There is a funny test. It helps to find out if you are an optimist or a pessimist. Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Well, my friends, we are sure to say that the glass is half-full, so we are real optimists. Russia was waiting so long for that present: Chris Norman pleased us once more with his visit to St Petersburg concert hall. Unfortunately it was the only open concert and most of Maestro’s fans couldn’t enjoy their idol’s show. However I’ll try to make up, at least, the smallest part of that misfortune with the latest concert resume.

So, let’s start. The show was promoted like this: “Chris Norman and Maxim Leonidov: two legends on one stage”. The concert was combined: Chris’s band and Maxim’s band, therefore I’d tell about it step by step.

Maxim was the first to come on stage and perform his good old songs, which everybody knew and loved so much. I cannot but adore some of his songs such as “Privet!” (“Hello!”), “Moya lyubov’ na pyatom etazhe”(“My love lives on the fifth floor”), “Imeniny u Kristiny” (“Christina’s B-day”). That is the part of my “growing” teen life: front doors, guitar songs…

I can describe Leonidov’s show in some words. He is in a good form in a physical and vocal way. And that is also about his male and artistic charm. St Petersburg people are fond of him, because he is considered to be Petersburg’s person: he graduated from Academy of theatre. He joked. And he did it really well. That is a moment from his performance that made me laugh a lot. An old “Secret”’s song “Sara Marabu” sounds. The audience joins in singing and it all looks like a chorus. The public is very positive and keeps singing with great pleasure. I’m listening carefully and notice with some stupid delight that the concert hall is full of a choir of drunk kolkhozniks (Russian “farmers”), who gathered the harvest from the country’s fields beforehand. And the most interesting that the people’s polyphony sounds with so much inspiration! Maxim gets the situation quickly, because he stops singing and says: “Guys, we are doing well here but… What our foreign guests would think of us? and they are sure to listen to us in the make-up rooms! Let’s do it better!” They finished with difficulty.

But actually there was something negative in Max’s performance. The most important that he seemed to be offended somehow with the Rock Legend from England. It’s not interesting to work out in details and, of course, it’s not necessary. However in the very beginning the singer complained that the concert wouldn’t be combined from his and Chris’s songs as it was expected. And the duet would never follow. The plans are broken – thanks to his words. There was another slip that was more visible. Maxim takes a bottle of water and puts it back at once saying: “Oops, I took Chris Norman’s water. I’d better put it back: it must be special…”

Frankly speaking, the audience reacted to these “smart” moves in a proper way. The situation. Leonidov says: “…I’ve been singing for more then 20 years, and Chris Norman even more…” Somebody from the hall: “Yep! And he’s doing really well!”

But… let’s put aside all the negative moments because there was much more positive things! And we can describe Maxim Leonidov as a Rock Legend with the words from his own song: “I am a pretty young God”. All in all the first part of the concert left the impression that it was a good beginning before the main part. A lot of people would agree with me.

The second part. The most important and the most interesting. But here I’d like to make a lyrical digression. It’s really meaning for me because I admire and respect Chris for his unique and special creative work.

I’ve seen Mr Norman “in the flesh” three times: 2 combined shows (including today’s one – 17th of December 2007) and a solo concert in 2006. Of course as every fan I wished I could meet him “closely”, in the life that he lives out of stage. This year gave me such a pleasant present not long before Christmas holidays. I was so lucky to happen to talk to Maestro. It didn’t last long – just about 5 minutes. But during those 5 minutes (“Is it a lot or not enough?..” ) I managed to thank him, give a present and also say sorry for the mixture of English, German and Russian I was trying to speak. I liked the way that person got presents and reacted on unknown people. Chris was listening to my speech attentively. Without interrupting. Then he thanked me warmly and left. Unfortunately not all of the “kings” can show the same politeness. A funny moment of that fleeting meeting. I was asking myself a question how I could come up to the singer so that the conversation wouldn’t finish with a boring “hello” from his part. Then an aphorism, which corresponded fully to the situation, came to my head: “Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.” I think that as soon as I saw him my subconsciousness acquainted with that wise expression made me act more decidedly; I didn’t expect from myself but I came up to Chris and said: “Oh! Hello!” “What an impudence!” – you would say. I agree. But at that moment I could choose of the two levels: to say “Moooo!” (and loose the chance) or to do my way. Maestro was amused by my manner of behavior. And I was really lucky.

That was the mood with which I came to the concert…

During one-hour performance Chris was mostly singing his old and famous songs from Smokie time. And also there were some nice half-hard rock compositions. I won’t tell you the set-list – this mention will be enough. I hope somebody from the fans who had a chance to watch the concert would close the informational gap. I’ll start describing the concert itself.

Maestro began with my favourite song “I’ll meet you at midnight”. Comparing the performance of that song now and in 2006 I’d make the following resume. Now it sounded “pale”: there wasn’t that powerful energetic message to the audience. What’s the reason? We can only guess. These are my versions. The first one: Maestro got really tired after the previous tour. The second one: it seemed to me that Chris felt much more comfortable singing in a solo-concert than combined one. I don’t mean nuances of organization but the singer’s mood and the fact that he has to stay within the limits.

But still the audience is EVERYTHING for the singer who lives life on stage. Chris looking tired at the beginning transformed totally during the show! He was performing the beloved songs in a rollicking manner, he was flirting with the audience and was getting presents so inventively.

Here is the cowboy hat flying from the first rows of the auditorium to the stage. To the listeners’ delight Chris puts it on and pulls it over the eyes. He passes along the stage as a cowboy. The audience “cries”! Then Maestro comes to Jeoff and changes the hats. Now he wears a guitarist’s black panama, and Jeoff is ala cowboy. Everything looks so harmonic.

    

And now, look, suddenly Chris appears with a guitar on the other side of the stage and St Petersburg fans of football team Zenit are dressing him up with their scarf. Oh yes! Now the audience is absolutely charmed by Chris!

The guard and administration of the concert hall was loyal that time. So in 15-20 minutes after the concert began everybody stood up and was having fun. There was a positive reaction between the audience and the stage.

And now tell me: have you ever seen Chris’s tour-manager George dancing with a white towel in his hand? Lucky me, I did. Just imagine this picture. The view from the hall, the stalls, the 6th row: on the stage. Shannon is dancing with tambourine; Chris carrying the guitar and charming the public with his voice; and in the left part of the backstage tour-manager George dancing with a towel! It looks like some wild dances! The audience was in ecstasy and supported the band singing and dancing as they could.

Oh, one hour is not enough for Chris! And the listeners, going crazy from his music think that it’s not ENOUGH! He sang three songs in encore: “What can I do”, “Midnight Lady”, “Oh Carol”. I’d like to say some words about Alan Silson’s song performed by Maestro. He was singing it alone playing acoustic guitar. So touching and charming. I became numb. I can imagine what was happening at his acoustic concerts in Germany when he was performing “Close Up” songs! Lucky are those people who had a chance to see him in such an “intimate” atmosphere.

And we, the North Palmyra, were glad that the Hero and his suite appeared. Thanks a lot for that joy you brought us in New Year’s Eve. We are looking forward to the next show! And maybe the miracle will happen and in the nearest future we’ll be able to watch and to listen to the Chris Norman’s real acoustic concert somewhere in the territory of the former USSR!!!

I’d like to express my profound respect to Chris and to quote famous Russian Poet Bulat Okudzhava:
  … Keep up your diligent efforts, maestro,
  keep meditating and feeling inspired…

Keep creating, showing, living full life. We’ll always be on your side! See you soon! And… Merry Christmas!