Ulyanovsk - Ryazan - Moscow - St. Petersburg19th May to 23rd May 2009
Diary of Dreams touring Russia
This is it! The last part of our tour report. After long journeys all through Russia, which were not always easy and without any troubles, the band finally reached the Capital Moscow and afterwards St. Petersburg to finish their tour... at least the Russian part. Soon, two Baltic concerts will follow before you can see the band on different festival stages during the summer.
Arba, Ulyanovsk, 19th May 2009
The whole show in Ulyanovsk was moving on slightly in one and the same tone of excitement. Diary of Dreams were very precise in performing the new album contents, they also managed to brilliantly renew some of their early songs. The compositions of the group filled with various ideas and emotions are marvellous to watch and to listen to and they heighten the spirits for a long time. The memories of Diary of Dreams 2009 Russian tour called "G(if)t" will be long remaining in the hearts of Russian fans of the group.
written by Alyona Korol
pics by Alyona Korol (http://vkontakte.ru/album23752885_93065514)
Planetary, Ryazan, 21st May 2009
It wasn’t the first time that I saw DIARY OF DREAMS on stage, but it was the first time when I planned to do a little “tour” to see them more than one time in my home-city St. Petersburg. So, on 20th of May, I took the train and headed to Ryazan where the show had to take place on 21st of May. Twelve hours by train, some drunken passengers, a train police and here it is - Ryazan, a small town where I never was before.
It took me some time to find the club and my hotel. Then I bought tickets for me and for my friend (she came later this day from Moscow to see DIARY OF DREAMS in Ryazan too). I omit the performance of two supported bands, because they were really boring in my humble opinion. When the last supported band played of their last songs I saw DIARY OF DREAMS came to the club and went into the backstage. Our waiting came to its end… Guido and Albert were already on stage preparing everything for the show.
When D.N.S. stepped out on stage (traditionally he comes on stage first), I felt trouble for the first time: he was lame on one leg. And he is drummer! He had to play in such a condition during all the show! Then Albert came who played keyboard on this tour from Kazan till Ryazan. Then it was Gaun:A who appeared on stage, he was a zinger as always. When Adrian came on stage I almost sank down on the floor because it was obvious that he was tired so much that there are no words to describe it. I couldn’t imagine how one could stand the entire show being in such level of tiredness. My heart really ached for him.
The show began with ‘The Wedding’ which was an opener for every show in this tour. Adrian touched his throat every once in a while, coughed, from time to time went to the drums to drink some water… When ‘The Wedding’ was over he greeted the audience, his voice sounded hoarsely. Beginning from this very moment I wished them so much to take somewhere energy, to recover from this hardest tour. It still laid two concerts ahead, and those concerts should take place in two capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg - two big cities with very choice and picky audience…
The second song in this set was ‘Chemicals’ which sounded very different from the known versions. And the next was the song I longed to hear live since the tour was announced: ‘The Saint’! And, oh, how great it was performed! The entire set was combined: the new songs gave place to the old ones and vice versa. We heard ‘AmoK’, ‘The Chain’, ‘King of Nowhere’, ‘MenschFeind’ (at the very beginning of this song Adrian went to the backstage for mineral water while Gaun:A kept the audience with his playing on guitar), ‘Odyssey Asylum’, ‘Reign of Chaos’ and ‘Kindrom’.
For me, an unexpected thing happened during ‘Reign of Chaos’ (I never saw it before and it wasn’t performed in Moscow or St. Petersburg). You remember the lyrics of this song, almost at the very end of it there are words about “Prince of Darkness” and “King of the dead”. So, Adrian and Gaun:A stood each in front of their microphones, sang the song and suddenly Adrian pointed out to Gaun:A: “Prince of Darkness… give life to the lost”. Gaun:A in his turn pointed out to Adrian and sang: “King of the dead…give names to the nameless”. And it was not the only one moment during the show when Adrian and Gaun:A played the songs with mimics and gestures. For instance, when ‘The Chain’ was performed, when Adrian sang the line “It is not enough to put me back in chains”, he made a gesture as if his hands are tied with the imaginary chains…
It was already almost the final part of the show, Gaun:A said his traditional phrase to “frighten” the audience that it is the last song of the show, the first chords of ‘Kindrom’ began and… it happened what almost never happened on the shows of DIARY OF DREAMS: Adrian forgot the words of this song. Try to be on stage tired like hell, maybe you can feel how it is… I hoped, I did really hope that there weren’t any encores (because if the band’s condition), but the band went on stage again. They went on stage, tired as they were… And Adrian apologized that he could perform only one more song… And it was ‘The Curse’.
You know, they are really great. It was the 15th show in row. It is really hard to travel by trains in Russia. And they - DIARY OF DREAMS - did it. They travelled a month, played almost each day in different cities, they were of course tired but they played a really great show in Ryazan! The short “thank you” is never enough to express a gratitude to them.
written by Morgana Himmelgrau (http://www.morganaswelt.ru/)
pics by Leonid (http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/leonid62/ / http://www.darkrzn.ru/)
Tochka, Moskow, 22nd May 2009
On the next day, my friend Irina and I took bus to get to Moscow. It took us three hours to get there and when we came it was already 5 p.m. The club Tochka opened its doors in 7 p.m., so we had not much time. I met my Moscow friends; we sat a bit in a café to drink some coffee and then went to the club. And here I remembered the words of ‘Odyssey Asylum’ - “Please let the rain fall down on me” - because it started the generous rain from the sky when we came to the doors of the club and should stay in a very long queue to get inside.
I was afraid that the support band - LEGACY OF MUSIC - finished their show while we stood in a queue, but it turned out that they began to play when we got finally inside. I used this time to meet my friends who came to this show (one of my friends made a long way from Kazakhstan to see DIARY OF DREAMS on stage in Moscow). But the show ended up and it was already Guido and Albert on stage making their helpful job for the show of DIARY OF DREAMS. I crossed my fingers and wished the band good luck on this show but that what I saw when the band stepped on stage surpassed all my wildest hopes.
It was the real miracle! The band came out on stage as if there weren’t four weeks full of these roads, trains, lack of sleep, as if there wasn’t yesterdays’ tiredness, weakness, as if they played their first gig in this tour. I looked at them and didn’t believe my eyes but at the same time everything in my inner self ringed for joy because they did it! They could surpass all the hardships of the road. Now I was sure that the show in Tochka would be phenomenal.
They stepped on stage as always: first was D.N.S., then came Torben (yeah, it was a special joy for all to see Diary of Dreams together with Torben!), then came Gaun:A and then, with a little pause which made the audience even more impatient, on the stage came out Adrian - in his full splendour, with his flaunting mane, full of power and strength. And again the show began with ‘The Wedding’ which was greeted by the audience with wild enthusiasm. Then ‘Chemicals’ should be played but there something happened to Torben’s keyboards. This trouble was solved very quickly and the show went on. When Albert and Guido concentrated on Torben’s keyboards Adrian talked to the audience.
The show went on and gained momentum from song to song. I like this club very much for the excellent sound and light. And after reading all these reviews from the other cities the warm welcome in Moscow became a true balm for a heart. Every song was welcomed wildly, whether it was a new one or classics. Lots of the songs were sung by the entire club. Of course, ‘Traumtänzer’ which refrain were sung by consolidated choir of the audience headed by Adrian. Of course, ‘AmoK’ was also sung by the entire hall and of course, ‘The Curse’ was also sung together with the audience.
I can’t but mention ‘Butterfly:Dance!’ in a new version or ‘Kindrom’ which refrain was traditionally sung together with the audience. Sure, Gaun:A said again that “this is the last song for today”. But Adrian was giving a nod to Gaun:A said with a laugh: “He’s kidding!”. The time went by so fast, ‘Kindrom’ was the last song in the main set (I forgot to tell that ‘Hypo)crypticK(al’ was also performed in Moscow)… We saw guitar duels between Adrian and Gaun:A, we saw how Adrian and Torben joked with each other, we heard the most beautiful drum solo by D.N.S. during ‘Soul Stripper’. And there were three encores.
I hoped deeply inside for an acoustic and when I saw Adrian talking first to Torben, then to D.N.S. and Gaun:A, and when I saw D.N.S. and Gaun:A leaving the stage I was sure what happened in the next minute. It was long-awaited, very touching, unforgettable ‘AmoK’ in acoustic version… I know many people wanted to hear ‘She And Her Darkness’ but we heard ‘AmoK’ for the second time during the evening, now so fragile, so beautiful in its acoustic sound.
Before the song started, Adrian asked the audience for silence. And this time (the last year it was otherwise) the audience obeyed to Adrian immediately. Torben touched gently keys, the melody flowed in the air and then the voice of Adrian reigned over the whole club. In the last part of the song Torben’s voice merged with Adrian’s. I stood there recollecting the gig in Chemnitz last year when the band gave us a great gift: the songs performed by duet of Adrian and Torben.
There are no distances, when DIARY OF DREAMS is on tour. But I should think about distances for now at least. I had to get now to my home-city. Next station: St. Petersburg. Another nine hours by train. But about the next show - and the last one in this immense tour - I’ll tell in next part.
written by Morgana Himmelgrau (http://www.morganaswelt.ru/)
pics by Natalia Nortje (http://www.myspace.com/vallensi)
Orlandina, St. Petersburg, 23rd May 2009
Here we are, at the last day of the Russian tour! Another nine hours by train and I’m home. Some of my Moscow friends came earlier in this morning; some of them should come a bit later this day. There were rumours about an autograph session in St. Petersburg. We had not too much time, all was in a rush. A call to the chief-editor of St. Petersburg Gothic “R.I.P. Magazine” to be sure that the autograph session would take place as we heard about it, and we ran there - to the harbour, where big exhibitions usually take place.
At the entrance we saw people who were already waiting for DIARY OF DREAMS but the band was still absent. Some minutes passed and - here they are! Adrian, Gaun:A and tour manager Albert went through the doors and took their way to the place where the low easy-chairs were already prepared for them. I guess the band was brought for the autograph session right from the train. People waited patiently in the queue, then everybody had its time to talk a little to Adrian and Gaun:A, to make photos with them, to give gifts to the band. I don’t know how much time it took but it seemed to me that this autograph session lasted less than an hour. The band took leave and we left the building too.
Another two or three hours passed and our little company of friends was already in the club Orlandina. Honestly, I don’t like this club at all, it’s just my opinion, and I’m sure somebody must like it. The club is rather poky, the stage is rather small, and the ceiling is so low that it seems to me Adrian could touch it with his hand when he stood on stage. But! The place didn’t influence on the show at all. The audience was eager and enthusiastic, the band was in the best form and it was again one of the most amazing shows I attended in my life.
‘The Wedding’ opened the concert again. When the audience saw DIARY OF DREAMS in their golden group membership - together again with Torben Wendt - I thought for a second that the walls of the club didn’t survive the united shouts of the crowd. Yeah, it was like in Moscow the day before, it seemed nobody believed to the very last moment that we could see Torben as well. The show began and it was grandiose again! The next song was ‘Chemicals’, then the time of ‘The Saint’ came. I heard this very precious song live for the third time now and what can I say? You can never get enough of it; this song is the real treasure in the treasure-house of DIARY OF DREAMS. [Comment of the editor: We in Germany really want to hear that song too! ;)]
‘AmoK’ followed next and I had to look to the walls, they worried me much, I was afraid I saw already cracks there. But I worried too early because ‘Butterfly:Dance!’ wasn’t performed yet. And when this song started to sound, in that very moment I thought that the ceiling of the club would fall on our head - with such wild enthusiasm this song was welcomed by the entire audience. In St .Petersburg the band played again the old songs together with the new ones. And I can’t say what songs were welcomed more because all of them were loved, all of them were welcomed with shouts and hand-claps.
Of course, such classics as ‘The Curse’ and ‘Traumtänzer’ were sung by the entire audience. But the people knew the songs from ‘(if)’ album as well and sang at least refrains together with Adrian. There was a little funny episode in the middle of the show. In the pause between two songs Adrian and Torben raised plastic glasses with some whitish liquid and took a sip. And here somebody from the crowd shouted out loud: “Adrian, don’t kill yourself with vodka!” Adrian stepped to his mic, raised his glass again and with sly smile said: “It’s champagne, sorry”, then he turned back to Torben, raised his glass again and said: “Champagne for all” and they laughed together.
I didn’t feel the flow of time but Gaun:A said his phrase about “the last song of the evening” and I understood that the main set came to its end. After the short pause the band came on stage again. Adrian: “Do you want more?” The audience shouted in answer: “Yeah!” Adrian, again, with a laugh: “Do you really want more?” The audience shouted much louder: “Yeaaaaaah!” I didn’t know that people’s throats could utter such loud sounds. ; And there were three encores. And the very last song for this very last show of the immense Russian Tour 2009 was the acoustic version of one of the most touching song - ‘AmoK’.
I don’t know what I can add to what was already said… DIARY OF DREAMS is the most incredible band in this world. If you still never see them on stage, do that as soon as you notice the concert announcement in your city.
written by Morgana Himmelgrau (http://www.morganaswelt.ru/)
pics by Natalia Nortje (http://www.myspace.com/vallensi)
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