As I wrote before I decided to travel to Amsterdam to have my holiday there. Before travelling I just noticed that Scorpions will perform in Essen and checked google maps for travel distance from Amsterdam. As it was just 2 hours of travel I decided to go to Essen. Thanks Hans for helping me with concert ticket!!!
When I came to Amsterdam I went to a central train station to buy a ticket to Essen. I told a girl in a ticket office that I need a ticket to Essen, Germany and back. She said ok and sold me the ticket.
After few days I checked my e-mail and just for an interest went to a site of German transport tickets to compare ticket price with the price of ticket which I bought. I saw another price and different time of departure. It was very strange and I decided to go again to the central train station to know what is the real time of departure. The man from ticket office told me that I bought a ticket to Essen but it wasn't Germany's city. It was Belgium's city with the same name. Fortunately I could change my ticket for right one!
So I started my trip to real Essen on friday morning. The train departure was around 8 a.m. My trip was a little bit more than 2 hours and I also had to change train in Duisburg, Germany. So after 10 a.m. I was finally in Essen! In Germany!!!
I didn't reserved any hotel room and just walked around the station looking for a cheap one. My choice was "Ibis" hotel! It's always a good hotel to stay and not expensive. At the beginning of this year I already lived in such hotel in Prague.
So after having some rest I went out of the hotel and went to Grugahalle. I was told in the hotel reception that I can go there by underground train. When I came to underground I had no idea which train I had to choose and what is the name of the station which is near to Grugahalle. Most of the people whom I asked about it didn't speak english. The other part didn't know an answer to my question. Then I decided to go to a ticket information and ask them. Fortunately they helped me but I had to wait for it about 20 minutes as there were a lot of people.
Finally I got to Grugahalle!!! I think it was about 2.30 p.m. I saw a small group of guys and some flags hanging on the venue wall. I realised that there are fans from forum! I came to them and greet everybody. At that time there were Hans, Ron, Delphine, FOOT and some other fans. Sorry I just couldn't remember everybody's names as that day sooooo many fans from all over the world!!! Ron was the most speaking guy and joked a lot
It was very funny to spend a time with you!!Then as other people said a lot of other fans began to come to the venue. That day I met many fans from England, Australia, Russia (special respect to my neighbours!), Germany, Italy (Elton you rock too!! I like Italians!! they are crazy!!!), Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Czech Republic (nice to meet again Renata and her husband Pawel) and maybe some other countries. I can't remember now all of them.
Michael Schenker drove to the venue with his wife in his own car. Uli also drove in his own car. I also saw Matthias and Klaus coming to the venue. Gabi Meine and Tatyana Sazonova were also there. I saw Rudolf's son Marcel near the venue too.
There was meet'n'greet at about 5 or 6 p.m. and some of our friends from Italy, Luxembourg, Germany and maybe other countries were lucky to be there. But as Elton told me there were just our Scorps (without Uli and Michael) and it was fast. Just a few words with every member, shaking hands and signing. But that's ok too!
If I remember well the doors opened at 7 p.m. I was one of the first who came in. But before entering security wanted to check my bag. There was a big photo camera and I was affraid that they won't let me to bring it in. But fortunately they didn't saw it because there was my flag and some other thing which covered my camera. So I was lucky again!
I ran to hall and saw many fans near the stage. I think they were the fans from meet'n'greet as they could be earlier there. But again I was lucky to find a free space at the 1st row just in front of Klaus. Thanks to a girl who stood near for letting me to stay with her. It was also nice to meet you! (sorry I can't remember your name. but your nickname is Rainbow).
Just a few words about opening band - "Orange but green". Well I didn't knew them before and thought it's kind of modern music. But these guys were really good live! They played around 5 songs I think and I liked it!
After them Scorps crew prepared stage for our guys! The stage setup was the same as I saw last at Scorpions show in St. Petersburg this summer. But I was more than a surprised to see great pyro! It was very cool and really HOT in front row!!!
So after "Hurricane 2000" intro they started with Hour I. I won't stop on every song they played. The set was classic. Still they had Is there anybody there and Loving you sunday morning as at St. Pete show. As for me I was missing No one like you and Bad boys running wild from their classics. But anyway it was ok!
As for Michael and Uli parts...well what can I say....IT WAS PERFECT!!! Especially Uli's part!!! That was my dream to see him someday! And my dream came true! Finally my 10th anniversary Scorpions show was with Uli and Michael (a reunion one) I liked all the songs they played with them. Backstage queen, Pictured life, Robot man, We'll burn the sky (with Uli) and Coast to coast, Lovedrive (that was dream too), Another piece of meat (great adding of Led Zeppelin tunes), Doctor doctor (with Michael). And by the end a final jam - Long tall sally with both!!! Wooohoooo that really fantastic!!!!!!!
I liked the whole show very much!!!! Can't say any bad thing about it. That's what I dreamed about
Also I would like to say that the crowd was amazing and there was a great atmosphere in Grugahalle. The sound was also great! I must say that it was one of the greatest at Scorpions shows which I visited.
After the show I went to buy USB stick with the recording of that show. It was an amazing idea in my opinion. And very pleasant for me to have a recording of the show which I visited! Also it has a special design. I can make a picture of it if you want
Then I came to Scorpions merchandising. There were a lot of people and it was hard to buy something. Anyway I bought Scorpions t-shirt with Essen date on back side of it and Jimmy's drum plastic with his signature.
After leavin Grugahalle I took a taxi and drove to my hotel to leave all the things in my room. I just took CD's which were for Uli Roth's signatures, small (not that big one) photo camera and went to "Sheraton" hotel where Scorps stayed.
When I came there Jimmy and Pawel just came from the venue. I greeted them and they went to their rooms where they stayed for a night. Michael was also in his room that night. Klaus, Rudy with Tanya, Marcel with his children and wife, Matt with Beatte and Uli were in a restaurant where they had after party. Sometimes Rudy came out. Klaus also came out 1 time. Big respect to Matthias who spent about 1,5 hours with the fans talking to them, signing and posing for photos. I also came to him and he recognized me: "Hello! you're a Kiev guy". I said that actually I'm from Odessa city. But Matt said that he remembers me from last year visit of Kiev where we also had an after show meeting in a hotel lobby!
I must say there were a lot of fans from various countries in a hotel. I also had a chance to speak to some of them. Also with David from Germany with whom I waited for Uli which came out from the restaurant at about 3.30 in the night! I was in the hotel mainly for him. So it was worth waiting for him. I respect him very much as a musician. Also he is a very very great person. He signed all of my CD's 74-78 and 3 Electric Sun albums. He asked me about my favourite ES album. I said that I like Earthquake and Firewind but noted that I know his favourite one is Beyond the astral skies))) Also I asked about possibilite of playing The sails of charon together with Scorpions. But he told me that it's almost impossible. They never played it live. But who knows maybe one day it happens! After talking to Uli I took a photo with him!! Thanks David for helping me!!!
So my mission was completed that night and very tired but soooooo happy I took a taxi and drove to my hotel. The next day I had to leave for Amsterdam by train where I had to spend a night and then go home by plane! Fortunately I had a time to sleep!
Well what can I say?! I'm really impressed of what I have seen that day and night! Finally my dream came true! I saw a reunion show with Uli and Michael! Everything was perfect for me!
THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO ENJOYED THESE HAPPY MOMENTS WITH ME! I WAS VERY LUCKY TO MEET ALL OF YOU GUYS! YOU ARE VERY VERY GOOD PEOPLE! I HOPE TO MEET YOU ONCE AGAIN ON THE SCORPIONS SHOWS!
Hello from Ukraine to Hans (thanks for helping me with ticket man! sorry I didn't met you after show. so next time 2 beers for you!!!), Ron (man you're so cool. it was really funny with you), Delphine (don't worry we'll rock Moscow together someday!), Rainbowgirl79 (nice to meet you), Foot, Elton, your wife and friends (italy rocks!), Any and your husband Maxim, NAtka and your son (privet Rossiya!!!), David (nice to talk to you man!), Kristof and your son, 2 English girls (you\re both very nice
), Renata and your husband Pawel (nice to meet you guys after Karlovy Vary show in 2007! you're very nice), Rainbow from this forum who stood with me all the show (you're very nice girl. it was cool to rock with you. sorry I can't remember your name) and to everyone which is not listed here. You all made that day GREATEST!!!!!Sorry friends. Have no time for sharing photos with you. I hope I can do it tomorrow! There are many good shots
I can give them back to you: It was GREAT to ROCK THE FIRST ROW WITH YOU!! 
Check out my E-Mail address in my profile, write me yours and I'll send you my pictures.
