61

25.09. 2005 Munich, Titanic City Club
Nektar

Here we got them, this typical rockband from the late Sixties, which feature  only one or two, in this case two, -  orginal members from the past.
Apart from that, Nektar belong to those groups, who suffer from the phenomenen, that their name is pretty familiar to many people, but on the whole, the average musiclover don't really know about it, exept he belongs to the generation, who have experienced Nektar live already in their early days. So Roye Albrighton (one of the two orginals of the band) says at some point within tonight's intermezzo, that probably only 10 outta 100 know really about Nektar. And he's probabl right.

I for my part, can fairly remember the early Seventies and their fourth and most successful album 'Remember The Future'. I know their most wellknown songs, like the titletrack of this longplayer or for instance the single 'Do You Believe In Magic' from 1972. But to be honest, that is almost it, what's up to the generell knowledge. One more reason to have come here tonight and see this band playing live. 
Nektar were created by some english guys in Germany and were known to be the most german Krautrockband. And they were one of those fathers of this so called progressive- and artrock style. Founded in 1968 Nektar celebrated their most successful time till the mid seventies. Moving to America didn't make things even better, but let them rather go down. After many years of up's and down's the group did a comeback in 2001 with the album 'The Prodigal Son' and let the myth live up again. Okay, that's it so far for your generell music knowledge.



And here the psychodelic rocklegend  is back again on tour. They still fill bigger venues, like the day before in Offenburg. And tonight in Munich Nektar have drawn only about hundred music lovers. Why?  I don't know. Maybe because of the Octoberfest or a lack of promotion. Or because of the already mentioned fact, that many people know the name but nothing else.  

                                                              
                


And you've gotta be a musiclover to get along with Nektar's music, and most of all to be able to understand it. Yiippieeh, this here is heavy stuff to swallow. Complicated structures exchange with heavy melodies to develope into an ear sticking beat. Psychodelic meets progrock. Bands like Dream Theater seem like commercial easy listening compared with this group - no joke! Even for me it's quite difficult to to an objective review. 
Hey, I'm not a musician. And you almost have got to be one to understand this kinda musicianship. I'm only a little journalis, who knows her job and music  well enough to judge something, and I think, I can tell whether something is good or bad, or if I like it or not. But like mentioned before, I'm not a musician, who would probably see this gig here with even different eyes. So I take the fact, that everybody in here  likes it including myself. 
By the way, the guys in Nektar are: original members
Roye Albrighton (voc.Leadgit), Ron Howden (drums voc) , and the two Youngsters Tom Hughes on Keyboard, and the only american in the Band - Randy Dembo on Bass.

Two hours of brilliant rockmusic including two encores, which take another half hour. es, this has got class and our intellectuall longings are satisfied once more. By the way - little hint: this here is nothing for the average person, who consume music only on the surface for rocking away and singing along. But for the demanding listners this here is a must. Lucky you, if you can do both. 
..... and we will always - 'Remember The Future' -

see also Diary



                                                                                                    
23.09. 2005 M
unich, Backstage
Running Wild

First thought: how long has it been, that I have seen Running Wild playing live last time. My calculation tells me, it must have been around 10 years or so - minimum. Second thought: okay, this german rockers ain't exactly my cup a tea. But my objectiv attitude towards the genre, and the fact to seel some pictures, let me forget any doubts and wait and see, what it's gonna be like tonight. I also have to admit, that, despite the current Octoberfest and also a soccer game this evening, the venue is packed with fans. Maybe because of the first mentioned fact, that this band has'nt been to munich for mere than 10 years. - I didn't ask 'em.

Rockin' Rolf, same age like me by the way, has minimized his pirate look. Probably because the clichee has gone a bit oldfashioned. Times are changing and so are People and their habits. So he puts the uniform jacket off after the very first song.
To get it short - Running Wild make - in my point of view - mainstream Heavy Metal for everyone in a party mood but pretty much professionell. It's nice, that they do not practice this well known bombastic sound and overdone heavy attitude, other bands like to act. Of course we draw comparisons. But these again do not even sound very german - how nice. The only thing I miss at Running Wilds performance are the famous so called edges and this special little something. The set is a very best of collection of their songs, which goes straight through the program without any exceptions. Unfortunately this is no advantage and in the end it lets me feel like everything had sounded somehow the same. - Not bad, but - and this is true - same old stuff. This is no complicated music, but simple Heavy Metal tunes, - hard and sticking in your ear to sing along with and bang your head off. And this is, why the whole thing is a hardrockin' party, where you don't think too much and let yourself carry away with it with songs like  Rogues En Vogue’, ‚Victory’ and ‚Little Big Horn’. And the encore includes Conquistadores’ meets ‚Libertalia’ and ends with  ‚Under Jolly Roger’

                                                                  
                                                 
                                                      
Result: the True Metal Fan is well served, happy and pleased. And we critical music lovers ain't really impressed, but not disappointed either and we close the chapter like many before. Yeah, - it as alright, but let's move to tomorrow.  -