Zentrum Altenberg, Oberhausen, Germany
24th October 2013
Midge Ure & Steve Rodgers
Already last year, MIDGE URE was around to present an acoustic set. Only him and his guitar, presenting purely acoustic versions of ULTRAVOX evergreens and original material. Of course in Oberhausen this year, he presented such ULTRAVOX classics as 'Vienna' or ‘dancing with Tears in my Eyes’ as also lots of pieces from his solo works, as 'If I Was' or 'Breathe'. But before you could enjoy Midge himself, the evening was started with an acoustic performance of Steve Rodgers.
Steve Rodgers
STEVE RODGERS gained in 2009 quite a huge recognition by his self- released EP. Deeply influenced by his father PAUL RODGERS, the British singer songwriter writes and composes bluesy rock songs with folk and soul influences. In his songs he reflects his passion for life’s depth, mystery and wonder. At the age of 14 he started to write his first songs on piano and guitar. With 17 he founded the band LOST SONS OF DAVROS with his friends that became later BOA with some additional new members including his sister Jasmine. They released two albums and their first single ‘Duvet’ became the title track to the Japanese multi award winning animation series ‘Lain – Serial Xperiments’. After touring the UK and the States and much partying, he decided to have his own career. http://www.steverodgersmusic.com / https://www.facebook.com/Steverodgersmusic
Music & Performance
The venue, where the concerts happened, was the smaller one of the Zentrum Altenberg with a capacity of 300 guests, which creates almost a living room atmosphere and thus was a perfect surrounding to give these concerts an intimate feeling. As this was an evening of solo acoustic concerts the stage setting was consequently purist: a microphone tripod and a chair. The only extra decoration was some fairy lights, one wrapped around the microphone tripod, the other nicely arranged on the monitors and floor in front of the stage. During his gig he changed several time between his concert and electric guitar. When STEVE RODGERS performed the venue was half-filled but the people showed up as being very open minded and attentive and when he sang ‘Subway’ they even started to sing the refrain at the second time which surprised STEVE so much that told the audience that this never happened before at one of his shows. 
His vocal performance was quite good and he proved it even more with his last song when he sang it even without his guitar but only clapped his hands for the rhythm and invited the audience to do as well.
Setlist
01. Freedom
02. 100 times
03. Answers
04. River of life
05.Blues
06. Subway
07. Sunshine
08. Cup of light
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 6
Sound: 9
Light: 6
Total: 7 / 10
Midge Ure
Born in 1953 in Scotland... Well... What can you write about a man who had such a long and diverse musical career? Or to put it differently: if I start to write about all the bands he founded or joined, the famous musicians he was working with, all the songs he wrote and composed, all the awards and chart entries, his social engagement, his other projects he did, I would end up writing almost a novel. So to make it short: he is the legendary voice of ULTRAVOX! While being engaged with ULTRAVOX, he already started his solo career and released in 1985 his first album, ‘The gift’, with the hit singles ‘If I was’ and ‘That certain smile’. During his life as a successful musician he surely had his ups and downs and thus it wonderful to see that this amazing man is still busy with making music and performing. http://www.midgeure.com / https://www.facebook.com/pages/Midge-Ure/275159919205373
Music & Performance
A man, his voice, his acoustic guitars and a good selection of hit singles and other great songs, is sometimes all you need to experience an unforgettable concert. No bits and bobs, no big stage setting, no big light show to distract you from the performance itself. When MIDGE URE entered the stage he greeted the audience telling that it is nice to be here but at his age it would be nice to be somewhere anyway. The venue was filled and right from the first tunes on the audience clapped their hands, sang along and moved to the rhythm. Between the songs he charmed us with his Scottish accent and humour when announcing his next song. At the first two songs there were some slight weaknesses to hear in his vocals but with the third song his vocal chords were obviously warmed-up. And he definitely has a powerful voice. Naive as I was, I didn’t put my ear plugs in, thinking I would not need them for an acoustic concert. Well, I learnt differently especially when he sang ‘Vienna’. My eardrum was not amused. But never mind. 
I loved every minute of this concert and apparently the audience, too. It is always a special sensation to attend acoustic concerts and to hear the songs you actually know differently in this pure form. And there you can see and hear how talented a musician really is, if he has not the support of all the technical equipment. And MIDGE URE is one of the gifted musicians, who conquer the hearts of the crowd with his charisma and performance. The songs, presented in this pure form, are perceived more intensively, giving you goose bumps. Thus it is no wonder that MIDGE URE got a big applause after each presented song but ‘Vienna’ topped it all. Had the venue been seated, he would have received standing ovations. Of course he presented some songs which are known as hit singles from ULTRAVOX but he also sang ‘Fade to grey’, a song that was written by him and not by Steve Strange (VISAGE), who sang this song. After ‘Fade to grey’ he announced the next two songs in an apologetically way, saying that they are “stupidly romantic”. Furthermore we learnt that after 25 years ULTRAVOX released a new album. 
The last song was ‘Dancing with tears in my eyes’ and he performed it so soulfully that we could even discover tears shimmering in his eyes. But instead of leaving the stage when the song was finished, in order to come back for the encore, he explained that he is actually not in the mood to go the long way across the venue to his dressing room and march all the way back to the stage. So he asked the audience to act as he just left the stage, while he is standing in a dark corner of it, shout for the encore and to welcome him when he steps into the light again. And of course the audience liked to cooperate. He presented further two songs, the last one then was ‘If I was’ and everybody sang along with him and as all knew the lyrics by heart he let us sing one refrain alone. A wonderful concert ended and people blissfully smiling left the venue.
Setlist
01. Dear God
02. Breathe
03. Cold cold heart
04. Call of the wild
05. No regrets
06. Brilliant
07. Fade to grey
08. Light in your eyes
09. Guns n arrows
10. Man of the world
11. Lament
12. Vienna
13. Spielberg sky
14. Contact
15. Hymn
16. One small day
17. Dancing with tears in my eyes
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18. Loves great advent
19. If I was
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 9
Light: 6
Total: 8.5 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.black-cat-net.de/ / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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