Date: 5 July 2008
Originally published in: Westfällischer Anzeiger (Germany)
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During the sixth edition of the Hammer Summer the series of sultry summer nights was brought to an end: exactly at the start of the performance of the English star Kim Wilde the big rain set in. 20.000 people followed the performances by GZSZ-star Jörn Schlönvoigt, the English band Nemo, Kim Wilde and The Boss Hoss.
With Kim Wilde the rain came. A new phenomenon in the history of the Hammer Summers – until now organisers Uwe Sauerland and Dr. Alexander Tillmann had unbelievable luck with the weather. While Jörn Schlönvoigt and the british band Nemo could still play their sets in glorious summer weather, big clouds ended the high hopes of the organisation. The audience, who didn’t want to miss out on the music fled to the arcades of the bank. It didn’t harm the atmosphere. And when The Boss Hoss came to the stage, the rain was over, the square totally filled up again.
Almost 20.000 were there in the end, celebrating to the music of Jörn Schlönvoigt, Nemo, Kim Wilde and The Boss Hoss. “No particular disorders”, said policeman Ralf Müller, who headed the security for the event. “The sixth Hammer Summer was totally undisruptive, like its predecessors”.
Security controls at the entrances in the Südstrasse and Weststrasse made sure that no bottles, weapons or cameras were taken into the square. “The people were full of understanding”, said a worker of security, while the waiting line became ever longer before the beginning of the performance by Kim Wilde.
The audience changed during the evening: while teenagers wanted to see Jörn Schlönvoigt live on stage, and also the band Nemo, it was mostly older people who came to see Kim Wilde and The Boss Hoss.
Since 8am Angela Ende (23) from Hamm sat with her daughter Jasmin (5) before the Hammer Sommer stage. She wanted a “place in the sun” in front of her idol Jörn Schlönvoigt. She wasn’t alone for long, from Koblenz came Franziska Zimmer (15), who learned about the performance of the GZSZ-star through the internet. More fans came from Sauerland and Dortmund. Shortly thereafter four Dutch people – of an older age – came in, who had travelled here just for Kim Wilde, only to travel further to Berlin in the evening, where the singer is performing live today.
For Sauerland and Tillmann the rain was a new experience. They are optimistic nonetheless. “We are happy that the technical equipment held out, thanks to all”, said Tillmann. And Sauerland explains that they have shown that the Hammer Summer is accepted even with rain. “The event has become established. It’s great that the visitors stayed here. It gives us courage for next year”, the makers say as they start planning.
