Arigato Sapporo

So I got my train from Sapporo to Hakodate. This is the first part of that 12 hours ride down to Mishima, close to Fuji san. Bob gives himself, the band and us a 2 days break, so I decided to see Mt. Fuji while I´m in Japan. If the weather stays like it was the last 7 days, it´ll be a great picturesque interlude I asume. Sapporo is a big city, crowded with people running around, in the streets and underground, where they have huge shopping malls and food stalls. That underground thing makes sense. When I arrived it was a bright and sunny day, but freezing cold. And it´s spring time already. Wonder what it will be here during the winter? So it´s quite comfortable to do your daily life indoors. Sure you can stay also in the big buildings where they have shops and restaurants in each floor way up to the skies. But streets beneath the surface, that is something totally different. And these underground areas are actually streets, where you can walk for miles and miles safely covered from the cold or rain or snow outside. Strange for me anyhow, but that´s how it is.

The two Bob shows were held in a very small Zepp venue. That place holds just about 2000 people. As usual in Japan, you have a numbered ticket, such as B1 for the sector you are in, and another number to show you where you have to stand in line while waiting before the show. Typical japanese organized! Because that concert hall is located in a part of the city where there are lots of narrow streets, only A and B sector ticketholders could queue close to the entrance. All other sectors had to line-up in the streets around the blocks. Very funny, but anyway, that´s the only way it seems to work out here. So our whole group of Bobcats was splitted, since we couldn´t manage to get more than 3 tickets in one sector. That´s why I saw the first concert way back. But way back in this hall actually means: not that close. Good view and good sound was guaranteed. So Julia, Alrik and me could enjoy a nice Bob show on the first night together, all of us with sector F1 tix.

Of course the atmosphere is more tight front of stage, and we were lucky to get sector A for Julia and sector B for Alrik and me on the second night. Man, and this show was even better then the night before. Bob seemed to have had a few sakes before hitting the scene, that´s what Laurette was wondering :) She could have been right! Stu kicked off with the noodle, and then the boys appeared still shadowed because of the very limited stage lighting which is a mark of Bob shows. Then we saw the silhouette of His Bobness, and I was shocked for a second or two, when he sat down at the piano. That´s why his first song of the static setlist is delivered standing middle of the stage standing at the microphone. He did that seating in Rome last year, static set on the european tour as well as you know, but there he changed everything, and I know he enjoyed it. I was at the rail in Roma, directly in front of the piano, so you should take me serious :) But here, he just checked if the seat was well adjusted. He stood up again and whenthe lights brightened the scenery, there he was, black suit, white Zorro hat tonight, starting with the Wonderboys song. And as I said, the show was great. The japanese audience a bit calm as normally, but euphoric for seconds when they got the lyrics and realized what song he was singing. His ballads were highlights again. "Forgetful Heart" is always working, so does "Scarlet Town" and the beautiful arranged "Simple Twist Of Fate". And he even got the japanese rocking a bit with "Duquesne Whistle", waltzing with "Waiting For You" and swinging when the band get into "Spirit On The Water".

Nevertheless, for me a setlist change would add a bit "esprit" to the tour. So come on fellow Bob, give it to me. Aaaah, he´ll never do what you want, right?! That´s part of the game, so again: pay for your ticket and don´t complain. Even those of us who got their tickets for free, which happens every night. Isn´t that fantastic? If someone´s pal doesn´t show up, spare tickets are given to those who are in need. Shall I call it Bobcat´s Social Welfare?! The days I was broke, I was helped in this way, too. So thanks all of you guys out there who are part of this charity thing. I did it like this: I give what I got until I got no more, I take what I get until I even the score ;-) And now on the packed morning train down south to Hakodate. Still relaxed because I also had a short trip yesterday to the mountain area of Sapporo. Visiting and truly enjoying my visit to an old traditional Onsen there. The natural springs were so hot, I nearly got boiled, actually I felt that way. But getting used to it, it´s pure pleasure sitting in the Onsen outside, surrounded by snow covered mountains, dreaming, slowly slipping over the edge to a kind of non-thinking state of mind. I loved it. So even I´m still facing 11 more hours of train hustle, there´s a Dormy Inn waiting for me for the next 2 days in Mishima, where they have the Onsen, too. I will get well prepared for the climb of Mt. Fuji, even you are not allowed to make it to the top. It´s too early in the year, too much snow. Let´s see how high I will climb the Fuji san, I´ll let you know. In the meantime, it might be time for a coffee, but, Sara isn´t with us. And coffee without Sara, hard to accept....well that´s another story.