Michael Patrick Kelly on Pilatus Stage

Two days Michael Patrick Kelly aka Paddy Kelly was here in Switzerland to promote his album “ID” as well as the concerts next year. Therefor he was playing three small showcases for Radio24, Radio Argovia and Radio Pilatus. I just had to be at at least one of them – and so with a little luck and about 12 SMS I won tickets for Pilatus stage. After I had seen him last at Honberg Sommer in Tuttlingen, I was happy to see him live again earlier than expected.

Patrouille Suisse was just flying over the train Station. It’s autumn fair in Luzern and obviously a flight show was just on. Just taking bus no 1 at bus platform B and it drops you off directly in front of the radio studio. So I was standing in front of the studio from about 2.30 pm on. As expected I wasn’t the first one arriving. There was already a handful of fans. Apparently the first ones were at the studio already from 10 am on…

Paddy arrived around 3 pm. He had been at Radio Argovia at lunch time. The 2,5 hours waiting time did pass quickly together with the other fans, it was entertaining. Even I didn’t like everything I got to hear and was told. Obviously there are still – like back in the days – quite many crazy “fans” around. A lot of jealousy and malevolence is going around…. Shame. So no wonder, if Paddy is arriving and leaving through the underground car park?!

But the Tele1 presenter came to the fans instead and hoped for some interviews. But only two people did volunteer – among them I – and he obviously didn’t get the answers he had hoped for 😉 (Here the report on Tele1).

Admission shortly after 4.30 pm was quite civilized, even some were already nervous before and afraid, they had to sit in the very back and wouldn’t see anything (that wasn’t me ;)). You could feel the jumpiness. It was quite some bustle going on until the first few rows were seated, even the organizers let the mainly female audience inside the hall staggered.  With 120 winners I assumed that the hall of Pilatus Stage wasn’t big. And it wasn’t. We were lucky to sit in 2nd row, but sure you would have seen well in the back as well. The hall got a cinema-style seating arrangement from about 3rd row on.

It indeed seemed like I had seen half of the audience at concerts more often before. There seemed to be so many “hardcore fans” and I was wondering, whether there were “normal” visitors at all 😉 Well, ones who maybe didn’t even really know for who they had won tickets? In the end even a handful of men was in the audience too. Paddy even recognized some who had been at the showcase the day before.

Before Paddy entered Pilatus stage with band mate Christian, we were watching his interview via Facebook livestream. He was asked the usual questions and there wasn’t really anything new. The presenter announced the two of them then and mentioned mistakenly “Human” as his actual album. The audience was immediately protesting and he got to hear it a few more times after 😉

Paddy and Christian started with the cover songs “If I Should Fall Behind” by Bruce Springsteen as well as “Jokerman” by Bob Dylan. Immediately some visitors were wondering, why they were actually playing two covers with only 4 planned songs (it was like that the showcase before)? I didn’t really bother. What do you think? But what we soon noticed: Somehow Paddy seemed to be somewhere else with his thoughts during this 30mins showcase. During three songs he messed up the lyrics. But his fans do know the lyrics and bailed him out 😉

The atmosphere during the whole showcase was very nice. Paddy mentioned again how much he liked Switzerland. And that he could imagine, that it was great having been grown up in Switzerland. He might have to spend his retirement here 😉

Once Christina was accompanying Paddy on guitar, then he sat down behind the keys. They played with “Safe Hands” and “ID” also two own songs, before the showcase was already officially ending. But still “Shake Away” was following as an encore. That’s when Paddy brought the presenter deliberately up again and referring to the album “Human”, the song is from. He had heard the fans protesting cos of the wrong information and was very amused about. Since “Human” the albums “Ruah” and most recently “ID” have been released.

With “Here To Stay” they definitively ended the showcase. It was very short, but very nice and great to see Paddy at this intimate show. The concerts are growing quickly nowadays.

here the setlist of Pilatus again as an overview:

  1. If I Should Fall Behind (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
  2. Jokerman (Bob Dylan Cover
  3. Safe Hands
  4. ID
  5. Shake Away
  6. Here To Stay

I can’t wait for the concerts next year in Zurich. The show in January at Volkshaus is already sold out. But there are still tickets for the concert on 5.5.2018 at Samsung Hall 🙂

Who’s going to one of the CH shows? Or who’s visiting another show of the tour?

Straight after the showcase on Pilatus Stage I was off to Lyss for Cray’s album release show. A little out of breath having caught the train in the last moment, I realised quickly in the overcrowded train that I could be glad being able to get to Bern at all. It was the first train actually after a bigger interruption.