Leilalicks’s Weblog

I remember my singing teacher telling me something bout Taylor Swift, but at that time, I just forgot again about her. But just the other day, it hit me while watching the video to “love story“. What a lovely song! I just had to load it down. And I found a wonderful version, just with one guitar and vocals. That’s where the idea came that I’d like to do this at my best friends wedding. If ever I could do it, without crying. And if ever my best friend would like it too, of course

I was prepared to a easy-listening concert, just hanging there, a little bit of dreaming… And I was pretty surprised: it really rocked! Wow! The guitar player, a she, was great, she was really much into what she was doing. I was very close to the stage, means second row, and I got even more surprised when she came onto it: Heather Nova. She’s sooooo tiny! Really. And very lean too. Just her arms, they look like the arms of a construction worker – must be from guitar playing

So, as I said, I was pretty surprised how much action there was. She has a really good band but as well alone on stage she was persuasive. I was thrown from one feeling to another. Her voice is just wonderful, it makes you shiver. I’m really happy that I was able to go and see her this time, as I missed it a few years ago. If she ever comes again to Zurich, I’ll go and see her. Buy her new record!

I couldn’t belive it: they do it again! The Swiss National TV station records another season of MusicStar in Switzerland. It’s now the forth and I think somehow, it’s enough. No one who won the last three seasons is now successful – only one participator of the first season, Baschi, sells records and has turned to a well known artist.

They try to keep it interesting by nominating a controversial singer/songwriter – Gölä. He got very famous a few years ago with Swiss german songs. Then he had enough, emigrated to Australia, that didn’t work so he came back and had a come back as “Burn” with English songs (Although he said he had enough from music business). That didn’t work either so he returned as Gölä again. Sure that his credibility suffered a little bit. And now he’s back an he promises more music and less dancing. We’ll see. We’ll see, what kind of people will accept the challenge. And we’ll see, if the winner will get to the top…

Do you know Schiller? No, not the writer, the musician! I have been to his first concert in Switzerland ever, yesterday. It was a insider tip from a friend – he told me, it’s great and so I went there to check that. And really, it was great! I’m not too much into electronic music but he convinced me with the kind of compositions he has. And the band was great as well, especially the two drummers, one on the accoustic, the other on the electronical drum.

Schiller also had guests: Jette von Roth, Jael (singer from the Band Lunik and from the project Mina) and my personal favourite, Kim Sanders – her performance of the song Forever was amazing and tugged at my heartstrings.

All in all, it was an amazing show, very good lights and I truly adore the sound engineer as I never ever have heard a concert that well mixed!

I finally downloaded the full record of Pat Monahan, “last of seven”. No need to say that I love his voice so much – did that earlier on. He’s less rocky than he was with train, more into gospel with a whiff of country. But he still has this sweet sadness I like that much in some songs.

My favourites are “Always Midnight“, “Oohh my my” and “thinking about you“. “her eyes” and “girlfriend” are nice as well. Just imagine, he sings it for you sigh

First of August. National holiday in Switzerland. Whoever feels like a real patriot goes to the Rütliwiese, the legendary spot where the story says that Switzerland has been founded. So, it was the first time I ever went there. I did so not because I’m a great patriot but because I had to work there (my office organised the celebration up there) and I had to coordinate a few things there.

So I drove there by motorbike and took a special ship to get there. Of course, there are a few speeches but there is always music as well. They invited a jazz percussionist, Pierre Favre, who did a little concert with two of his friends who played the Alpenhorn. I’m not that much into jazz, but I have to admit that it really made me nod my head. But just as this would be a rain dance, the clouds poured out and so they decided to stop the celebration and also not to sing the national anthem. They did their calculation without the childrens choir – they just started to sing and the mass joined; what a special atmosphere! I couldn’t sing along, as I don’t know the words too well. Maybe I should start to learn them now, so I can sing along next year.

Let’s talk about the songs. From the concert, still I know, it’s been a while now but I still live from that one evening – crazy.

Of course, she sang some songs from the new album “taking chances”, some classicals like “my heart will go on” as an encore, “I’m your angel”, together with her background singer, “the prayer” together with a video from Andrea Bocelli. She even sang some queen songs, one of my favourites: the show must go on! Great!

The stage was a square one with two wings stages on two sides. in each corner and in the middle, there was a lift and on two sides, there were two treadmills. In each corner, there was the band standing, also on a lift. All the lifts were more or less in constant move, so she had to take care where to put her feet

The real peak of the show, in my opinion, was when she performed “all by myself”. It was the best thing I’ve ever heard, even better than on the records. I would never ever have the idea of singing this live but she did it as if it was the easiest song on earth. The audience thanked her with a standing ovation.

There is only one small thing that I didn’t like. I would have loved to see her sing “the reason” live on stage. But I can live with that

I know, you’re longing to hear more about the fabulous concert I’ve been Here we go!

After I met my friend, I went in and looked for my seat. Row 35, quite up high but with a sensational view on the huge stage in the middle of the stadion. It was a squarish stage with two side stages, nine lifts and two treadmills.

So I was sitting there waiting for the concert to begin. Eight o’clock passed, still waiting. Five minutes too late, the lift in the middle came up and Céine was there! OMG! The first three songs, I could hardly breathe. I was sitting there and what I felt is undescribable: so many years that I have been living with her music now, so many things that I know about her and suddendly, she’s there, alive, on stage. OMG! OMG! OMG, OMG, OMG!

As you may have known, I have been at the Céline Dion concert yesterday. Actually, it was not good. It was great, amazing, way beyond anything else I ever heard!!!

I have so much to tell you, I think, I’m going to write about it only the next 270 posts. Ok, maybe only the next 269… J

It already started when I arrived. I was so nervous, you can’t imagine. And then in front of the Hallenstadion, I met a friend from the radio and he told me a funny story. I have to go back to the past to let you know all the important things. Let’s go to 1988 then. Young Céline Dion performed at the Eurovision song contest for Switzerland with a song, that a Swiss singer-songwriter wrote for her: Nella Martinetti. Some of you may know that she won with that wonderful song, although the performance makes you laugh these days.

Twenty years later, Nella Martinetti is no longer the funny, cheerful person she once was – she’s depressed, gained 50 kilos of weight and has to stay in a clinic these days. But she’s still full of admiration for the now 40 years old Céline and would love to see her again – what Céline confirmed. But her management had another opinion and declined the meeting.

That’s not possible! was the first thought of some folks from the radio and managed to take her on a meet-and-greet they had drawn, together with the lucky guy who won it. And so, Nella finally met her long lost friend again! How touching!

That’s all for the moment – I don’t want you to break out in tears!

I did it! No, not what you mean I did buy a ticket for the Céline Dion concert next week. I can’t tell you how much I payed for it – incredible. It took me quite a while to guess if I really should spend so much money on a concert. But I’m longing to see her on stage, live, since I was twelve so I absolutely have to go. I’m so excited! I think I’m going to die. She’ll be gorgeous, I know!