An artist skilled in making music. - A celebration of 40 years of "Bochum" marked the commencement of Grönemeyer's tour.
"Man," "Booze," and "Jets in the Gut": Musician Herbert Grönemeyer has left his mark on a generation of concert-goers and has managed to have a loyal fan following. To kick off his anniversary tour 40 years after the release of the album "4630 Bochum," the 68-year-old entertained around 26,000 fans in Dresden. "When you see all these people, you're as happy as a little kid," Grönemeyer declared on stage.
Getting things started, he sang "Das ist los an" and followed it up with the first ballad "Sekundenglück." It wasn't until "Tanzen" that the fans truly came to life, and by the time he got to "Was soll das," everyone in the stadium joined in the singing. A little over an hour into the show, the classic "Bochum" was belted out - this has been Grönemeyer's pre-show ritual since the release of his first album.
The "4630 Bochum" album held a spot in the charts for 140 weeks. Ever since it debuted on vinyl and later as a CD on May 11, 1984, it's moved over three million copies, plastering gold records on the walls of his label, Universal. The namesake track about the city that molded him so significantly has been a mainstay not only before every home game of the football club VfL Bochum, but in the hearts of countless fans.
Tracks like "Kinder an die Macht," "Was soll das," and "Mensch" have become folklore, thanks to his unique voice and interpretation.
This show in Dresden was the first after a year-long hiatus for Grönemeyer, who said on stage, "I'm still getting used to the air a bit." After Dresden, he'll be performing at the sold-out Waldbühne in Berlin this Saturday and Sunday. By mid-June, he'll wrap up his "Home Game" in Bochum, which is already full to capacity. Summer shows in Stuttgart, Schaffhausen, and Karlsruhe are also on the docket.
