Start of the event as announced: 8.p.m. Some people jump around the stage, nobody else to be seen. Three quarters of the hall are filled with very young people whose numbers of birthdays go from twelve up to eighteen.
Now and then an adult - slightly lost in this crowd of colourfully and madly dressed boys and girls. The motto of the evening seems to be: Don't look normal, that could attract attention. It seems to be hip to speak English only (teachers would be astonished!)
At 8.15 wild stomping and catcallsbreak out; nothing happens on stage. The whole set of amplifiers is said to be still in Würzburg. Five minutes later the promoters ask for a little patience, the bands would arrive soon. Five minutes later the same announcement is made. Frenetic cheers goes up (what a peaceful youth!). The compere, dressed in a bright red jumper, is not ready to deal with the situation and is accordingly adressed as »Heikaopp« (twit).
At half past eight people begin - finally - to carry single parts of the amplifiers on stage. They seem to be volunteers from the audience as it is done it with such enthusiasm...
At 8.45 chorusses demand the appearance of the bands; five minutes later protests of catcalls and stomping is heard. 15 minutes later, when some things on stage have been moved around, but no sign of a start can be seen, the chorus says: »It's a fix!«. The compere is enraged so that he feels obliged to deliver a homily to the audience five minutes later. He does it so primitively that he is laughed at.
And then - it actually starts: The Youngsters, a band from Münster, is greated with »Hallo«. They play well and have some success, above all their member Günter, who plays all kind of jokes on stage.
Boo-ing and catcalls accompany the appearance of a couple who sings »folk«. The girl, dressed like the boy all in silver, has a nice voice, but their clothes are ridiculous. And the boy's, Rondo's (as he calls himself) singing is more of a croaking. Loud cheers when they leave the stage.
Shocking colours in an impossible combination on male beings are the next number: The Actons from Düsseldorf. As extreme as they dress - they are forgiven when they start to play. This band is by far the best of the evening. The audience thank them with loud applause and cheers. Two girls start crying hysterically and dance on their seats. The audience takes on the game. Somehow the evening is considered great fun.
The Rags from Herford don't play badly, but don't deliver anything of their own, although they maintain to have created a new sound. At least tonight it cannot be noticed. Impatiently their departure is waited for.
Between the stage appearances there are lengthly breaks, caused by the unsufficient organisation of the stage set. You can't avoid the impression that everyone who wants to can go and breathe »one-two-one-two« into the microphone.
When The Who are announced, a loud cheer goes up in the back part of the hall. Everybody jumps on his seat, but the police build up a barrier through the hall. Some rowdies are looking for trouble, but the little quarrels don't spread. The boys and girls enjoy the little fights, as long as they are far enough from it, but you can see that they are afraid of a real brawl.
On The Who most of the superlatives can be united: They were by far the worst band of the evening, the dirtiest and most rotten in their appearance, the one with the least ideas, but most stupid in refernce to the songs (imitations of Beatles and Stones material), the loudest and the one who was celebrated most.
Now the boys and girls who had been so critical before lost all their scepticism and were enthuastic from the beginning. Almost everyone stood on his seat, and most of them shouted and stomped along so that you could neither hear nor see anything of the grimaces of the long-haired on stage from a normal seat. And The Who were also the band with the shortest appearance.
Note
Translation by Jutta Zeschke
