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An Cafe Report
March 21st Live Music Hall Cologne
This year Ancafe made their 2nd tour in Europe. They had plan 10 stops in 7 countries and traveled across the map. Ongoing the tour brought them to their fans of the double continent America. But at first they hold their concerts in Germany during the weekend of 21st March and we were present in Cologne.
Like it's as is right and proper no clouds showed up on the sky and the sun brought good temperatures. When the band and some fans met in the nearby electronics shore Saturn for a signing session, others already gathered at the hall. The first hardboiled persevered already since Wednesday in front the doors and defended emulative their place in the line, which grew to a really hugeness until the evening.
The whole street was in its overall length filled with a cheerful colored bunch of people, who crowded tightly packed to the entrance of the Live Music Hall. The concert was sold out and the hall comprehends roughly about 1500 or 2000 people.
Later the sun disappeared behind the house walls and as the time progressed the mood got tense. Each move at the door or shout in the crowd was answered with push and shove. Many were edgy now and had problems to stay on their feet in the crush.
Finally at 6 pm the small entrance was opened and soon after this also the door was used, but it seemed difficult to get the masses under control.
The fans stormed the hall, which was filled in minutes and more and more people streamed in. In rising heat packed like sardines everybody was looking forward excitedly to the upcoming show, wherefore they incurred all this chaos.
When everybody found a place in the crowd minutes later Ancafe's longed for intro started and form this moment all attention was on the stage. All trouble of the unrelaxed entrance was forgotten now. Ancafe would enter the stage now!
Still in dark the musicians climbed the stage and welcome their fans with some gestures. These answered clearly with fitting screaming. The noise rose, when Miku entered and went to the microphone. Now the spotlights flamed, Ancafe started rocking. The public joined in singing fast and Miku's Para-para performance had a lock on the fans very soon. As the room somehow allowed they rose their arms up and imitated all his moves. Also Yuki could not keep still his feet behind his keyboard. As a real bundle of energy and entertainer he had his own dance on hand.
The band appeared with their new look and they wore the outfits of the single „Aroma", with this they showed they had given a little smart appeal to their typical, normally colorful style. Exception on stage was Yuki, who presented himself as colorful as ever.
With usual cheerfulness and power Miku and the others fired the public in the Live Music Hall up for the very begin. You could notice very fast Ancafe was not rolled over by the huge power that is typical for the European public anymore. They showed even more fan closeness then during the last tour and didn't shun any contact.
The heat and exertion took its toll very fast. Some fans in the first ranks, which arrived for this place days before, had to give up their position petty soon. Already during the very first songs a lot of girl were pulled out of the crowd by the security people and brought to the ambulance man. The most could mix with the other fans soon after a little pause and some water.
After the first songs Miku introduced his band and you could hear his English got better. He named each member with their instruments. And then: „On keyboard - Atze". When he passed off himself as Yuki, Miku had to contradict prompt. The fans laughed. This allusion to the German comedian named Atze got popular amongst German fans meanwhile.
Also the other musicians told some word. Teruki had his comment in German in petto, like the year before. Although or maybe even because he needed some efforts until he was able to speak out „Habt ihr uns vermisst?" (Did you miss us?) the fans were delighted.
Ancafe had prepared a great show in good live quality, their set list filled with classic and many actual songs form their last releases. „Kawayusu Rock", „Summer Dive", „Nyappy in the world 4", of course also „Aroma" and a lot more. For „Duck no magical adventure" vocalist Miku had a special idea. He raised 2 different hand puppets and asked:
„Do you want Donald or do you want 'Geißbocke'?" (Billygoat (German Geißbock) Hennes is the mascot of the FC Cologne). Of course it was guest star 'Geißbocke' who supported the band with their performance for the song and the public was full in cry.
After about one hour Ancafe left the stage soaked. Also in the hall it was very hot and bad air. You could notice the effeteness of the huddled crowd clearly. Even the encore shouts were unusual less, but everybody expected it. After a short brake for the band, that they used for change clothes and prepare fort he next show part, they came back to the fans and got started again. The encore comprised „Kizuna Bonds" and „Smile ichiban ii onna", of course the extended versions, that gave the band a lot time for their fans. Miku blew the water of some bottles into the crowd and leaned against the fans, so the security men had a lot to do. The first ranks were pretty delighted by Miku's fan visit and rushed close to him.
The concert got to its end and finally all musicians left the instruments for being celebrated on the stage. They posted for some in front the fans and the camera man shot some photos.
In the end they said good bye.
After the show the visitors took up the challenge to collect their jackets and bags form several cloakrooms and you could hear different opinions about the concert and comparisons with the last year tour. A lot were glowing and happy that the band had come back to Europe or that they had the chance to see them live the first time. Others expected more and hoped for a longer show. Some were simply annoyed about the partly unkindly behavior in the public and wished to could enjoy the concert more. But finally a lot preferably wanted to travel directly to Munich for the next concert. The most had to take the way to central station and home, for some beyond the borders of Germany.
We want to thank Neo Tokyo and Twisted Talent that we could present this year again and also thanks to the very nice team in the field.
author: noi