After settling into the hotel we set off for Loreley and crossed the Rhine by ferry.  Our mini bus boarded the ferry and we were able to get off and have a walk round for a few minutes.  There just happened to be around 14/15 Hosen fans on the same ferry, who had been drinking.  Well as soon as they spotted Vom there was pandemodeum and he was quite literally mobbed.  They all wanted to have their photos taken with him and grab him.  It’s hard to appreciate just how big the Hosen are until you witness the hysteria first hand!  

Having arrived at the venue The Boys went for their sound check it was back to the dressing room where my nerves started a jangling as the butterflies grew in my stomach.  This was to be the second time in 22 years I would see The Boys live and the anticipation was growing.  Appreciating that I might make The Boys a little nervous if I hung around I headed back to the marquee to watch TV Smith’s set.  It was interesting talking to TV to realise I had been in the audience in Liverpool about 10 years earlier when TV had first performed “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” without The Adverts.  I’d caught his acoustic show several times over the years and was well aware of how good it was.  He didn’t let anyone down playing another blinding set, albeit a short one as he was restricted to just half an hour.  

I have always been aware that The Boys were far bigger across Europe than they ever were in the UK but the scenes that night were unbelievable with 5,000 German fans going crazy for The Boys.  

I was transfixed by the hysteria trying to maintain my position at the front as they played through “Weekend” and “Terminal Love”.  Everyone seemed to know the words and were singing along.  The Boys as ever were as tight as could be with their chugging guitar chords and killer hooks, time stood still as I tried to savour the moment.  With everyone in the crowd going crazy I was getting battered and bruised and by the time they played “Sick On You” I had to move away from the front.  A little further back the sound was fantastic with everything crystal clear, although I would have preferred Matt’s vocals mixed a little higher.  

The highlight of their show had to be “Brickfield Nights”, their finest moment.  To see 5,000 German fans right to the back with their hands in the air singing along was something special, a moment I will savour for many years.  All too soon they finished with “Living In The City” and then back for a quick encore.  At the end I was left physically and mentally drained and completely sweat drenched.   

After the gig I went backstage with The Boys and the other Backstage Passers.  A few congratulations, a few beers and then Die Toten Hosen appeared for a set of oldies.  Everyone had told me that the Hosen were a great live band and so I went out front to watch them.  They were certainly very good but having just seen a magical Boys performance I wasn’t able to take any more in.  I wandered around for a while in a daze and then went backstage once again.  

Back to The Boys dressing room after the Hosen’s set and it was party time!  Campino and the other Hosen popped in to congratulate The Boys on a great gig and the alcohol was in full flow!   

After a couple of hours Matt, Jana, Cas, TV Smith and myself decided to head back to the hotel leaving the others behind.  Back to the hotel and in the bar until around 3.30am…what a night!  I decided to call it a night and staggered up to my room where I immediately fell asleep.  I was woken by John knocking on the door and when I rose to let him in I noticed it was light, looked at the clock and it was 7 am!  Apparently John and Duncan went to Vom’s room for a party.  John collapsed into his bed!

Up at 10.30 am and down for breakfast with Cas.  We were joined by a very dodgy looking Vom and his wife Mary.  They’d partied most of the night and I couldn’t see how he would play another gig with the Hosen that day!  Their sound check was at midday so it was a quick breakfast and off to the gig.  

The rest of us met in the hotel shortly after midday.  The Boys were basking in their triumphant return to Germany and we were all having a spot of lunch together.  After our meal the waitress came over and took our room numbers so that our bills could be charged accordingly.  Casino Steel was last to give his room number but the waitress stopped him in full flow "There's a gentleman over there who has paid your bill."  Cas looked over to see one of the music photographers from the gig.  He was obviously staying in the same hotel as The Boys and Die Toten Hosen.  Cas smiled and waved at him and he came over.  Cas thanked him to which he said "The way you bounce around on stage, play bass and sing at the same time is truly amazing".  Everyone was left open mouthed at this apart from Cas who cool as a cucumber and sharp as a razor replied "It's no big deal, anyone can play bass!" and everyone laughed.  

Back to Loreley the following day and I went for a walk around the arena, which was slowly filling up with 20,000 Hosen fans.  It was certainly dawning on me how big the Hosen were.  Cas told me “They’re bigger than the Stones in Germany”.  I watched a few of the support bands and generally relaxed, looking forward in anticipation to The Boys guest appearance with the Hosen.  Finally the Hosen came on to an unbelievable reception from their 20,000 fans and here was I backstage with about 20 other people, mainly family and friends!   

I have never been a great fan of Die Toten Hosen but I would have to admit four things.  Firstly they are massive and I do mean massive.  I hadn’t fully appreciated how big they were till I saw them that weekend.  They put on a great live show, Campino is certainly an outstanding front man and finally they have the world’s best drummer in Vom!  

The time finally came for Campino to introduce The Boys to the crowd and on they came in front of 20,000 people to play “First Time” and “Brickfield Nights”.  I felt so proud of the band it brought a tear to my eye to see The Boys perform in front of so many appreciating fans.  

I made my way backstage and met up with The Boys and off we went to the after party show with the free beer flowing all night!  Backstage I was approached by the Hosen’s original guitarist, who had introduced Campino to punk rock and The Boys.  He was such a massive Boys fan he asked me to take him to The Boys and so I introduced him to Matt, Cas, John and Duncan who all signed his shirt for him.  

After an hour or so we all returned to the hotel where we planned to drink the night away.  Unbelievably on a Saturday night the bar was shut at 2am!  What an anticlimax.  John and I went to our room where we decided to raid the mini bar and watch German TV where The Great Escape was showing!  At about 3.30 am we retired to bed only to be awoken by a phone call from Vom at 5.30am pleading with John to join him for another party in his room!  By this time even John had had enough partying and declined Vom’s kind invitation.  

After breakfast the next morning John and I went to see Vom and I can tell you he was decidedly rough…the weekend had taken it’s toll.  Finally the bus arrived to take us back to Dusseldorf and everyone said their goodbyes to the Hosen and those who remained set off in two mini buses back to Dusseldorf Airport.  

Unbelievably on the way to the Airport we hit a massive tailback on the motorway and it was touch and go whether The Boys would make their flights home.  We arrived at Dusseldorf Airport 35 minutes before their flight was to leave, just in the nick of time.  My flight left much later than the others so I was left for an hour or so in a very quiet Dusseldorf Airport, which gave me a little time to reflect on my magical weekend.  

Many thanks to The Boys for two fantastic performances, and especially Vom for arranging my accommodation and transport.  Also many thanks to everyone I met out in Germany and to all the fans who were there both nights and made the experience truly memorable.  

Steve Metcalfe  
September 2002