Ukrainian tour - October'2012

[Yuliya]

C'mon, polish fans, where are you? Lwow is so close to you!
Let's rock together!!!!
I plan to visit Lvov and Kiev shows, if only it was possible to change the working timetable to get more...

[Deleted User 13688]

I posted and am trying to get everyone to LIKE the post on my FB...I hope that is right. GO YULIA, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL BGRW!!

[Koka27]

Dear Scorpions!
We are Hairy Viper band from Kiev, Ukraine and your biggest fans in a whole world!
For years we've been dreaming about warming up your show in Kiev! There is no other way for us to contact you except writing here and there. So we're gonna take a shot. Here you can find all info about usl:
http://hairyviper.com/
All we ask you is just to look at it and if you believe that we could handle warming you up in Kiev please let us know. A dream of my life can come true! We won't let down our favourite artist!

[ScorpfanUkraine]

UKRAINE! ARE YOU READY TO ROOOOOOOOOOOOOCK?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Watch on youtube.com

!!

[Scorpions Truck]

YEAH!!!


I am here! !!!!
Finally I made it to Charkiv....
Words can not describe this trip..
Met a lot of friends, new ones and old ones in Turkey and all of them made my journey really smart and cool. Here´s to all of Unilife Turkey, Ozgur´s team did a great job! Thank You all so much!
After leaving Istanbul 2:30am early saturday Morning after a fab show at Kucukciftli Park my phantastic border fixer Onur from Istanbul drove with me to the Greek border at Ipsala. He arranged turkish customs clearance in 25 mins!!!!!!!
Nobody has ever been that fast dealing with customs like he did. THANKS A LOT ONUR, YOU ARE MY HERO!

Greek side of the border was the opposite, took until noon to get clearance. Then on through Greece into Bulgaria and stopped somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Did not even take care what name the village had I stopped went straight to sleep after almost 20 hrs of work. Sunday morning 5:30 local time bell was rinigng so quick coffee and heading to border BG/RO. The moment daylight came I saw a bus in front of me driving, It looked quite familiar to me, and yes - it´s be one of Coach Service, which is the Nightliner department of our Company. Scotty the driver was on his way from Sofia to Bucharest with the band Accept. A quick stop, a little chat with a cup of tea and back on the road again, 700 km left to border RO/UA.
Been to Cluij Romania with the SCORPIONS last year and recalled the phanatstic promoter team of that show, so I called them and asked if the could courtesy arrange some kind of priority border clearance at Romanian customs, and Yes the did! Thanks Anna- Marian and Florin from Bucharest You saved me 12 hrs of waiting time at the border!!!!
Started clearance at 8 pm entered UA customs yard 10 pm where my both friends Viktor and Victor waited for me. 4 hrs later clearance was done, so next truck stop was mine, fallin into my bunk like a rock.
Monday morning after breakfast started engine 10am heading Kiev. As expected still cobbelstone roads in my "favourite" city of Kamyanets Podilsky . I call it Kamyanets Katastrophsky cuz the roads are undescribable.
Havin Viktor as my co driver I am once again happy I´ve met him two years ago. There´s no better guide existing for Úkraine like him. Funny, he speaks no german infact: "Das ist phantastisch" and his English is as good as my Kesuaheli but communication with him is easy, a mixture of German, English, Russian, hands an legs....
Last night we arrived Kiew for a break after 10 hrs driving and this morning we went eastbound to Charkiv straight into the Taiga. I consider every place east of the line Moscow - Kiew as Taiga. Surpisingly the roads east of Kiev are better than those westbound Kiew so it took just 8 hrs to get to Charkiv Sport Arena. Parked the Truck and had a shuttle to the hotel.
Nice diner and up in the room, checked mails, had a phone call to my family, write this kind of a report, now have a shower, go to sleep.
Tomorrow morning load in commences for the first 2012 SCORPIONS show in Ukraine.
So Charkiv, I´ve almost done my part for a great show, the rest is up to You...
Rock the house tomorrow nite cuz thats the way You show me that my job has got sense
C Ya tomorrow!
Cheerio

Ben

[cameleon]

respect for the driver

yeah Ukrainian tour....let's sting it.....

Vladiiii i wish you all the best and get the nrgy and brings it to a higher level okay

cheers

[ScorpfanUkraine]

Hi to everybody! I'm in a train now. Had a nice sleep last night. In less than 2 hours I'll be in Kharkov! Have to go to the hotel at first for check in and leave my bag there. Then straight to the Sport Palace! Thanks Ron! After more than a year it will be great to see live the best band in the world. And I really hope they'll play some extra this night

[Delphine]

YEAH!!!


I am here! !!!!
Finally I made it to Charkiv....
Words can not describe this trip..
Met a lot of friends, new ones and old ones in Turkey and all of them made my journey really smart and cool. Here´s to all of Unilife Turkey, Ozgur´s team did a great job! Thank You all so much!
After leaving Istanbul 2:30am early saturday Morning after a fab show at Kucukciftli Park my phantastic border fixer Onur from Istanbul drove with me to the Greek border at Ipsala. He arranged turkish customs clearance in 25 mins!!!!!!!
Nobody has ever been that fast dealing with customs like he did. THANKS A LOT ONUR, YOU ARE MY HERO!

Greek side of the border was the opposite, took until noon to get clearance. Then on through Greece into Bulgaria and stopped somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Did not even take care what name the village had I stopped went straight to sleep after almost 20 hrs of work. Sunday morning 5:30 local time bell was rinigng so quick coffee and heading to border BG/RO. The moment daylight came I saw a bus in front of me driving, It looked quite familiar to me, and yes - it´s be one of Coach Service, which is the Nightliner department of our Company. Scotty the driver was on his way from Sofia to Bucharest with the band Accept. A quick stop, a little chat with a cup of tea and back on the road again, 700 km left to border RO/UA.
Been to Cluij Romania with the SCORPIONS last year and recalled the phanatstic promoter team of that show, so I called them and asked if the could courtesy arrange some kind of priority border clearance at Romanian customs, and Yes the did! Thanks Anna- Marian and Florin from Bucharest You saved me 12 hrs of waiting time at the border!!!!
Started clearance at 8 pm entered UA customs yard 10 pm where my both friends Viktor and Victor waited for me. 4 hrs later clearance was done, so next truck stop was mine, fallin into my bunk like a rock.
Monday morning after breakfast started engine 10am heading Kiev. As expected still cobbelstone roads in my "favourite" city of Kamyanets Podilsky . I call it Kamyanets Katastrophsky cuz the roads are undescribable.
Havin Viktor as my co driver I am once again happy I´ve met him two years ago. There´s no better guide existing for Úkraine like him. Funny, he speaks no german infact: "Das ist phantastisch" and his English is as good as my Kesuaheli but communication with him is easy, a mixture of German, English, Russian, hands an legs....
Last night we arrived Kiew for a break after 10 hrs driving and this morning we went eastbound to Charkiv straight into the Taiga. I consider every place east of the line Moscow - Kiew as Taiga. Surpisingly the roads east of Kiev are better than those westbound Kiew so it took just 8 hrs to get to Charkiv Sport Arena. Parked the Truck and had a shuttle to the hotel.
Nice diner and up in the room, checked mails, had a phone call to my family, write this kind of a report, now have a shower, go to sleep.
Tomorrow morning load in commences for the first 2012 SCORPIONS show in Ukraine.
So Charkiv, I´ve almost done my part for a great show, the rest is up to You...
Rock the house tomorrow nite cuz thats the way You show me that my job has got sense
C Ya tomorrow!
Cheerio

Ben

Did you thought to write a book of your epic trip on the world roads or about the customs

Happy that you are arrived safe with these roads.( and think about your next trip in France and its very very expensive motorway )

[ScorpfanUkraine]

Back from the show. The venue was almost full. I didn't expected this. The set was standart. No rhythm of love & no one like you There were some problems with video on the screens at the beginning and also James had some problems with earphones during his attack. Besides there were no drum riser tonight.
The band in a great shape and mood. Met the guys before the show in a hotel and backstage. Very nice beginning of the UA tour. Next station is Lvov!

[ScorpfanUkraine]

Hi! I'm writing from my hotel's room in Lvov. I came here today by train at 1.30 p.m. Yesterday I met Rudy and Klaus in the lobby of the hotel in Kharkov. Klaus said that they may play some more songs in Lvov. Today I've been to Velotrek and saw local techs preparing stage for tomorrow's show. Had a nice walk in the city and a tasty food in a local resturant. Gonna walk again and hope to meet with Scorps as they're arriving soon.
Tomorrow is a showday and I'm sure it will be even better than in Kharkov because it's the last one for me this year! Rock'n'Roll forever!

[Leb Yellow Butterfly]

Vladi, have an awesome show with more songs!
im sorry for Klaus for the loss of his mom

[ScorpfanUkraine]

Hi again. I'm in a train on my way home from Lvov. In the evening on 26th of October I went to the hotel where Scorpions should stay waiting for their arrival there. There were also about 10 fans. Unfortunately security didn't let anyone to enter the hotel and when Scorps arrived they also didn't let to come to them.
The next day I met with my friends from Odessa who came only in the morning. I left my bag there and went for a meeting with Renata and her husband Pavel from Czech Republic. They also come to Lvov yesterday. While we were talking I also met Pawel and Yulia from Kiev with her friends.
After it me and my Czech friends took a taxi and drove straight to the venue (Velotrek). As we had special passes we could enter the hall earlier than anyone. The guys took their places in the first row near Matthias. Unfortunately I missed my place near theguys because I have a present for Matthias which I wanted to present to him backstage.
So finally when Scorps arrived to the venue I did it. Matthias liked it (it's a funny picture of him) and said that probably he will hang it in his studio or in his Munich store.
Then it was time to go to hall. Fortunately I could stand in a free zone just in front of the T-stage. So it was a very good view.
Just a little note about loss of Klaus' mother....the sad news arrived when I was in Lvov already. The guys from Kharkov told me that he left home from Kharkov. He arrived to Lvov just some hours before the show and we also saw him there. I was really nervous for him because it's very hard to play a show with sorrow and pain. But I want say Bravo Klaus!!! You're really a strong man! You played one of the greatest Scorps shows in my opinion. The venue was sold out and The audience was just perfect, so loud. Just amazing! After Send Me An Angel people began to scream Scor-pi-ons and it was very touching moment and I'm not sure but i think Klaus was even crying at that moment. I think we can see it later on youtube. I hope such moments will make him more stronger as it is a great support for him during these sorrow days.
Also there was No One Like You which wasn't originally in the setlist!!! That was a real surprise!!!
After the show I followed my Czech friends to their hotel where we said good bye to each other as I was going to the railway station. I was very pleased to meet you again guys. Hope we'll meet again somewhere)
So here's my short review of my mini tour over Kharkov and Lvov.
I'm sending huge regards to all the people whom I met these days! Big thanks to Scorpions, special thanks to Matthias Jabs and a very special thanks for dear Klaus Meine. That's enough for this year. Hope to see you somewhere sometime!

[Scorpions Truck]

Hi from Kiev

Just arrived an hour ago in the crew hotel, after another "night in the tank". That’s a term used by pilots flying jets for the US Navy when they have to land on an aircraft carrier and weather or different circumstances enforce them to keep flying until they get clearance to land on the huge ship. Last night it felt to me like I’ll never arrive in Kiev, those 550km seemed to me like 5500, but with the help of my Co Driver Viktor - I gave him the nickname "Dostoprimetschatelnost" - we finally made it to the Sports Palace of Kiev. Of course the lovely Ukrainian Police complained me driving a truck downtown - usually that’s prohibited. Even having a special permit issued by the office of the major of Kiev they seriously wanted me to pay a fine of ridiculously expensive 500 HRIVNA, that’s approx. 50 Euros......
It was again Viktor who solutes this kind of a "problem". The police men didn’t speak any English although I am sure they could if they’ve would.
And according to Murphy’s Law the story kept going; now it was the security guy at the Venue starting an argumentation that I cannot park at the designed place. Viktor again tried to find a conclusion but the guy did not want to listen to him. I don’t know why, but after I spoke in English with him - showing my "nicest" face I am capable to show after a night in the tank he suddenly let us in to park the truck. I was really nice talking to him but Viktor said I was looking at him like I was ready to eat him with hair and bones.......

L´vov show; sorry folks cannot tell Ya anything about it, I was sleeping all day in the hotel, which might be the reason why it was tough for me to get to Kiev last night, I probably slept too much. The local crew in L´viv was really phantastic, especially the guys we had for load in, that was kind of firemen from L´viv, they seemed to have real fun to carry all the stuff down a stairway just t bring it up again another stairway just 15 m later, then pushing everything across the hole Venue to lift it up on stage. All sCREWpions was prepared for an endless load out but with the help of the stagehands working their asses off we could get it done within 4 hrs.

So half of the Ukrainian Tour is done, tomorrow Kiev and then Dnepropetrovsk Wednesday. After this, another long long way for me to France, meanwhile band and crew fly home for a couple of days free.
Now gimme some time so maybe tomorrow you will find another question for You in the “die hard Scorpions fan competition” topic

Cheerio
Ben

[Inulka]

So, it was not just a rumor as u called it when I told u through the chat on FB....I'm very sorry for Klaus and his family..but at least his mom had a long life and Klaus has always been a great sun full of love to his mom.
R.I.P...

[Scorpions Truck]

7 am local time i Kiev....Grrrrrr,
way too early getting out of a huge nice bed.
But no complaines will help, theres a show tonite so there has to be a load in.
bathroom now, breakfast and hop in the shuttle to the venue. Another long day followed by 585 km to Dnjeprpetrovsk are waiting for me...

T minus 50 days

cheerio

Ben

[Gabi6912]

Ben, I loved your reports as usual I do.
Del is right, I would support her idea about writing a book about your trips, and experiences in showbiz.

Thank you for your reviews Vlady.

Lovely Klaus, I so respect you for your strenght.

Love you always.

[Scorpions Truck]

Holy cr*p
last night was horrible, in the midst of the nigth suddenly the truck engine lost power, fuel injection system didn´t work properly. Immediately I knew what´s the story, fuel filters full of mud and dirt....
Not really a surprise; the cheaper the fuel the less is the quality. Don´t wanna suspect somebody with anything, but some fuel station operators rise up their income by extending Diesel fuel with water or different stuff..

So all I could do was stop the vehicle, tilt the cabin and get the filters changed. A wonderful job 4am in the morning and off course it was raining and temperatures was about 5 degrees....
Took about 45 mins to get back on the road again, smelling like an oil refinery.

arriving at Dneprpetrovsk Venue around 10am local crew chief showed me secure parking, but hotel, sorry don´t know anthing about it, that´s not my business.. All I desired was a quick shower and fresh clothes, all I didn´t want was endles attempts to reach aynone responsable for hotel reservations. Half an hour later erverything was sorted, so downtown to the hotel. Check in, hot shower and after a coffee in the lobby.
Met a bunch of very interesting ppl there, a Canadian group of election observers. There´s been election last sunday here in Ukraine so there´s been a complete A340 Jet from Canada with volounteers to look after anything works under democratic rules. The group was splitted after arrival in Kiev a ten days ago to observe election all over the country..
Really interesting to chat with them, never met kind of guys before in personal.
Now off for the rest of the day, tomorrow same procedure like yesterday. load in show load out and then....
approximately 2700km to Lille France with a stopover at the Scorpions warehouse in Hannover. Some of the quipment needs maintenance - this gives me the opportunity to go home for 3 days before launching to Lille next week.

Write a book???? Sorry told You guys before am too lazy and to stupid for this and I sincerely doubt I will find any book publishing agent to bring it to the market. I am simply not a celebrity and who cares for a fat f**k truck driver´s impressions from the road....

cheerio


Ben

[YNWA]

Lovely Klaus, I so respect you for your strenght.

One and only.. Klaus Meine! Full respect for him! He is a real professional!

[Renatablackout]

I´m back at home. I was a little affraid of travel by car to Lviv. I decided to go in last moment.
It was for me like comeback in time. We were waiting more than 2 hours on border Poland/Ukraine. Many custom officers checked us too long time and asked us where we go and why… I write about it because travel in EU is very easy.

We met my good friend Vladimir from Odessa in the hotel. In the venue we met Brigite from Switzerland with her friend and we rocked together in first row.

Never mind that venue was not perfect but atmosphere during the show was special. Klaus said later the same about special atmosphere and support from audience. He was absolutely professional but I couldn´t enjoy show like always knowing his sadness

I can´t express my greatest respect for this wise man...

Dear Klaus, take care and maybe you could write one more song….


few pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/Renatablac ... directlink

[Gabi6912]

Thanks for your review Renata.
Yes, traweling is quite easy in EU.

Ben, believe me, your book would be much more enjoyable than lotsof "celebrities'" one, who think that they have to say something for the world, just because of their massive egos, playing their mind as hungarian slang says.
Yours would be full of great humor, and intelligent thoughts about everything.