Of the two concerts of our new The Mission Rockpalast DVD/CD, the one from 1990 was recorded during a phase when the Rockpalast team was in a period of transition.
Due to the introduction of new private TV stations also showing videos clips and shortly after the start of MTV Europe, the interest at Rockpalast had strongly decreased. The 16th Rock night in October 1985 had only been filled by a third. The whole production had also become too expensive. With the 17th Rock night the West German Broadcaster WDR finally pulled the plug.
It took another three years until the WDR transmitted live music on TV again – with a smaller budget and less effort. In 1989, the team around Peter Rüchel came up with a concept for a production called “Rocklife”. At first glance, everything had stayed the same – but the team went to record at smaller halls and club locations. Also, the musical spectrum was expanded.
But from now on, the Rockpalast did not organize the complete event but came as a guest at concerts of other promoters. Nearly ten years after the last Rockpalast night, the brand name “Rockpalast” celebrated a huge comeback as a media guest of the Bizarre Festival at the Loreley, Cologne, in 1995. Rumour has it that one of the big Cologne newspapers, the “Kölner Express”, had announced the festival with the headline “Rockpalast is back” thus initiating the return to the old name.
In this regard, the second concert of The Mission at Düsseldorf Philipshalle must be seen as one of the last recordings in this period of transition. The long-term Rockpalast presenter Alan Bangs is making the announcement before an unfamiliar short-haired Wayne Hussey and his crew are sweeping the crowds off their feet again. Thus, the concert clearly fits into the Rockpalast series even if the backdrop on the stage says differently. Bottom line: Even if it says “Rocklife” it is actually a Rockpalast.