This song has been an irritating earworm for me for the past week or so and I’ve actually no idea why. Yes, we’re looking at the cream of Deutsche electrosyth-pop here, albeit upon their return to the limelight (as witnessed here in Cape Town), but they had bigger hits than this, which aren’t repeatedly occupying my auditory system. So why this? I don’t know.
It was previously a little known fact about Alphaville that they like to make their audience feel as uncomfortable or awkward as possible. You can see the rows columns of German fans cramped in front of the performance, all lined up back to back with little or no bum room, doing their best to look happy, despite being very uncomfortable.
And then, behind the band, a pocket of people forced into the back left hand corner (probably best viewed at about 2:13), and being made to stand and dance, despite feeling very awkward.
Also, it’s only 4ºC in that factory. Everyone is wearing bulky coats and looking uncomfortable and awkward. Those who chose to ignore the bulky coat dress code are looking uncomfortable or awkward, and cold.
Consequently there is little, no or even less audience participation, despite the best efforts of the band to get some sort of Rammsteinesque energy in towards the end of the performance. Everyone just sits there, shivering.
Still, great song. I’m going to be humming it all week.
Doh!