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An Cafe Report
March 18th HAMBURG MARKTHALLE
For An Cafe was Hamburg the first of 5 concerts in Germany at their first Europe tour and jrockradio was there.
After the band gave the Europe deput in Germany at the J-shock last year, the fans waited longing for their comeback. And you can see this also in Hamburg. The first arrived already on the day before and passed the night with minus degrees and hail wrapped in warm blanket in front of the doors of the Markhalle, where we found them the next day in good humor.
The weather caused happily little problems for the fans till the evening. Clouds and cold wind often made way for the warm sun of spring. Also for the short snowfall the most were prepared with umbrella, hood and a big covering sheet.
When I myself arrived at the hall late morning some colorful dressed fans already met and prepared presents for the bandmembers. From filling colored paper pags with sweets and little gifts to sign a huge poster where lovingly drawn chibi-copies of the 5 An-Cafe-members were pictured.
All new arrivals were admit to the waiting community and according the time of arrival they were assigned a place on the sidewalk. About 12.45 a.m. there was suddenly tizzy. The glaring red tour bus, that left the nighttime parking place short before, came back with the band to the side entrance of the Markhalle. We could see the arriving bus well and as soon the doors opened a lot of the fans stormed towards it to have a first look at An Cafe. Only some minutes later they came back to us to the main entrance with beaming faces. This experience spent topics of conversation for a time and there flew words like „absolutly cute”, „so sweet” „and so small” through the crowd. Peolpe laughed a lot and the mood was jolly, kindly. After catering troops were sent out for fastfood again and again at afternoon loud and jolly screming and screeching made its round through the meanwhile grown crowd. One of the Japanese support people had the heart to mingle with the fans with a videocamera and he got a clear demonstration of enthusiasm and anticipation. Albeit Hamburg didn't belong to the soldout concerts of the tour a sizeable cluster of people gather in front of the Markhalle. For pedestrians passing the cheerful colored community was nearly impossible.
At the evening a lot of time was spent on the riddle when the doors will open, because the different tickets didn't agree about 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Unfortunaly we really had to wait untill 7 p.m.
When the door finally opend I started to realize how many people have already arrived the hall. It was one large hustling, screeming and shoving, that was because of the stairs at the entrance not innocuous. The security got reasonably a grip on the situation with loud instructions. They collected all cameras by way of precaution, so that later there would be no breachs because of a flurry of flashbulbs.
Untill about 8 p.m. the hall filled up and the crush growed. With waves, speaking choirs and acclaims for the unimpressed roadies the vibe heated up more and more. The start of the concert approached and the fans closed ranks. Especial in the first lines air and space were really scarce goods like usual.
Finally it started. Teruki ahead the bandmembers entered apart the stage amit loud applause. Each of them saluted the screeming public with some gestures and took his place at the instruments. After Yuuki, Kanon and Takuya the fans were able to raise the loudness to welcome Miku as well.
An Cafe didn't keep us waiting a long time and the first notes of "maple gunman" already sounded. A mixture of well-known songs and some new titles of the new album like the 3rd part of "Nyappy in the world" gave the reason for the fans to underline all with singing and coping the rhythmic moves of Miku.
After the mood rised to a maximum because of a row of some songs vocalist Miku spoke to the fans in English and introduced the bandmembers with their names. Amid shouts of acclaim we also heard German words. Teruki stood up from his drums at first and told "Mein Name ist Teruki" (my name is Teruki). He prepared a longer German comment and spoke with Japanese accent "Hamburg ist eine schöne Stadt." (Hamburg is a nice town) and finished with "Lasst uns zusammen rocken!" (Let's rocking! - with a Japanese "R"). In the same order they entered the stage they introduced themselves now. Also Takuya invited us in German "Lasst uns zusammen Spaß haben!" (Let's have fun together). Miku rooted for the audience by repeat the question "Are you ready?" and got a clear, not missing answer. During the whole show he presented an active, animating performence and also Kanon and Takuya used the complet stage. Yuuki and Teruki who have to stay at one place because of their instruments didn't root less. Especial the constant smiling Teruki showed his great joy by drumming.
With a last jump from the drumer's platform Miku finished the first part of the concert.
During the time we waited for the comeback of the band, we got water. Big bottles were given to the puplic, so everybody had the chance to take a reasonable drink, the previous like the next. Because this happend during the break, the bottles came controlled into and out of the public. It was also possible to agree to the order.
After the most, especially in the first lines, had a drink An Cafe entered accompanied by acclaims the stage again and went on the new power.
Miku, who was together with Kanon and Takuya within the fans' grasps, made a still bigger contact with the audiences in the second part of the show. Several times he responded to the hands in the air and touched all he could. With a smile he repeated also without microphone the German "Dankeschön" (Thank you). Bassist Kanon made a short, surely not planed visit with the puplic, when he slided to the eye height of the fans. Thanks to the security he was fast back on stage next to the other musicains.
The whole concert passed with a great mood and without problems.
When Miku announced the last song about 10 p.m. surely a lot of the fans wished the concert would be longer. A last time the shouts of joy, screemings and loud demonstrations of acclaim rised when all 5 artists gathered front the stage to thank the fans and bow. With last gestures of goodbye they finally left the stage. The almost 2 hours concert was not very long but nevertheless a successful one.Das ganze Konzert verlief mit toller Stimmung und ohne wirkliche Zwischenfälle.
The retreat of the fans happend relative orderly and both the return of jackets and cameras and the bar seemed to be organized well. During some relaxed with drinks in the lobby others left the hall.
Outside in front of the tourbus we still found waiting fans, who closing want to meet An Cafe personly and give them some presents else. We hope, they brought a great "good bye" to the band.
At this place I want to thank Twisted Talent for inviting us and also the fans who made really great mood.
It was nice to hear jrockradio is also in Germany a known name between Jmusic lovers! Thank you.
Setliste:
1. maple gunman
2. wagamama koshikyku
3. baby king
4. Chery saku yuuki
5. koi no dependence
6. orange dream
7. et cetre (the world)
8. nyappy in the world 3
9. tekesuta kosen
10. koritsu hospital
11. snow scene
12. kakusei heroism
13. bonds-kizuna
14. smile ichiban li onna