09/14/2004 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Club

[Steve]

Went to this show? Post your review...

[Sicky]

Have to do this in several parts because it always says there are too many smileys and it's to long for me to change it...

Sooo... how shall I start? Hm... it was AWESOME After I had finally all my problems solved (you know, I'm only 15... I had to make my mum drive all the way to Berlin, about 430 km, find

a place to sleep - a friend of my mum invited us at last to her apartment in Berlin - and I even made the school allow it) I was finally "On My Way Now" to Berlin with a friend and my mum.

We arrived at 7:20 pm at the ColumbiaClub. Me and my buddy waited outside while my mum went out for dinner.
It opened its doors about 8:30 pm. And yeah, we directly walked to the stage and were as near to them as possible
It was about 9:00 pm when a band called Switchfoot opened for them. I've never heard of them before, but they rocked They played 7 songs and the audience was about to get hot.

Unfortunately, it took 50 minutes for the Crew to prepare the stage for Alter Bridge. It was pretty stupid... standing in front of the stage and waiting, waiting, waiting... they check the mics,

the guitars and it was already 10:30 pm or even later when they turned the lights off. At first I thought they would spend another quarter hour on checkin the lights... but suddenly Flip

came out and sat down behind his drums and the fans started screaming Mark and Brian followed and when Myles came out it became even louder. I was really sursprised because I

hadn't taken in account that they would come to the stage so quickly, so I was a bit in awe, probably staring at them with an opened mouth
Soooo... I was standing about 5 feet away from both Brian (right part of the stage... my left) and Myles (in the middle of the stage... my right). They had all grabbed their instruments and

finally started.

[Sicky]

It would usually have taken a bit of time for me to get hot again - but their first song was One Day Remains and touched Myles hand when he streched out his arm after about 2

minutes and I was already banging my head It was very well performed, cool guitar work... Mark often changed his position on stage so he was straight in front of me sometimes.
After this one, Myles announced Find The Real. If there were still people left not banging their heads or singing with Myles it was now time for them to start It was so great and

we all were HOT Great solo and Myles almost hit THAT note in the same way he does on the album Guitar solo was very cool as well
It was now time for Broken Wings ... was great to hear all those voices during the calm intro (which was awesome... well that's what it was like all the time ). You could even hear

the fans better directly before the chorus, when Myles sings "On broken Wings-" before the instruments start again. Myles was awesome on the bridge. You know, when they did their

accoustic tour he had never sung "with memories of all that I am, all I'll beeeeeee" as crazy as he does on ODR, but now he did and it kicked major ass
Now... in the next song something happened, that happened over and over again this evening

[Sicky]

They played Watch Your Words and suddenly, when it turned into the calm part

(To truly see well...) Myles looked me straight in the eyes and stared at me for a very long time... I think it was a bit before the chorus when he looked in another direction again. Anyway,

me, I was singing with him, banging my hat, pointing the metal sign and smiling at him at the same time, and before he looked away he smiled back Great song, very heavy And Myles

Kennedy effin rocks
Burn It Down was up next. Great song and great performance... I was in the mood for something heavier, but when they had played it for a few seconds I was already into it. Did I just

want something heavier? Here we go...
After they hat finished BIT the guy behind us screamed "FLIIIIIIIIIP" and he choose the best moment he could.... Flip made a little noise with his drums. I thought he was just giving him a

sign that he had heard him so I turned around to see who that guy was. Then I realized that Flip had hust started playing Metalingus and turned aound againa s fast as I could. It was

an AWESOME song (how many times have I already used this word now ? ) probably one of my Top 3 (well, there actually are no Top 3, because it's impossible to choose - but who

cares ) this evening. I already told you it would happen over and over again, Myles looked me straight in the eyes for two times while performing this song and nodded once when he

saw me banging my head as bad as I had never done before this evening Awesome song... I couldn't feel my arm after this song and I was a bit dizzy after banging my head for Flip's

outro ...my neck is still aching

[Sicky]

Well... they kept on electrifying us. Time for The end is here It was so fascinating... I actually never took any drugs but if someone ever told me the stuff woukd be better than Alter

Bridge live I would never... NEVER EVER believe him I was really taken higher ( ) after Metalingus and my mood didn't change while this song... it simply rocked, this is

something you can't express with words
Soooooooo... time for the song, that was probably my fave: Shed My Skin It was soooo fascinating. Extended Intro with Myles doing some UUUUUUUHs... then he started singing

the verse. If you give him a nickname, just call him THE VOICE I remember someone posting about the way he sings "I watch the rising sun" on the old board... you should've seen the

look on his face when he sang this line and you would love it even more (he was looking like straight into his "rising sun")... too cool... I don't know how to express how it was

when the song turned into the heavy part, but you could feel it in the atmosphere... it was the part we all waited for the most... you could feel the electricity when he sang "I hope I find

some peace today" and we were all RAGING when he sang "It seems I've gone away"... there was noone that didn't raise up his/her arms for this part. It was cool ALL OVER and even the

end rocked. He first sang "heyeyeyey" and then "All my life I waited" like he does it on ODR with Mark playing some cool riffs btw: he looked at me again in this song

[Sicky]

Right... the most funny action of the whole night is up next Down To my Last Kick-ass performence with extended Intro, amazing vocals. But nothing was cooler then the 2nd

chorus/Solo. Myles got his guitar very early to back up Mark during the solo, even before the 2nd chorus I think. So he already started playing in the chorus and well... he fucked it up

Missed the right fred or whatever, I don't know, but Mark put a kinda nasty look on his face came close to his Myles Guitar with his head, shook his head and laughed at him. and THEN he

did one hell of a solo... it sounds so much cooler when played live I think it was in this song when Myles even pointed at me with his finger
Well... they brought some chairs to the stage now and these drums Flip has used for the accoustic tour. In Loving Memory (accoustic) absolutely great performed. They did a great

performce all the time (well brian was a bit calm, but Myles and Mark rocked so bad ). But it was different this time. They expressed real sadness. No headbanging, no metalsigns. We

were just standing and singing with him. The UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH after the 1st Chorus was another highlight... he sang it so clearly, so emotionfully... i just couldn't belive it was

live and coming out of a human's throat. It was one of Myles' best songs anyway, although he was perfect all the time. When Myles did his UUUUUUUUUUUUUH-parts after the bridge

(he was awesome on these ones ,too) Flip started playing the "real" drums for the last chorus. Very beautiful, extremly emotionful, and great performed. Myles explained that it was a song

for Mark's mother but then talked about the evening and announced

[Sicky]

Open Your Eyes WHAT A KICK ASS SONG We all knes it was the end and we gave them every bit of power

we had and they were returning it No one was calm, everone banging his head and the full program... solo and other guitar work, vocals, basslines, drums... It was (I have to use this

word once again ) EFFIN AWESOME Myles looked me straight in the eyes again... we were both laughing (well, Myles couldn't, he was singing, but he gave a smile :P ). After they

had finished. Myles streched out his hand once again and I touched it for the second time then he he streched it out to the ones standing in front of the right part of the stage. When he

came back he even shook my hand, smiled at me once again and nodded It was so cool... If I were a girl I would certainly have fallen in love with him When Brian streched out his

hand I was able to touch it as well Then Flip threw about 7 sticks in the fans. I caught one of them but the guy behind me caught it on the other hand and pulled it out of my hand

Well, doesn't matter, my friend had seen Brian dropping a plec and asked a crew member to give it to him

[Sicky]

Well... we walked out of the Club anyway and talked to some fans (the one that had screamed FLIIIIIIIP" for example :P) and asked a few people whether or not they knew if the band woulf

give any autographs. Since noone new it I called my mum so she took us back home This was the end of the probably greatest day of my entire life AWESOME



Weeell... this is the end of the world's longest review. Hope you've all enjoyed it

[Torn Daredevil]

Wow!!! Sounds like it was a blast!

Switchfoot opened for them???? Cool! They are REALLY popular right now in the US.

Can't wait for October 2nd!!!

[benkenobi]

Great review and I'm sure it is a highlight evening you won't forget. Thanks! I can't wait until I get a chance to see them!!!

[Dogstar]

AWESOME review, Sicky. Thanks a ton for taking the time to post it...Can't wait for my shows now!!! It's so great to hear that Myles sounds awesome live!

[TeriB19]

Glad you had such a great time, and I can't wait to see them next month. Thanks for sharing your review!

[RMadd]

Switchfoot and Alter Bridge??? kick ass!

[The Lithium]

Wow dude, European shows sure does rock!! Now, y'all, read the review of how I met and saw the band in London - here