Saturday about 250 teens and tweens showed up at Main Street Music in Manayunk to shriek at budding German pop stars Tokio Hotel. Who? Exactly my thoughts a week ago when my buddy Pat told me this band was slated for an in-store appearance to sign cds (no performance) at his cd store. I was sure he was mistaken and meant up-and-coming Canadian indie-popsters Tokyo Police Club. But nope, it was Tokio Hotel and they are coming to America to steal the hearts (and pocketbooks) of your daughters.
In the age of myspace, facebook and Youtube, these Teutonic heartthrobs generated this kind of madness with just a brief blurb last week on their myspace page and a couple of Tokio Hotel blog mentions. I'm not sure who their handlers are, but apparently they've figured out the correct formula to create a massive buzz... who says the music industry is dead?
Think Jonas Brothers mixed with Bon Jovi in a glam rock stew... and after hearing thier first English language disc, Scream (albeit accompanied by a couple of hundred off-key, decked out, made up Hannah Montan wannabes), it's not too bad. "Ready Set Go" sounds like a hit and reminds me of Head Automtica, who impressed with 2006's Popaganda, a quirky jumble of beats, guitars and hooks, heavy on the hooks.
Think Jonas Brothers mixed with Bon Jovi in a glam rock stew... and after hearing thier first English language disc, Scream (albeit accompanied by a couple of hundred off-key, decked out, made up Hannah Montan wannabes), it's not too bad. "Ready Set Go" sounds like a hit and reminds me of Head Automtica, who impressed with 2006's Popaganda, a quirky jumble of beats, guitars and hooks, heavy on the hooks.
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Fans line Main Street for a glimpse of Tokio Hotel
The first of the rabid fans arrived at 4 am and they came from all over - Reading, Allentown, South Jersey, North Jersey, Warminster, NE Philly, South Philly, Connecticutt... there was even a rumor of a Maine mom rewarding her 8 year old's straight A's with a trip to Philly to see Tokio Hotel. At about 3:30, the autograph signing began, and hyper-ventilating, followed by the glazed eyes of witnessing greatness led to sobs of raging teenage hormonal joy. Not one little girl seemed even a tiny disappointed with their 15 seconds gawking at potentially the next huge pubescent phenoms. By 4:20, the boys were back in the van being whisked away to screams of delight and terror. By 4:25, anything that remained at Main Street Music featuring the name or visage of Tokio Hotel had been ripped away and carried out by still delirious, wide-eyed fans.
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Gustav, Bill, Tom, Teenage Kicks, Music Enthusiast, Georg
I'm not sure, but I believe each girl uttered the same three words as they left their fleeting meeting with their bedroom posters come to life:
"Oh. My. God."