Paul arrived at 4.55 PM at the Köln Arena, sitting on the right side of the
second limousine .
The window of the car was opened, a short wave of his hand, and within 5 seconds the car vanished into the parking house.
The Arena is located in the city centre, but this doesn't mean parking
problems if one arrives by car, there are several storeyed parking lots
very close to the Arena. Only leaving afterwards was a problem, nothing did
move for about half an hour. We returned after the concert for more than one hour to have a drink and leave much
easier. Again metal detectors were used like in Antwerp to confiscate dangerous
weapons like small plastic bottles with orange juice :), these were not allowed by the sponsors we were
told.
The Arena is much huger than the Antwerp Sportpaleis, we were at the far end almost at the top.
First thing we noticed was a small metal tube attached to each seat, we didn't know at all the use for it until we saw
somebody attach his plastic beer glass with a handle. Speak of German
efficiency. What was very annoying was that people with beer tubs on their
back kept on walking through the aisles to sell beer, I guess this is custom over in Germany because I already noticed this three years ago in
the same hall with Springsteen. Seats in the hall were not as comfortable as in Belgium, when we arrived
home we still felt sore at our bottoms.
T shirt and programs had some different prices than in Antwerp: the Sand AOH T shirt was 33 €, program was at 23€ both 3 Euro higher than in
Antwerp. New was a Blue Crown Baseball Jersey at an expensive 100€. The set
of 4 pins, the flashing pin and the magnet were at 9€.
Concert started about 20 minutes late and when he came on Paul had picked
another coloured costume from his wardrobe, this time it was turquoise. Before We Can Work It Out Paul started telling a story about how he learned
German in school and told some lines (which I don't think he read off his teleprompter about Jakob der Rabe - Jacob the
Raven. After Calico Skies he said this song was available on a charity album for
the children of Iraq. The drum pattern on Two Of Us was particularly great, different than
Ringo's one, which doesn't mean Ringo's one was bad. And Abe whistling at the end. At the end Paul sang All roads lead to
Rome. On the new songs I've just seen a face and Two of Us Paul was really
enjoying himself, he seemed so much more relaxed than on the songs he played during the complete tour.
Also during Let 'em in he was having a laugh with Wix, almost missing some
of the lyrics.
Rusty's joke this time (and I've heard during all the other German
concerts) was that he played a tape, probably after having asked a stewardess on the plane, telling in German that one wasn't allowed to put
his chewing gum underneath the chairs, which received a big laugh from the
audience.
Unlike in Belgium where he dedicated Your Loving Flame to his loveliest wife Heather she was reduced to mein liebe Frau (my lovely wife)
He spoke less German during the concert than Flemish in Antwerp
Dirk |