Paul McCartney - Back In The World

27.04.2003, Köln (Cologne), Kölnarena, Germany

 

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

 

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