There is one little thing irritating me a bit. And that's the fact, that everybody talks about an outstandings so called intimate clubshow here. I mean, you can take it as you want. But 1) the Kaminwerk in Memmingen in the county of Allgäu,Bavaria, is surely no dustbin room with it's capacity of aprox. 1.000 people at a sold out house. And 2) I've honestly not been aware, that Edguy seem to hit superstar status or something like it. Or do I just live behind the moon? Or am I used to a different level? - Hmmmm hard to say. But I've seen the Rolling Stones at a surprise show in London's Hot Club 100 in front of only 50 visitors who were there by a pure coincident sometime in the Eighties. Well, that's what I call a club show. Okay, this is a pretty hard comparison. But all I wanna say is, that I won't call this event tonight not neccesarelly a clubgig, however big the band popularity is. 
Anyway, Memmingen is affected by the Edguy fever and not only them, but as we can spot at the parking slots outside  there are many cars from all over Bavaria and even from beautiful Innsbruck in Tirol,Austria who have found their way to here.  
We write late of October. It's chilly in the evening, but at least we don't have any snow disasters yet, which shouldn't be nicklected here at the Allgäu, just in case it happens....
Okay, back to our stars of tonight, who are currently on their Age Of The Joker tour. Robin Hood says hello and shoots his arrow onto his devoted damirers, including Little John and Brother Tuck. Who cares, as our german outlaws are counting almost 20 years of band existence so far. Time for an anniversary next year. Almost unbelievable, if you think, that our quintet has started off in their teens to conquer the music world. Edguy have managed to put out nine studio recordings within these 2 decades, whereby I won't list all the EPs, Singles, DVDs, Compilations and Livealbums here in addition. The Age Of The Joker says what it's meant to be and in not the first ace of this kind. I'm thinking of 'King Of Fools' and 'Superhero'.- But the biggest joker is probably Little Toby Sammet himself, who outed himself as a brilliant allrounder over the years, whether it's with this combo or with his other baby Avantasia.
He's always the last one to arrive at a venue, while his mates are already there long before showtime. But I don't think it's because of possible superstar moods or ego trips or even a shyness. No, I have to admit, that this boy is one of the funniest and nicest guys in the biz. But he does fight pretty often with colds and voice problems. So he's gotta take care about himself. And that might be the reason for his late arriving. Never mind. Until this very day our twittering nitingale  allways arrived in time.

So what? The magic starts in time at 8 p.m. with the support act. And that one is named Kottak. Slowly the name gets familiar here in Germany as a soloact, thanks to the fact, that frontman James Kottak is also the drummer of Germany's biggest Rock export, and this for the last 16 years. And as we all know, those are currently on a fairwell tour, which, according to James, will last at least 2 to 3 years with lots of breaks, so as we say so: no end in sight yet. And it's those interruptions, our american sunny boy uses for his own action trying to establish his band baby  Kottak. Life goes on, even after the Scorpions, and he' gotta take care about that. But of course he's gotta back smaller bread as we say so with this here. Last time Kottak were here about one year ago, they didn't even fill the Backstage Club in Munich and only about 50 lost souls found their way to check him out. Here on this tour, Kottak is only supporting, but therefore they get a little more attention thanks to all the Edguy fans. You still can't meassure it with Scorpions levels but it's much better than last time. There are some changes in the band line up. And on of those is a different drummer, as Athena Lee is not with them anymore. But therefore we got another girl named Stephanie on guitar. 
Anyway, James Kottak as frontman seems to feel as well as behind a drumkit. And he takes quite an effort to entertain his audiance.  

To be honest, he owns a pretty extraordinary humor. And he's doing well to use this humor to hide the little weak bits and pieces. Maybe this line up ain't tuned to each other a 100 percent yet. Though James believes, that this is the best line up ever. Inbetween of course he performs an energetic drumsolo - no need to mention I guess. Apart from that the fever level in the crowd is rising. And James continues to play the Clown, wearing about 10 shirts over each other, just to strip one after the other off with a differnet message. This is ending in the slogan of James: 'Rock'n'Roll Forever', which is shown on his very last shirt, and then.... as a monster tattoo on his back staying there for the rest of his life. And this always takes care for quite an impression. 

In each case it's a pretty funny Rock'n'Roll Party, Kottak is giving us here. It just doesn't come across with that intensivity just as last time in Munich's tiny Backstage Club. But you can turn it upside down however your want and as I mentioned before... tonight this lot gets a lot more reaction from a wider range of fans.... I'm curious, what's coming next....and in the future of course...
http://www.jameskottak.com/


The boss makes the announcement personally


What I do like about Edguy most, is, that the guys in the band are so pretty normal...

Two minutes  pre showtime, a quick cigarette is enjoyed up there on the balcony together with some V.I.P's. just as we don't belong to the whole thing. And then our boys walk down  the aisley to present themselves a crowd, who slowly gets a little impatient. The place is packed. So I do prefer to collect my visuall impresson from up there on the balcony, and this ain't easy, also because of some flury light conditions. The Edguy show is the prove, that too much light for photographing ain't good either. Mainly when the camera doesn't want, as I want it to work... if you know what I mean....

Meanwhile the oven is heated. And while outside the Temperature has dropped to minus centogrades, in here it's getting too hot, mostly for the enthusiasm of the fans, when Little eagle eyes heads off the Allgäu tropical storm to the front and this in a warm winter coat. 
And he won't take this coat off for the whole show time - Respect! Toby seems to have a low blood pressure, which he can control pretty well. But most important is the fact, that there is no sign of the recent break down of his vocal cords, when the band had to postbone several gigs to the end of October. Toby is singing his 3 octaves as always, starting off with something new straight through the middle from the new album called 'Nobody's Hero', followed by 'The Arcane Guild'. On the whole Edguy present us six diamonds  from 'Age Of The Joker', most of all of course the single 'Robin Hood', perfectly mixed with older song material, well shaken and stirred just a delicious Bloody Mary. 



There is something which is different here tonight to other Edguy shows on the current tour. And this is the local fact, that the band has to dismiss some show effects, due to the smaller venue as usual. But Toby stays cool, and says to his fans, that the most important thing is, that they are here at all and have fun to play. 
Although it is undenieable that Edguy is, despite the great musicianship, mainly Toby himself. As small as he is in body size, so overdimensional is his aura and stage presence and of course his talents, not ta mention his condition. Just remember those 3 hours Avantasia shows in the past. 

But back to the action tonight and the missing show elements. Toby makes good for it, that he runs off stage around the building, coming in backstage again, upstairs speeding along the balcony down again on stage to deliver a hell of devotion of his fans. And so he's proved, that he's almost fit for the next ironman on Hawaii... yeah well - almost!

The magic is closed down by one encore including 2 pearls, and how could it be anyhow else - then  receiving the voluminous 'King Of Fools' - Amen! And while other artists head straight to their dressing rooms , in here some of the guys stop over on the back of the balcony with the V.I.P.'s  smoking yet another cigarette. Guitarist Dirk owns a great coolness and watches to venue getting empty slowly.  Only our front sparrow heads straight to the backstage rooms to regenerate before the real party shoots off here:-)))
What else to say, as this here has been another great Edguy episode. And one thing is sure, this band is on their way to the top list of german metal bands, not only because of the music but also because of the image cared live action of Tobias Sammet. Well if there wasn't that this trend of times, which doesn't allow a cult status like the Scorpions own. But who knows, maybe one day Toby gets his dream becoming true and creates his ultimate rock opera. I'm sure he can do it, and as we say so: hope is the last thing to die. So let's wait and see and drink tea... yeah well rather a decent beer.... and hopefully next time  Edguy is also coming to our neclected Munich again. Viva FC Bayern - soccer team... or not Toby?!!!!

http://www.edguy.net/

Offstage Snapshots can be found in the Diary