the Pet Shop Boys finally did it. I couldn't get Suburbia out of my head after their perfomance. Let's take a ride and run with the dooogsss tonight....
ESPRIT Arena has a moveable roof. That was still open when I first arrived, because TT wanted that. But it was really raining a lot by then. So they decided to close the roof.
Which was really good. It felt less open now, but people and TT didn't get wet which was good. But by the end of the evening I felt really hot! Quite the opposite from Hamburg. All the explosions made it hotter by the minute. Or TT were so hot that I was also feeling hot? Haha.
Something that I realized is that Robbie has loads of explosions and an amazing entrance. Whereas TT4 just arrive on stage without any bam effect. The don't even burst into song! What a difference this entrance made. This is kind of weird and another thing I would've done different. I feel that these arriving on stage moments are important and this just feels unfair. I felt that ESPRIT arena was smaller than IMTECH Arena, but when they announced the number of people inside, they said something around 64.000 which is about 10.000 more than in Hamburg, I think they showed some figure around 54.000 there. Maybe it felt smaller because I was nearer to the action? I'm not sure. But one thing I'm sure of the floor area was really crowded! Loads of people. I just checked the official site of ESPRIT arena and they write that 45.000 attended. I guess 64.000 must be the overall capacity. So that must be the official number. This feels more like it. I mean, I was pretty sure it wasn't as big as in Hamburg.
Only 30 seconds until TT!
Fortunately for me the seat on my right wasn't taken so I could dance around like I wanted. On my left side there was a couple. She seemed like a fan, he seemed like he didn't really care. :) On the other side were women from Scotland behind me some girls. Not a lot of male people around my area. In Hamburg we had more males.
The most important thing was - there were no crazy Robbie Fans. No, none! Not in my area and not in the whole stadium I think. Which is one of the reasons why I like this concert better than the one in Hamburg. I saw loads of girls with tour shirts from the 90s! All in all the audience went wild, when they did the part with the song of the 90s. When they did A Million Love Songs everyone went crazy. I also think TT realized that. Because they did parts of Could it be magic and another one they didn't do in Hamburg: PROMISES! Yes, that epic Number 38 in the UK Charts. :) Of course, they didn't do the whole song but, woah, they must've realized that in Düsseldorf there were a lot of old fans. Robbie even said something along the lines of "This is for the REAL fans!" And it didn't feel that like half of the stadium was there for Robbie. Don't get me wrong, people were loud when he came on stage, too. But not like in Hamburg. Robbie even talked to some Fan at the front telling them to look happy or something. An Anti-Robbie-Fan?
I also think Robbie looked a little sad yesterday night. I don't know how to describe it, but in Hamburg I didn't really feel close to him or especially moved by his performance. His part in the concert still feels a bit disconnected from the show. He is loud on stage and has that humour you either love or hate. The thing is, he was already like this back in the 90s. He was also always joking around at TT concerts. That is just the way it is.
This is a little joke for karu_chan ! Check out here if you want to laugh, too.
But I care so much for Jay, Howard, Mark and Gary that I feel sad when people go crazy over Robbie and are less enthusiastic when it comes to the others. And it wasn't like this in Düsseldorf. The TT Love was in the air. Robbie at his part of the show couldn't go as crazy as in Hamburg - I think he also felt that people went to a TT show and not a RW Concert. I like the Robbie from Düsseldorf more than the Robbie from Hamburg.
EDIT: I just remembered that Robbie had another message for the danish Fans in the audience. They should be glad, because Rob gave them the gift of travel. That was really funny. :)
On the other hand I hate that I'm so focused on Robbie when it was a TT Concert. But somehow I felt my heart is much closer to Robbie now. I'm always close to TT4 already, but I'm ready after this show to let him back in my heart, too. I guess that means I'm slowly healing, too. It all just feels like a big healing process.
By the way during Kidz it was definitely Apache/Clap your hands. I think it's a mix of Rudebox/Clap your hands. And the Bunny on the screen on the end of Shine is actually Robbie, I didn't realize that. But the one at the stage is some dancer. Did I forget something? I don't know, there was probably more that was happening/different from Hamburg - but at the moment I cannot remember, or I have forgotten it.
All that's left is Munich now. I can't believe it's going to be over on Friday. ;_; Woah, I just read an article about the TT Concert and the author (female!) is bashing people attending the concerts as fatties-around-40! Should I feel offended that I - as a 29-year-old - don't have the same body as my 12-year-old-self? Isn't that ridiculous? Believe it or not - even back in the 90s some people were heavier and some thin. Idiot.
Aww, I really can't wait for Munich. Germany loves you guys. ALL of you! When we were young we adored the fabulous and we're not so young now, we hope for more and still adore you.
It's me again. The day is 25th of July 2011 and I went to the second live of TT in Germany yesterday. The location is ESPRIT Arena in Düsseldorf. You might know this location if you're from Europe. The last Eurovision Song Contest was held here.
I won't write another report like the one in Hamburg. Why? Because it was basically the same concert, of course. There were a few differences though - I probably don't even remember them all, but I'll try to write 'em down. Because I live near Cologne for me Düsseldorf is easy to reach, it is the only concert I could go to without having to stay overnight. I left home around 4 p.m. And that was still pretty early. From Düsseldorf Main Station to the arena you have to take the underground and that takes 25 minutes. Woah. At the ESPRIT arena while leaving the train there was a guy on the speakers making jokes and telling people where to go. It was really funny, after the concert he told people they wouldn't have to run because the next train wouldn't be the last one. Haha. When I arrived I first went to the Merchandise Stand because I finally decided on a T-Shirt and it was sold out! Nooo. I bought another T-Shirt, but that was disappointing. Then I went into the stadium. They didn't really check that much at the security check I saw people bringing food and real professional looking cameras inside. In Hamburg they were much stricter.
The whole day was sunny and warm but can you guess when it started to rain? Yes, in the evening when I arrived at the arena. The weather god doesn't like TT it seems. But fortunately it was warmer than in Hamburg. When I went in I was on the wrong side so I had to run round the whole stadium to the other side. Then I bought something to drink and the Tour Book. I read somewhere that people were disappointed in it, but I really, really like it. And I'm happy that I bought it. I don't know when they shot them but there are already live pictures, I assume from England, inside. Anyway, it's a great memory to have and TT look absolutely amazing and it feels kind of arty.
Went inside to my seat. It was a great seat - I'm really happy that I chose that seat. The view was much, much better compared to Hamburg. I could see details! Not exactly expressions on their faces but I didn't have to guess who is standing where anymore. YES. Of course, the frontal view in Hamburg was pretty cool too, probably better for an overall impression.
And yesterday the Pet Shop Boys finally did it. I couldn't get Suburbia out of my head after their perfomance. Let's take a ride and run with the dooogsss tonight....
ESPRIT Arena has a moveable roof. That was still open when I first arrived, because TT wanted that. But it was really raining a lot by then. So they decided to close the roof.
Which was really good. It felt less open now, but people and TT didn't get wet which was good. But by the end of the evening I felt really hot! Quite the opposite from Hamburg. All the explosions made it hotter by the minute. Or TT were so hot that I was also feeling hot? Haha.
Something that I realized is that Robbie has loads of explosions and an amazing entrance. Whereas TT4 just arrive on stage without any bam effect. The don't even burst into song! What a difference this entrance made. This is kind of weird and another thing I would've done different. I feel that these arriving on stage moments are important and this just feels unfair. I felt that ESPRIT arena was smaller than IMTECH Arena, but when they announced the number of people inside, they said something around 64.000 which is about 10.000 more than in Hamburg, I think they showed some figure around 54.000 there. Maybe it felt smaller because I was nearer to the action? I'm not sure. But one thing I'm sure of the floor area was really crowded! Loads of people. I just checked the official site of ESPRIT arena and they write that 45.000 attended. I guess 64.000 must be the overall capacity. So that must be the official number. This feels more like it. I mean, I was pretty sure it wasn't as big as in Hamburg.
Only 30 seconds until TT!
Fortunately for me the seat on my right wasn't taken so I could dance around like I wanted. On my left side there was a couple. She seemed like a fan, he seemed like he didn't really care. :) On the other side were women from Scotland behind me some girls. Not a lot of male people around my area. In Hamburg we had more males.
The most important thing was - there were no crazy Robbie Fans. No, none! Not in my area and not in the whole stadium I think. Which is one of the reasons why I like this concert better than the one in Hamburg. I saw loads of girls with tour shirts from the 90s! All in all the audience went wild, when they did the part with the song of the 90s. When they did A Million Love Songs everyone went crazy. I also think TT realized that. Because they did parts of Could it be magic and another one they didn't do in Hamburg: PROMISES! Yes, that epic Number 38 in the UK Charts. :) Of course, they didn't do the whole song but, woah, they must've realized that in Düsseldorf there were a lot of old fans. Robbie even said something along the lines of "This is for the REAL fans!" And it didn't feel that like half of the stadium was there for Robbie. Don't get me wrong, people were loud when he came on stage, too. But not like in Hamburg. Robbie even talked to some Fan at the front telling them to look happy or something. An Anti-Robbie-Fan?
I also think Robbie looked a little sad yesterday night. I don't know how to describe it, but in Hamburg I didn't really feel close to him or especially moved by his performance. His part in the concert still feels a bit disconnected from the show. He is loud on stage and has that humour you either love or hate. The thing is, he was already like this back in the 90s. He was also always joking around at TT concerts. That is just the way it is.
This is a little joke for karu_chan ! Check out here if you want to laugh, too.
But I care so much for Jay, Howard, Mark and Gary that I feel sad when people go crazy over Robbie and are less enthusiastic when it comes to the others. And it wasn't like this in Düsseldorf. The TT Love was in the air. Robbie at his part of the show couldn't go as crazy as in Hamburg - I think he also felt that people went to a TT show and not a RW Concert. I like the Robbie from Düsseldorf more than the Robbie from Hamburg.
EDIT: I just remembered that Robbie had another message for the danish Fans in the audience. They should be glad, because Rob gave them the gift of travel. That was really funny. :)
On the other hand I hate that I'm so focused on Robbie when it was a TT Concert. But somehow I felt my heart is much closer to Robbie now. I'm always close to TT4 already, but I'm ready after this show to let him back in my heart, too. I guess that means I'm slowly healing, too. It all just feels like a big healing process.
By the way during Kidz it was definitely Apache/Clap your hands. I think it's a mix of Rudebox/Clap your hands. And the Bunny on the screen on the end of Shine is actually Robbie, I didn't realize that. But the one at the stage is some dancer. Did I forget something? I don't know, there was probably more that was happening/different from Hamburg - but at the moment I cannot remember, or I have forgotten it.
All that's left is Munich now. I can't believe it's going to be over on Friday. ;_; Woah, I just read an article about the TT Concert and the author (female!) is bashing people attending the concerts as fatties-around-40! Should I feel offended that I - as a 29-year-old - don't have the same body as my 12-year-old-self? Isn't that ridiculous? Believe it or not - even back in the 90s some people were heavier and some thin. Idiot.
Aww, I really can't wait for Munich. Germany loves you guys. ALL of you! When we were young we adored the fabulous and we're not so young now, we hope for more and still adore you.