Thomas Anders Fan-party (January, 08, 2005)
Text and photos: Altamann & DMITRI
especially for www.thomas-anders.ru
Translated by beilie

Thomas Anders Fanclub Party 2004

I’d like to start my memories with the most significant event during this year – my visit to Thomas Anders’ mega party in Koblenz.

I settled in the hotel near the concert hall. At first I supposed the party will take place in this hall. But later I came to know, that the hall called "Mozel-Tanze-Palace" was situated somewhere over the river. Nobody knows how to get there! That part of Koblenz was not depicted on the tourist’s map! So, I and Dima crossed the river. We could not even imagine, that we should walk 6-7 km more! We didn’t know the right way, and we didn’t have much time, that’s why we had to take the taxi.

There was a long, long line near the entrance. We could notice one guy with earphones; he was listening MT songs very loudly. That was the only sign, reminded us of the future event.

Later we saw the appearance of Guido Carp, Thomas’ best friend, who gained the hatred of all fans – you know, why. He started to declare something, and I asked him to repeat in English. Guido said that he was talking about the taking pictures: "You just enter, take a picture, go out, and the next comes." I wanted to ask one more question, but Guido joked: "Each question – 5 euro!" I replied: "Ok, I pay 6!" Everyone just bursted out laughing!

After the long waiting outside (almost 1 – 1, 5 hours!) we could finally enter. Near the entrance we were asked to show our invitation cards. They didn’t ask us about the club cards. We had to pay 10 euro for the party and 25 for the concert (maybe, it was possible to pay just 10 euro and stay for the party for free?) Those, who paid, received special paper bracelets with an inscription "Thomas Anders party". At the entrance we noticed another inscription about the prohibition of audio and video recording, but nobody checked it. We had to leave our bottles with Pepsi in order to buy the drinks in the bar. After entering the line moved slowly to the checkroom, which costs 1 euro. After receiving the paper checks we moved to the studio.

In the lobby we saw a selling of the calendars, pictures and CD. I have bought a calendar, which costs 15 euro, a picture with true TA signature for 5 euro, and 2 sets of pictures 10/15. I didn’t want to buy stickers with a logotype, because it’s much easier to make them at home! I have bought 3 fan-club CD 1999-2001 for 10 euro each. They were purchasable in spite of inscription on the surface: "For the fan-club members only. Not for sale". Wow, where could they find them? Maybe, they made a lot? I also could buy 4th and 5th MT albums and a lottery ticket.

So, after the checkroom the line moved towards the studio – the simple hall corner, hidden behind the white cotton-sheets. We moved closer and suddenly saw… him! He’s real! True Thomas! Wow! I saw Thomas Anders!

At the entrance there were 2 guards – obviously, it was prohibited to bring anything to the studio. Guido made the pictures himself with the professional digital camera.

Thomas was sitting on the high chair. He’s dressed in jeans and jacket. He smiled to everyone, who entered the room. Some of them shook hands with him, some asked for the signature. Thomas had already the markers and the white marker also (for the black calendars). The newcomer got a place near him and – it depends on his desire – put his hand on Thomas’ shoulder or embraced him. Anders politely turned his head towards the camera and made a strained smile. He did it for almost 400 times! Poor fellow! But in front of him there was a small heap of gifts from the grateful fans.

Finally I entered the studio and said: "Guten Tag!" Than I switched to English and asked him to sign my CD. At first I prepared a single "Just dream", but on the way to the party I could find a single "YMHYMS" for 50 euro cent. I gave this disc to Mr. Weidung. Tom scratched something on it and returned it back to me. We took a picture. I stood behind him and squatted a little in order not to be higher than him. At the exit I’ve received a check, and after that Dima entered.

The party hall had a low ceiling and a set of small tables. In the middle it was a small stage with a sequencer and a sofa. It was another stage aside, hidden by the scarlet curtain. We heard a music playing – it was MT, TA-solo and fan-CD-s. There was no German singles at all.

All best places were already occupied, that’s why we had to settle aside, behind the operator’s keyboard. Our closest neighbors were German girls. Fortunately, they didn’t smoke, because the hall was not separated into smoking and non-smoking sections.

Later Dima joined the Russian team from Moscow.

We could see 7 Russian fans and some from France. Maybe, there was someone else.

Anyway, the audience was more than various. There were some young girls, couples, families, including the grandparents and grandchildren. The major age was probably around 30.

We took a table and waited for an hour, because Anders had to finish taking pictures. I didn’t buy any drinks or snack because of its prices. I looked over the treasures that I’ve bought before and tried to examine Thomas’ signature. I thought it should be written in German. I asked the girls beside me to translate, but they couldn’t understand anything.

Finally omnipresent Guido appeared on the stage and declared the opening of the party. After that our hero finally came to the stage. Everyone immediately rushed to take the pictures, like on the press-conference. Me too. Anders said his hello, and then talked a little, and then the conversation started. Fans raised their hands and asked their questions from their seats. I couldn’t understand the main part of it, because it was difficult to catch the matter of German dialogues. I had to read it later from the Internet.

Thomas had a very good mood, he was always joking (everyone burst into laugh time after time, and I had to smile also, making pretence of understanding). Thomas answered in details, but it was noticeable, that he didn’t like some questions. For example, after the question concerning Christian Geller Thomas said only one sentence. After one question he sang "Just Dream".

After that the questions continued. After a while Dima asked me to say something in English. Ok, I raised my hand. Anders noticed it and pointed his finger at me. I asked

- Me?

- Yes! Do you understand a single word in German?

- Yes, a single word. Can I ask in English?

- No problem!

- I have a suggestion. Would you be so kind as to repeat the most important information, for example, concerning your new DVD, CD and the concerts in English? I guess not everyone here can understand German.

Anders asked to raise hands those who didn’t speak German. There were around 20 people. Then Anders said in English, that the concert DVD was almost 95% ready (but it was not recorded yet), and he was looking for a new recording label, and so on.

I was so happy! You can imagine – I could ask a question, show myself to Thomas and say my name to him! And he remembered me, ha! That’s cool!

After all questions we had a lottery. One ticket cost 1 euro. I bought one, and some bought even ten! The prizes were quite different: a book from Carp with the pictures of stars, a huge poster, and Thomas’ jacket from a German auto-show. The first prize was a participation in Thomas’ next clip.

A little girl was asked to hold a lottery ("Independent Girl," – Thomas joked.) She pulled out many-colored papers, and Guido with Thomas declared the results. Anders was very lovely, he declared the results in German, English and French.

During the lottery there were many jokes, as I was told later. When the next winner did not appear, Anders supposed: "Maybe, he’s in toilet!" When the next winner after him also did not appear, Thomas said: "Maybe, he’s in toilet together with the first one!" One lady mixed two papers: lottery ticket and the checkroom paper (these two papers were almost similar). Anyway, she received her prize for the checkroom paper!

At the end of the meeting Thomas sang "King Of Love". Then he said that he had to take a shower before the concert, and then he leaved for two hours break.

At first everyone rushed to receive their pictures. We had to put up with the crowd, give our checks to the lady and receive our portrait, the "work of art".

Then a certain pause occurred. Some guests went out. Then we could see the appearance of Claudia from the corner of the stage. She looks like much better in reality than in the pictures.

All the bothersome fans wanted to take a picture with her. She kindly let them do it and patiently posed on.

We had too much free time till the beginning of the concert, and we were hungry a bit, that’s why we went out to find something eatable and not so expensive. At first we found a bakery, ant after – pizzeria.

It was so warm and nice weather outside!

Then we returned back to the hall. There was some Thomas’ music playing. People were bored. One guest put on Dieter’s mask and a T-shirt with an inscription "Guitarist of Thomas Anders". He was walking between the tables, imitating the typical Bohlen’s poses, and posing to everyone who wanted to take a picture.

I talked a little bit with Russian fans and with Guido Carp and took my place.

At 20.00 Carp appeared on the small stage and dispersed the spectators, who occupied the place near the scarlet curtain. Everyone was waiting.

And suddenly:

А-а-а-а-а-а,

Tonight is the night – Anders sang very loudly

Ta-a-ke your chance to make your dream come true – sang all the musicians.

Then the curtain was moved away and our hero with 5 more musicians appeared. There were two with guitars and two with sequencers behind them. There was a drummer behind Thomas and a girl in a very funny dress.

Everyone rose up from their seats. I and Dima immediately rushed to the gangway. We did it quickly and could get truly good places near the stage.

I started to take pictures immediately – I didn’t know if I will have a possibility to do it later.

Musicians played the live music. To my mind, "Tonight Is The Night" live sounded much more vigorously, than the CD-version. After it we had "Independent Girl", like during the concerts in Moscow.

After that Anders greeted the audience and continued the concert.

At first they promised completely new material. But we had a real concert of MT-hits + Thomas’ last album + TA-solo for a little.

At the end of "In 100 Years" a skinny guitarist stepped ahead and started to wave his hands and shout: "L.O.V.E.", one more time "L.O.V.E." – without the music – and again: "..heart attack..". Very nice passage between two songs! During this song Anders danced with a back-vocal girl in a funny dress. I hope that Claudia looked at it patiently…

After that we had "Night to remember" It sounds much better on the stage, than on the CD. It had a very clear bass and dance rhythm, that’s why the indistinct album "filling" turned to a real hit! Unfortunately, it was hardly appreciated by the audience.

After "Love is forever" Anders disappeared, and the musicians started to play some kind of hard-rock-heavy-metal. "It seems that we came to the rock-concert!" – I told to Dima. After 2 minutes Thomas appeared on the stage from the hall, and that hard-rock melody turned to the beginning of long version of "TV makes the Superstar."

Then we had "No face, no name, no number" with album samples. It was highly appreciated by the audience.

After that Thomas asked to free the entrance to the small stage. He sits down at the piano and started to play. "Oh, we will have Barry Manilow now!" – Dima said. But the fanciful piano music turned into "You’re my heart, you’re my soul"

Thomas called a girl from the audience, who won the first prize in lottery, and sang to her "I will follow you" with the guitar accompaniment. It sounded similar to the Fan-club CD-1999, and the text was also changed a bit.

Then we could hear "Road to higher love." It was the only full-fledged old solo-song.

After that we had "Just dream" – Thomas played the piano, and one guy accompanied him with the electric double-bass.

At first I thought that the concert was almost over. But we noticed some gusto on the large stage, and it showed us that the concert will continue there.

The slow version changed into the fast one. Thomas passed through the audience and appeared on the large stage.

"You can win if you want"

"Live your dream"

I tell you – the audience expressed a very benevolent attitude towards each other. Everyone looked around and sang together. Those, who wanted to take a picture, were let to come closer to the stage. However, Guido Carp looked over them from some kind of "captain bridge" and personally caught those whom he disliked for some reason. One of them took the picture for a long time (maybe, he did the video-record). Another one used the camera-stand (but it was not prohibited!)

Aside the audience we saw Claudia with her parents, sitting at the table.

"This time" – at the end Thomas put his cheek on a hand, like falling asleep. It looked so beautiful!

"Win the race" – was changed a little bit. During the refrain it was "again, again, again", than a short melody passage and the refrain again: "Oh come on we, we can win the race…"

"China in her eyes"

"How deep is your love" – Anders let a back-vocal girl go and rest. Instead of her we saw a young guy with an electric double-bass. They sang this song together, and it sounded very sensibly. After that Anders introduced his entire band.

Of course, all musicians tried their best. They became completely wet after the first three songs! One of them dried himself with a towel and tossed it into his "chief". Anders tossed it back.

Then we had Barry Manilow Medley (among them "Mandy", "I write the songs", "Can’t smile without you"). It was a good music of 80-s. During the singing Thomas came down from the stage and passed me by like the bus conductor! It was the only non-published song (excluding "Mandy")

"Geronimo’s Cadillac" was completely changed. But it didn’t have a striking prelude, like it was during the concert on the Red Square in September, 2003.

We sang "Brother Louie" all together. After that Thomas repeated his Moscow joke about Brother Louie’s sister, whose name was "Cheri Cheri Lady."

After that Thomas and the band took their leave and disappeared behind the curtain. Everyone knew they’ll come back. They were waiting for our calling! The concert last for 2 hours, and it means, we had 30 minutes more! Everyone started to shout a certain German phrase. I also repeated it without any idea about its content. Hopefully, the band will return not only for taking back their guitars!

After amusing his self-respect Thomas and his band returned back to the stage.

They played an encore:

"Just dream" (Dream mix)

"Jet Airliner"

"Atlantis is calling"

And Thomas disappeared again… we had to call him… and he returned again and sang "You’re my heart, you’re my soul"; its arrangement was similar to the Disco-80 version.

The last song was "When will I see you again" (a capella)

Thomas sang one verse without music, and he changed its text into "hope we’ll see us again". Everyone rose in applause! The ovation was long and loud!

All good and long concerts have a habit to come to the end. Thomas said his farewell in German, wished something (maybe, to reach successfully to the city) and finally disappeared. This time – for keeps. The band musicians took their instruments with them.

Again it was a huge line to the checkroom. And Claudia tried to slip through the crowd of fans. Two guards followed her and helped to get through.

We walked on foot to the hotel because all taxi were occupied.

On the way we had a good chance to discuss the party and to pick Anders and other Disco-singers of 80-s to pieces.

I was shown Thomas’ house. I didn’t expect that he would settle in the middle of the city! I passed by his windows for the first day, on my way to the hotel!

After the party in the hotel we talked for a while in Dima’s room.

And now - the conclusion of the party and the concert.

Obviously, the band can not only make pretence of playing. They can truly play! Most of the music was alive. New remixes of the old songs were re-recorded anew.

Anders can truly go all out for the audience!

The concert was alive, so I wished them play "Don’t take away my heart" with the guitar passages. I regretted they didn’t sing the best #2 MT-hit "You’re not alone"

And, of course, everyone would appreciate Thomas’ solo songs between the two MT.

The concert hall was not well-prepared for such event. And the toilets didn’t spread the rose fragrant!

What a pity – they didn’t record a concert DVD!

What if it would take place on the large concert stage!

So, now our task is to go to the fan-party-2006.

In the bed I finally realized, that did Thomas write on my CD. He wrote: "All the best!"

And I wish you the same!