Paul McCartney - Back In The World

28.04.2003, Köln (Cologne), Kölnarena, Germany

  

Paul came same as sunday at ca. 16.55 to the Cologne Arena, same entrance. We had thought that he woulndīt use the same entrance two days after each other but there was again a lot of security and so we also stayed there. This time he came in a golden stretch limo. He had a cellular telephone on his ears and only looked for a few seconds to the waiting people. This time he was even faster disappeared then sunday.

The security at the entrance seemed monday even stronger than sunday. We thought this was because so many people took photos on sunday and even lots of people had to go out of the arena on sunday.... I canīt imagine why this is so. If you have a normal camera without a zoom you canīt even make some good photos (By the way. We made on sunday from 4th row 2 x 27 photos with a "one-way-to-use" camera. It took about 1 week until the photos are ready. If there are some good shots I will post them to this group).

In the arena we looked for the man who gave us the fantastic tickets for the show one day before and after some rounds we had found him. He had again a couple of tickets for the first rows but he donīt gave us them.... He said "Not the same people as yesterday". It would have been fantastic to sit again in one of the front rows but I think that itīs OK
that some other people also had the fantastic experience to see Paul that close. I will also post my "4th row" ticket soon.

So we went to our regular seats. The show begun.....

This time it was really a different thing. One day before we only had our eyes on Paul and we missed a lot from what was going on left, right and above the stage. The setlist was the same as one day before. Again Paul had some problems with the Songs "Your Loving Flame" (Same as sunday. I had posted erroneous in my last review that he had some problems with "Lonely Road") and "We Can Work It Out". But also with some other songs he had some problems with his voice. All in all his voice was not in that good shape as sunday. Also he didnīt made so much announcements in german as he did sunday. But again "Jakob der Rabe" wonīt be missing :-) But, different to sunday, the audience this time really was great and loud. After "Something" someone from the first row asked Paul about a song for Ringo and then he sang a few lines from "Yellow Submarine". After "Hey Jude" there was really a huge noice in the house to bring back Paul on stage and after a few minutes more and more people sang the chorus from "Hey Jude". After Paul had come back to stage he and the band also "joined" in and played the end of the song again. That was really fantastic. Big mood on monday in the arena.

One other thing to say. One of our members from the "Siegener-Beatles-Stammtisch" had won one week before the show at the radio station WDR2 (who also presents the shows here in germany) a special thing. First he was able to hear a bit from the soundcheck and then he was one of the people on the pre-show with the big balloons. He said that Paul mainly jammed a bit on soundcheck but he coulndīt hear the complete soundcheck because he had to rehearse how to walk with the ballon.... After the show he also could go backstage. He got a pair of used drumsticks from Abe and yes man. There is no question about it with what power Abe uses this sticks. Itīs broken and splintering. I made
some photos and will also post them soon. He also had the chance to talk to Rusty and he got a autograph from him. Iīm also made some photos, same with the "backstage ticket" he had. All coming soon. And another spectacular thing. There is for every concert a "newsletter" with all the things that happend around the venue. Itīs is really amazing what
stood in this letter. I will scan it. I wount try to summarize it know. You have to read it.... There is also a ranglist from the best shows of the tour!!!! One Mexico show is in front; no. 5 is one concert in London. Also in this letter there is a short comment to the last show and there you could clearly see that the "crew" also meant that the audience wasnīt "that good" on sunday.... I will post the letter soon.

On thing I also would like to tell you. Wix had a helmet on his head on the first song from the show and before announcing "Sheīs Leaving Home" he also said that he often got a drumstick from Abe on his head and because of that he have to wear a helmet. Itīs also a very nice and funny statement on this "news-letter" on this subject.

I have to say after my friend who won this "backstage-ticket" told me everything about that what he had seen there, there is a really fantastic mood in the complete crew. Itīs all very easy going and everyone ist just having a lot of fun. I will say that you surely could see on the "Back In The US" DVD that there is a good mood but after that what he told it is just amazing.

Another thing I have to tell. Only 2 cologne newspapers had a review of the first concert on sunday already in the monday issue. All german wide newspapers only had a concert review in todays issue. At least I bought about 15 newspapers. And as I even took a look on the video I made from some television shows yesterday (I had programmed my VCR) Iīm seen for about 1second from the sunday concert in 4th row ;-)

Paul slept in a hotel opposit to the cologne cathedral. From sunday to monday he gave a couple of autographs. This is what stood in a newspaper. Yesterday as he was off to go to the soundcheck he only gave 1 autograph to a little girl. There were some live pictures seen on television. After the show yesterday he flew back to the UK.

I have still such more to tell you but I havnīt so much time at the moment. 3 concerts in 4 days is also really strenuous. Tomorrow I have to drive again ca. 200km to go to Hannover. There is still more to come until the weekend. I also have the rest of the week holidays so I hope that I could handle all the things I promised.

All The Best

Markus den Boer


P.S.: There were some questions about my review from the first show. The first day was completely sold out. You coulndīt see any free place. The second day wasnīt completely sold out. There were a couple of seats
free. Mostly some "private boxes" from the sponsors. By the way. Some good tickets for monday was sold for half price officially 1 hour before the show.....

The new BONR intro is really fantastic. It was also played directly after the show. How could I describe it? I donīt know how to do that now. I will try to bring it tomorrow morning in my computer and post it before I have to leave to go to Hannover.

And yes, Paul had the german flag on both concerts.



 

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