Inside the Parc des Princes

Inside the Parc des Princes

Tokio Hotel has weighed their scaled very seriously. It was a true spinning entertainment. No voice tests, but they did test the instruments starting at 12:46. Bill, Tom, Gustav, and Georg did rehearsals under the sun this 21st of June, with 31° , nonstop, with Bill as conductor, who gave firm and professional instructions to the 3 others, as well as to the technicians. They rehearsed the "mise en scene." Bill wore his new hairstyle (which he has had since May) with shorter layers and more black, sometimes moving his head down, and putting his hair straight. Soberly wearing classic blue jeans and a plain black T-shirt, Bill wore sunglasses in order to protect himself from the bright light which reflected off the metal surface of the Parc des Princes. The atmosphere was laid-back, with Bill smiling, and at the end of certain songs, he'd let out little "lalalas". For 2 long hours this went on. Tom, Gustav, and Georg were granted several supplementary minutes of rehearsal, while Bill left to the lodge. TH left PdP a bit before 15:00.
They reappeared at around 18:37, and locked themselves up immediately in their lodge, constantly guarded by one French vigil and one or two bodyguards from the VSD Hamburg.
Their lodging, being the famous locker room of the PSG, with the well-known bathtub-jacuzzi. Among those privileged to be in with them were Andreas, the twins' best friend, who manages the fan club, the makeup lady, Benjamin Ebel, and David Jost.
Tokio Hotel didn't go out after that, not even to see BP Zoom.

BP Zoom
It took us about half an our to penetrate the fortress of the Parc des Princes and join BP Zoom. Passing in front of the imposing Tokio Hotel scene, you realize that it's a big event. The only ones who seem to manage the pressure of the day, are the four boys who greet us in the referee's lodge, which has become theirs for this day. They seem calm, it isn't the first time for Lionel (singer), Ludovic (guitarist), Jules (bassist), and Raphael (drummer) to play on such a big scene; this band has already opened with Sum 41, Superbus, Kyo, La Grande Sophie, and The Stranglers. And soon they will release their second album.

2 years of tours and more than 200 concerts, brings the to the present. "What's funny is that there were Tokio Hotel fans who left us messages on Myspace. Messages of encouragement saying that they would throw tomatoes on stage while we sung... The closer the date, the more crazy messages we received from crazy people who wanted places here today. There was even one who said she was from this magazine (we don't care). But the best, was this girl who said she came from Poland, especially to see us and that if they didn't let her come in, she would suicide." In response to the question: "Are you stressed?" Jules answered: "In any case, we are!" Lionel is tired and tells us: "Today it's the conditions of AC/DC. I expected it, but...it's like my DVDs." We hear noises, Tokio Hotel has arrived. Their lodge is close by, guarded by 6 men. BP Zoom even had to sign a contract where a clause states that they aren't allowed to touch Bill's hair. The question is the following: how did it happen that that ended up in the contract???
On the road to the catering. We are behind the scene and Tokio Hotel starts the rehearsals, which last for about 2 hours. 15:00, it's BP Zoom's turn. We are told that they are only allowed 30 minutes. Here, everything is in order, and the backstage resembles the launch tower at Nasa. Control screens are everywhere. After the voice and instrument tests, they were able to rehearse "Le mur du son", the boys returned to their lodges. Now they must wait for 19:15. We chat with the boys and they tell us that they will shoot a clip in Paris on the 6 and 7th of July. Also, there are places you can win to assit the shooting on their Myspace page.

Since 15:30, the doors to the Parc des Princes have opened, and the noise is even louder. 19:00. BP Zoom heads towards the stage. After an intro, they start their album "Tout casse" which raises the arms of the public. And naturally the hands move from left to right during their song "Le mur du son." Above them, there's a curtain of lights which will be on for the second part. Lionel doesn't let himself be intimidated by the messages of support for Tokio Hotel. At the right a banner "BP Zoom your fans are here" reminds him that this set is their and he orders to "shake the walls of the stadium." Calmed by "Dis-moi", the public panics during "Etoile d'argent" and then there's the electric "Appel aux Plasticines." BP Zoom manages it: their game on stage and their looks which don't leave the spectators makes this first part a true concert. Lionel: "Do you want rock'n'roll?" A storm of riffs and a recapture from AC/DC "If You Want Blood." An obscure title for many, but the energy that BP Zoom brings to this big song unites the whole Parc des Princes. The public is now standing up, pointing to the sky the Moloch sign and chanting "you've got it!"

(Don't miss the next post to hear about the second part of the event: Tokio Hotel!)