Honestly, it was really incredible celebration. Joy of meeting with friends, joy of acquaintance with new people, joy of fun and laughter. And how! So much impressions for only one day. The main occasion, the reason and the adornment of our meeting was the concert of Chris Norman in Moscow club B1 Maximum. To add that for dear ladies a traditional Women's Day have taken place…

It's a pity, Chris doesn't make his Russian fans happy with his visits so often. Not to say about Ukrainian fans. But that's why his visits become more valuable and our impressions and emotions get more vivid. And it would have been very hurting if I couldn't get to that remarkable gig for some reasons.

But at the end everything went well. Now so many days have passed but the impressions still haven't become dull. And it's not so easy to tell about all calmly and “correctly”…

First, I should say that the venue was selected perfectly. A huge, spacious club, probably the biggest venue of that kind in Moscow. That's right, where else all those people wanting to attend that event could gather. As the saying goes, a great ship needs deep waters... And in Kremlin Chris already has performed…

Most of the loyal fans filled the dance hall. For those who was going to have a meal the club also gave such an opportunity. Those who preferred to contemplate the show from a height of balconies also had a perfect view and sound. There were big screens on each side of the stage. And the sound in any place of the hall was just superb. It wasn't killing right near the stage and didn't get lost even in a depth of the hall, near the bar. That was checked by me personally…

To my regret, I have discovered all amenities of a dance-parterre not so long ago, maybe a year or two. Once I bought the tickets to the most expensive sector of Kiev Sport palace on the show of very famous band. Nearly all the time I was seating there but then something possessed me to go down. You have no idea what the difference it was, to better side! What an energy, what a drive, what a feeling of immediate participation in action of a gig. I should have done it from the beginning. There are no flies on me now…

But here comes the main character.

There need be no doubt that now, as usual, he will present us all a real celebration. He will give us his voice, his wonderful songs, his sincerely kind attitude to all fans tired of waiting. He will give us everything he can give over this hour and a half long show, everything till the last drop, without a remainder. I catch myself in a word. Where I've got this“as usual”? As I see his live perfomance only for the second time. But that's really true, I'm not mistaken.

Since that memorable concert in May 2006 I understand one thing for myself – for me Chris firstly and mainly is a great ARTIST. And whatever he sings from stage - old or new, whatever he does or speaks on stage – for me that will only confirm that he is a great ARTIST.

That's why, nevertheless, exactly “as usual”, on that evening we saw him in a good form, in excellent mood and heard amazingly performed music. And the main is the voice! That same voice, so native…

The concert was arranged masterly. Chris won the audience at once having performed three main Smokie hits “I’ll Meet You At Midnight”, “Needles And Pins”, “Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone”. That's it – the audience is now in captivity.

Then we could enjoy all other presents which he had prepared for us that evening. There were also many loved songs of Smokie as well as his solo works. A special thrill was the acoustic part of the concert. “If You Think You Know How To Love Me”, “Baby It’s You”, “Mexican Girl”, “Living Next Door To Alice”. And the highest pitch got into “The Growing Years Medley”. Firestorm! To tell the truth, I also was impatiently waiting for Zeppelin's “Rock’n’Roll” but “My Sharona” which thundered instead has more than compensated it's absence.

Speaking about solo songs I can say that most of all I was grabbed by “Lost In Flight”. What a work! How it was sung and played! A huge respect to the Band. Here they all at once have showed themselves on 100 point on a 5-point scale.

It's right time to pour out my thanks to the people who presented us that music fest together with the Maestro. Chris Norman Band played its part perfectly. We were surrounded with a real wall of irreproachably played music and stage action. They all succeeded in creation of such a positive atmosphere on stage which one can only wish. All that time smile just didn't leave Martina's face. The guys Geoff, Axel and Dorino put out a rock and sometimes even a hard-rock of the highest standard. With all stage entourage befitted to the moment.

   

   

And Shannon! Ooh! She is a real gem of the band. The duet “Stumblin’ In” could be considered as a separate performance. A real show! She personally has made an incredibly major contribution to the general impression of the concert. She just Princess The Swan…

The sound in the hall was splendid as I already have mentioned. But seems the lights were rather frugal. Maybe that was done on purpose. But the instruments of the Maestro are just top class! Jaydee Hooligan – a constant and true companion for many years. And two acoustic guitars: 6 string Maton and 12 string Taylor. To tell the truth, I simply blissed out of their sound…

Getting back to the songs, I was very much surprised and delighted how “Midnight Lady” was played. A real slow rock. I wish it was recorded in that way in 1986, then I would have loved it already at that time. Because of its tremendous popularity Chris still can't but sing it on concerts. But through the years this song loses that characteristic Bohlen's glance more and more. And maybe soon there will be no such thing at all. I can't but be glad to that.

“Turn Right, Turn Wrong” – the song which just turns me upside down. There's Norman a composer and Norman a singer…

The main gift, no, just a real VIP gift to the Russian audience was “What Can I Do”. It was such a liberal and so much appreciated displaying of respect to us. As well as a touching displaying of friendship and gratitude to his old mate Alan Silson, the song's author. Chris has mentioned him with thanks twice while saying that he specially performes this song of Alan only in Russia. And that time we were lucky to hear not only first verse but the whole masterpiece completely. It's great that Chris's band has learned it too. No, there wasn't a close similarity with the original, there wasn't a long guitar solo. There couldn't be all these inimitable, soul breaking nuances of the author's perfoming. But there was performing of Chris which he has sincerely put all his talent and his soul into. Thanks him for that…

Other Smokie songs Chris also sings in “his way”, though. Not just like a former Smokie member but like a solo singer Chris Norman who includes these numbers to his repertoire. All three present bands of former Smokie members perform old hits. Some aspire and try to get close to original versions, and some not. Some succeed in getting branded “Smokie sound”, and some not. I wouldn't elaborate on this theme too much because all reasonings risk to be very subjective... In this case I speak just about Chris. As a rule, the most significant for me is performing of “If You Think You Know How To Love Me”. This example is simple. It seems like the song is not so hard. But at the same time it's incredibly beautiful, I'd even say perfect. It's just permeated with that primordial spirit of Smokie of 70s. In addition, that was their very first big hit and therefore it's also especially dear for them all. Right, it would be absolutely silly to expect to hear the same live sound which was recorded on vinyl in 1975. But as for Chris, he changes its sound consciously. Instrumental parts and, the more, back vocals sound in a different way. He also sings it differently. We hear quite different accents in his voice. Evident as well as not such. Just like nowadays he wants to express something more by this song, something new what he haven't said in 70s. And that is done so subtly and ably that if you'd ask me is that same Smokie spirit still preserved in this song, it's curiously enough but the answer will be positive. The ARTIST!

Apart I'd like to mention “Oh Carol” performed in the encore part. That was an apogee of the show, its culmination. Such a rocky and rollicking perfomance that, no doubt, exactly such numbers should finish the gigs. To such time both artists and audience's emotions are made white-hot, explode like volcano and brim. And when the musicians came out to the stage's edge for a final bow one could see how pleased they were. Tired, happy and pleased. As well as we were. That's it, full stop!

Though maybe those who had stronger nerves would have asked for continuation. And mostly we were like that…

To say with the words of a known song – “I've got what I wanted…”. This is about how I made photos during the concert. If somebody read my report of Chris's gig in Kremlin in 2006, then you can remember how displeased the Kremlin securities were with my attempts to take pictures. And this time I finally had to commune with local guards. The contact was on their territory and lasted only three or four minutes. It started during the acoustic set, straight after Chris took his 12 string red Taylor. And it finished with the final chord of “Alice”. What to do, don't know whether to laugh or cry... Nearly everyone was taking pictures but the guys have decided that only my camera had bigger size than it was allowed. Ok, they have their own work and we have our own purposes. And whatever they could be but not a commercial ones, indeed.

Because you know, I did it for all. And many shots became just a real reward to me for the missed “Alice”, they got to be so good from any point of photo quality that can be printed even on posters. Believe it, that are not praises for myself. Every new picture, even if it was taken straight away after previous, discovers a whole and unique world of artist in this only one moment. Here are facial expressions and gestures, feelings, emotions and passions. Here is contact with the band and the audience. Essence of the artist and his music itself stopped for a moment... And if person puts his soul into a shot while making it, then he is able to express by it as much as an artist says by his music and soul.

And tell me, wouldn't it be more pleasant for an artist himself if fans would ask him to put an autograph not on a magazine picture made by professional but on their own picture? Or wouldn't it be pleasant for him if such a photo will be presented to him? Just a professional photographer won't make such a shot if he's not a fan himself. That's why, I repeat, I really consider all successful pictures as a real reward for me…

  

  

And the last. I can't but remember one more important event which has happened on that day. Before the concert we had a short meeting with Chris and some members of his band. Again I'd say “as usual” the Maestro was rather friendly, courteous and attentive to everybody. He simply sparkled with kindness and charm. We also tried to bring some happiness to him as we could. A short talk, jokes, regards and presents. What a celebration without presents? You can only imagine by what spirit we all got charged before the gig! It's only a pity, I didn't manage to meet Shannon.

And also I finally got the missed, the fourth and the last autograph on the cover of CD with Kindness songs! I think now it will become the main pride of the whole collection.

I sincerely appreciate everybody whom I have shared joy of meetings and communication with at that day. I hope we'll see each other again!

And celebration turned out well. When it will be next time? Let's wait… ;-)