Scooter – live 13.03.2010 at Berlin

Scooter’s performance at Berlin Treptow Arena was one of few shows planned by the band for the March tour promoting last year record „Under The Radar Over The Top”. Being a passionate and a fan (since 15 years!) I couldn’t simply avoid this occassion and few months before the event I ordererd the ticket. Preparation for journey wasn’t too complicated because I had only to find a good transport to Berlin. After dropping the option with the train, the choice fell on one of the companies engaged in passenger transport.

In Saturday’s afternoon I met at 2 PM at the appointed place with Elfinho with which awaited for us not so long journey to Berlin Schönefeld airport. After 2,5 hours of bus travel filled with listening of different Scooter’s songs we arrived to the target place. Next we went to the nearby train station and after small troubles with buying the tickets finally we entered to the right S-Bahn train. By the way I’ve tested my forgotten after primary schools skills of speaking in German language, asking one of railway mans something like in this way: „Der zug is gehen zum Köllnischen Heide?” 🙂

After around 15 minutes we got off on the just mentioned station where we enjoyed with a big beton wall overgrown with ivy. There was a dozen of minutes walk before us during which we entered to Saturn. Our target was to buy newest Scooter’s single “Stuck On Replay”, which had a premiere one day before. Soon we realized, that on the shelf left only rest of previous 2-track singles, but luckily I’ve found one maxi-single “Ti Sento”. In meantime one German man joined us who’ve been looking for „The Sound Above My Hair”. Elfinho asked seller if we can get “Stuck On Replay” and it turned out that this single wasn’t still located on the shelf. We both got for one piece and accompanying us German man asked us if we are going to concert too and he declared that he can bring us there by the car.

We talked with him for a while in English language and we learned that he was on two previous Scooter’s live shows in Köln and Hamburg! He also showed us some photos from one after party. After few minutes we arrived to the place, but it turned out that there are some troubles with parking the car. Our companion said that we can go to the concert lonely and he will try to find other place to park. We went to the direction of Treptow Arena where before entering was gathered large number of people. Occasionally we could hear choral singing and humming of melodies from some popular Scooter’s songs :). It’s been a good half hour before we entered inside of Arena (for which incidentally entrance was constructed from big containers with inscription “Evergreen” :).

Soon we located in the middle of Arena, more or less few good metres before the scene. The hall was filling from minute to minute by the spectators with diverse cross-section of demographic. Close after 8 PM the lights turned off and by thunderous applause on the scene appeared one DJ accompanied by 2 guys from House Rockerz team, which were warming up for the party with different shouts. Occasionally some of them was throwing t-shirts to the people and in some moment on the centre of scene came saxophonist and started to play his party. After him on the scene appeared another artist who started to juggle with… jojo. In the long run this whole show was quite tiring, but most of gathered audience in Arena had excellent fun.

After 45 mnutes of mixing house climates came finally desired silence and minor preparations for the concert of the evening star – Scooter has started. They took around half an hour and impatient audience even started to whistle in one moment. Although finally again darkness came and powerful explosion of pyrotechnic stuff marked the beginning of big show! From the speakers sounded first bars of long intro and from the beginning it was known that sound during the concert will be very overdriven. After a while on scene appeared Rick, Michael and H.P. Baxxter accompanied by duo dancers and for opening they played „J’adore Hardcore”. The whole of performance was enriched with large number of lights, pyrotechnic effects and powerful fires (the warm from them was felt for few meters from scene) were doing strong impression. The one and only minus was overdriven bass which mighty power was muffling rest of elements (melody and vocal) most of songs played this night in Treptow Arena. Second track was „Posse (I Need You On The Floor)” at which audience was already much enjoyed :).

Scooter’s repertoire was overflowed mainly with the songs from last album (sometimes I was getting the impression, that there are too many of them) occasionally interlaced with most known classics. So there wasn’t missed titles like „The Sound Above My Hair”, „Ti Sento”, „Second Skin” (at which H.P. quite good demonstrated himself as vocalist), „Stuck On Replay”, „Where The Beats…” and also „Clic Clac” i „Scarborough Reloaded”. Whole performance of “Fire” song looked quite smartly during which on the scene paraded leader of the band with twinkling guitar :). Other classic songs which were played this night in Berlin Arena was “Fuck The Millenium” connected with „Call Me Mañana”, „Weekend!”, „Nessaja” and „One (Always Hardcore)”. In the meantime there were performed also 3 jumpstyle tracks: „Jumping All Over The World”, „The Question Is What Is The Question” and „Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want)”.

The atmosphere was really hot. Audience (consisting from estimate number of several thousand people) was playing very well, simultaneously singing refrains of individual tracks. While playing one of them on the stage appeared one jumper in t-shirt with… big Atari logo! From time to time were parading also two woman dancers, dresses poorly and defiantly in sexy lingerie. Whole thing was doing really big impression :).

For an encore two classics were performed: „How Much Is The Fish?” and “Maria (I Like It Loud)”. The song which crowned whole concert was medley consisted of connected three oldest Scooter’s hits: “Endless Summer”, “Move Your Ass” and “Hyper Hyper”. To complete happiness only were missing only „Jigga Jigga” and „Frequent Traveller” which band played 2 days ago in Köln.

 

 

Scooter – 13.03.2010. in Berlin – photo gallery!

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The return trip couldn’t be without any obstacles. Of course it turned out, that train schedule available on-line didn’t covered with what we found on S-Bahn local train station in Treptow Park. Luckily after long fights we came back to the airport in Schönefeld where bus for Szczecin was waiting for us. Despite a fact that we were late with 15 minutes, the driver showed more patience and even called to us with the question, where we are :). After 2 hours filled with Scooter’s music played from phone by Elfinho we came safely to our hometown and our humble travel to Berlin has ended :).

At the end I can only say that despite of rolling over criticism in media from long time (about overflowing of current band creation with large amount of copied themes or samples), seeing how several thousands of people are coming and having fun on concerts, I think that H.P. and team will not disappear from music scene so fast. It is good or bad – this is anyone’s own opinion. Personally I’m happy, that after 15 years I could fulfill one of my dreams and I hope that in future I will be able to repeat that :).

Paweł R. a.k.a. V-12/Tropyx
Szczecin, 15.03.2010