reviewsarchiv 594

Every year all over again, Santa Cl... eh no...sorry...- the Nokia Night Of The Proms is coming again to Munich. Our city is even named the capitol of the Night Of The Proms Tour, as it stops over here for an entire 4 nights stint at Munich's Olympiahalle. Until 2 or 3 years ago, those events always were completely sold out and were very popular. Most visitors of the event even bought their tickets for next's years Proms at the same night aftershow, without even knowing, who is gonna be the stars next time.
However, the Night of the Proms have always been a guarantie for a great experience until 2 years or even maybe 1 year ago. Because since then, the production and everything else around went has somehow slowed down untel people got aware of it. The result is, that this year some seats stay empty. How come? Maybe because the slide- and lightshow ain't what it used to be, or the stars are not that glamouros anymore as they used to be. Or is it due to a generell economy slow down. We will never know for 100 percent sure.
And over all, this will be the very last tour together with sponsor Nokia. No clue whether the follow up will pull people again or not. - But the concept of the Night of The Proms will surely stay the same for now. And so we got again the Orchestra Il Novecento, the Choir - Fine Fleur, the John Miles Electro band and fives popstars of the popularity grade A - C.
Because of time reasons, I have chosen the friday night for my journalistic work and not satureday as usual. But satureday is booked for the Thrashfest - a complete different musical chapter. You can check the entire program out of the setlist below, whereby the photocall is only allowed at those parts, where you find a X And after our long term host Markus Otmar from Bavarian State Radio has opened the evening with a charming smile, the first part of the set starts off with the usual overture and walz played by the Orchestra directed by Robert Groslet, who has just got married, as it's been announced later on.

The only 24 years young english Charlie Siem is the first one of the gueststars and could easily be the brown haired version of David Garrett. It's just, that Siem ain't that popular yet as his american-german collegue. In fact, this is the very first concert trip for young Charlie here in Germany and Europe, where he introduces himself to a larger audiance. No doubt that he's got some talent. And for everboy interested, Charlie plays a fiddle of Menuhin, known as the D'Egville, built in 1735 by Guarmerius Del Gesu. He started playing, when he was 3. And with 16 he went out into the world and played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Mozard Players and the Israel Camerata. In 2008 Charlie Siem released his debut CD with Violin sonatas of Elgar and Grieg. Currently he is one of the biggest new talents on this sector. By the way, he was photographed for Vogue magazine by Bryan Adams.
What Charlie Siem presents us here at the Proms is, - how shall I describe it - pretty good. But he still ain't that sparkling as David Garrett is. And you draw this comparison anyway. Never mind, he is still young and Charlie's developement is not finished yet.

Many of us still remmeber Boy George and Culture Club back in 1980something, when He had huge success with songs as 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me' and 'Karma Cameleon'. He rose up as a shimmering paradisebird, or better as phoenix from the ashes. And fans and media luved him. But every high time ends at some point. And all the following excesses low downs and even jail left their traces on Boy George. Whatever once started as a paradisebird is now only a bizarre looking out of shape figure, who currently seems to try to push his carriere up again via the Proms. Normally I would say now, this guy still has got his voice, that's for sure, but only if I was a 100% sure, if this what he sings, is performed live. - Unfortunately I'm not sure, that's why I deny any critics on this.

The audiance seems to like it, at least as a review to their own youth. And so George Alan O'Dowd, that's his real name, - meanwhile 49 years old, receives a decent applause and he does like it. Boy George appears twice in one night, once in the first part, and then after the break in the second part of the show. - Well let's wait and see, whether England's no.1 fashion victim can manage to build up popularity again after the Proms tour, or does he disappear again in the London underground? Time will tell.....

Lichtmond are from Munich here. But honestly despite the fact, that I live in this town for almost 20 years now, I have never heard of them before. Maybe because I do move on a different musicial level in generell. Lichtmond are going for ambient pop and chill out songs and rap this up in huge soundclouds. Prior to every song, some funny guru is telling some curious stories, before a pretty blonde and this chinese screaming sirene catch up with the performance. Somehow very strange I would say and it seems like an esoteric ego trip- and most of the audiance rather seems very sceptically about it. The members of ths project at: Martin Koppehele (E-Bass and Esraj), Giorgio Koppehele (div. Synthesizer u. electr.instruments), Thomas E. Killinger (storyteller and Piano), Saskia Phillips (Vocals and Tanpura)
However, maybe there are some people out there, who like this posh chill out style mixture. I for my part are not quite sure about this.

One guy who is always and every year on the Night of the Proms is John Miles. Yeah well almost every time. Because 2 years ago, he couldn't make it, as he was on a world tour with Tina Turner. Apart from that he and his electroband is almost an furniture withint the Night of the Proms castle. John Miles is sort of a tragical figure within music circles, because for more then 30 years now, he profites from one song only, and this is the megahit and mileston 'Music'. But believe me, Mr.Miles has so many more and even better songs in his back catalogue. But not many musiclovers know the rest...

Kid Creole & The Coconuts are like Boy George one of these past stars, a relict from the Eighties, where the celebrated hits like 'Stool Pigeon' and 'Annie I'm Not Your Daddy'. August Darnell, meanwhile 60 years old has not made another studioalbum since 1997. And there is no fame anymore worldwide, only in his home country England the band is appearing live now and then. Maybe this job here at the Proms brings new stardome (as with Boy George) and provides a second spring. You can realize in any case, that Kid Creole and his coconuts are still very professionall and own a lot of condition. It's a perfect stint and it does funk like hell heating up the generell mood. I must admit, I really do like this here.

70 year old Cliff Richard, knighted by the Queen of England is still present and going. He can look back onto half of a century carriere. And though most of his songs belong to the oldie draw, they are still playable evergreens. Until now Sir Cliff could manage to look young thanks to fresh cell treatment here in Bavaria on Tegernlake. But if you take a closer look, you now can recognize the slow connection of body dna. Though he stills move quickly around on stage, even he does not undertake big world tours anymore. But 5 decades of showbusiness have left traces on him.
Cliff Richards starts his set in the second leg of the show with a medley of this greatest hits including his hitsingle 'Lucky Lips' of course performed in the germany version. And this goes very well down on the audiance. The whole venue is singing along. Let's see it with a twinkled eye. And even I can still have a good laugh at this song....

And then he performs the phantastic 'Devil Woman', which is an orignal by him. This piece of music still sounds great (by the way, there is a very originell coverversion by Cradle of Filth. You can listen to it - here - this one was even approved by Cliff Richard :-) He closes his Stint with the biggest hitsingle he ever had - 'We Don't Talk Anymore', a track which still draws people, but has lost a lot of it's sparkle since back then.

Then it's finished for good, but no flowerbunches for the artists, like the years before, when they then have thrown the flowers intot he audiance. Maybe this is due to saving circumstances or whatsoever. Let's wait and see, what next year brings along, with a new sponsor and if the Night of The Proms tour will carry on at all. But like every year, there are already tickets available for the next proms. Not sure, whether this is a guarantie for the continuing of this family event. ....To repeat myelf - time will tell.......