UK76’s TRAVELS: Far Away In Frankfurt…
Friday, July 6th, 2007
This is Manchester calling! I arrived safe and sound in Northern England. Weather is pretty British but mostly dry. I’m sure as tomorrow’s show comes closer we might get some rain. 
Have to pick up in Berlin again. After my last report I made my way to the Olympic Stadium - the largest stadium the band plays in Europe (apart from the Rome show which will be on a vast field). It was a pretty relaxed day as I didn’t have to queue thanks to the working pass. After saying hello to my friends in the queue, I met up with the 3 other guys from the Fanclub, got our wristbands and went inside. First we had a look around inside the stadium before we hung up the banners for the Official Genesis Fanclub. I then got to know that there would really be a proper soundcheck (they only do it about once a week, the rest of the time the sound is set up with pre-recorded music). When the band was about to take the stage it all got a little bit childish. We were told to leave the pitch. Then we even should have left the stadium building. Well, what we did was go upstairs in the upper level opposite of the stage. We had a very good view, only the sound wasn’t too good. By the end of the soundcheck we saw that more and more people (just working staff of course - no “normal” fans) we slowly moving towards the stage to watch band play. We decided to do the same, went downstairs again and on the pitch. By that time the stewards were about to get people going back again. Before they had succeeded the soundcheck was over. The entry went pretty smooth. As soon as the gates were opened I was allowed to walk to the front and could easily reserve a spot for a few fellow fans.
Before the show it was drizzling a bit but as the show started the rain stopped. Very nice! Later I was told that in other parts of the Berlin it was heavily raining throughout the whole evening. The show was very good once again. They had a smaller problem at the beginning of Turn It On Again. But nothing major. It seems they’ve reached a state where only minor mistakes happen which are only noticed by people like me who see a couple of shows. The regular visitor just going to one show won’t take notice of this.
The next day our flight to Frankfurt was set to leave Berlin at 13.00 and after a very bumpy flight we landed slightly delayed on Germany’s largest airport. During the approach I could see Commerzbank Arena which is just a stone’s throw away from the airport. I was glad to see that the tent roof was closed. So at least during the show we wouldn’t get wet. The “day off” ended with a very good Japanese dinner in Frankfurt’s city center.
In the morning we went to queue once more. The last time before the two fully seated gigs in the U.K. which means no queueing on two shows in a row! It was a bit hard to find out which entrance was the best but in the end we found the closest gate to the field entrance and we killed another long time of waiting (showers included once more). As gates opened at 17.30 we were in “pole position” at the presumably best gate. Having about 6 or 7 people running before me I followed them inside. Before gates had opened we were told that the stadium itself wouldn’t be open before 18.00 so we had to wait at the gate to field again. As I followed this handful of people we approached a closed gate with 2 guards in front of it. They told us to wait there. And we did so. About 5 minutes later a security supervisor came to the constantly growing and pushing crowd where I was standing at the front and he calmly said that the actual gate was a few meters further on around a corner. So we had waited at the completely wrong gate without getting a hint by the stewards. Thank you… 
Of course we immediately sprinted to the correct gate. But as we entered the tunnel to the field we could already see masses of people from other gates rushing to the front. I tried my best but all I got was a spot in second row at the very end of the left ramp up to the main stage. This wouldn’t make for a good view on the stage so me and 2 friends decided to go back to the front-of-house desk to take this “opportunity” (or shall I say mess?) to watch the show from the back. At least we saw a few well-known faces there, Tony Smith and Nick Davis among them. The view was ok and it was nice to get a different angle at least once. I have to admit I saw video bits I had never seen from the front and especially songs like In The Cage, Home By The Sea or I Know What I Like were quite nice from a bit further back. But after all, queueing 10 long hours to get to that spot sucked big time! And after all I have to say I don’t need to see the show from the back another time. I know I most likely will in Rome but after last night I have to say “been there, done that”! Anyway, the show was good and the sound wasn’t as bad as expected. The crowd was a bit lame at the beginning but they woke up after the first couple of songs. Oh, and an important info for the ladies: Phil wore the tracksuit again! After the part of In The Cage where he leaves the stage for a minute or two he returned with the regular dark jacket. But it seems the tracksuit is still there…
So today - as I said before - I arrived in Manchester. Our flight had a delay of more than 2.5 hrs but who cares on a day without any commitments like shows or meet-ups. A flight to Birmingham which was scheduled to depart around the same time as our flight was cancelled due to technical problems. So it could have easily been worse!
Tomorrow I will watch the Live Earth show first and then head for the “Theatre of Dreams”. Hope to come back with nice reviews from that shows. I will definitely enjoy not having to queue!
Ulli
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