Munich NOTP Review

I had a wonderful time in Germany sight-seeing & shopping. Munich is a beautiful city - but who cares about that, no one wants to hear all about me doing my tourist bit do you ? It's the concert you're after !

The experience of being in a foreign country for a concert was really special. This was my first time abroad for a concert and hopefully won't be my last. My mum & sister - Susan, came along too (else I may not have been allowed) - the Wet fan bug is so catchy.

With a 20,000 sold out (I think) venue like the Olympiahalle in Munich the atmosphere was such a buzz. The choir started getting everyone hyped up prior to the main performers coming out on stage. We had seats for the concert but to my disappointment they were really distant from the stage. They were quite high up although reasonably forward. All in all we had a great view of the stage but just too far away for my liking & my camera.

Incidentally we had taken a wander out to the place earlier, in the late afternoon just to see what it was like and so we would know where we were going. No sign of anything exciting not even other fans. I was stunned that no one, NOT one person was queued up. OK it was freezing cold but that's not the point. Back to the concert ...

I won't linger on the other acts too long, they were all so appreciative of the crowd each act giving it their all knowing that it was their last night. Munchener Freiheit were a nice surprise - remember that song from a few years back 'Keeping the Dream Alive', late 80's I think it was out in the UK. Unfortunately I couldn't sing along to it though as they were singing it in German ~ obviously since they were a German band and were in Germany but the tune was still the same. Most of the orchestral music was recognisable as traditional Night of the Proms tunes that you'd hear on the TV from the Royal Albert Hall like 'Land of Hope and Glory'. They mixed in some contemporary songs still done with the orchestra such as Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' which lended itself to that style perfectly with John Miles and a beautiful choir singing over it.

Mark King gave a dazzling performance wearing a very shiny jacket. I was amazed as he started to sing 'Lessons in Love' and 'Running in the Family' I remembered the words having not heard them for yonks, so I sang along. Lisa Stansfield was really good and encouraged everyone sitting to stand up and enjoy themselves. Well I didn't need to be asked twice I was up right away, 'Change' and 'All Around the World' being even more songs I somehow knew the words to.

Finally the Wets took the stage and did the full set: Angel Eyes / Maybe I'm In Love / Sweet Little Mystery / Julia Says / Love Is All Around then an encore of With A Little Help From My Friends with everyone back on stage. Graeme Duffin did his German stint which got a good reaction from the crowd. Unlike other NOTP which I'd heard about Marti didn't say too much that night, not even on the lead up to Love Is All Around which was Strange.

Angel Eyes was definitely the highlight of the show for me - it was sooo purrfect. I had been looking forward to hearing Maybe I'm In Love too but it was a little unconventional tongiht as Marti urged John Miles & Lisa Stansfield to accompany him in singing different parts of it. I felt this ruined the song really but Marti seemed to enjoy it none the less. Sweet Little Mystery was next which got everyone to their feet instantly & of course I was up waving my Scottish flag which was a must. I'd warned the people around us during the interval that I was going to be doing it at some point, so they didn't mind, they were pleased to see me enjoying myself. Not quite a song to be played with an orchestra I felt but it was good to hear it again ~ it certainly livened everyone up. Marti stayed on his feet throughout Julia Says then asked us to help him sing the next song.

'I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes ...' silence apart from a few cheers & screams, no one continued. Marti was not impressed. He let them try again but they weren't that much better. Finally Marti sang along with us and went straight into the song. Well I think everyone in the place knew the song once he started it. The guys couldn't have had a better song to end their part with. The Wets left the stage too soon leaving everyone shouting, cheering and screaming (of course) for more, I think we all would have preferred a few extra songs but it wasn't to be. I knew they'd be back but not everyone did. People were escaping early, probably to avoid the mad rush at the end but no one would ever catch me going before the end of any concert.

Eventually all the performers came back out laughing, joking and clowning around with each other. John Miles did a forward roll at the front of the stage promptly followed by Marti. During all the hilarity With A Little Help . . . started and they all took turns in singing it. They whole place was on it's feet and my flag made another appearance. They all thanked the crowd and Marti threw out the bouquet of flowers as did the others.

So that was more or less the end of the night. The concert over all was absolutely fantastic. I was so glad to have made to effort to go.

By the time we left our seats it was around 11.30pm if not later, so it had been a very lengthy concert, almost getting our money's worth. We took ages before leaving the actual venue. I was deciding what else to buy from the merchandise stalls plus my mum who talks to anyone was talking to whoever she found spoke English about what a wonderful night it had been. Susan also loved it but just wanted to got home to bed so that we could get up for shopping the next day.

For some 'Strange' reason I had taken Christmas cards with me for the guys in the hope I might get to hand them over but at this late stage had given up in getting them to them. On making our way back towards the underground we had to go around the side which meant passing the entrance where the gear trucks were getting loaded up & more importantly the exit point for the stars. Yes, I don't need to spell it out to you, I think you can guess what happened next ...

On seeing that door I got that excited feeling back and surprisingly my mum encouraged me to go over and wait. Susan was none too impressed as she gets embarrassed at stuff like this but she didn't have much choice as she wouldn't have gone home alone. Luckily the canopy of the building saved us from getting too wet (no pun intended) while we waited for a short time. It was past midnight by now but after about 20 mins I recognised one of the Wets security guys so went over to say hello. The German security folk weren't bothered, they never said a thing, didn't even look at us. I asked if he would be able to pass on some Christmas cards which I had for the Wets which at that point I honestly thought was the best I would get ~ 'no problem he said'. For some reason I then plucked up the courage to ask if they were going to be long ~ he answered 'about 5-10 mins'. Was my luck going to be in (again) - would I chance it . . . mmmmmmmm. I then asked if he thought they would mind me waiting and to my delight he said 'no I don't think so, that's OK'. Oh goodness I felt like screaming there & then. The security man also informed me that they would only be coming out and getting in the car but I knew I'd be able to delay them or at least I hoped I would anyway. He went back inside and I was left waiting & wondering with the tension building.

I started hunting the xmas cards out my jacket pocket in preparation then dragged Susan (who had been hiding) over beside us who then got landed with my camera ~ well I wouldn't be able to take pictures would I ? Background info: this part of the building was glass fronted as most of it was so we could see inside, so I was watching a door at the back with steps leading downstairs where people kept coming from.

Sure enough 5 mins later I saw Graeme Duffin approaching from the inside. He came to the door opened it and looked out to no one in particular; saw the car and weather then went back inside to wait for the others. As he peered out from inside I gave him a wave so he waved back although he wouldn't have known who I was, he probably thought I was a German fan or something. Within a couple of minutes he came back to look out at the car. I held out his card to let him see I had something for him. As he turned his head to back off again he saw what I had and took a step out towards me so I took a few steps up towards him to hand it over. I wished him a Merry Christmas and said that it had been a really good night and definitely worth coming over for so he was pleased that I had enjoyed it. My sister was called upon to do the needful with the camera and he gave me a kiss before heading for the car. Susan asked when they were returning home & got the answer of the next day then to MY embarrassment my mum asked if he remembered Buchanan St (when I met him just 8 months previous) - I don't know her, I thought; he said yes he did, I just cringed and smiled.

Marti signs a fan's NOTP programme while Graeme heads for the getaway car

As Mr Duffin was departing I just about fell down the steps at seeing who was coming next - Marti !!! He was acting daft as usual, coming limping out towards the door as if he'd injured himself. My mum was quick to ask 'Oh Marti, what have you done to yourself?' To start with I thought she was referring to the eyebrow ring which she already knew about anyway (from me) and I was ready for disowning her but thankfully Marti knew what she meant - phew, a sigh of relief. Marti replied 'I've come out in sympathy with Brendan', the Wets big minder had hurt his foot and had been waddling about all night, we laughed at this. As I handed him his card and looked at him he looked back at me:

ME - "Hello"
MARTI - "Hello back" (pause) "I met you in Glasgow the other week, didn't I ?"
he smiled ~ aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh (I thought to myself), I'd been recognised by the man, I could hardly contain myself.
My sister joined in;
SUSAN - "Yeah but the picture didn't turn out !"
MARTI - "Well you'd better take another one then." he said grinning, then he put his arm round my shoulder & posed.

That was all I needed, I was more than HAAAAAPPPYYYYY on the High Side. He didn't hang about long but I didn't mind ~ Marti had spoken to me & whats more he knew MEEEEEEEEEE !!! Sorry, just me going hyper again, as usual.

Graeme C. & Neil very nearly managed to escape behind Marti but they weren't quite quick enough. I called out their names one after the other and held out there cards which they took even though they were laiden with bags and things. Neil seemed to be in a rush to get to the car, maybe he was cold, but seeing as it was Neil I was willing to forgive him.

Graeme glanced at me while accepting the card then had a double take and looked again. He just about collapsed at recognising me, the look on his face was amazing 'Christ, what you doing out here man ?' What a welcome I couldn't believe it, to say he was surprised to see me is just a little of an understatement but he was pleased to see me. 'Where do I look' wondering where my camera was, does he know what I'm like or what, I've got them well trained now, eh ?! I made a comment about having missed Dean Johnson supporting Squeeze at the start of that week in the Barrowlands and got on to talking about how good the main band had been.

There was only one other fan waiting to see them afterwards, a German girl from the north. It was really funny at one point when she tried to get Graeme Clark to sign the NOTP CD booklet. He had taken her comment of ‘I don’t believe this is really you’ in the wrong context. I think he thought she meant she was so overwhelmed at meeting him or didn't actually believe it was him and NOT that she didn’t believe the autograph being pointed at was Graeme Duffin’s since he had signed it twice by mistake and not his own. In other words, Clarky still had to sign it which unfortunately due to the confusion he didn’t. His reaction to what he had interpreted of taking his hat off to supposedly prove that it was actually him made it even more comical.

What a night it turned out to be and there was me on the verge of giving up, but saying that I never give up hope, not really, not deep down inside. I just keep on wishing and I'm usually lucky, somewhere, somehow. Plus as I always say if you don't ask you don't get, there's nothing to lose. After a few bad incidents that I'd heard about from earlier NOTP shows I seriously didn't expect to get close to them but maybe with them seeing a familiar face & hearing other Scottish accents put them in a good mood, I don't know or just the fact that they were going home the next day.

The guys were all desperate to get back home and were looking forward to having a break. My mum and I both thanked them for being so kind and tolerant. When the guys do take the time like that to say hello and make conversation with the fans and allow pictures it makes all the difference.

All the way home that night I couldn't stop talking about seeing them again & how nice they had been. I even phoned my dad back in Scotland to tell him how things had gone. It was 1.15am in Germany & 12.15 in Scotland but we're never in bed early anyway & my dad had been expecting a call at some point.

As I said before, Munich is a beautiful city which we made the most of seeing the rest of the time we spent there but for me the remainder of the holiday was all just incidental, nice to look back and remember though.