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Natalia
Shorina (Chepurova) review
Photos by author,
poster of the concert given by DMITRI (Bordeaux)
Translated by beilie
Photoalbum
Thomas
Anders` concert tour in Moscow
February, 1990
 1990
was the year of the second TA` concert tour in our country. Frankly speaking,
after the "massive attacks" of the Russian media, who` s victims
were our poor Thomas and Nora, we couldn’t truly believe, that they will
come for the second time. That` s why, when we came to know about their coming,
we felt an incredible joy!
Most of newspapers just awfully mocked at them: "Hey you, our native
fans of "boom-boom style"! It` s time for you to rejoice!", "It`
s our request to all the girls: buy a lot of handkerchiefs!", "The
divine pussy Thomas Anders!"…
The newspaper "Moscowsky Comsomolets" did not niggle – it just adduced
its own version, aspired to be the statement. "The Olympiisky concert-hall
gave us the information, that they could sell less than a half of all tickets.
So, who will come to the concerts of Thomas Anders?"
Anyway, the editor-in chief of the musical section of this paper
disliked Thomas, and it was the well-known fact. That` s why the fans didn’t
take his drivels that seriously.
Thomas and Nora arrived from Berlin on 21.02.1990 in the evening.
I couldn’t go to meet them because it was too late at night.
Next day, 22.02, I put on my school skirt (to make the pretence of
going to school). By the way, almost half of our fan-club "Prospect" members
wore the same! Then I went to the "Cosmos" hotel, the settlement
place of Anders and his wife.
It was pretty crowded already. Some were just hanging on, ready to
find the car and jump in it.
I did the same. I and four more people have occupied the poor tiny
car! Afterwards the several chock-filled cars were staying by the hotel and
waiting…
Frankly speaking, I could clearly remember only the girl, sitting
on my knees and unmercifully fidgeting. That’s why my paltry skirt became
awfully messed, and I myself got completely tired.
That’s why the moment of Thomas and Nora’ appearance became the end of my
torments. Their black car driven out to the concert-hall "Olympiisky" for
the press-conference, which were to start at 14 AM, then for the rehearsal
and the first concert.
Their car was followed by 6-8 cars of our fan-club members. That
was a race! I hope, that our driver could keep the presence of mind afterwards… The
window of our car (actually, of all our cars) were opened, and our excited
faces leaned out of them. Every time our driver reached the black car (after
our endless exclamations like: "Hey, outrun that car! We need that
black one!"), our shouts and squeals reached the incredible degrees!
I will always remember the stunned faces of the passing people, who were the
accidental witnesses of that crazy pursuit. I’m sure they could have hardly
seen anything similar during all their lives!
Anyway, Thomas didn’t express much delight at the sight of us and kept the
modest silence – obviously, he could easily imagine his near future, when
the time will come to leave the car…
Nora was more polite – she waved her arm at us and, after pushing her husband,
made him wave his arm, too. All our cars immediately produced the wild and
crazy ecstatic roar!
The driver of the black car could disengage from us almost near the
concert hall. So, we dropped near the hall all alone. After leaving the car
one girl angrily stamped at the puddle, almost splashed over us: "Why
on Earth we strived after, if finally lost`em?"
Suddenly we noticed several fans, carefully slipped aside of the
wall towards the subservient entrance. We followed them.
Our long way leaded us through the catacombs and boiler-rooms of
the concert hall. Then finally we went out just behind the scene. It was filled
by the different equipment and crowded by the people – scene workers, musicians.
We slipped to the front seats on the sly and settled down. We had to wait
for a long time because of the press-conference in the media-hall. We could
see how the light and the sound were setting up; some of the musicians were
singing the MT songs. Finally we got tired of it. I started to whimper: "When
on Earth they will appear!"
I almost opened my mouth to start complain again, and suddenly, almost
next to me, I saw a middle-height swarthy man, wearing the shining jacket
with the dragons on it. He carried a white lap-dog in his bag. Near to him
I saw a tall swarthy blonde, wearing the splendid green fur coat with a diamond
aglet on it. Thomas and Nora!
I completely forgot all my tiredness! I could see them "alive" for
the first time! (And for the last time in Nora’s case)
Of course, I like Claudia. But, on my opinion, Thomas and Nora truly
looked like an ideal couple!
So, they passed us by. Before their appearance the guards warned
us to be quiet and don’t move from our seats. Still one girl suddenly jumped
up and let the Coca-cola bottle fall on the floor. Of course, she produced
a huge noise, and everyone immediately looked at her… Maybe, now it is not
so interesting to read it, but we recall this case and smile for already 10
years!
So, Thomas and Nora entered the stage. Thomas took off his jacket,
leaved alone the bag with Cherri, who was yapping sadly. While Nora was talking
with the musicians, Thomas had to labor hardly. At first he was looking for
the scotch tape, and than he started to stick the papers with song texts to
the floor of the stage. He did it with all his diligence, that’s why we felt
deep and tender emotions towards him. He looked like just a simple stage worker,
but not a superstar!
Finally he started the sound check. He took the microphone in his
hand and started to check the sound, fell about laughing while playing the
role of the synthesizer at the end of the song "Memory." Of
course, he also sang the songs. We could hear "Mandy", "Memory", "Fool
if you think it’s over", "Livin` on the edge", "One voice", "Atlantis
is calling". Sometimes Thomas interrupted himself in order to explain
the proper sound of the keyboards, or the proper time for the pause, and so
on. He repeated patiently to "Mr. Muller," who engrossed
in conversation with Nora, that he should play "Memory".
Thomas repeated it three times, but Dieter Muller, the MAN-X musician, played "Mandy" instead!
It was just the rehearsal, but Thomas really flied into passion while singing "Memory". Obviously,
he sang this song with a great pleasure.
So, it was very exciting for us! Anyway, everything has just finished
all at once. Maybe, our presence was not appreciable, and we were asked to
leave the hall. It was a great and sad blow to us! We leaved the hall with
tears…
Afterwards we gathered in a small café and cheered up a little. At least,
we could see them! We saw them during the rehearsal!
Later the concert has started. There were several concerts, that’s why my
impression has mixed a little. Thomas sang songs from his album "Different",
than "Mandy", "Memory", "One voice", "ABBA
hits Medley", "Latin Medley", "Me va, me va",
and also some MT hits. All the songs were highly appreciated by the audience,
but my favorite were "Latin Medley", "Me va, me va" (a
very incendiary Spanish song). All of us were completely happy, and some even
stood up on their seats!
Nora and Luther were the back-singers. I liked Nora very much! During
the first concert one girl damaged her manicure. Nora suddenly washed away
her smile and rushed to her husband. He made a dismal face and said something
to her. Then she returned back to her microphone.
Thomas and Nora exchanged their jeans and jackets with each other.
Of course, Thomas wore his famous jeans with ragged knees (look at the clip "One
thing")
When Thomas was singing the ballads, Nora stood on the right side
of the stage and smoked, talking with Luther. All the right side of the parterre
was looking at her and screaming "Nora! Nora!" Of course,
Frau Anders smiled and waved her arm!
After the first concert, on February, 22, we could see a small interview
on TV. Of course, the main topic was about the new image of Thomas.
After all six concerts we could see the long and detailed interview.
A few days before this TV-program there was an announcement about the competition.
We could send our questions to Thomas. The best ones could win the first prize.
I have compiled 100 questions, but still I couldn’t win.
Thomas came to the studio together with Nora and, of course, with
Cherri in the bag. The presenter said that they have received more than 1000
questions during the last 3 days. And Thomas had to choose the best three
questions.
The first one was: "What does Thomas think about the changes in the
relationship between GDR and FRG? Is it possible for him to follow their example
and to overcome the barriers between him and Dieter?"
"What does Thomas think about between the refrain and the next verse?"
"Thomas` Zodiac sign is Pisces. It means, that he is supposed to make the
right decisions. Is it true?"
The winners received Thomas` albums "Different" with his signature.
Thomas signed them immediately in the studio.
When he leaved "Ostankino," a huge crowd of fans was waiting for
him. I remember one very funny episode. When Thomas was on the way to his
car, he was surrounded by the crowd of fans. And everyone constantly repeated: "Please,
don’t touch him! Take your hands away! Don’t frighten him!" Nevertheless,
everybody was touching him! They touched his hair, his jacket… They touched
him, saying: "Don’t touch him! Who on Earth did it again?" It
was nice, that Thomas couldn’t understand Russian! He would be very surprised – people
said one thing, and acted in the opposite way!
I have a picture of this moment – Thomas and Nora with awful faces tore through
the crowd of fans. Thomas held of his bag with Cherri. They’re so funny!
Thomas lost his flight on February, 26, and he could fly to Kaunas
on February, 27. I haven’t been there, but my friend told me, that there was
a TV-show and the interview with Thomas in Kaunas. The funniest episode of
that interview was the question to Thomas: "Would you like to wish
something special to your fans?" Thomas replied: "Well, what
would I like to wish… I wish them to become a little bit more intelligent!
I could hardly leave the car, and suddenly they plucked off all my buttons!
It’s really impossible!"
At that time Nora wore a special hair-pin, which looked like the
simple… socks! We didn’t know anything about the modern Western fashion, that’s
why we were completely shocked! We thought, that Nora just used her own socks – or,
maybe, even Thomas` socks! Man alive!
The tour was lasting for one month. There were around 37 concerts.
After all they flied to Berlin on April, 6. We woke up early and came to see
them off. But we were late… When we came to Sheremetyevo-2 airport, we saw
a pretty crowd of fans. Thomas and Nora leaved only 10 minutes ago! It was
so pity!
Broken-hearted, we were wandering around in the airport. Suddenly
we noticed the airport guestbook. We opened it and saw a signature: "Thank
you and all the best! Thomas Anders, Nora Anders". A man, which showed
us this guestbook, let us put our own signatures next to the Thomas`! I still
keep the picture, where we sign that guestbook…
So, that’s all about the tour of 1990. I dare say, they were the most successful,
substantial and interesting. We couldn’t even imagine that this tour was not
the last one. It was only beginning! We had also 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997,
1998, 1999 and 2000…
Track-list of the concert (by Bolafik):
1. Intro + Atlantis Is Calling
2. On My Way
3. Living On The Edge
4. Love Of My Own
5. Princess Of The Night
6. You Are My Life
7. Cherri Cherri Lady
8. Fool If You Think It’s Over
7. Love Medley
- Could It Be Magic
- Blue Eyes
- Mandy
- Sometimes When We Touch
- All At Once
- We Are The World
8. Memory (from the musical “CATS”)
9. Me Va, Me Va + band presentation
10. Latin Medley
- Copacobana
- Hey Mambo
- Brazil
11. In The Middle Of Nowhere (+ encore a capella)
12. ABBA-Medley
- Waterloo
- Summer Night City
- Money, Money
- SOS
13. Geronimo’s Cadillac
14. Jet Airliner
encore
15. Brother Louie
16. One Thing
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