05-Nov-1995 - Oberhausen, Music Circus Ruhr

Klaus Kluge, Germany, 06-Nov-95
(from a posting to the White-House mailing list)

After more than a year (June '94 in Krefeld) we've finally seen Bobo live again, and it was well worth the trip to Oberhausen.

The venue was indeed a former circus, including lion cage (with the bar inside), which made a real nice atmosphere, and gave the line "they picture me as a circus girl" from the song Cosmic Ceiling a bit of truth. And was that a smile of recognition on Bobo's face when she sang that line? It was a big tent; the something like 300 visitors just weren't enough to fill it.

The stage was pretty high and huge. There was another level for keys, drums and percussion, leaving a huge area just for guitar, bass and Bobo. There was space enough for Bobo to run around, as she loves to do. I can't imagine how to fit all of them on the tiny stage of the Luxor on Tuesday. Sorry Bobo, only running on the spot in Cologne.

On the back of the stage was a big flag with the "fish" from the back cover of the first album. This has also been used on some new T-shirt designs. Yes, there was a table with T's, caps and posters.

This concert wasn't so much a surprise as it had to be expected after the release of Cosmic Ceiling, since we've already heard most of it on the New Pop Festival broadcast.

Since the live band featured the familiar faces (and playing) of Andi McGuinness (drums) and Lexa (bass), the sound had to be more straight forward than the studio recording. Both of them were hardly used on the album. In fact, the new sound was hardly noticable in that lineup, so I can imagine that new fans who only knew the new album must have been surprised.

The rest of the band were Ben Lauber (percussion), Olav Bruhn (guitar) and Stephan Gottwald (keys).

Although there were a lot of lights, they weren't used very well. But the sound was good, which is the main point. Bobo's voice, the music and the arrangements of the songs were excellent. The keyboard more in the background (compared to the album), the driving force of drums and bass, more guitar than on the album (though not as prominent as in Heise's times) and the addition of percussions. For me, the percussion was the most valued addition to the set.

Here's a commented set list. Since I didn't take notes, I can't guarantee it's correct, but it was very similar to the New Pop Festival set.

• Sailors Bride
• Yellow Moon
• Beloved
• Papercues/A>
• Perl Drops Rain
• Violent Room
  Was performed by Bobo alone, with guitar.
• Cosmic Ceiling
  Was the guitar version again. Bobo, guitar and bass only. This really suits the song best.
• Furious Sun
• Exercise
  An unreleased typical Bobo song.
• Bungee
• Passing Stranger
• Troublesome Desire

• Little One I'll Miss You
  Was my best-of-show song. A wonderful arrangement, with a digeridu even (played by Andi)!
• Travel In My Mind
• Hole In Heaven
  Was Bobo singing and the rest of the band all with drums and percussion. The band had a lot of fun with this one.

• How Insensitive
  I don't know it. It sounds like a cover and I would expect it to appear on the forthcoming orchestra-album as Bobo was singing it to an orchestra tape (unless someone was hiding behind the keyboard).

Yes, it was a most enjoyable concert, and I'm looking forward to see them again tomorrow.

PS: there was no support band