It doesn't happen very often, but then again it does - now and then... that an american Country Superstar gets lost here in Europe. For what anyway.... as across the ocean in his home country, that Star counts a 10 to 50.000 crowd, and over here his or her name is hardly known at all, exept to a small Country Music Fan Society. Yes of course, if the name is Willie Nelson, who by the way has also toured Europe recently , then the risk ain't very big. Because Old Willie is a legend and even known most average music lovers here. But who the hell is Toby Keith?! The answer to that  can only be provided by the just mentioned small Country Music fan circle. Mr. Keith has come over for 5 shows here in Europe, which ain't that much, is it?! And he's celebrating his debut here in Munich, Bavaria at a sold out show - yes!!! But that again is pretty much relative as our Kesselhouse here has only a capacity of about 1.500 - max. 2.000 souls. 
I assume, this concert here must seem like a mini club event to Toby Keith compared to his mega shows in the US. Nevertheless he's here now to show us the american way of Country Music and introduce us to his new album. 

Just opposite the Kesselhouse in the far bigger Zenith venue denish shooting stars Volbeat are on tonight, also sold out. And that means 3 times as many, as here at our club. Well it's like a madhouse outside between the two buildings, but thanks to a solid organisation both events don't get in each other's way. 

Watching the audiance of Toby Keith is pretty amusing. So you can spot many Stetsons and other extraordinary JR hats, competing with each other - which is the biggest and most beautiful one. The Cowboy boots are shining and probably not made for much walking. Some of them carrying even spores, of course just for decoration :-)

Though, it could be quite useful, if you get pushed and squeezed from your neighbour behind you in the audiance, then you just step back and.... well the effect would be enormous..

In any case it seems, as if every Buffalo Bill and Billy The Kid fan in Bavaria has found his/her way to this even here. Because it's them, who know Toby Keith's music not only since yesterday but from his very first release back in 1993. This artist, who celebrated his 50th birthday last July, got already 17 studioalbums, quite a few Best of Compilations and 61 Singles on the market. And he has sold more than 30 Million Albums so far mainly in the US. Halleluja, those are dimensions, most rockstars over here can only dream about. And I think, I don't have to mention all the platin and other awards in the past. 
But despite this mega success over there, Mr. Keith doesn't mind to come to Europe to play in so much smaller venues, even he didn't need to. To conquer our continent with Country Music many american artists have tried this before. But somehow the big break though of this musical style never happened so far. Why! - Maybe because we got our own folk music. And I mean, Country Music is nothing else in the US, though in a different way. 


 
Okidok, enough about this philosophy and back to the action here, starting with support Lady Jill Johnson. And this girl doesn't come from America but rather from Sweden. Yep, you read right, even in Sweden they've got country musicians. She is an active artist since she was 13 and has grown up with the music. Mrs. Johnson is known up there north, but not at all in Germany.Her newest release 'Flirting With Disaster' has jumped onto number 1 in the swedish Charts in early October. And I doubt it, that she had adopted the title of this CD from the same titled Molly Hatchet album. We are getting introduced to her music, each songs followed by a story told by Jill. And those include mainly her husband, who is musician Håkan Werner. To be honest those anecdotes are a little superfluous. The melodies are pretty commercial in a way and not really sticking out, but as we say so... nice for a background sound. 
I myself is still standing in the back of the venue at her appearance, that's why I haven't got any pictures of her. Sorry about that. So her show goes by pretty much unspectacular as the reaction of the audiance also can tell. 
But whoever is still interestend ans wants to know more about this scandinavian artist, can do this under following link:

http://www.jilljohnson.se/


Getting front of stage to the photopit then is easier as I thought, thanks to the way outside the building entering the building again next to the stage through a small internal side entrance. And immidiately I discover the fact, that the press resonance is incredible high - as it seems, there is absolutely none of my Munich journalist mates here, and no other photographer than myself. Well, okay, so at least I got the complete photopit for myself which has got  some advantages my dear collegues :-)))
Strike 9 Toby Keith starts off to his debut in Germany here with the suiting track 'Made In America'. And this is obviously to see because of the stage outfit and to hear because of the bright Texas Slang in the verbal expression. 


At least now there is so much more movement within the audiance compared to the beginning of the evening. And the mood rises up about 150 percent, well, as far as this is possible in here. Because thanks to narrow space in here due to sold out status, the circle to move is pretty tight. I for my part can't complain, as mentioned before. 

And the stage light is a pure delight and as every photographer can only wish. You don't need to switch around buttons on your cam, you just press the button and that's it - as you can see here... And using a fisheye you even get the whole stage with most particiats onto one image... Fortunately the stage is big enought for these 10 or so musicians. 


But it's Toby himself who takes most place up there, that's what it seems, with his gracile shape (the one, usually football players have got, and that's what he used to be in the past) The rest of the band is surrounding him in sort of a circle and is not only consisting of the usual bass, guitar and drums, but also a fidle and a horn section. And last but not least there is this pretty female background nitingale, who seems like the icing on the cake. 
Well, let's put it that way, Toby Keith truly got some very good songs in his cataloge, and those are rockin' like hell. 


just a little note on the stage floor as a hint of - where we are
and who played support :-)

Performing live it's a little different. Because while the show is going on, you realize where the rabbit is jumping as we say so... And that's much more Country than Rock. Of course, that's what it should be and most of the european Countrymusic fans are very happy with it. 

I for my part think it's a solid and very professional performance. And towards the end it's even getting more energetic,as Mr.Keith throws away his guitar and steps in front on the edge of the stage to get in touch with the audiance. Well as far as the pit allows to do so.-
By the way, the setlist is shortened for one song because of time reasons, as the set has to be finished by 10.30. Not because it has to be because of some authorities orders, but because of the simple reason, that our Country Music audiance doesn't meet the 6.000 Volbeat fans from next door, who will be leaving 30 minutes later. - Here at our show we get one more encore within this 90 minutes concert and this one is named 'Little Less Talk'. After that the magic is finally finished.  
However, it's been nice and our Cowoby fashion victims in the audiance are proud to have had the possibillity to show all their outfits again in the public. 
For Toby Keith himself it's been certainly a different experience playing in such a small frame and not in front of a huge crowd. And let's wait and see, whether he will return some time in the future. But first of all Toby is nominated for the upcoming Grammy Awards for: 'Best Touring Artist Of The Year'. And that means something, exspecially in America. 
Cross fingers that he's gonna make it. Good luck!
That's it for now my friends of good ol' Country Music and I say 'howdy and give my car the spores to get outta here before parking slot - traffic jam is rolling along.....

http://www.tobykeith.com