Belle & Sebastian Live - Grosse Freiheit 36, Hamburg, Germany

This was to be the furtherest I have ever travelled for a gig. My mates (Jock Pop, Chuck and Father O'Malley) and I decided that two Belle and Sebastain gigs since February wasn't quite enough so we planned a trip to see them on their European Tour (mainland Europe anyway). Having taken a poll by the single transferable voting system, we decided upon Hamburg in Northern Germany. Rather than just go for the gig we booked up for a long weekend. Jock Pop got the tickets by phoning the venue (luckily for us the person on the other end spoke very good English) and O'Malley booked the flight and two nights hotel accomodation over the interwebnet.

A hideously early start on Thursday morning ( I was up at 4 o'clock) meant we were at Heathrow just after 7. Our flight took off at around 9 and we had a very pleasent flight across the North Sea to Germany. The weather was fantastic with temperatures in the mid 70's so upon arrival we thought it was our duty to sample the local beer. Very nice it is too.

After much general milling around interupted by the odd drink and even more food Friday arrived and we had a good few hours to kill before the gig itself. Luckily for us Hamburg is home to the greatest football tam in Germany FC Sankt Pauli, who play in the German Third Division (those sharp eyed amongst you may realise that they aren't really that good). St Pauli are a very special team. There supports are left leaning, non-racist, non-sexist sections of the community and because of this football fans all over Europe with similar beliefs have rallied to their flag. Thye have teh highest proportion of women fans in Germany (and perhaps Europe) and their Chairman is a Transvestite who runs a club on the nearby Reperbahn. Every time they score at The Millerntor Blur's 'Song 2' is played and the terraces turn into a mosh pit. How fantastic is that?? We all stocked up with merchandise from the clubshop and thus ensured the clubs existence for at least another 150 years or so.

The gig itself started rather early. So early in fact that we missed Gravenhurst, a great band from Bristol because hey went on stage at about 6:30!! Grosse Freiheit 36 turns into a fetish club on Friday nights so we had to be out by 9:30. Belle hit the stage at 7:30 and ripped straigh into an ld favourite "The Stars Of Track And Field". Stuart was on form as ever cahtting with the crowd and judging from thewa they sang along with the lyrics they could understand him too. His spectularly crap dancing also went down a storm too. Most of the set was taken from the lastest 'Life Pursuit' LP but there were quite a few oldies as well including a fantastic version of 'The Boy With The Arab Strap'. It was all over too quicky some 90 minutes later and the very appreciative crowd (they really didgo wild between songs) spilled out into the still warm night air. This was probably the first gig that I have ever been to where I came out before it got dark. It was an odd feeling. Still B&S were great entertainment as usual and it was a great gig. I'm looking forward to seeing them again at The Reading Festival if I manage to get a gig as a stweward again this year.

I strongly recommend Hamburg as it is a fine place to visit. The people are friendly, teh food and drink are good value, it's spotlessly clean and teh trasport system is excellent. I can't wait to go back.

Belle and Sebastian setlist from Grosse Freiheit 36 12th May 2006.

The Stars Of Track And Field
Another Sunny Day
Funny Little Frog
She's Losing It
Sukie In The Graveyard
Electronic Renaissance
Song For Sunshine
We Are The Sleepyheads
Dress Up In You
The Fox In The Snow
Simple Things
The Boy With The Arab Strap
Your Covers Blown
Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie
I'm A Cuckoo
Jonathan David
White Collar Boy
Judy And The Dream Of Horses
ENCORE
The State I Am In