Kodaline at Volkshaus Zurich

Many keep asking: How do you meet all these musician? And actually that’s not even such a wild thing and there only two options: Either they do signings after the concerts, then you simply have to go up to them 😉 Or you wait somewhere for them – usually at the backstage entrance of the event location.

Meeting musician and bands

Generally I go queue at the merchandise stand after the concert and get my autographs and photos officially. The samller the concert, the bigger the chances to meet the musician. So, actually always. But the bigger the concert, the bigger the audience, the harder it will be. To write autographs for 2000+ People after the concert is simply too much. So mostly something like that won’t happen. And so we turn to the backstage entrance – inoffically, of course. Some think it’s pretty stupid of course, others though think that’s just somehow part of everything. 😉 One just got to try to deliberate what is possible, and what better to leave. But it’s great to thank the (favourite) musicians personally and to sing your praises about what they are doing. Sure, this you already kinda Show when you simply go see the concerts. But days like this Saturday with Kodaline, Undiscovered Soul, Andreas Moe as well as all the Meetings with all the different people (acquaintances, friends or strangers) are definitively unpayable!

Before the concert

at Volkshaus Zürich
Fans waiting for doors opening

I wanted to meet Kodaline again. Again means, I met them about 1 year ago before the Komplex concert as well as at Swisscom-Showcase in Bern last September. At both Events there were signings. But after the Komplex concert I had to catch my Train. But I had met them ahead of the concert anyway (just like on this Saturday last February). The show at Volkshaus was sold out for Long already. But I already had my Kodaline ticket for Ages.  So when Undiscovered Soul announced they’d Support the Irish band at Volkshaus Zürich , the joy was huge! There were even fans, who only just still got some tickets ^^. After I had also listend to Andreas Moe and liked him, the joy grew endlessly. Simply exciting to know that you’d like the Support acts as well 😉 I doubted Kodaline would do signings at the Volkshaus concert. That’s why I simply arrived at the location enough early.

With 4 Lindt bunnies in a gift bag, a Card with my twitter Names added, I positioned myself at the house corner of the Volkshaus. The chocolate rabbits were for Kodaline, who complained  via Twitter that we got no Nandos here  (a Fastfood chain with mainly chicken meals). And Swiss chocolate – and even around easter in form of bunnies – is simply the best 😉 Sure there was also a security guy at the backstage door. But if you are nice and well-behaved, you won’t get into Trouble. They might only roll their eyes and laugh about you Standing there for hours 😉

Kodaline & Andreas Moe
meeting Kodaline & Andreas Moe

There was a demonstration against racism passing the streets at Volkshaus this afternoon. Everywhere heavily armed Police guys were in the area. So it was definitively more pleasent at the backdoor than sitting in the front. It was super quited and first NOTHING AT ALL happend. So waiting is THE “secret” actually. And while I was waiting a Jamaican guy suddendly was standing in one of the doors. I started talking to him. He’s working at the Volkshaus Restaurant and told me this and that about himself and his life in Switzerland, compared to Jamaica as well. The Chat wasn’t only interessting but shortened my waiting time as well. At least til the end of his break ;). And so already a taxi stopped next to me, almost drove over my feed, and Mark, Kodaline’s guitare player, got out. Yes, this was almost too easy. He was happy about the chocolate bunnies as “Nandos alternative” – how much, I got to know later. And yes, the way the Irish are – easy going, totally open, sincere and super nice. Hugs, small talk, photos, autographs… and I should simply wait, the others will arrive. However, just when Mark disappeared through the door, some teen Girls arrived. Well, from then I had to “share”. Kodaline all arrived one by one. Second was Jay, bass Player, then Vinnie, Drummer. There we no 10 fans waiting.

In the mean time Undiscovered Soul had arrived in their yellow Souls car. There was loads of stop-going from there on around the backstage entrance. You can simply meet them after the concert at the merch stand. Go and say hello, you’ll immediately like them! 🙂 Andreas Moe also quickly got through the backstage door at some point. You also meet him after the show. So while we were still waiting for the last one, Kodaline leadsinger Steve, one of the Girls suddendly asked: “Are you mrsspeechless on twitter? You just got a tweet from Kodaline!” There Kodaline had put the four chocolate rabbits down in their changing room, “fed” them with nuts and raisins and water and wrote, they were looking after them. Munching noises included.

And I’m still laughing about ;). I take it that they liked my small present (and they are obviously rather bored during waiting 😉 ). 😀 Haha. After I got notifications about retweets and faves on twitter for hours / days. It seemed not to end anymore ^^ Finally Steve arrived some time after soundcheck had started. He of course was late, but still was patient and took lots of time for the fans. Great, the four of them! That’s sure not to be taken for granted.

I first had to warm up urgently after. So off to Starbucks and then queuing with friends. We luckily didn’t have to wait too long anymore for doors opening. By the way, the door opening was rather annyoing and there was a lot of pushing til we finally got pushed through the doors. Quickly positioning in front of the stage. Sure we didn’t get front row anymore, but on this day this was totally ok 🙂

The concert
It was an incredible concert evening, everything simply suited perfectly. Already the line up was amazing. First Andreas Moe, a Swedish singer/Songwriter was Standing on stage from 7.45 to 8.15 pm. You possibly have heard him on tracks by dj’s “Avicci” or “Tiesto”, on which he lend his voice.But his own Music is totally different. All alone and only with guitare, base drum as well as harmonica he wowed the audience quickly and could electrify them. The Multi Instrumentalist got a super nice, variable voice and with Songs as “Ocean” or “How Do You Say It?” he went down well with the Zurich audience. [Youtube: Andreas Moe in concert]

After a short break there was a second Support act with Undiscovered Soul (You know them. Just read my blog 😉 ). The six of them took an incredible energy on stage again and immediately took the Zurich audience. I don’t know it different by them, but there at Volkshaus it was extra great. The six of them simply belong on big stages. I even heard by some having seen the Souls for the first time, that they liked the Thun band even better than the followed main act. They presented the newly released EP “Green”, the last one of their EP trilogy („Yellow“ / „Purple“). With their heart trending melodies, great Pop Arrangements, the wonderful harmonies and with so much emotions the band rocked the Volkshaus with Songs as “Ask Me”, “Run Baby Run” or “Tandem”. They are always a big part in making evenings like this perfect. [Youtube: Undiscovered Soul in concert]

Setlist Kodaline
Kodaline’s Setlist

Finally around 9.30 pm the long awaited Kodaline concert started. Stephan Garrigan, Vinny May, Jason Boland and Mark Prendergast were with their new Album “Coming up for air” and the same named tour back in Switzerland. Well, Kodaline seem to like our small Country, they are here often. Just the day before at Swiss Music Awards as well as the upcoming summer at Openair St. Gallen and Heiteren Festival. With a great mix of Uptempo Indie-Rock and calm folk tunes they lead through the evening with Songs as “Ready”, “Unclear”, “One Day” or “All Comes Down”. Sensitive, harmonic and absolutely touching. Once calm and quite, then again powerful and upbeat. Steve’s voice and the wonderful harmonies with they tell their stories, prestent their Songs, go straight into the heart. They sing “You make my heart feel like it’s summer” in “The One” – a perfect description of all the evening’s feelings. For a short time they take you in this Little “perfect world”. The audience turned the Location in a sea of lights and sang word by word esp. with the older songs. And on the balcony Steve’s parents were even sitting, obviously came from Ireland to Switzerland just for it. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed during the concert. Towards the end one could feel though how People couldn’t wait for “All I want” any longer. It was really hard to get out of their spell at the end and get some clear thoughs again. [Youtube: Kodaline in concert]

After the concert
After I met many acquaintances who came to the Volkshaus that evening as well. At least most of them as thrilled as I was. Andreas Moe and Undiscovered Soul did signings after in the entrance hall. Though the demounting started very quickly and Security threw everyone out from the entrance hall way too soon – including the bands. A friend and I got offered a lift home then. So we didn’t have to immediately run for the Train. So this took us to the backstrage entrance again, where all the bands were gathered and Jay and Mark from Kodaline still were writing autographs. There were like already before the Show only a few fans. But to end the day with seeing Kodaline one more time and thaking them – just wonderful. Such a fabulous concert, and they are so incredibly nice and down to earth. With all the success Kodaline do have, it could be very different.

The day couldn’t have been better and more eventful!

Infos über die Bands findet ihr auf ihren Webseiten oder auf Facebook:

Kodaline – www.kodaline.com
Undiscovered Soul – www.undiscoveredsoul.ch
Andreas Moe – http://www.facebook.com/andreasmoemusic

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