Slade in Silkeborg

My daughter Tea and I took the train from Odense at 10.13 a.m. on the 14th of April to go to a Slade concert. We arrived in Silkeborg two hours later and took the bus to the hotel. We had booked a room in a small summer hotel down the road from Don and Hanne’s place and as soon as we got off the bus there was Don in his car. We went over and said hello and then he was off to the venue. Further down the road we met Hanne as well and when we had said hello to her too we checked in to the hotel.
An hour later we went back to Don and Hanne’s place and Tea met Don’s dog Rocky for the first time. For Tea this was the highlight of the day, although she was surprised at how big he is! Then we were off with Hanne to the venue and we arrived at the same time as Mal and Robin, so we said our hellos to them as well.
The guys were awfully busy and so was Hanne. She works at the venue so she was actually at work and at the same time she had to help out with the band and take care of all the friends and relatives who had shown up for the concert. Tea and I therefore spent the next 5½ hours sitting outside the venue in the lovely sunshine. Even Mal and Dave came out to enjoy a cup of tea in the beautiful hot weather. Tea played by the lake and I chatted a bit with Robin and with hard-core fans Per and Kirsten as well as other fans who came by to say hello.
Tea and I went to get some dinner and around 7.30 p.m. we met up with Don in the dressing room. We had a bit of a chat while a local band opened the show. John, Mal, Robin and some Danish friends were backstage as well. Don had loads of autographs to sign (you used up my pen, Don!) and we talked about hotels, Russia, Bibble Brick and Tea while he did his thing. Don joked that we ought to train Tea to go on stage and introduce Slade when they perform in Denmark and Tea thought it was a brilliant idea! As usual she was ever so fascinated by Don’s white gum shield.
At 9.15 p.m. the guys were on. Don sported a T-shirt with the words “Still at large” and as he had an air conditioner on stage his hair was flying all over. Very rock’n’roll that looked! The set list was:
We’ll Bring The House Down
Lock Up Your Daughters
Take Me Bak ‘Ome
Far Far Away
Everyday
Red Hot
Look Wot You Dun
‘Coz I Luv You
Run Runaway
My Oh My
Hear Ya Callin’
Gudbuy T’Jane
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Get Down And Get With It
and the encores:
Cum On Feel The Noize
Merry Xmas Everybody
It didn’t go unnoticed that the concert was in Silkeborg. Already when introducing Lock Up Mal greeted “Silkeborg – hometown of Don Powell”. And when he talked about Dave before Hear Ya Callin’ he said; “Dave Hill is not from Silkeborg, but he’s thinking of moving here, living with Hanne and Don,” which had everybody laughing.
The guys were in a good mood. Dave did his posing, showing off muscles, before Far Far Away and when he put his leg over his guitar neck during Red Hot John tried to copy him, failing miserably. John had a fit from laughing and it was hilariously funny.
My Oh My had Dave talking about all the beautiful romantic people in Silkeborg which made the audience answer him with a roaring laughter. You see, unknown to Dave Mal was standing behind him, mimicking or maybe rather making fun of him, which kind of spoiled the romantic mood.
Finally MXE had Dave blow kisses left and right and all in all it was a very good concert, which the crowd really enjoyed. I stood up front with Per and Kirsten and the floor beneath us was actually bouncing up and down from the stomping and dancing of the audience.
After the show Don came out into the crowd to sign autographs, shake hands and have his photo taken with friends and fans. We chatted for a while, then we all left the venue around midnight and Hanne drove us to the hotel.
Tea went straight to bed, but I couldn’t sleep, as the bed was really bad for my back. So I spent most of the night sitting outside on the terrace in the mild spring night. It was beautiful with a dark velvet sky, loads and loads of stars and the occasional sound of gurgling water and quacking ducks from the lakes.
Finally I managed to get about 4 hours sleep before we had to get up for breakfast. We were only 4 people staying at the hotel and as the 2 others didn’t get up until later, Tea and I had the whole restaurant to ourselves.
At ten o’clock Don came to pick us up and drive us to the station. We chatted about this and that and at one point he asked if the concert hall hadn’t been very dark the day before. I didn’t think so but when I got home and saw my photos I could see that he was right. I even shot some video at the concert, but that too was rather dark and even wobbly because of the bouncing floor. Oh well, I’ll try to make it available later on, anyway. But bear with me, it may take some time.
When we reached the station Don had a new idea regarding Tea’s choice of career. When he saw her handling my suitcase he suggested that she became a roadie with Slade. Tea is only 8, so she slyly asked if Don really thought he would still be needing a roadie by the time she is all grown up! Anyway, he got her all shy (and beaming!) when he kissed her goodbye. Then he was off to a business meeting at his and Hanne’s place.
Now we just had to make our way back to Odense and of course the train was horribly late. We didn’t reach home until 1.30 p.m. but at least we were greeted with free milkshakes at Odense station! All in all it was quite an eventful 27 hours and hopefully we’ll see the band in concert again here in Denmark in October.
P.S. Don and Hanne did some promotion for the concert on their local TV. You can see it on the Internet, although there is no direct link to it. What you do is this: go to www.tv2regionerne.dk. Then click on “TV2/OSTJYLLAND” on the left. You’ll then find a calendar and here you choose “April 2007, 13”. Now scroll down to “Slade i Silkeborg” on the right. Most of the clip is in Danish, though.