Paddy Kelly at ZKO Haus Zurich

Time: 7.30 pm | Doors: 6.30 pm

Kelly concerts are always fanmeetings, almost like class reunions. No matter if with Angelo, Paddy or any event with Joey, you always meet people again, which you know for years already. Many, who you knew from past concerts, from seeing or meeting. So I also met long lasting friends and seen others at the concert.

Paddy Kelly entrance We arrived a bit too early at the ZKO Haus in Zurich, but less than half an hour later we could go inside into the foyer. Just bought the live-cd and some pleks. We had reserved seats and compared to the last Paddy Kelly concert in spring everything seemed more settled. The last time many people were said have been standing in front of the concert location already in the early morning, there was quarreling. One would have thought People though, after so many years, people would have grown up and become more reasonable.

We still had to wait for a moment before we could go and sit down. Great, we were front row on the step-up, in about the middle of the location. Perfect sight. The stage appeared in red light, the instruments were ready. The excitment was there, though I was a bit worried. The last concer was very nice, though quality wasn’t the best. You could sense Paddy’s strain and insecurity.

A few minutes after 7.30pm Sven announced the concert and pointed out the photography and recording ban. And then Paddy already entered stage and started the show with the The Police cover “Every breathe you take”. Immediately people jumped up, started clapping and singing along. Excitment came over the hall. A second song followed, whose title I didn’t know and then it became more quite, the audience sat down and Paddy played “Rain of roses” from his solo-album “In Exile”.

For the Kelly Family song “Fell in love with an alien” the audience cheered and everyone jumped up again. Every single person in the room sang along to every single word. The Kelly feeling came back. Absolutely overwhelming. After so many years. And if anyone thought there were only the aged teenage girls from back then in the audience, is wrong. As usuaual it was a very mixed audience in every age. The way one was used of the Kelly audience.

He continued with “One more song” at the piano. Of course everyone knew the lyrics. “Go tell it over the mountain” followed by “Don’t worry, be happy” have been part of the setlist as well. Then Paddy sat down and started to tell a story, which he experienced during a longer train journey. It was so funny. We were all on a first name base of course, he mentioned, as we knew each other for ages. And there first a discussion and banter started with some in the audience about keeping secrets and not telling past experiences etc.

Back to the story: an older woman, a granny, recogniced him from the gossip magazines, she had with her for the train journey. Laughing echoed in the room. He kept messing around and pulling faces, was imitaging what had happened back then. There you got the feeling that Paddy was definitively back. He seemed relaxed and laid-back, seemed not to take himself too serious, was joking and obviously enjoying being on stage, making music. He then played the story-matching song “Movie”.

For the Bruce Springsteen-cover “If I should fall behind” Paddy suddendly jumped off the stage and went during the whole song through the audience, giving high-fives to the very top of the staris and back again. This was a little fangirling-moment. “I won’t wash my hand today”, he laughed when he was back on stage getting ready for the next song. “You all are stars”. He sang “Brother Brother” and after a latin song, which he has learnt at the monestry.

A 15mins break followed. Fans met, greeted each other and were chatting. One could go and get drinks and snacks in the foyer.

After the break Paddy came running down the stairs with his guitare. Yellow trousers, grey shirt, black vest and this time with a hat, a black perret. He started with the Irish song “County Down”. After he asked for the spoons. Well, the spoons, we had completly forgotten about. A little Irish jam-session should follow, but most had forgotten to bring spoons. But “Lord of the dance” worked out even with only the few ones and stomping feet. He’d manage to somehow forgive the Zurich audience about the forgotten spoons, he was grinning.

The atmosphere was great. He talked between the songs to the audience, with a little boy from front row as well. As he was from Bern, Paddy mentioned that there might be a concert as well some time and just promised free tickets for him. He gave him some pleks and before he left stage later also a few to a girl.

With “Holy is his name” and his new song “Shake away” there was another more quiet part. He continued with “Pray Pray Pray” and with “An Angel” the goosebumps followed. Paddy let the audience sing whole verses and choruses. Total flashback moments. And like in Kelly times he rocked the stage during “One more freaking dollar” with e-guitare, got up on the piano stool, stomped with his foot over the piano keys and took a big sip from his cup to spit it out in a big fountain again.

With “Amazing Grace” and “We Shall Overcome” it finished then. The audience jumped up again. Standing ovation, they applauded and cheered to get him out on stage again. With “Hope” as encore he said goodbye for good.

For a moment we’ve been thinking about eventually waiting for autographs. But Paddy didn’t come out the last time as Sven had told us, so we decided to directly go home and simply keep the concert in good memory. And as I’ve read later, it was definitively the better decision.

I am looking forward to the next concert. Then maybe even in Bern, and maybe with new album.

Setlist
1. Every Breath you take (The Police)
2. (?)
3. Rain of Roses
4. Fell in love with an alien
5. One more song
6. Go tell it on the mountain / don’t worry, be happy
7. Movie
8. If I should fall behind (Bruce Springsteen)
9. Brother Brother
10. (Latin song)
11. County Down
12. Lord Of the Dance
13. Holy is his name
15. Shake Away
16. Pray Pray Pray
17. An Angel
18. One more freaking dollar
19. Amazing Grace
20. We Shall Overcome
21. Hope