Over the past decade, a number of tours have sprung up to give visitors a look at some of the…read moredarker sides of Hamburg's St. Pauli quarter, from a historical look at the tricks of the prostitution trade that has flourished for centuries to lore as related by a costumed night watchman. But Steffanie Hempel's Beatles Tour is a standout for a number of reasons.
First, Ms. Hempel's passion for her subject gives the tour a warmth and enthusiasm that other's lack. This is no surprise that she developed the tour herself 10 years ago.
Another reason is that the tour is given in both German and English, and unlike some tours, the information in English is as extensive as it is in German. Further, instead of ping-ponging back and forth between languages, Ms. Hempel will explain a fact in German, then give the English version and add another tidbit, before going back to German. This gives the narration a more fluid course.
As she leads the group between key sites, Ms. Hempel performs appropriate songs from the Beatles' early days, singing in a voice that is reminiscent of both Lennon and McCartney, while accompanying herself on her ukelele. It's quite good and tour participants are encouraged to join in at times. Passers-by often stop to take in the performances.
Through her extensive knowledge of the Beatles, much of it gained from her interviews with people who knew and worked with the lads during their days in Hamburg from 1960-62, Ms. Hempel builds a convincing case that the band may not have emerged as the world-changing force they became had they not spent weeks on end playing 5-6 hours a night in seedy clubs. In fact, their first appearance, on the Indra club stage, came after the five members had only played together for one hour, with a drummer recruited as he was the only guy they knew with a full drum kit. The band was the promoter's fourth choice and they lived down to his expectations, with the show saved by the stripper performing along with the group. Ms. Hempel then builds the story as to how they honed their lineup, their looks, their songwriting skills and their musical talent over four extended stays in the Hansestadt.
She ends the tour with a mini-concert at the St. Pauli Museum, where the sign above the door reads "From stories come history." At the museum, participants can grab an Astra beer, take a seat and sing along as Ms. Hempel takes up her guitar and plays a handful of songs. Singing along is strongly encouraged and lyric sheets are available, but from the first note, most of the guests sing along with the songs that shaped much of their lives. And from their their broad smiles, the tour has added to those happy memories. And to keep the spirit alive, Ms. Hempel has just released CD of her interpretations of a number of Beatles' songs.
