Another very early trip. I left Cologne by train via Dusseldorf at 4:30 and our flight started at 7 o'clock in direction to Budapest.
It was very cold and rainy in Budapest but we made a long walk about the Chain Bridge to the bastion of the fishers. Beside is the Matthias Church. All these monuments lay on the Buda side.
It was more then 4 years ago I was in Buda-Pest the last time. I like this city with his wonderful old buildings. But the city is most of the time under construction, there is a lot to do, to restore, build up, modernize. But they did a lot since my last visit.
We had a huge hotel room in a small hotel which have only a few rooms in one floor of an old apartment building. " Sas One", but they have all you need and everything is very close, specially the subway to the arena and the bus to the airport.
We had a nice meal together in a big restaurant. For us everything is very cheap in Hungary. So my friends bought a lot of official merchandise this evening before the concert started.
I bought only one t-shirt, but I had to carry all the bags for the others....lol.
The "Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportsarena" is really big. There are room for 15000 people, in addition to concerts, it is mostly used for athletics.
Very well filled, but we had seating places and I was happy about that. On the left side of the stage, we had a good view to Martin this time.
No setlist changes.
Dave welcomed the Hungarian fans with " welcome to Buda.....". I didn't hear a Pest! Funny.
I enjoyed every moment of the concert because I have from now on less then 20 shows left and I was a little bit sad.
Ok, I know this is moaning on a high level, but I know right now, I will miss Dave so much after such a long time seeing him several times in a month for more than a year.
I have to confess, I didn't see Martin, Andy, Peter or Christian in Budapest, because I couldn't turn my eyes away of Dave.
He made a good show but I saw he was tired and he moved not so much like in Nuremberg or Milan. The audience was very calm and I remembered as I sat on the side of the stage in Milan, I had the same view like Dave to the audience. In Budapest he stood in front of a wall of people.
How did he have to feel? But "it''s just a question of time" for this unbelievable entertainer until he got the audience under his spell.
I was able to fade out the "In your room" video and I loved to see how Dave danced so wonderful with his microphone stand. I don't know another artist like Mr. Gahan with this special kind to move.
Many people said after seeing him the first time on stage, " he must be gay".
No, he isn't gay, he has the ability to dance like his soul is. He show us his soul through dancing. This is his secret of entertaining. He is a faun. I like the way he move so much....but, I'm not telling you anything new here!
To " Everything counts" he made a few new moves ( he started this in Milan). He marched like a soldier from the catwalk to Martin and back.
I'm happy to see a lot of the remaining concerts. Hope he will have a few surprises for us.
The audience sang very well to " Home" and " Everything counts".
" Enjoy the silence " and " Never let me down" was a big party.
My friend Arkadi bought beer for us while " Stripped" and so we had a big cup of beer in our hands to the beginning of " Enjoy the silence".
Only 4 years ago this never happened. If friends bought me a beer while the concert I drank it all in one go. Yes, time was running and we all are getting older.... but to old to drank a beer in one go, I asked me?
"No!" I drank the whole beer before " Never let me down" started, to celebrate this song like it deserved!!!
The Hungarian fans made a nice fan activity to " Never let me down". Many of them wore white gloves while waving arms and hands. A very good idea, I hope the band saw it. Looked great!
Martin sang " Strangelove" and Dave came back to sing " Walking in my shoes". This evening he wore his red shoes. He thanked again Mr. Martin Gore, Peter Gordeno and he called him magical instead of the " normal" magnicifent.... oh please Dave, do not exaggerate!!!
But why can not Martin thank Dave for example?
If Dave wouldn't be Dave, Depeche Mode would not be this amazing unique liveband!!!
But I like the moment of the beginning of " Walking in my shoes", when Dave and Martin dance side by side. You can see what a feeling Dave has for the beat, so incredible when he is posing on his toes. Like Elvis!
" Question of time" became more and more my favorite one because the crazy kind like Dave throw away his microphone stand. I'm still waiting for the egg, David!!!!
I cannot understand what he is singing at the end. Do you? So let me know, please!
Then we all gave our best to " Personal Jesus". Already anxious to hear this song a last time in summer in Berlin. Oh my god, I will nee help!!
After the show we got some sticker as we left the arena as advertising for the upcoming Sopron festival in summer with Depeche Mode.
Many people threw them away. I collected them all and asked the people who gave us the sticker for more and I went home with so many of it.
Later I will give a few to you when the tour is coming to the end.
I collected a few goodies for you.
We drove back to the city center. A few of us went to the after show party with Kurt Uenala. I was sad that I couldn't go, but my flight back to Dusseldorf started very early again and I needed a few hours sleep.
I didn't go to the Vienna concert, because my younger son celebrated his 18. birthday on Sunday.
It was not a difficult decision, my sons are everything for me. They are really the best!
Hope you like my review, please stay tuned for my next experiences from tomorrow on in Poland. So happy to got there, because first time for me in Krakow and Gdansk!!
