Allow me to take you back to the sophisticated, fun-loving, beauty of a Berlin in the 1930s, just before things started to go awry. Here we are blissfully unaware of any political undercurrent.. in fact, as Emcee in Kander and Ebb's Cabaret would have siad, "here life is beautiful...even the orchestra is beautiful!". [There is actually a very interesting essay to be written entitled 'Compare and Contrast Max Raabe with Cabaret's Emcee', but that will have to wait for another time].
Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester, much more well-known in his native Germany than on our shores, but nevertheless, a million-selling Deutsche Gramaphon artist is making his first ever UK tour and one of the stops along the way was Manchester's lovely Bridgewtaer Hall.
Raabe is a vocalist and his own MC, whilst his swing / dance band (or as they call themselves The Palast Orchester) is a 13-piece multi-instrumental, multi-talented integral and equal part of the evening. They play and sing songs from the 1920s and 1930s from both sides of the Atlantic, some in English and perhaps a few more in German. He even tried one in Spanish. [this proved to be the most unintentionally funny song of the evening, since the Hoch-Deutsch crispness of the articulation sounded so very wrong with Spanish words]. However his superb diction and cristal-clear enunciation worked very much in his favour for the English-language songs and of course was absolutely natural for the ones in his own language.
[- aside: If you know your 'Allo Allo' and you mixed Herr Flick and Lt. Gruber together, what would come out would not be too dissimilar from Raabe. I mean that in the nicest and most complimentary way of course. Just to give readers an idea of Raabe's style and demeanor. The German equivalent perhaps of Noel Coward in many ways.] Raabe is tall, thin, unsmiling and laconic. He presents each song with a short introduction. He speaks in crisp, clear tones and his humour is very German. However, he proves that both British and German humour are quite similar at times, and his comedy timing is second to none. The poster advertising this concert is a good example of their humour, and you'd probably only 'get it' if you speak the language. However, Raabe is seen sitting on a telegraph wire next to a raven. The German word for raven is 'rabe' (pronounced the same as Raabe.)
However I am digressing again. The songs were delightful. each one well chosen and a good mix of styles. The band was excellent, all soloists in their own right, and all multi-talented. I especially enjoyed the percussionist and the pianist this evening. The pianist giving himself a comedy character all of his own without stealing Raabe's thunder which was delightful.
They have timed their entrances etc with German punctiliousness, and everything about this evening's concert was crsip and precise. Even the intentional 'mishap' of the final piece of the first act was perfectly choreographed. The second half saw them in white evening jackets with Raabe himself in tails, emphasising the era and style even more. The final song of the evening (before the two rehearsed encores) was a novelty piece which actually saw Raabe smile for the first time all evening as the orchestra played hand-held tuned bells.
My two personal favourites from the evening (sadly there was no programme or play-list) were both from the German language repertoire. The first a beautifully evocative romantic song with only piano accompaniment, made famous by Marlene Dietrich, "Leben Ohne Liebe Kannst Du Nicht", whilst the well-known and humorous song, "Meine Kleine Gruener Kaktus" made for a welcome mood change at the end of the concert.
Raabe's voice is mellow and although a tenor has a surprising depth too, and is capable of a large range. This was amply showcased throughout the evening, as well as the individual musicans' playing solo riffs etc. Without the ability to time travel, if you were ever wanting to immerse yourself in a tarditional 1930's dance band concert, then you simply could not find better than Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester.
Wunderbar! Zugabe! Please come again!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 6/3/20
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