Oh, little Udo is celebrating his 20th.... not of course his birthday, otherwise he'd be a medical miracle. But his existence with U.D.O. is now 2 decades alive. Holy shit.... is it really that long. It doesn't seem so. And Udo himself always admits, that his musical highpoint has yet to come. So what?! I ask myself, - have had all those metal highlights including the Accept masterpieces, - are there really any requests open? Hmmm, - probably,otherwise he, in the middle of his fifties, won't be standing here, trying to beat the hell outta us and convince us, that the so-called True- Heavy Metal is the only form of art. And we, who are aprox. 500 souls tonight, do him the favour, have come here for the 25th chapter of the metal coran (or is it the 26th.?) for christ sake. To be  honest, I've stopped counting. But I was looking forward again for this evening in the usual expectation to receive a lot of Rock'n'Roll and also some Accept classic tunes. Because it's them, accompaniing Udo for the rest of his artist life - no matter how many more U.D.O. albums  he will create. Though also U.D.O. has produced some diamonds within those 20 years which can't be ignored. 

Anyway, the first prayer, who comes from Denmark,  is starting off very early and listens to the clichee name Iron Fire. 

To be honest, - and every metalfan will kill me probably for that... I haven't heard a lot of this band yet. But as I always use to say, 1) you can't know everything, and 2) I'm always open for new stuff, no matter what. The five piece is going for five years so far and started off as a Coverband. Fronted by Martin Steene, who at one point wasn't satisfied anymore and soon tried to create his own stuff. The band tried several ways of heavy Metal, Bandmembers kept going and coming. And the result we got here right at this moment proves, that you can practice this kind of music also with a good decent haircut and no further visual image care.
My general first impression ain't that bad, thought the guys are not, what I'd call innovative.. They don't do anything new, nothing what has not been here for the last 25 years. But they do it with a lotta luv for details and with much selfconfidence. And that's what spreads across to the audiance. The latest release is entitled 'Blade Of Triumph', the fifth CD so far for Iron Fire. And somehow this figure seems to be magic for this five guys, who are standing here on this stage after five years. Let's wait and see, whether there is a future and we see 'em again - at least during the next five years.  
http://www.ironfire.dk/

’A New Religion’ is the second prayer tonight, and this is  Primal Fear.

I have already realized, that quite a few of the fans here have mainly come for them. One reason is their new testament, which is named 'A New Religion',  and this one does very well. And the band goes down very great as well. Jes...... those boys mean it good with us and give us 90 minutes of Novelle cuisine - ala'carte Heavy Metal. 

The big bonus of this combo is certainly singer Ralph Schepers, whos voice is able to climb up towards 2 octaves easily. The effort jumps outta his simple haircut. And there is one more thing I wanna mention... I have seen this band so far several times, but I've never seen this guy with a different pair of trousers then this one here - I swear. Slowly I ask myself, whether he's got an alternative or not. Yeah yeah, okay, that's not what counts, but it pulls my focus as well as much as it does on guitarist Mr. Sinner, who's lack pants must develop such a heat underneath, like the eruption of the Kilauea on Big island on Hawaii. (I've been there) But whoever wants to be a stilistic metal prince, has to suffer and show himself the best way he can in leather, lack and long hair. Only the hard one's survive, as we say so. And that's what we are following the chlichee - with a few pounds more or less on the rips. We call it once again - Image care. And that one has many sides. 

Apart from that, Primal Fear are offering us a solid performance and an exact instrumental play-together, which let's us hail halleluja. And that's what it should be, shouldn't it?! 

 http://www.primalfear.de/


... and there he comes – the Mastercutor, the styleicon, the topmodel and Caruso of Heavy Metal, our beloved little-one, or just uncle Udo, who's voice is still the same for the past 35 years or even longer and grows above himself every time on stage again and again and again.

And again, it's a thunderstorm of the best kind of rock music - a mission no. 15. Because it's 15 albums now, U.D.O. has released yet in the past 20 years and carried across the stages all over the world. You can call Udo as a long term institution  for sure. Without him, the german Heavy Metal would maybe look a bit different. Although I gotta bring it to the point, that he will never ever again reach the milestones again, he had with Accept in the glory eighties. Songs like  ‚Princess Of The Dawn’, ‚Balls To The Walls’ and the national anthem ‘Fast As A Shark’ will accompany Udo with all the blessing of the holy christopherus. No matter he agrees with it or not. But I think, he doesn't mind. Because with exactly those, just mentioned metal pearls the marketing of U.D.O. music functions pretty well. And this music has got some highlights as well, just think about the great song 'Man And Machine' or the impressing 'Master Of Desaster'. 

With the current release 'Matercuter', Mr. Dirkschneider underlines all of his music again. This and also the show is - Best of... restrospective... nicely spiced with the Accept classic tunes, which gives the show the dot on the i - as we say so. No, not quite, as the fans have a very last request open, because this here is the very last show in Germany on this tour. And Udos questions about this final bunch of flowers ain't really neccessary, is it?! heidi heida heid.....  
And yes, even after 2 decades, Udo can manage the classic scream perfectly, - like Tarzan in the Congo delta. Truly - this song is the egg of columbus, whether with or without military outfit and the Bluesbrothers sunglasses in the limelight. However, - this here has been probably the best U.D.O. show I've seen so far. 

And however you turn it round, - last but not least Udo's popularity stands and falls with this song, which won't get outta fashion even in a 100 years. Well,... maybe as long as this music is around. Believe tranfers mountains. And Udo believes in the future of Heavy Metal, and we believe in Udo. - So what? A pessimistic optimist is a person, who sees the worst things from their best sides. Got me? There is nothing more to say, only maybe a dosvidanja and 'till next time - amen. 
PS: and yes - M E L E  K A L I K I M A K A  e  H O U L I  M A K A H I K I   H O U  - which is hawaiian and means - merry xmas. So that makes a bit of a difference than always in russian.....

Oh and before I forget, next time I'll bring another nice bottle of spanish red vine along for you Udo and a real russion vodka for your mate..... Holy Metal promise....
http://www.udo-online.de/