Greetings, Sometimes in life it really is worth dong the things you really want to...like going to Tokyo! This will all ramble on, but hopefully give some of the gist of being there. Would they even play? Would it be delayed? Well, we finally got our flight tickets the day before, with information that tickets should be available on the door - for a location with a capacity of 20,000? Arrival in Japan at 8pm, doors to Electraglide open at 9pm. Customs and immigration were also not simple - they seemed to find it hard to understand that our address in Japan could be the Makuhari Messe (former 'Nippon Convention Centre') for one night only. Anyway, then it was a dash to the bus (cheaper than a U.S. $100-200 taxi fare), and, faster than the 3 trains we would have needed to take (1.5 hours). Electraglide was being held in Chiba area, half way between Tokyo and Narita airport. Get to bus stop near hall - no sign of people. Start walking through the Convention Halls - to get to 1-3, the location. Very obvious that this is a very young audience, seemed to be mainly teenagers? (quite a difference from U.S. tour of 1998). Luckily tickets were on sale on door, so we were quickly in. People running the event didn't seem much older. Really no security check, especially as there were lockers to rent inside! So, we have 3 halls - 1 live music, 1 djs,1 for food/drink/hmv/merchandise. The merchandise was a little disappointing the only t-shirts being 'man machine'/'pocket calculator'/robots/new to me was the 'lap tops and wire frame outfits. Definitely the most poular stall, even if prices for the other shirts (Wetherhall/Tim deluxe/ Electraglide 2002) were the same. Given that everyone was given their free light stick and Electraglide carrier bag (to put all their purchases in)..it would have made sense to have a fuller selection. One weird point is the Kraftwerk merchandise sign. It's that 'high-tech computer script', but the actual letters have been cut (by hand) out of white gaffa tape!). Further trivia point. HMV were selling all night (9pm-6am) at the stall next door. So, we have german language and english language versions of cds..but how come 'Computer World' is pressed in the UK (no Japanese versions on sale)..highly ironic, given that it was the crowd's favorite 'singalong-with-Ralf' moment. Kraftwerk were due originally at 11pm, but signs said it would be 11.30. About an hour before a few rows started forming, staring into strobe lights facing the audience. It was clear that some Japanese people are very territorial, and, did not want to share their space. Unlike U.S. audiences in 1998, it was also clear that this was not the sort of audience that wants to chat with foreigeners, a kinda of a shame. About a half hour before start, there seemed to be some song playing about 'Music is an Attack', hard to know if this was pre-arranged by band. The 3 projectors were noticibly projecting onto the black curtains, later there was a separate test of each color of the 'under stage' lighting...then it was time for the 'website transmission sound' (a different version, but similar). Those strobe lights were removed, the front of stage was checked, some press (with video camera) seemed to be asked to remove their equipment (but later came back). And then, to the only really frantic push and shove of the night, the concert started. Unlike the still photos I've seen froM Paris, the 3 screens/1 screen worked very well for me. Basically, you have the option for a full 'cinemascope-style' projection, or it can be broken up (without different images running on parts of the large screen). I'll try and think of some interesting points. Between songs there were some long, very long pauses. For me, it really did seem that the visuals were working very much in sync with the sounds (i.e. pocket calculator). Interesting to see how 'neon lights' had old footage (from the original film/video), cut in with new, with (perhaps not surprisingly) no band members appearing (as they do in the original film. To me, it was clear that alot has changed. In some ways there is a revisit back... Radioactivity started off sounding akin to the original, building slowly into the more familiar recent version. For me the biggest surprise was that 'The Model' was back, nice to see the full back+white video (without band cut-ins). Quite a straight-forward version, with some emotive and touching singing from Ralf! It was a little sad to see that this young Japanese audience were somewhat muted. I am sure - given pre-concert publicity - some were expecting the 'wire-frame' suits/robots, which didn't appear. But what they got was excellent sound, brilliant performances. This concert certainly was a different ambience from those I've seen in 1981/1991/1998, let's just sum it up - at the end Florian leaves his equipment, makes it half way to off-stage, then pauses and gives a bow. For us, it was superb - the more times you return to this music the more it comes alive, the more it expands/contracts/morphs into new directions and forms - my wife said that 'the Model' was the best of the night, I believe 'Expo 200'; so we'll compromise on 'Music Non Stop'. Anyway, these are some first observations - more later. Mit fruendlich grussen, Kasperbauer __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com