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On stage: Unheilig



- Unheilig & Down Below - Mar. 2008 - Krefeld (D) -


www.unheilig.com









Unheilig & Down Below
- March 27th 2008 - Krefeld (D), Kulturfabrik -




A windy, rainy evening and a few hundred fans were queeing to enter the KuFa to see Unheilig. While people entered the venue GoJa Moon Rocka played, but I can't tell much about them, coz I didn't made it into the main part of the venue as I should see Unheilig mastermind Graf for an interview and so stayed in the foyer. And while the opening band played 'der Graf' spent some time at the merchandise booth so that fans could get a photo with him and something signed.
A little past 8PM it was time for Down Below to enter the stage, but I missed the first 2 1/5 songs due to my chat with Unheilig mastermind Graf. When I returned they had almost finished their 3rd song and singer Neo Scope announced Sand in meiner Hand, a track they did for 'Bundes Vision Song Contest' and their only song with German lyrics. On the single CD it seemed to me that the band isn't 100% comfortable with the German lyrics, and even if they seemed to be more comfortable with it now, it's obvious why they stick to the English lyrics - like with Down Below. Their gothic rock was welcome by the Unheilig fans and so they turned on the lighters when singer Neo Scope ask them to do so for Runaway, another song from their latest album Sinfony 23. After On The Way and Dark Queen they presented a song from their debut album Silent Wings: Eternity which is called How To Die In Space. During their set the place got hot and sweaty and as it's worse on stage singer Neo Scope took of his shirt. During How To Die In Space he introduced the band. Their stage time was running out, time for one more song... Neo Scope explained that their last track was written for this tour and is called Farewell, a song with acoustic guitars to lead out the set. Well done.
Unheilig: GrafTime for the change over.... In the back of the stage was a curtain draped and huge crescent candlesticks been placed on the stage. The candles lit. Then the stroke of a gong and a voice telling: "Dear guest, please have a 'seat', the show will start within a few minutes." A little later Vorhang auf - the album's intro set in, Henning and Licky entered the stage and then Unheilig mastermind Graf entered the stage in his obligatory black suit, white shirt and black tie. The electro gothic beats of Puppenspieler set the place on fire! Especially when 'der Graf' used the catwalk to get closer to his fans. Graf's warm, emotional and haunting voice put the fans under a spell. After the title track of his current album he continued with Spiegelbild and Astronaut. After some faster, danceable ones - Fang mich auf and Ich will alles! - he got more melodic with Sei mein Licht. There is a short melody line which reminds me of another song, but I can't fathom it. Anyway, the lyrics are very poetic and striking. The audience celebrated Unheilig and the songs.Unheilig: Graf Time for the master to speak: "About 9 years ago when I started to write the first songs I dreamt of this experience, about this experience with you! Thank you!" The stage was flooded in red for Feuerengel. Later someone from their crew distributed some blue glowing sticks to the fans while Graf told his fans about the coming song. "The next song I wrote for a friend who will pass away soon and I hope he likes this song...." And they started with the melancholy An deiner Seite. A hommage to a friend... a friendship. Very moving.After this touching keyboard-based tune he thanked the fans for this extra-ordinary experience. They continued with Sieh in mein Gesicht. A few more songs incl. some classics like Freiheit and Sage ja. And even as their music is more electro pop or NDH they rocked the house!
An Unheilig show is a very intense experience - for Graf and the fans -, and it's amazing that after 90 min. on stage mastermind Graf comes out again to the merchandise booth to meet his fans. Kudos to Graf and Unheilig!



Claudia Ehrhardt

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