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| Helene Fischer at Hamburg's Kehrweider Theatre last week |
Last Wednesday, Helene Fischer gave a sneak preview of her new Phanomen CD, via a live performance before an intimate audience of 300 in Hamburg's Kehrweider Theatre.
The performance was streamed on-line by NUNA-TV and according to SWR-4 broadcasting, around 650,000 people logged on.
The Chicago Schlager Music Review viewed the 90 minute event during which Fischer performed 10 cuts from the new CD and in response to calls for an encore -- a few of her older schlager classics as well.
We were less than bowled over by her selections from the Phanomen effort. If you are a big fan of shrill, syrupy Celene Dion-styled ballads, rush right out and buy or download Phanomen. But if you discovered and came to like Helene Fischer by way of her classic, bouncy schlager tunes, you will want to keep your dollars safely ensconced in your wallet.
Of the 10 songs she previewed, a full 7 were ballads -- soft, slow ballads. After she belted out the third or fourth such annoyingly dreary offering, they all began to sound alike.
It's fun to watch the stunningly beautiful German chanteuse on-stage, but after a while even that didn't compensate for the ennui engendered by the lousy musical selections.
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| Fischer previewed her Phanomen CD in a live performance streamed on-line |
Had I been seated in the Kehrweider theatre in Hamburg rather than in front of a computer in Chicago, I would have been sneaking out to the lobby for a smoke about 20 minutes into Fischer's sluggish tedium.
She also performed 1 jazzy number, making use of her brass section and 2 songs that could be termed classic schlager although even that's a bit of a stretch in that I'm including the pop title cut single of Phanomen in that.
Fischer has retained one Jean Frankfurter to compose and produce her work. Apparently he is to blame for the sleepy balladizing of this once exciting songstress.
I wouldn't suggest shelling out hard earned dollars on Fischer's long-awaited Phanomen CD, her fifth album, which was released Friday.
The atmospherics of the event were interesting enough, however. Fischer was dressed as casually as she's ever been seen on-stage -- casual in an expensive Rodeo Drive kind of way. She wore a black crew top with sequined arms, teal green stretch pants and her customary black high heels,
Fischer was backed by "Living Presence" an 11 piece band, with electric and acoustic guitars, drums, keyboard and a small brass section.
Despite strenuous ongoing attempts to cultivate a younger audience, Fischer's handlers packed the 300 seat venue with a crowd which appeared to be quite elderly.
Interestingly, the old-timers only really came to life during the encore, when she performed her old schlager hits: 100 Prozent and Morgen früh küss ich dich wach.
You would think Helene Fischer's handlers would get the clue.
Here from the televised performance is Fischer's debut performance of the title cut to her new CD, Phanomen:
If you would like to see for yourself, the event will be re-broadcast tomorrow. Oct. 18th, at 1:15 pm Chicago time via the SWR4 website.
5 comments:
Wow I'm surprised! I would have thought she would stick with her tried and true Schlager stuff, if only to satisfy her fans. I'm sorry it didn't seem to be worth the wait for the new CD.
Well it's selling like hotcakes anyway. Shot right up to #1 on the sales charts. I believe it's doing better than Andrea Berg's new release, which I think is a lot better.
Her older music gets better with time. That was a terrible venue, She goes from filling large stadiums to a crowded bar? Low ceiling with large duct work as a main feature, for a video? Schaude. Her casual dress doesn't bother me, it is tastefully done. On one hand a change of pace in her music could be good, if you produce the same thing every album it will eventually wear out, become stale. Perhaps she is trying to change her image, I don't know. But much of her attraction is "the girl next door" looks, charm, and warmth on stage, performance, and music. I refer back to my first statement.
Well I agree with you. Her astounding appeal is as the "girl next door." We loved her for that. By why does se seem to be trying to change herself into something else?
Gut fragen! Perhaps she wants to be seen as the Frau next door, instead of the girl next door? There has always been a lot of grey hair in her audiences. Probably an attempt to bring interest to another demographic, and different age group. Perhaps you are right, Jazz is a truly american art, maybe it is an attempt to move closer to that market. But nothing in English so...
The CD has gone to the top of the charts, I like a few songs, though different. But that video should be taken off, and filmed elsewhere, in another intimate setting. Though there are better singers, she also has a unique quality in her voice, naturally softer yet brighter than most Schlager artists. It's not just her "Girl next door" personae that has made her so popular.
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