I was disappointed to hear that Unheilig had planned their final tour for this year. I’ve been a huge fan for at least 9 or 10 years, and the music has really been a significant background part of many events in my life. Sadly though, I had never got a chance to see them live, and there was no way I was going to let this open-air final tour go by.

I had originally planned to see them in Hannover, but unfortunately I was ill and unable to go. But I’m not disappointed as that allowed me to see them in Weinheim at the Schlosspark, which turned out to be a beautiful venue!

Getting there actually turned into a bit of a fiasco, but I arrived on time and had just gotten through the ticket line when I had a quite pleasant surprise. I saw a sign advertizing a Shandmaul tour coming up and thought how nice it would be to be able to see them too, as they are another of my favourite bands. When I got to the stage area, I was surprised to see their banner on the stage, and in just a few minutes, they started up as the opening act! Totally unexpected and a fantastic set.

Well, just a short stage rearrangement after they finished and Unheilig took the stage. Words really fail me to try to express how wonderful this concert was. I started out listening, and by the time they played one of my favourite songs, ‘An deiner Seite’, I was completely swept up in the moment. After that, the energy built higher and higher and the whole crowed was dancing, singing and completely participating in this event. Der Graf always has the most impeccable stage persona, but he so clearly wanted to give all he could for this final tour. I lost track of all the songs they played, but they made multiple encores, and he kept talking to the audience about how much they’d meant to him over the years and how much he wanted to give back. He finished with a new song written for the farewell and everyone joined in with the the lights on their Handys illuminating the scene.

On the train back, I basked in the post-concert glow, and reflected a bit on the entertainment I enjoy. I stopped going to concerts in the States a long time ago. Every time I’ve been to a concert in Germany the experience is vastly different – so much so that it’s hard to express. First of all, the crowd is not a certain group as you see in the States. Every concert I’ve seen in Germany has people from all age groups and other demographics. There were people at this one from teens to a cute little couple I saw who seemed to be in their 80s. And of course there were so many children with their parents.

Another thing is the lack of gratuitous profanity. When a performer talks to the audience here, it’s not with a sense of authority or entitlement or an air of celebrity. Der Graf took a lot of time to speak to the crowd and it’s always like a close friend or family member sharing part of their life with you. Now, it could be said this is unfair since Der Graf is the classiest singer, well, ever, but I’ve seen the same thing in so many other acts, even ones that inspire a wilder crowd liek Feuerschwanz or Saltatio Mortis. It really is such a cultural difference, but one which I’m thankful for.

So here I sit in Mannheim early the next morning with my window open and the sounds of the river and hordes of crows and pigeons drifting in and making me even happier. This is a large city, but it’s quiet this morning, and the park and the distant white-noise of the Rhein bring a stillness. These are the things that I found myself appreciating now and the things that encourage the type of entertainment that I had last night. The evening was wonderful and one to remember forever.